Caitlan's POV:
Me and mummy are back at land school today. Loads of people complain about school, but I love it. Both land and mermaid schools. Maybe it's because I love to learn and I get to stay with mum. What can I say? I'm a mummy's girl, at home and at school. Thankfully, mum is a favourite teacher of everyone's at school so when it's lunch time, me, Evie, Zac, David, Carly and Cam always invites mum to sit with us.
Rita's POV:
Caitlan is holding my hand as we walk to school. "You okay sweetheart?" I asked and Caitlan smiled up and nodded.
We got to school and Caitlan's friends instantly ran up to us. The five of them engulfed Caitlan into a group hug. "Can't breathe!" Caitlan gasped and they all laughed. "Right sweetheart, I'm off to set up. I'll see you when class starts." I smiled, gave Caitlan a kiss and went to the classroom.
The bell rang and everyone came in. "Morning everyone." I smiled as everyone sat down. "Morning Miss Santos" Everyone cheerfully replied, I could tell they were glad that I'm back - don't get me wrong, so am I but as much as I love to teach, my baby girl is always my number one priority.
All my students are incredibly bright, Cam is slightly behind but still a very smart student; but my class is a smart bunch, I'm not just saying that because my daughter is one of the brightest. "Okay, today we're going to start off with some two times tables. Some of us struggled last time, so let's try a different approach. Who here likes chocolate?" Everyone put their hand up, Caitlan hasn't really had chocolate - we mainly stick to seafood. But she put her hand up because I think she didn't want her classmates to judge her. "If I have four chocolate bars, and buy another four, how many would I have?" It took everyone a couple minutes to work it out but everyone shouted 8. We did a few more questions which everyone got the hang of.
Before lunch, I helped the kids with their reading and writing skills. Caitlan went outside with everyone else, I grabbed our lunches and took them outside. I gave Caitlan hers and she thanked me. I smiled and put my hand on her head before I started to find a seat, then I heard Evie say "do you want to sit with us Miss Santos?" I turned around and smiled and asked "only if you want me to?" I mainly looked at Caitlan, but her, Evie, Carly, Zac, David and Cam all smiled and said yeah. So I sat in the seat next to Caitlan, who rested her head on my shoulder. "Usually, Caitlan - if a student's mum was their teacher, they'd be embarrassed to have them sit with their friends." I smiled and Caitlan and her friends laughed. "Yeah but I'm no ordinary girl." She smirked. "Besides, you're an amazing teacher Miss Santos." Zac smiled. "Aww, thank you." I replied. "What are we doing in PE this afternoon, Miss Santos?" Cam asked. "We're going to be doing dodgeball." I smiled.
After lunch, I went to the staff changing room to get changed and the students went to get changed too then we headed to the gym. "So before we start, there's a dodgeball competition coming up between our school and South Coast Primary. We need six students, would anyone be interested?" I asked. I saw Caitlan and her friends look around, nobody put their hands up - so the six of them instantly raised theirs. "I should have known." I winked at them. "Okay team captains for today: Zac and Veronica." Both students stood up and chose their teams. To no surprise, Zac had Caitlan, Evie, Cam, David and Carly on his team.
Everyone had fun playing dodgeball. Afterwards, it wasn't long until the end of the day so we read a story.
At the end of the day, Caitlan always waits for me to finish before I leave; sometimes there's staff meetings which Caitlan sits outside the room whilst the meeting is in progress. Thankfully, no meetings today. "Okay sweetheart, looks like we're ready to go" Caitlan happily held my hand as we walked off school grounds. "You didn't get upset when I didn't choose you as a team captain did you sweetheart?" I asked her. Caitlan looked up at me with a big smile. "No mummy of course not. I know you can't show favouritism at school, so it's ok." I scooped Caitlan up in my arms and carried her. "We both know you'll always be my favourite though, my little starfish." I whispered and kissed her cheek. "I know mummy." She kissed my cheek back.
We got home and Caitlan laid down on the sofa, I chuckled and lifted her legs up so I could sit down. "So what shall we learn in mermaid school today?" I asked and Caitlan replied "could you maybe teach me the Enchantment song mummy? I promise I'd never use it, I'm just curious to learn it." She gave the adorable eyes, "how can I say no eh? It is very dangerous but I trust you sweetheart."
We jumped in the pool in the Cavern, and I recited some of the lyrics, which Caitlan sang back. And then I taught her how to cure the spell. She did really well. "Mummy can I ask you something?" She asked meekly. "Of course you can sweetheart" I wrapped my arm around her and brought her closer. "You know a lot about the Enchantment song and its cure, when you met daddy, did you umm-" I laughed and said "no darling. I never used magic to make your daddy fall in love with me. Our love was real. Love itself is a powerful magic." I told Caitlan, who cuddled in. "And although it's a different kind of love, I would never need any kind of magic to love you sweetheart." I said and Caitlan wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed my cheek. "Wanna go in the ocean for a quick swim?" I asked. "Definitely." Caitlan replied.
I held my hand out which Caitlan took, then we swam out of the Cavern into the open ocean. Caitlan is doing well with swimming, we get a teeny bit faster each time. Although she does prefer to stay close - that nightmare the other night shook her up slightly.
