I do not own H2O: Just Add Water or any of the characters.
Chapter 58: Love Potion #9 (part 2)
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[A few minutes later, Lewis sat on the side of the bed, the waterproof spray laying in his hands as he stares at it. Finally, the bathroom door opens, and out walks the girls. Emma, Rikki, and Cleo come out now wearing their new outfits, the ones they were originally going to wear. Emma and Cleo were in dresses, the former wearing a blue flowery dress and Cleo sporting a long purple one. While Rikki stuck to black dance clothes with hints of red. All three of them still wearing their lockets.]
"Wow," Ash whispered. Emma looks amazing.
"That's the Rikki I know," Zane mumbled with a grin. Though she also looked good in her other outfit, this one seemed more, Rikki.
"That is so much better," Bella said with many agreeing. "Felt a lot better too," Rikki added.
"Now I know I recognized that dress," Kim nodded. "Because you saw me wearing it," Cleo said as if it were obvious.
"Beautiful as always," Lisa said, happy to see her daughter look so happy.
Emma: "What do you think?" They stand in front of Lewis, who stands up himself. He throws his hands out, trying to show how he felt: speechless.
Rikki: "Sounds like a compliment to me." Emma and Rikki walk back to the bathroom with bright smiles on their face, leaving Cleo and Lewis alone for a moment.
"Cue the awkwardness," Zane said.
"It better be a compliment," Neil said. He didn't care if Lewis liked Cleo. He should be nice and compliment all of his friends, especially after all the effort Emma put into this dance.
Lewis: "Cleo, I'm so sorry." Cleo steps forward. In the background, Rikki could be seen finishing packing her bag. Lewis gets frustrated with himself. "I just, I just got so caught up in my research. I just, I lost track. And I just – I didn't realize the dance was so soon. I –."
Don's anger from earlier slowly dims as he sighed. At least he apologized.
"Did you get any sleep if you worked so much on your research?" Annette asked a little concerned about him. "Maybe a couple of hours," Lewis shrugged, unsure of the answer. "You should start caring for yourself before trying to finish such a big project like this. You need to care for yourself first, otherwise, everything you worked on would fall apart from lack of self-care," Max explained. "Oh, trust me, I learned that firsthand," Lewis mumbled.
Lewis: huffs. "But, seeing as you're all dressed, I just thought, perhaps you and I – uh, we could – well, I – you and I together, I thought perhaps – uh, this is only if you want to –." Cleo looks at him impatiently, wanting him to just say it, hoping he was trying to ask her to the dance.
"What, did you think I didn't' have a date?" Cleo asked, sounding a little exasperated. "Well, you never mentioned one," Lewis said, sounding a little sheepish. "Probably because I never got a chance. You wouldn't stop rambling on about your research," Cleo shot back.
"Well at least he tried to ask you, unlike someone who refused to," Rikki said, giving Cleo a look. "She did say you should've asked him," Emma pointed out. Cleo huffed in defeat. "It's the same with you, Emma," Rikki turned to her. Lewis looked a little surprised that they were defending him before that was shut down quickly. "Don't give us that look, Lewis. You're guilty too. You should've realized it yourself after the amount of time you were hanging with us, and discussing the dance with us," Emma glared slightly. "Fair enough," Lewis mumbled.
"Just spit it out already!" Kim groaned in annoyance. "Give him time, Kim," Bev mentioned. "Time's already up," Cleo sighed, knowing what was next.
"You wanted to go to the dance, dressed like that?" Charlotte asked, finding his choice of clothing a bit odd for the occasion. "I would've ran home to change. But as it's been said a hundred times, I forgot the dance was that night," Lewis replied.
[Emma and Rikki walk out of the bathroom, their stuff finally packed. Before Lewis could finish, however, her dad yells from downstairs.]
Don: "Cleo, someone's here for you!" Cleo looks toward her door as Emma began walking to it. Cleo gives him one last sad glance before following after her. On her way out, Rikki snatches the waterproof spray from Lewis's hand without even mumbling a 'thanks' from any one of them. Lewis looks at his empty hands in slight surprise before following after them, curious as to who could have come for Cleo.
"Way to go, dad," Kim sighed. "How was I supposed to know?" Don shrugged.
"You could've at least thanked him for the spray. Without him, you three wouldn't have been able to dress normal," Terry scolded Rikki. Rikki sighs and looked back at her friends, the three of them looking back at Lewis before thanking him. Lewis nodded in appreciation, though his thoughts were a little gloomy due to watching his failed attempt at asking her out.
"That's some tough luck," Harrison winced. "Just one mistake after the other," Lewis sighed. "You just can't catch a break, can you?" Zane asked him.
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[Downstairs, Zane and Nate wait in the living room with an overprotective father, Don, watching them. Don stood, arms crossed, a few feet from them eyeing the two carefully to make sure they don't pull any tricks while the two teenage boys stood there awkwardly waiting for their dates to come down the stairs. Finally, after what felt like a minute, maybe five for the boys, the girls come downstairs with all smiles in their new outfits, Lewis trailing behind them. The girls walk into the living room while Lewis waits by the staircase. Emma stood to the side as Rikki hugs Zane, who returns the hug and admires his beautiful girlfriend. Nate looks Cleo up and down in slight disgust since she didn't take his 'request'.]
"Did you and Nate go together?" Harrison asked. "Well, Nate wouldn't stop talking about how he was taking Cleo to the dance. So, I figured it'd save some time if we just went together," Zane shrugged. "Too bad it didn't save brain cells," Rikki muttered. She swears it feels like she loses a few every time he's near.
"Dad," Cleo whined, noticing her father putting on the overprotective dad act again. "I'm just making sure he won't try to pull anything, sweetheart," Don told her. "I highly doubt he will in front of you, dad," Cleo reassured. "You never know with that boy," Harrison shook his head. "I know you were focused more on Nate since he was taking Cleo, but you were still very intimidating sir," Zane chuckled nervously. "Well, I needed to be, even if I was focused on him it was intended for you as well. You were going with Rikki and Rikki is best friends with Cleo. She's around so much I almost think of her and Emma as daughters as well," Don said, receiving bright smiles from the two blondes. Bev was in full agreement even though she wasn't in the picture anymore.
"The same could be said for us with you and Rikki too, Cleo," Lisa nodded along with Neil. Cleo's been in Emma's life since they were children, they've always thought of her as a second daughter. And when Rikki was brought into the group, Rikki slowly but surely became a part of that feeling too.
Wish I could say the same, Terry thought with an inward sigh. He didn't mean anything by that. Sure, he believed Emma and Cleo were great and obviously have a connection with Rikki, both literally and figuratively, and they've been friends for quite some time now thanks to this huge (not anymore) secret. But he literally just met the two girls two days ago. How could he think of them as daughters if he only just met them? Maybe within time, they will be.
Nate: "I thought I said something short and tight." Rikki and Emma look at him in disgust.
Don: smile drops, making sure he heard him clearly. "What?"
Cleo: eyes widen, still facing Nate. "Nothing. Should we get going?" Looks around the room.
"That's what I thought he said," Don glared once more at the boy.
"Seems like he should take his own advice," Charlotte scoffed, arms crossed.
"Why would I ever listen to him? I'd rather wear something I like and am comfortable in, not something he prefers," Cleo shook her head.
"Does this guy have a death wish? Saying that in front of a parent?" Ash said, looking at the rude boy.
Zane: sees Lewis near the base of the stairs. All eyes turn to him. "Lewis, you're not coming?"
"You might have screwed up by mixing up the time, but you still deserve to have fun too," Zane mentioned. "I screwed up a lot more than you think I did," Lewis muttered, loud enough for Zane to hear as he looks at him confused.
Lewis: fiddles with his fingers. "Um, I might get there later."
"Did you go?" Charlotte asked him, hoping he did go. Zane was right, he needs to wind down and relax. This night could give him a chance to do so. "I did. But as my screen-self said, it would be later," Lewis answered. "I still had to find me a suit after all."
Nate: "Well you should bring a hose, then. Cause it's going to be hot." He wraps an arm around Cleo's waist and leads her to the door. On the way out, Nate points a finger gun at Lewis and makes a booming noise with his mouth. Lewis returns it with two hands, an uncomfortable and clearly fake smile. Don watches him lead an uncomfortable Cleo away, not liking how Nate was acting at all.
"Was that another pickup line or a joke?" Sam asked Zane since it was clear that he knew him better. "Not sure. Either way, it was still terrible," Zane chuckled. Nate was and always will be his friend, but he had some issues that Zane couldn't agree with. One of them being how he treats his dates.
Cleo couldn't help but feel bad. Even if it was at the last second, Lewis still tried to ask her out to the dance. And then out of nowhere, he finds out that she has a date with someone else. She couldn't imagine how awful that must've felt. If it was the other way around, she would've definitely been heartbroken.
Cleo: "Bye Lewis." Cleo and Nate walk through the door, heading for the dance. Emma, Rikki, and Zane follow after them. Lewis looks away in defeat as the door shuts.
Don: walks up next to Lewis. "You're letting my daughter go with him?"
"You wanted Lewis to go with me?" Cleo asked in surprise. "What happened to the overprotective dad bit?" Kim frowned. "All that goes out the door when you go with the wrong person. I'd much rather let you go with Lewis than with Nate," Don answered. "Did someone get that on recording?" Kim asked the crowd, hoping someone had recorded her father's words. To her dismay, however, the only response was a few no's and snickers.
Lewis: "Well, it's not really up to me."
Cleo couldn't help but give him a sad smile. Despite him wanting to go to the dance with her, and wishing that it was him instead of Nate, he chose to back down and let Cleo decide what she wanted. Even if Cleo really didn't want to go with him, Lewis thought she'd wanted to be with Nate. He was letting her do what he thought she wanted, which she found to be sweet of him.
Don: "Of course it is. She only ever talks about you." Lewis slowly turns back to him, a small frown of surprise on his face as Don speaks to him. The surprise increases once Don hits him in the chest to get his attention. "Come on, Lewis. You're better than that goose." Don hits him once more in the arm.
"Why'd you tell him that?" Cleo groaned in embarrassment. "Had to get him to fight back somehow," Don chuckled.
"Anything is better than him, even Zane. No offense," Emma said. "About the old me? None taken," Zane responded.
"Goose?" Bev asked, laughing. "Have you heard the boy speak? He's so loud and squawks like one, always causing trouble too," Don shook his head. "At least he didn't call him a pelican. That'd be insulting to the pelicans," Kim said.
Lewis: "Really?" Don nods before walking off. Lewis looks back to the front door and then heads off in search of a suit.
"You better believe it," Ash laughed. "I'm glad he did say that though. It gave me a new determination," Lewis smiled as he whispered to her. "And I think it's great that you kept trying," Cleo whispered back. "And thank you for trying to let me do what I want." "What are friends for?" Lewis replied. Friends, since we didn't become a couple until that night. And now, since we're broken up, are still considered friends. I hope.
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[The dance goes off without a hitch, the class had the time of their lives dancing and laughing, smiling, and hanging out with friends and dates. The Juicenet café was filled with balloons and a disco ball and several other decorations. Music boomed from the speakers set up near the doors. The normally beaded curtains were no longer beaded, but silver shiny streamers in their place. The main floor cleared of tables and chairs to leave space for plenty of dancing. Rikki dances with Zane near Nate and Cleo, and Emma kept a check on everything as the party was going smoothly. Yes, everyone seems to be having a good time. Well, almost everyone. Cleo stands next to Nate, her hand rubbing her shoulder, boredom and irritation cover her face as she watches Nate play with one of his buddies, tossing who knows what to each other. Finally tired of dealing with him for the moment, Cleo spots Emma by the punch bowl stirring it with a ladle. A small smile forms and she walks over to her fellow mermaid.]
"Woah! The party looks amazing!" Will said in awe. "You really do know how to throw a party," Charlotte said in shock, amazed by the decorations, the organization, and not to mention the guest seem to be loving every bit of it.
"Great job, Emma!" Elliot said, eyes wide with joy. "The place looks so beautiful. Just shows how much effort and hard work you've put into it," Lisa smiled. She seems to have such a talent for this. No wonder she was on the organizing committee. The student council would be proud of her too.
"If I didn't know this was the café, I would almost believe it was an actual dance floor. It looks spectacular," Annette laughed. "Now let's hope Wilfred doesn't have to worry about the place being destroyed," Neil chuckled.
"Looks like everyone's having a blast. You did well," Sam nodded, very impressed by the outcome. "Mostly everyone," Cleo muttered.
Lewis noticed how Cleo stood to the side while Nate messed around with his friends. Did Nate not dance with her first? Was he not giving her any attention? The questions made a frown form on Lewis's face. That would've been the first thing he did, is ask her if she wanted to dance or have a drink or hang out with friends together. Not basically ignore her the whole time.
Emma: yells over the music. "Where's Nate?"
Cleo: looks confused. "He ... 'parked' me?" Shrugs and rolls her eyes. "'Mates now, dance later.'" The two turn around and watch the dance floor.
"You're kidding, right?" Bella frowned. "Nope," Cleo and Zane said, the both of them popping the 'p'. "He likes to take turns with one another. One minute he'll be with his buddies, the next with his date," Zane explained with a sigh. "At least he has a system, I guess," Ash said, trying to convince himself.
"Charlotte, honey, please don't become friends with him. He's clearly a bad influence," Annette said a bit worried. "Don't worry, mom, I don't plan on it. And are you kidding? ... he's been a bad influence since we began this whole thing," Charlotte laughed.
Don glared at the boy onscreen, Lewis joining in. Don knew the boy wasn't good for her, he knew it the moment Nate walked in the door, talking about how they were going to have the 'time of their lives.' Cleo clearly wasn't from the look on her onscreen face.
"You don't seem that upset about it," Bev said, a little surprised by the factor. "Eh, I figured something like that would happen. Knew something would go wrong the minute I agreed to go with him," Cleo shrugged.
Emma: the two then watch Rikki and Zane dance, smiling at one another. "At least someone's having fun."
"Oh, you bet," Zane laughed with Rikki. "One of the best nights of my life," Rikki smiled back. "Good to hear," Terry mumbled, happy to hear that his daughter was happy but preferred not to know just how much fun they had.
[The two then turn their heads to the other side of the dance floor, where Byron was currently dancing with Miriam. Miriam looks back at Emma and gives her a sly smirk and continues to dance with Byron, turning him away from Emma's view. Emma glares back at her.]
"Ugh, is this another one of her petty revenge acts?" Kim asked. "Yup. It's a two-in-one package. Try to win Zane back while also getting back at Emma," Rikki sighed. "Getting back at Emma for what?" Lisa asked. "For living," Emma rolled her eyes.
Cleo: to Emma. "Do you think Lewis would have asked me? If he'd have remembered the dance was tonight?"
"What do you think all that babbling was?" Kim looked at her sister. "I couldn't understand a word he said," Cleo shook her head. "In my defense, I was not mentally prepared on what to say," Lewis raised his hand. "It was pretty obvious he was trying to ask you though," Bella said.
[Lewis walks through the door, the streamers surrounding him as he walks inside. He looks around the room in search of Cleo, now in a suit.]
"How'd you find a suit so fast?" Will asked a bit impressed. "I borrowed it from my dad," Lewis shrugged. "Just my luck that we're the same size."
Charlotte sighed heavily. She was glad that he was able to join the party so soon. She honestly didn't think he would make it in time if he didn't have a suit, but since he did, he could be considered fashionably late. Charlotte had to admit it was a bit hard having to watch this. Seeing all the effort that Lewis was putting in to try and dance with Cleo, to make her night. Watching Cleo try her best to go to the dance with Lewis, and even when she wasn't she was constantly asking about him. It was hard to see the progress they were making in their slowly moving relationship. They couldn't see for themselves how much they cared about each other, but anyone else can see it. Including her. And it was hard seeing her crush crushing on someone else. Someone he was meant to be with.
Maybe, maybe it was time for her to move on? After all, there was no way she could compete with Cleo. Lewis was head over heels for her. She would love to still be friends with Lewis. And he looked great in that suit as well. She wasn't sure what to do.
Emma: notices Lewis at the door. "Only one way to find out." Emma nods her head in his direction. Cleo looks that way and her and Lewis's gazes lock on to each other.