We were swimming and we both heard something. Caitlan looked frantically about then pointed to the seabed, a mother shark and baby shark were trapped under an old fishing net. I saw it in Cait's face that she didn't want to leave them, and neither did I. So we swam to the seabed and we released the mother and baby, they thanked us in Shark - which I've never talked in. The mother shark told us that they decide which mermaids get to talk in their tongue. Which is pretty incredible, I created a thesis on dolphins a while ago since I speak Dolphin fluently - as does Caitlan and now we know Shark. The sharks said that they're happy to have made friends and hope we see each other again soon and then swam off.
I spun Caitlan around in the water, and brought her in for a hug. She climbed up into my long hair and I tickled her sides. She floated back down and rested her head on my chest. I knew instantly that she was tired, so I held her as we swam back. As soon as we came up in the pool, Caitlan was snoozing away, bless her.
I dried us both off, and I carried Caitlan to bed. I put her in her pyjamas and got in my own, then climbed in the bed next to my little girl - who cuddled up in her sleep. "Sweet dreams, my little star fish" I whispered and kissed Caitlan's forehead and fell asleep myself.
A week later:
It's the dodgeball competition today. Students and families from both schools are watching and supporting their teams.
Caitlan's POV:
I'm so nervous for the dodgeball game. Mummy is having a pep talk with us before it starts. "You've got this guys, just remember have fun." She smiled and we all gave her a hug, then the six of us huddled. "So, what's the plan?" Zac asked. "I've got an idea." I piped up. "Tell us Cait." Evie encouraged me. "We look like we're going to run for the balls in the middle, but we let that team get them." I suggested. "Are you crazy?" Cam said. "Yes. But that's not the point, if they get the balls they'll think they have the upper hand. But we can be ready to dodge and catch." I smirked and Cam's face dropped. "That could work." Carly smiled.
The referee announced our names that we were representing Suncoast Primary - then for Southcoast Primary the names were: Zane Bennett, Emma Gilbert, Cleo Sertori, Miriam Kent, Lewis McCartney and Nate (I didn't hear what his last name was). The other team looked a couple years older than us, the one called Miriam laughed and called us babies. Well, we're about to see what these babies can do...
I looked to the back of the gym, and I saw Aunty Veridia. She smiled and then went invisible.
The whistle blew and me, Zac, Cam, Evie, David and Carly all looked like we were about to run to the centre, but we didn't move. "Ha! This game is ours!" Zane boasted. They threw the balls, me and Evie caught a ball, the others dodged. Cleo and Lewis were out.
About ten minutes in, me, Zac, Evie and Cam were the only ones left and the other team it was Zane, Miriam and Emma. I threw a ball which hit Miriam. Then there were two. Zac threw the ball but Emma caught it, and brought Cleo back in. One of the balls were in the centre but on the other team's side. Cleo went to pick it up but tripped. I dodged the balls from Emma and Zane and I went to Cleo and held out my hand, she smiled and grabbed it as I helped her up. "Thank you." She said quite embarrassed. "No worries." I smiled, but then I was pelted in the face with a dodgeball - Suncoast supporters were booing. "Illegal hit! Bennett you're out!" The referee shouted - the Suncoast supporters then cheered and the Southcoast supporters began to boo. Zane went off in a sulk. Emma then threw a ball which hit Cam: so it's just me and Evie. We each got a ball quickly and I threw mine at Emma, Evie threw hers at Cleo. The referee then blew his whistle. "Suncoast wins!" Our supporters were cheering. Not even a second later, me and Evie were engulfed in a massive group hug from Carly, Cam, David and Zac.
Rita's POV:
We won! I'm so proud of my team. The six of them came running to me and hugged me. "Well done! I'm so proud of you all." I smiled.
Not long after, we started to leave, obviously Caitlan held my hand. The Southcoast team hadn't left yet. "Not bad for a bunch of babies!" Cam gloated. "Cam!" I scolded. Caitlan then screamed and fell over - the Miriam girl tripped her up. "My ankle hurts!" Caitlan cried in pain, Doctor Blakely rushed over and examined it, thankfully it's just a bad sprain. I lifted Caitlan up. "Are you going to say anything, Coach?" I sternly asked. "It was an accident." Miriam shrugged smugly, the coach seemed to take her side. "Since when could a teacher carry a student anyway?" Nate tried to be clever. "She's her mum you dummy!" Cam scoffed. Then all hell broke loose: Cam and Zac then started fighting with Nate and Zane. I put my fingers in my mouth and whistled. Everyone stopped. "That is enough. Coach I believe the game is over, take your team and leave our school premises!" I ordered and they left. "I should suspend you two for that type of behaviour. But you were defending your fellow team member, so I'll let it slide this time." I said and winked at them.
I carried Caitlan home. "Looks like a few days of rest my little starfish." I said as I sat down on the sofa and Caitlan leaned back on me. "You showed brilliant sportsmanship today sweetheart, helping that girl that fell." I smiled as I rested on Caitlan's head. "I was just trying to be nice." Caitlan whispered. "Thankfully, I didn't have a nosebleed when that dodgeball hit my face." I tilted Caitlan's head gently so I could have a look, it was slightly sore. "Did you see Aunty Veridia today, mummy? She watched the dodgeball game." Caitlan yawned and fell asleep before I could answer. I was shocked to be honest, I wasn't expecting Verida to break the mermaid rules.
I was exhausted myself so I gently carried Caitlan to the Grotto and applied some potion on her forehead to help with the pain on her sprained ankle before carrying her up to bed. I got us both into our pyjamas and I got into bed next to my baby girl, cuddling her, knowing she's safe in my arms.
Okay guys! Hope y'all like this chapter and the wee crossover