Don couldn't help but smile. Though he didn't like his oldest daughter growing up, it was nice to see her so happy with Lewis. It was something that happened quite a bit with the two growing up as kids, but now it has become so much more.
[Cleo smiles upon seeing Lewis all dressed up. It honestly seemed like a mix of surprise that he showed up on time and surprise that he looked so great. She was just about to go greet him when Nate cuts in front of her and blocks each other's view.]
Nate: "Dance now, mates later." He grabs Cleo's hand and drags her onto the dance floor. Cleo's smile drops and she looks at Emma with a look of dread. Lewis watches her get pulled onto the floor and dance with a terrible partner of a dancer, Nate.
"He calls that dancing?" Kim scoffed. "He looks like he's trying to do the worm, standing up," Elliot laughed.
"That's what he actually said? I thought you were just mocking him!" Ash said a bit shocked. "You don't know Nate like we do," Emma chuckled.
"Way to ruin the moment," Cleo grumbled. Why did I ever go to the dance with him?
Lewis: walks over to Emma and stands next to her as he continues to watch Cleo 'have fun.' "I've really messed up, haven't I?" Cleo glances back at him as she dances with Nate.
"Yes, yes you have," Zane said along with many others. "More than once," Lewis muttered under his breath.
"You still have a chance, just steal her away," Kim urged.
Emma: "You know, there is such a thing as cutting in." Lewis raises an eyebrow at her and Emma gives him a look as if saying 'go on, you got this.'
"Exactly!" "No one said you were wrong, Kim," Emma laughed.
"Might be a challenge when it comes to Nate. He can be pretty stubborn," Zane warned. "So can mermaids," Rikki smirked.
[Lewis begins to walk over to them when Tiffany comes out of nowhere, wide-eyed, and grabs him by the shoulders.]
Tiffany: "Come on, Lewis. I need a partner for this one." She pushes him into the crowd of dancers, dancing along the way.
"Oh, come on!" Cleo whined. She could've had a chance to dance with him sooner! "So close," Kim sighed.
"Was that another revenge plan by Miriam or did she actually want to dance with him?" Charlotte asked, getting angry if this was another one of the barbie's tricks, she shouldn't involve Lewis in this. "I'm not sure. Tiffany might tag along with Miriam, but she's actually a really nice person. She was friendly with everyone, but not everyone was friendly back thanks to Miriam. It would make sense for her to try and dance with someone," Zane answered. "I think she genuinely wanted to dance with me. She seemed to have a good time and we danced and talked for a while. It was fun," Lewis mentioned.
Cleo bit her cheek, trying her best not to show her jealousy of the two together.
[Emma continued to watch Byron dancing and bit her lip as her smile fell. The party continued throughout the night, with everyone dancing all of their energy out on the dance floor. Finally, as the night went on, the music began to change into a more serious tone. Not a slow dance, but not a pop to the music type of fast tone either.]
"And then there's me, all by myself," Emma pouted. "Cheer up dear, I'm sure it'll get better soon," Neil said, trying to encourage his daughter. "Oh, it does, it just takes some time," Emma gave him a small smile.
[After a while, Rikki pulls Zane close while they were still dancing, and talks loud enough for him to hear.]
Rikki: "I'm just going to go get a drink." Zane smiles and nods. Just as Rikki breaks away, Miriam steps in front of him and grabs his arm. Rikki halts and turns around as soon as she hears her voice. Zane's smile immediately drops.
Miriam: "You're free, let's dance." Zane looks to Rikki for help.
"I didn't know snakes wear dresses," Rikki glared.
"She just doesn't know when to give up, does she?" Kim said in disgust. "Just give them a break. Let them have some fun and relaxation for once!" Sam argued at the screen.
"Hasn't she caused enough trouble already?" Terry's smile fell as soon as the human-sized barbie stepped up. "Her? It's never enough," Harrison answered, shaking his head.
"Told you she was striking a two-for-one deal," Rikki said. "She was waiting for that moment. Waiting until the right moment to pounce," Emma scowled.
[Rikki was just about to march back when she felt a hand on her shoulder and found it was Lewis.]
Lewis: "Woah." Points behind him where the spray was. "Hey, uh, it's time for some reapply."
"Reapply?" Elliot asked. "Yeah. It had to be reapplied every one to two hours to assure that it wouldn't rub off and cause some, uh, tail problems," Lewis said. "How did you know that?" Annette asked. "Well, it's like any other spray: sun block, bug spray, air freshener. Eventually, it would have to be reapplied again, because it doesn't last forever," Lewis explained, listing off a few examples. "So, if they were to jump in a full body of water, would it still work?" Max asked curiously, with Denman listening closely. "No, unfortunately, it's not strong enough for that. It can only withstand a few drops or even a cup of water," Lewis answered.
"Thank goodness it's not strong enough for us to get drenched in water," Rikki whispered to them. "Yeah, if a weak dosage was able to make our skin turn red and some rashes, who knows what a full-powered one could do to us!" Emma whispered back, a shiver running up her spine at the thought. "Probably third-degree burns, or blood poisoning, or scars, paralyzed, swel –," Cleo kept going on and on until Rikki finally cut her off. "Okay, okay. No need to ramble about it. It's bad enough to think about, no need to traumatize us as well, Cleo," Rikki held a hand up to stop her. "Sorry."
Rikki: turns back to them and gives them a false smile and nods her head. "Uh, it's ok, it's really important to top off on your deodorant from this dancing." Rikki walks away, leaving Zane to suffer with Miriam. Her face in the light suddenly looks slightly pink. One might think it would be either from the surrounding body heat or the sweat they've worked up while dancing, but unfortunately, that's not the case as they soon find out later on.
"Thanks for leaving me hanging," Zane chuckled. "If you can dive underwater in search of a locket and kiss the demon queen, then you can certainly manage dancing with her for five minutes," Rikki gave him a look. "That's never going away, is it?" Zane sighed, shrinking back into his seat. "Nope," both Rikki and Terry said in a stern voice.
"Don't leave him with her! She's sadistic, she'll try to steal him away again," Kim shouted. "Zane's a big boy, he can handle himself. And besides, I trust him," Rikki said with a grin.
[Rikki walks over to the table where the spray was. Lewis follows after her and was just to the table when Tiffany comes up and pushes him away again, dancing some more as she does so.]
Tiffany: "Let's dance, Lewis." Rikki watches Lewis get drawn away from her before turning back to the task. She digs into the bag that was sitting on the table and pulls out the spray.
"Ok, this has got to be Miriam's plan. There's no way someone would dance with Lewis more than once by their own will," Kim shook her head as Rikki burst into laughter. "I beg your pardon?" "Oh, lighten up, Lewis," Rikki laughed.
"That is a terrible place to put your belongings. What if someone went through it and stole something while you weren't around?" Sam asked. "Well luckily for us I didn't have a date, so I was able to keep an eye on it most of the night," Emma said a little glum.
"How long were you all dancing for?" Terry asked out of the blue. "Uh, I dunno. About an hour? Since we had to reapply the spray," Rikki shrugged. She didn't know why her dad would ask such a random question. But she had a feeling she knew the reason.
Terry hummed in thought from the answer. It was a bit random, but to him, it was a rather curious question, since he couldn't figure out why Rikki seemed a little flushed out already. Her face was already a tiny bit pink. Not only that but her arms as well. It could be from all the dancing, but it doesn't explain why the other people weren't that way. Then again, it could just be the lighting, due to the disco ball.
[Cleo watches in discomfort, arms crossed, as Nate and two of his buddies do some crazy dances around her. Her cheeks were slightly red, could be from embarrassment ... then again, it could be due to who her date was.]
"No need to be embarrassed Cleo, you're the one who chose him," Kim giggled as she noticed her sister's 'blush'. "I wasn't," Cleo hugged herself and pouted as the effects of the spray were beginning to show. "And if she were embarrassed, it wouldn't be for herself, but for him," Rikki covered.
Byron: stands beside Emma. Emma sees him and she nods and smiles, which Byron returns. "Cool dance. You've done great." Emma smiles even more, with a hint of a 'blush' of her own. "Lucky I didn't ask you to come with me."
"I knew it! I knew he was going to ask you!" Bella cheered, quickly silencing herself after receiving all the odd looks she got. "Sorry."
Lisa smiled as the boy confessed to her daughter. She figured he was going to try but got scared off by Emma's determination. Luckily for her though, the two finally got a chance to talk at the dance. The night was still young as they say.
"That was smooth," Will nodded. "That was smart," Neil corrected. "Slowly admitting it while also complimenting her work rather than being blunt. It was smart of him."
Emma: face froze. She turns back to him and looks at him in shock. "You were gonna ask me?"
"That took a second," Elliot giggled at his sister's reaction. "It was the last thing I ever expected from him. I didn't know he was trying to ask me," Emma laughed.
Bryon: "Sure. But then you said how great you wanted it to be and how much work you had to do, and nothing was going to get in your way. And so, I took the hint."
"He thought that was a hint? Are you kidding me?" Charlotte looked ready to slap her forehead; many people did actually. "Nope. Though to be fair, I did sound like it was going to be a challenge to ask," Emma grimaced.
"He remembered exactly what you said," Neil chuckled, finding it both ironic and sweet.
"If anything, she was hinting for you to ask her," Lewis mentioned.
"That's the exact opposite of what I was hinting at," Emma shook her head in disappointment.
Emma: shook her head in disbelief. "That wasn't a hint."
Byron: looks at her confused. "It wasn't?" Emma shook her head, trying to keep from laughing.
"That idiot. Seriously, how did he make it to your grade?" Kim huffed.
"Cuteness can only go so far," Bella chuckled, shaking her head.
"Well, look who finally had the guts to tell him," Rikki teased. That makes two confessions on that night. "Yeah, yeah," Emma rolled her eyes playfully.
As everyone else continued to talk about the humorous matter, Terry continued to stare at the screen. It was strange, not only was it Rikki, but now also Cleo and Emma. Not a single other person had a faint tint of pink on their face or arms. Not even Byron or Lewis. What was this? An allergic reaction of some sort? Odd weather in the air, affecting only a few people who happened to be his daughter and friends? Could this be a coincidence or the mermaid magic? With magic involved, it could be caused by anything, but if he had to guess, his best bet was going to be on the spray. It was the only thing they used according to the viewing, and they were the only ones that used it. Lewis did say he didn't get to test it out earlier, this could be a side effect.
Apparently, he wasn't the only one thinking this, as Denman and Max both looked at the screen, finally noticing their faces, and finding it a bit odd as well. They too were beginning to come to the same conclusion.
[Miriam and Zane continue to dance when Nate walks up to him, separating from his buddies and Cleo for a moment to pray Zane out of Miriam's clutches.]
Nate: stands behind Miriam, talks to Zane. "Hey, come over here, man. We've got to umm –."
Zane: "Alright." Zane quickly joins him, the two wrap an arm around each other as they walk to the other end of the dance floor where his mates and Cleo were, leaving Miriam all to her lonesome.
"One good thing about Nate is he knows how to get you out of a difficult situation," Zane said as the group began to chuckle. "Funny, from what I remember he's normally the one causing trouble," Harrison laughed.
[Miriam sighs and looks around the room. She then sees Rikki in the corner spraying her arms down with the 'deodorant'. A small smirk forms on her face and makes her way over to Rikki. She nods her head in the direction of her other followers and they tag along, Tiffany excluded.]
Rikki: looks up and sees Miriam and three other girls surrounding her. Stops spraying. Rikki's face and neck has become even redder, looking like a sunburn. "Oh, Zane had enough. I did mention about deodorant."
"Who's the other girls?" Don asked. "Just some more of Miriam's goons," Cleo rolled her eyes. "Except they're ten times worse than Tiffany. They listen to every word Miriam says. At least Tiffany's nice and tolerable. I can't stand the others," Emma said in disgust.
"Deodorant won't cover up her stench. She reeks of jealousy," Kim pinched her nose.
"I had enough the moment she pulled that trick on the both of us," Zane glared at her, unaware that Miriam had tried to mess with Rikki some more.
Miriam: nods, squints her eyes. "Well, maybe you could help me." She snatches the bottle from Rikki's hand and sprays it all around her. The other girls laugh as Rikki tries to take it back from her.
Rikki: "Give it back!"
"Does anyone else want to smack that smirk off her face?" Bella grumbled. "That she-devil really has no limits," Ash shook his head.
"Don't let her get to you, Rikki. All she's trying to do is get you mad," Terry informed her. "But dad, I wasn't upset. I knew she'd try something like that when she went after Zane at the dance," Rikki mentioned. "But you look mad," Elliot said, noticing her red face. "I was annoyed with her little pranks, but she could never get me mad. Not like last time," Rikki said, making the others wonder what the redness was from.
[Lewis overhears the commotion a few feet away and sees Miriam and her goonies messing with Rikki. He tries to step around Tiffany, but she blocks him with more dance moves.]
"Okay, yeah I think that was part of Miriam's plan," Emma sighed. "Actually, when I asked her about it later. She admitted to me that she wasn't aware of Miriam's intentions and didn't know what they did to Rikki. She was being completely honest with me," Lewis admitted. "Her and Miriam's friendship will always be a mystery to me," Rikki shook her head.
[The girls then take the spray from Miriam and spray her with it some more, the little group laughing it all out, until finally, the spray can runs out. The girls fake a pout and then hand it back to Miriam, who tests it out and proves that there was nothing left in the can.]
"Oh no. But what about you other girls?" Bev asked worriedly. "We had already sprayed up before Rikki. She was actually the last one that needed to. But it didn't matter anyway," Emma sighed. We should've never used it. "What do you mean?" Neil asked, confused. "You're about to find out," Lewis announced a bit sad as he leans further back into his seat. Max looks at him in concern, wondering what might have gone wrong. His guess, however, might have something to do with their red skin.
Miriam: taunts her. "Oh sorry. We used it all up."
Rikki: takes the can back. A smile on her face, but she looks even redder, which now was way more noticeable to everyone around her. "That's ok. You guys needed it more than I did."
"They're going to need a whole lot more than that," Will said. "Oh, that's okay. Accidents happen," Kim sarcastically said. That was proven the day you came into the world.
"No offense Rikki, but what's going on with your face?" Zane asked, finally having the courage to ask about it, unlike others. He knew she wasn't mad. Trust him, he knows when she gets mad. He's been on the receiving end of it plenty of times. But this is different. Nothing about her attitude showed that she was mad other than the red face. "You'll see," Rikki crossed her arms, not upset with Zane's question.
Miriam: grins and raises an eyebrow. "You sure you're not angry? I mean, you really are red in the face."
Rikki: "No, the smell of body odor tends to do that to me."
Miriam: "Well it looks more like blood pressure." She and her little group walk away giggling. Rikki frowns then starts feeling her face and looks down at her red arms.
"I hate to sound like I'm agreeing with her, but Miriam's right. You do look angry. Either that or you need to go to the hospital and get checked," Charlotte said. "No, I was fine. I wouldn't have even known if she hadn't said anything," Rikki shrugged. "So, what's going on then?" Terry asked, concerned for his daughter.
"It's – it's the waterproof spray, isn't it? It's causing the redness," Denman said, finally understanding the problem. Lewis sighed at the reveal. "Yeah, it is." "But I thought the spray worked?!" Neil asked in worry. "It did. But it turns out their magic was attacking the waterproofing without them even knowing, thus the redness. The longer they wore it on, the worse it got." "But what about Miriam and the other girls? They sprayed it on them too," Sam asked. "Unfortunately, despite how they act, they're still human with no magic. So, it won't affect them," Lewis said a bit sad. "Bummer. Was hoping she'd go red as a tomato too," Kim pouted.
"Wait, if Rikki was getting affected, then what about? ... oh no," Lisa said as realization kicked in. Emma!
Bella's heart skipped a beat, feeling a little scared about what this could mean. If she were to try it, then it would happen to her as well. So, this means, she couldn't live a normal life unless she wanted to get made fun of for having a sunburn 24/7. There goes her hopes and dreams.
Emma: to Byron. "I was trying to convince you how great the dance would be so you'd ask me."
Byron: looks at her and does a doubletake, eyes wide as he sees the red splotches on her face. "Right, I'm sorry if I embarrassed you."
Emma: confused, shakes her head. "I'm not embarrassed."
"Oh, now he gets it," Ash rolled his eyes. Though he felt bad that Emma had to go through the whole side effect thing, he felt even worse she had to talk this through with Byron who didn't understand a thing.
"Oh, Emma!" Lisa and Neil gasped at the state of their daughter. "It's alright, mom. We didn't even feel it," Emma admitted. "But still, sweetheart. This is awful," Lisa sighed. She now understood why Emma had refused to go on vacation with them. It's because it turns out the waterproofing didn't work out the way it was supposed to. She couldn't use it anymore, not if she wanted to stay in that state.
Byron: "You look hot. I'll go get you a drink then." Byron walks away to the punch bowl, leaving Emma even more confused at what he meant.
"I never did get that drink," Emma chuckled. "How come?" Don asked. "We, uh, left the party to try and get rid of the skin reaction," Emma admitted. "Oh ..." some of the audience said, feeling bad that the girls had to leave out early, due to something that wasn't their fault. It was just a part of who they were.
[Cleo halfheartedly danced with the group of Nate and his buddies. When Nate looks up at her while dancing beside Zane and his pals, he was shocked to see Cleo's face to be so red.]
Nate: stops dancing and points at her. "Woah." The other guys look at her in shock and stop too. "You really need to take a break."
"Cleo, not you too!" Don said in concern. "We're fine dad," Cleo rolled her eyes.
"Oh, so now he wants to act all caring," Kim rolled her eyes. "I told you. Nate might act like a moron sometimes, but he does have a caring side. Deep down, somewhere," Zane told him. Though now he understood why Rikki and the girls had disappeared. He didn't know at the time that Rikki had the same reaction as Cleo.
Bella's hope began to deflate even more. All three of them? So, it's definitely not safe for any mermaid. They wouldn't be able to use it anymore. She wouldn't be able to use it.
[Cleo looks confused at their reactions. She looks around the room and finds Emma looking down at her arms, the upper half of her body covered in red rashes. Cleo looks at her wide-eyed before looking down at her own arms, finding herself to be the same way. She looks up and all four guys are looking closer at her, almost as if they were expecting her to pass out. Cleo turns around and looks at Rikki doing the same thing. She runs over to her and grabs her by the arm. Cleo drags her across the dance floor, snatches Lewis away from Tiffany, then grabs Emma from the other side. The group meets at the edge of the counter, away from prying ears.]
"Now that's mad," Kim pointed out. "Thanks for the clarity," Cleo sarcastically said. "You're welcome!" Kim grinned. She didn't like that her sister had to deal with the rash-looking skin, but she was relieved that Cleo and the others weren't deeply affected by it.
Cleo: points to her face. "This isn't a sunburn, Lewis. What have you done to us?" The three girls rush into the back of the café behind the double doors. Lewis looks behind him to make sure no one was looking then follows after them.
"That's what I would like to know," Don glared at the boy. Just when I thought he was better than Nate too! "I'm sorry. I didn't know it was going to happen. I thought I could figure out a way to make their life easier. I've been working on this stuff for weeks. I tried everything to figure out a solution for them. I didn't know that the magic would fight back," Lewis said, looking very guilty. "You should go easy on the boy. All he was trying to do was help his friends," Mrs. Chatham spoke up, startling a few. "You said earlier that magic was stronger than science. This is what you meant by it, isn't it?" Neil asked. "Yes," Mrs. Chatham nodded. "Science can always try to find a solution, but it can never be the solution. Magic always finds a way around it, and eventually absorbs it, takes control."
"You know, Lewis, if you and the girls are still trying to figure out a way to fix the waterproof liquid, I might be able to pitch in and help," Denman offered a little quietly, though loud enough for them to here. She wanted to be able to fix her mistakes, to prove to them that she was wrong and that she was sorry. This could be a good start for her. Even if they don't accept the offer, at least they would know she tried. And from the looks of shock on their faces, they were believing it for themselves as well. Lewis was the first one to speak up first.
"Uh, thank you, Dr. Denman. But we – we've tried several times with different formulas, and each time it came out with the same effect," Lewis explained. "It wouldn't hurt to take another look," Denman tried once more. "I could help too. Add in my perspective," Max also offered. Cleo shook her head and gave a small smile.
"Thanks. But we've already talked about it after the many, many attempts. We'd rather not have to go through that stuff again. We don't want to see it keep failing. Mrs. Chatham's right, magic will always be stronger than science, no matter how many times it tries. This just proves it," Cleo gestures to the screen. "Besides, we like our tails. Even if it has a few cons to it, there are still a lot of pros mixed in as well. We wouldn't change ourselves for the world."
"And also, if we were to keep trying, it would just show that we're still scared of the water. We can't avoid it forever, so we decided to face our fears and live on with our lives. We'll always find a way around a situation instead of having to hide from it. We can still live normal lives despite this little hiccup and we're not going to let it affect us," Emma smiled, Rikki nodded along.
Lisa smiled, proud of her daughter's little speech. It's proven how much she's grown ever since she received her powers. She's become such a talented, brave, strong, and beautiful young woman, but she was still her little girl no matter what. Denman nodded, she was a little sad that they didn't take her offer but at least they were grateful about it. And she understood their decision and was willing to accept it. It was their lives, not hers after all.
Bella let a small smile slip on her face. Despite the problems that came from this whole scenario, they were still able to look for the positive side. Something she needed to do more of for her mermaid side. They were right, she could still live as much of a normal life as she can. She shouldn't let the whole tail thing and fear of water get in her way. She needed to be strong and brave this element and find a way around it. She might not be able to ever try the spray like they did, but she still can have a better outcome in life, by being herself and not being afraid of who she is and what she is. She's a mermaid through and through, and nothing will ever make her want to change that.
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[Back by the cooler room, Lewis holds Rikki's face in her hands as he observes the red skin. Rikki glares back at him, arms crossed along with the other two girls.]
Lewis: "Uh, well – I don't – it, it could be from the formula."
"Ya think?" Kim raised an eyebrow. "I wonder what gave you that idea," Charlotte giggled.
"There was nothing else that could cause it," Max sighed in defeat. He had hoped Lewis would be able to find a solution. Now he knows for sure that science will always be second to magic. Even he was only able to get so far with the magnetism of the moon pool before he reached its limit.
"Now that, that is a pissed-off Rikki," Zane laughed. "All three of them are, and I'm not talking about their red faces," Will chuckled as well. "I think the redness just added effect to it at this point," Rikki grinned.
Rikki: holds the bottle up, yanking his hands away from her. "Of course it's from the formula. What do we do about it?"
Lewis: walks to the other side of the small room as the girls gather together and glare at him. "Well, it's probably just like a minor allergic reaction. I'll need to do some more tests."
"Probably not a good idea to mention that right now," Zane grimaced. "A little late for that," Lewis winced, knowing that he should've thought that through before speaking. "That's something that should've been done in the first place," Neil said.
Cleo: rolls her eyes and gets bitter. "More earwax?"
Lewis: winces and raises his brows. "Ideally?"
"Careful, Lewis. You know firsthand not to anger mermaids," Mrs. Chatham chuckled, reminded of the time the girls told her about their last encounter, when Lewis was being dangled above the pool by Cleo's powers over water. The image always made her laugh.
Rikki: "And how is that going to help us now?"
Cleo: drops her arms. "You ruined our night, Lewis. Look at us!" Lewis looks crushed, knowing she was right.
"And probably your whole weekend," Ash sighed, wishing he could make it better for them. "Actually, this made it a whole lot better," Cleo beamed, causing many to wonder what could possibly make this better.
Emma: to the girls. "I say we run for it."
"Run? Run where?" Lisa asked in concern, leaning forward in her seat. "Don't worry, mom. All we did was go to Mako. We needed somewhere to cool off and be by ourselves," Emma answered her worried mother.
"And after all your hard work, you still didn't get to see it be fulfilled," Ash said, feeling bad for her.
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[The girls storm out of the back and rush through the café, keeping their heads down and their arms covering their faces so no one could see them.]
Lewis: runs out behind them, trying to get them to stay. Sounds a little hysterical. "You can – you can barely notice it."
"Lewis, when they're trying to make a getaway, it's probably best not to shout at them so others can see them," Zane stated. "I was just trying to keep them from leaving," Lewis sighed. "You can't stop them from doing what they want. They're your friends, not students," Annette reminded. "Believe me, I'm well aware."
Tiffany: runs up to him and grabs him by the shoulders once more. "There you are."
"Man, that girl does not know when to give up," Sam said.
Lewis: looks back at the girls, but they were already out the door. He looks around when he sees Miriam dancing nearby. "You're not red." Miriam gives him an odd look before she resumes dancing with her 'friends.'
"Such a shame," Kim grumbled.
"Because they're human," Lewis sighed. "Not on the outside, but definitely on the inside," Rikki glared. "Her blood?" Zane raised an eyebrow. "I was talking about her coldblooded heart," Rikki gave him a look.
Tiffany: grabs him by the arms, eyes wide. "Come and see if you can do the splits." Tiffany dances away, Lewis slowly dances along but glances back at the door once more.
"Ouch. That sounds very painful," Ash winced. "Extremely," Lewis said.
"Please tell me you didn't do it," Zane frowned. "Not gonna happen," Lewis shook his head. "After other things I've seen you do, I wouldn't be surprised," Zane breathed out.
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[A little later at Mako Island, the girls hang out in the moon pool, their tails floating about, as the night goes on.]
Emma: looks at her arms, now free of any redness. "Obviously the formula only reacts with our human skin. Now that we're mermaids, it doesn't affect us."
"So, the magic transitioned it and basically won?" Sam assumed. "Right on," Lewis nodded.
"So now that it was gone, why didn't you go back to the party?" Kim asked. "Because when we turn back human, the 'side effects' were still there so we had to give it time to heal. Besides by the time we get back and dried off, almost everyone would be gone," Emma sighed but then smiled as she remembered who stayed behind for them.
"Isn't it a little dangerous for you girls to be swimming out there so late?" Don asked a little worried. "Relax, dad. We can still see underwater even when it's night out. And this isn't the first time," Cleo told him. The real danger doesn't come until later, she thought as she glanced over at the scientist.
Rikki: "And that helps us how?"
Emma: pouts. "Just as Byron was about to make a move."
"That is not something I want to hear," Neil frowned as the others began to laugh. "Well, it's not like I meant for you to hear it. I didn't know it was going to show all of this," Emma gestured to the screen while blushing.
Cleo: perks up. "Really? That's fantastic."
"Very fantastic," Neil sarcastically said. "Dad," Emma complained.
Emma: "Yeah, and then I turned into a tomato pizza and ran out on him."
"Well, it was either that or dance like that with him for the rest of the night. Then the both of you would definitely never forget it," Rikki grinned.
Cleo: "At least your guy is showing an interest."
"What are you talking about? He's been showing an interest in you since the very beginning!" Kim exclaimed. "Yeah, ever since the pool party," Will added, the claims of his crush causing Lewis to blush in embarrassment. "Well, this is helpful," he sarcastically muttered under his breath.
Charlotte looked at Cleo in shock but stayed quiet; not wanting to cause a scene. Plus, she was still trying to work out her feelings for all of this. Did she really not know? Did she not see the way he looks at her, or how he tries to talk to her? All the hints, the jealousy he showed during the 'marriage'? It could even be said the other way around since Lewis never knew either. It's like it keeps going around in circles.
[Cleo imagines Lewis back at the dance, with Tiffany wrapped around his arms. The two of them stare lovingly at one another as they slow dance.]
Lewis: "Tiffany, there's something that I – I have to ask you."
"Oh, please tell me this is a figment of your imagination," Kim raised an eyebrow. "It might be," Cleo mumbled as she turned into a deep shade of red like it did onscreen earlier. Why does it have to show this?!
Lewis frowned at the imagery. Is this what she thought was going on? That I fell in love with Tiffany? She's a good friend and dance partner but I don't have a crush on her.
Tiffany: "Yes, Lewis?"
Lewis: "May I have –." Lewis pauses as he holds up some toenail clippers. "A toenail specimen?"
Tiffany: smiles brightly, her arms around his neck. "Yes, Lewis!"
"Gross! What is it with you and getting people's specimens?" Charlotte gagged, trying to ignore the pangs of jealousy that was trying to rise.
The rest of the room bursts into laughter, with some finding it gross. "This isn't me! And I wouldn't just ask anyone that," Lewis argued. "Yes, you would," the trio said, their tones emotionless.
[Lewis smiles in relief then drops his hand as they lean in to kiss one another. Before they do, Cleo comes back to reality, looking very horrified by what she saw. Or what she thought she saw.]
"Oh, someone's getting jealous!" Kim teased. "Shut it, Kim," Cleo scowled.
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[Back at the dance, as things begin to wind down, everyone slow dances with their partners to a song. Nate, now partnerless, dances with Miriam. As the song continues, Lewis walks over to the booths where Zane and Byron were sitting. The two boys bored and lonely now that their dates had left them behind.]
"Why is Nate dancing with Miriam?" Don asked. Did he forget about Cleo that fast? "Well since his date ended up dropping him dead, Cleo, he did me a favor by keeping Miriam distracted for me," Zane explained, giving Cleo a pointed look.
"You know if it wasn't for his snarky personality, he wouldn't be that bad," Bella thought.
Lewis: stands by Zane. "Have the uhh, have – have the girls come back yet?"
"Well, no life-sized tomatoes rolled in yet, so no," Rikki rolled her eyes.
Zane: sitting in the booth. "Would we be sitting here like losers if they had?"
"Hmm, maybe," Rikki grinned, giving Zane a teasing look. "Hah hah," he sarcastically said but laughed himself.
Lewis: nods. "Well, I'm sure they won't be long."
Byron: leans against the booth table. "Do you think they went home?"
"The place feels like home," Cleo said quietly with a smile.
"Might be longer than you think," Emma winced. "It took a while for most of it to go away."
[Lewis looks at the guys then back at the dance. He then storms out of the café.]
"You're leaving too?" Charlotte asked. "Where were you going?" Will asked. "I had a hunch of where they might have gone," Lewis grinned. "Well, we wanted to get away from the public eye and be somewhere we were most comfortable so that really only leaves one place," Emma summed up.
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[Lewis runs down the marina passing by many boats. He takes his suit jacket off and tosses it into the boat. He bends down to untie it when someone calls out to him.]
Mrs. Chatham: "Something's happened."
"Every time," Ash griped as once again the audience jumps in fright. He then turns to the older woman. "Seriously, I'll pay you for the lessons." Mrs. Chatham chuckled. "Sorry, dear. But that's a secret." "You did the same thing during our days. Not that much of a secret," Max whispered in amusement.
Lewis: looks up in surprise to see Mrs. Chatham walking down the walkway towards him. Gets irritated. "Oh. Oh let me guess, a little porpoise told you that."
"Don't be rude, Lewis," Cleo said. "I know. She was just trying to help. Sorry, Mrs. C," Lewis apologized. "It's quite alright. I know it was a tough time for all of you. Since you were still getting used to the magic."
Mrs. Chatham: raises her arms up. "Am I wrong?"
Lewis: "Yes!" Stands up and then thinks about his answer. "Well, no. You're right."
"Was that so hard to admit?" Rikki grinned. "Rikki," Cleo hushed her.
Lewis: walks closer to her and sighs. "I messed everything up."
Mrs. Chatham: "I told you, science and magic don't mix."
"How do you know?" Denman asked. "I said it before, we've tried. No amount of science could make any sense to it. Even with advanced technology, science is still no match against magic."
"This little experiment was a big example," Max chuckled. "Yeah, let's not do it again," Cleo shook her head.
Lewis: "No, but science works most of the time."
"Not all the time," Max whispered. It can't fix everything. It couldn't fix how Gracie felt.
"So does magic," Bella pointed out.
Mrs. Chatham: "Can science really explain what goes on in your heart?" Raises her eyebrows. "Especially tonight?"
"How could you tell?" Bev asked. "Oh, please. It wasn't that hard to tell, with Cleo's anger and Lewis's regrets, it couldn't have been clearer," Mrs. Chatham chuckled. "Yeah, yeah it could have," Lewis frowned.
Lewis: shakes his head in disbelief. He begins to walk back to his boat, then turns right around and walks back to her. "Alright. Ok. Just for arguments sake, let's say magic exists."
"How can you say that it doesn't? Of course, it does, otherwise, they wouldn't have tails right now!" Kim exclaimed. "I figured there was a scientific answer to everything, even for their powers," Lewis sighed in defeat. "I thought so too," Denman said, looking down. But I was clearly, very, very wrong.
Lewis: "What good does that do me? How can I use it?"
"You can't. Unless you want to jump in the moonpool on a full moon," Max snorted. "No thanks. I'd rather stay human. I like my life the way it is, without magic," Lewis shook his head. "Then you'd become a merman like Kim said!" Elliot laughed. "Zip it, El," Kim scowled.
Mrs. Chatham: frowns. "Well, who knows? It's magic."
Lewis: groans. "No, but the girls need my help. And if – if science doesn't work and there's no operating manual for magic, then what am I supposed to do?"
"Nothing. Just be there to support us. Lewis, you shouldn't have to help us all the time. You're not just a scientist, you're our friend. But you have your own life too. We aren't your responsibility. You can't help us with everything. All that we ask is that you be there for us when we need you," Cleo said giving him a small smile as she puts her hand on his. Lewis smiled back and held her hand. "For you? Always."
Mrs. Chatham: smiles. "Be their friend. Though it mightn't seem like much, and you mightn't get it right every time." Lewis looks down, understanding she was right. "But those girls need a friend like you."
"She's right. She always is," Cleo smiled.
"As much as I hate saying it, we do need you, as a friend of course. Just don't make me repeat it," Rikki said, holding up a finger.
"He reminds me of you," Mrs. Chatham whispered. "I think you're right on that," Max smiled. Let's just hope he doesn't make the same mistakes.
Lewis: looks away, thinking about her words before nodding in response. "That's it."
Mrs. Chatham: nods back. Holds her hands up. "That's all I've got." She shrugs, gives him a small smile, then walks away, leaving him alone to think.
"Probably the easiest advice you've ever given, yet also the hardest," Lewis said. "At least yours wasn't in riddles," Cleo grumbled as she thought of their first full moons.
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[The girls were now back in their human form, still wearing their dance clothes, they walk around the sandy cave of the moon pool.]
Cleo: checks her arms. "We're nearly back to normal. Just looks like we used too much blusher." Walks to the other side of the cave next to Emma.
"Which definitely isn't needed," Kim giggled. "I didn't even want to use any for a long time after that experience," Cleo found herself laughing.
Emma: arms crossed. "They'll be packing up the dance by now."
"What time was it?" Terry asked. "Well, the dance ended at ten, and it was past nine when we left. So, I'm guessing it was around ten or after," Emma guessed.
Lewis: coming from the land entrance. "Guys? Guys are you there?" The girls turn around and look at the entrance to the cave and see Lewis climbing up the stairs and onto the sandy ground. Lewis looks up to them and sees that they were almost back to normal. "Uhh, so it's just about worn off then."
"You got there quick," Will said, impressed. "I had my boat at full speed, so it was a little faster than normal," Lewis shrugged.
"It took time but yeah it's almost gone," Emma nodded.
Cleo: arms crossed, eyes narrow at him. Rikki stood in front of them, hands on her hips. "Just in time to help stack the chairs, Lewis."
Lewis: winces. "I'm sorry. I had no idea something like this was going to happen. I – I was trying to help." Looks apologetic. "And I still want to."
"Hopefully as a friend this time," Mrs. Chatham said. "Yeah, as a friend," Charlotte mumbled, looking down at the ground. This was a few months before she came to town, right before their summer break. She knew that they dated for several months before she arrived so this must be close to when it happened. And it wasn't helping her at the moment as she leaned further into her seat.
Rikki: scowls. "Do we get choice of color this time?"
"You would still choose red," Zane said. "I would say purple or blue, but it would probably look like you were choking or dying," Ash chuckled.
"I really hope there isn't a next time," Terry frowned.
Lewis: looks around, trying to figure out what to say when he looks back up at Emma. "Em, you might want to know that Byron's still at the dance." Emma glances at the girls, Lewis shakes his head around. "He was – he was waiting to see whether you'd come back or not."
"Did he?" Lisa perked up, getting excited for her little girl. "He did," Emma smiled all giddily. "The both of us stayed behind to see if they would come back. Nate walked Miriam home since she tried to stay behind also," Zane explained. "We thought you guys would come back to help clean since Emma was the one who planned the dance, but once we became the last ones in there after everyone left, we started to lose hope. Wilfred kept asking if we were going to help him close up or not."
Emma: shakes her head, arms still crossed. "Not anymore he won't. He'll be walking Miriam home. If he asked her to go to the dance, he'll feel responsible for her."
"Just because he went to the dance with her does not mean he's responsible for what she does after," Bella said. "Yes, but Byron would think it would be on him if something happened to her. That's just the way he is. He cares about everyone no matter how cold and manipulative they are," Emma answered. "Why would anyone feel responsible for her? No one is responsible for her actions but herself," Rikki said.
Lewis: "But he didn't ask her, she asked him." Emma's eyes widen and Rikki looks surprised. "Tiffany told me between handstands."
"We really need to hang out with her more often," Rikki grinned.
"She was doing handstands in a dress and heels? And splits too? Is she a cheerleader or something?" Ash said, eyes wide in shock. "She was when we were kids. But when she and Miriam started hanging out, she quit because Miriam didn't want people she thought were better than her to hang out with her. Now that Miriam's gone, I wonder if she'll try out again," Lewis explained. "She should. She definitely still has the skills for it," Bella nodded.
[Emma smiles wide before walking onto the rocky edge of the moonpool and dives in, heading for her next destination, the Juicenet café.]
The audience laughed lightly, the mood in the room brightening for some. "I think it's safe to say she was going to take her shot," Harrison chuckled.
"That's our Emma," Neil shook his head, smiling. "Well, I had to get there quick before it was too late. He wouldn't have stayed the whole night," Emma replied.
Rikki: drops her hands to her side and sighs. "So I guess Miriam was able to get closer to Zane."
Lewis: squints his brows. "No way. Last I saw she was stuck dancing with Nate and his mates."
"Told you, he's willing to help a mate out," Zane smiled smugly. "Though he didn't like it, he was willing to do it for a friend. He'll do anything, except for swimming in shark-infested waters." "He doesn't like Miriam either?" Annette asked in surprise. "No one does. She just thinks everyone does. The ones that hang with her are either afraid of her or think exactly like her, except for Tiffany," Zane said. "Bet Miriam didn't like that," Emma grinned. "Who cares? It got her off my back," Zane scoffed. "Then why'd he ask her to the dance?" Harrison asked. "Because Cleo wouldn't," Zane chuckled.
Rikki: eyes wide in surprise, a smile forming on her face. "Really?"
Lewis: "Yes! Zane asked them to keep her away from him. He was –." Unfortunately, he never got to finish his sentence as Rikki dived into the pool with a splash and was already on her way to the mainland.
"That's probably the fastest I've ever seen you move," Terry joked. But he was ultimately happy for his daughter, that was one of the brightest smiles she had in a while. Zane made her so happy. As long as he didn't mess up again, he believed things will turn out alright.
Now it's just the two of them, Charlotte thought with an inner sigh. She had a feeling she knew what was coming, and she was happy for them, she was. But it still didn't make her feel better.
Lewis: laughs before looking up at Cleo, who was still staring him down. Shrugs and hesitates on what to say. "Nate was asking about you."
"I don't care," Cleo flat-out said. "Good to know," Lewis laughed.
Cleo: shakes her head slightly then steps forward. "I only went with him because no one else asked me to go."
"You finally speak the truth! You really do have some guts," Kim joked. "I have guts, I got over my fear of water," Cleo pointed out. "Only because you became a mermaid, which probably helped with this fear here too," Kim countered.
Lewis: "Am I that no one else?"
"You figured that out quick," Bella snorted. "You never know, she could mean literally no one else," Ash shrugged. "But Nate asked me the first time, so he ,unfortunately, is included as someone ... somewhat," Cleo informed. "Do you want to count Nate?" Rikki raised an eyebrow. "Not really." "Okay then."
Cleo: fiddles with her fingers, nervous. "Yes. But you didn't seem interested. Which was really annoying. Because ... I'm interested in you."
"She said it! She finally said it!" Rikki cheered along with a jumping in excitement Kim. "Really guys?" Cleo whined, hiding her face in embarrassment.
"It's about time," Emma sighed in relief. "You knew this happened though. I told you," Cleo pointed out. "Never believe anything until you see it," she remarked. Cleo rolled her eyes.
Lewis: looks up to her, perking up. "Really?" Cleo nods.
Charlotte felt her heart give away. But she wasn't sure whether it was out of heartbreak, or relief. Why should she feel heartbroken for a guy she wasn't even with? Who showed no interest but only as friends? They were only friends. He was friends with Cleo for far longer and they clearly like each other, even after the breakup which she still didn't understand. She really needs to let it go, and just be okay with being friends. So why does it still hurt? How can she do that after having to watch this? She really needed to talk to her mom about it.
"That explains why you two didn't come back," Zane grinned. Out of the two, he never thought Cleo would be the first one to confess. This really surprised him.
"You couldn't tell?" Will asked. "Despite him being a scientist, he is probably the blondest out of the group," Rikki joked. "I never was good at reading someone else's emotions," Lewis winced.
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[At the café, the party has now wound down, as most of the partygoers are now gone. The only ones left are Byron and Zane. Plus, Wilfred who was sweeping up the place.]
"Ah, so he did stay," Neil hummed.
"Wilfred should've just left that for the next day," Lewis said. "You don't want to leave a mess lying around for too long. It's best to clean it up right away, or it would cause you to procrastinate," Lisa mentioned. "Of course, your family is the one who says it," Rikki gave Emma a look. "Wilfred told us he had to open the café the next day, he couldn't leave it looking like that," Zane told them.
Zane: leaning against the counter next to Byron. Looks at him. "Do we keep sticking around or ...?"
Byron: "Guess it's getting late." He hears the sound of the curtains opening up and looks up. What came through the door made him laugh.
"We made it right on time then," Rikki smiled. "Yup. Right when we were about to leave," Zane chuckled.
Emma: and Rikki stand in the doorway. "Byron." Emma and Rikki walk toward their guys with big smiles on their faces. They both grab ahold of one another and begin to slow dance with them as if they were the only ones left in the café. Because they literally were.
"So, this is why you said the night got better," Will realized. "Yup. Instead of Lewis making it worse, he made it ten times better," Cleo grinned.
"Now I know why you came home an hour later," Neil shook his head in amusement. "Dad, I told you why," Emma frowned in confusion. "Never believe anything until you see it," he said in a joking tone. "So that's where you get it from," Cleo snickered.
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[Back at the moonpool, Cleo and Lewis continue their conversation. Cleo was sat down now on the edge of the moonpool.]
Lewis: "Cleo, I don't know what to say." Walks closer to her. "Yeah, I mean I guess I'm interested in you, too."
"You guess? It's so obvious that you are!" Bella chuckled, excited to see the romance finally blossom between the two.
"Why do I have to listen to this conversation?" Don whined. "I think it's sweet," Bev smiled, happy that the two were finally getting together. "That's my line!" Sam joked.
Lewis: sits down next to her. "Wow, umm, is it like, like a friend thing? Like a colleague?"
"You suck at this kind of stuff," Will snorted. "It's not as easy as it looks!" Lewis defended, slightly red.
"A colleague?" Zane raised an eyebrow at him and then burst into laughter.
"You are friends, but she's saying she wants to become more than friends," Sam smiled. "Yes, just embarrass me more, that's definitely what I want to happen," Cleo rolled her eyes, hiding her face in her hands.
"Girl – friend. It's not that hard to say," Kim said, separating the two words.
Cleo: laughs. "I hope not."
Lewis: "I – I don't think so. That's not what I meant. Umm." He huffs, trying to think of what to say. "Cleo, it's just that, the exact definition, it's not easy. It's not."
"Just kiss him so he'll shut up," Rikki said annoyed. "Rikki!" Cleo huffed.
"There's no definition to love. It just ... is," Bev shrugged, her smile widening even more.
Cleo: "You're still trying to analyze this. After everything we've been through."
"Not everything needs an analyzation," Harrison grinned looking over at his son. "I'm a scientist, it's what I do," Lewis shrugged.
Lewis: looks at the moonpool behind him then turns back to her, and waves his hands around. "You're absolutely right. Mrs. Chatham's right." Cleo smiles. "No, not everything can be explained scientifically. In fact, I'm not even going to try to figure it out anymore. I just want to go with the magic."
"Too bad he didn't keep that promise for long," Rikki mumbled as she remembered the stupid moon chart he bought online to help them, that only led to all of them getting moon-spelled.
"So, you were done with science forever?" Elliot asked. "Not forever. I was done with trying to answer the question of how they became mermaids, but I was still going to do science," Lewis grinned. "Well, that's a shame." "Rikki ..."
Cleo: grabs his hand. Lewis looks up to her as she nods. "Works for me." She smiles then leans in and kisses him.
Charlotte felt her whole world shatter. She was happy for them. She really was. Everything since the beginning of this was leading up to this moment. They were so happy together, they were meant to be together. She was happy for them. So why does it hurt so much? And why was she crying? "Are you okay, dear?" Annette asked worriedly as she sees a stray tear fall down her daughter's cheek. "Can we – can we talk during the next break?" she sounded so weak, it almost broke Annette's heart. "Sure, sweetheart," Annette agreed, wondering what could be bothering her daughter.
"Yes! Finally!" Kim jumped up and down. "I thought you didn't like me and Lewis being together?" Cleo asked. "It's annoying, but it's more annoying to watch you fawning over each other without even knowing it," Kim remarked. "And besides, I'm your sister, it's part of my job."
"You're killing me, Cleo!" Don clutched his heart. "She's got to grow up eventually, Don," Bev said. "Yeah, but not this quick! It's too painful to watch," Don closed his eyes. "Then you shouldn't have told Lewis to go after her," Bev chuckled. "Hey, don't bring me into this. Cleo made the first move," Lewis pointed at her. "And don't get yourself in trouble with me," Cleo narrowed her eyes, a smile still on her face.
"Maybe we should've stayed a little longer. We missed them finally getting together," Rikki whined. "But then we would've ruined their moment, not to mention the guys would've left the café if we didn't show up when we had," Emma said. "I'm okay with ruining it, but missing out on dancing with Zane? No thanks," Rikki replied.
"No moon-spell this time, so at least you'll remember this kiss," Emma smiled.
Lewis: after some time, they separate. "Oh. I think I could get to like this magic." Lewis grins and Cleo grins back.
"Don't get to liking it too much or you will be on Mr. Sertori's list," Zane laughed. "What list?" Lewis asked, confused. "You don't want to know," Don glared at the boy, causing him to lower himself in his seat.
Cleo: "Get used to it, Lewis." They smile then go back to kissing. Lewis holds her chin up as the moonlight reflects on them from the moonpool.
"But not too used to it," Don warned.
"So, it looks like your imagination did come true, just with the wrong person," Sam smiled. "And without a toenail specimen," Zane pointed out.
It was the perfect night. Sadly, all good things come to an end, Rikki thought, as she knew what was coming next. The return of Dr. Denman. The trio looks at one another. How they were going to react to this, and how their families would react, they had no clue.
Charlotte laid her head on her mother's shoulder, relieved that it was over. Or so she thought. Annette looked down at her daughter, wondering what could be going on with her. She could see the tears still shining in her eyes.
"Okay, as nice as that was, who's ready to move on?" Don asked, not wanting to see any more of his daughter kissing Lewis on the screen. Denman's frantic eyes opened wide, searching around the room for Harrison. When she sees him, he too has the same frantic look that she has. "Uh, are you sure? Wh – why don't we take a break?" she asked, trying not to sound terrified. She knew what was coming, almost half of them did. "We don't need a break. We just ate breakfast not too long ago. We can take one next time," Neil said, also wanting to continue.
"The more of the past we watch the quicker we'll get to leave from here and return home. I hope," Terry agreed. It won't be as quick as you think. But hopefully, my death will be, Denman gulped, hearing her heartbeat quicken.
And it hastened even more as she saw Zane grab the remote. "Okay, let's get this show on the road," he said as he pointed the remote to the screen. No! She wanted to shout, but it was too late. For Zane had pressed the play button, not realizing what he had just done.