School comes and goes slowly for Sera — each passing second, each tick of the clock feeling like eternity.
When classes are finally released, relief sinks through Sera. She had felt numb as she sat at her wooden desk, worry ripping through her like a knife, as she wondered what condition Cami was in.
What if she's dead? Sera thinks as she stumbles towards the school gates. No, no, no, think positive!
But it's hard to "think positive" when your friend may or may not be dead.
Don't be silly! Sera scolds herself once again. She's not dead. She can't be.
"Are you alright?" A voice shatters Sera from her reverie, and she looks up.
Junjie.
"I'm fine," Sera lies.
Oh God, I forgot that he's taking me to see that mermaid-expert person.
"Actually, I don't think I can make it to the mermaid thing," Sera says apologetically, heat searing her cheeks. "I have to check on my friend."
"Alright," Junjie says slowly, sensing that Sera is distracted. "The thing is—"
"Not now."
Sera bristles, as she taps on her phone for directions on where the hospital is.
"I talked to that man earlier," Junjie continues, either not hearing or not caring what Sera had just said. "It's the full moon tonight and there's something big that's supposed to happen near the harbor. He also said something about mermaids trying to crown humans, in order to steal energy from the human world. The merpeople want to revolt, Sera, and they need one human to do that. I was thinking, maybe you're that human who—"
"I said, not now!" Sera snaps, before waving her phone in his face. "Can you not see that I'm busy?"
Junjie blinks, slightly apoplectic.
"Well," he says, continuing his walk beside Sera. "I just thought that you would want some important inform—"
"Right now, my friend's life might be in danger," Sera seethes, hours of pent-up frustration and anger building through her. "And right now, I don't really give a freak of what some random eccentric mermaid-loving dude wants to say!"
"Look—"
"No, you look, you stuck-up detective of an ass! I don't care whether or not I kissed you yesterday night! My. Friend. Is. In. Danger. Right now, the least of my concern is about mermaids and fairy tales, alright?"
Junjie goes quiet, before raising his chin. "Well, I suppose we have a hospital to go to," he says.
"I think— I mean, I'd really prefer if I could do this alone," Sera says.
"Oh." Junjie looks slightly disappointed, though he gives her a nod. "Also, I think you should come to the harbor tonight. The full moon."
Sera exhales loudly. "God, you seriously don't listen, do you?" she fires.
Junjie considers the question. "It's not a huge attribute of me," he admits.
"You are so infuriating," Sera mumbles, before giving him a pointed look. "I'm going to the hospital and you will not follow me."
Junjie raises his hands in the air, a slightly defensive look crossing his face.
"Sorry," she says. "I'm just stressed and when I stress, I snap."
He nods, before looking away. "I'll see you later?" he asks.
"Maybe," Sera says. "I don't know. Depends on the condition of Cami."
* * * *
When Sera finally arrives at the hospital, Avelyn is already there, hand movements growing vivid, as she argues with the man in front.
"Excuse me?" Avelyn was saying, her face turning red. "I'm her friend, for God's sake! Not some murderer who's going to murder her the moment I walk through the doors!"
The man goes slightly pale.
"Uh, what's going on here?" Sera asks as she sidles besides Avelyn.
"This idiot won't let us in," Avelyn huffs, glaring daggers at the man in front — Tim, Sera reads from his name tag. "Convinced we're murderers."
Sera raises an eyebrow.
"It's not that!" Tim frets. "It's just, she's in a very delicate position."
"So why won't you let us in?" Avelyn booms.
"Because she's in a delicate position!" Tim insists, mopping the sweat on his forehead with the back of his hand.
"Do you even know who I am?"
Tim gazes at her with huge eyes. "Um, a girl?" he guesses.
"Guess that was worth a try," whispers Avelyn, before she raises her voice. "I am Avelyn, daughter of Austin Roberts!"
Tim looks at her blankly, no recognition in his eyes.
"Daughter of that famous CEO guy?" Avelyn presses. "Super rich millionaire? Who's always featured in newspapers?"
Nothing.
"Who always has that kinda stupid badge with a raccoons' face on it?" Sera piles on helpfully.
"Ohhh," Tim says. "That guy."
"Yeah," Avelyn says. "So now can we go in?"
Tim regards her with a serious expression. "No."
"But my dad's famous, for God's sake!"
"Ma'am, you're going to have to lower your voice—"
"If you don't want to get fired from your office, you will let us in!"
"Yeah," Sera chimes in. "If you want a free lollipop, you have to let us in."
Avelyn gapes at her.
"Sera," she hisses. "I think the better tactic is to threaten him, rather than giving him lollipops."
"But sometimes people need bribery."
Avelyn scoffs, clearly not believing that.
"Lollipops?" Tim echoes, skeptically.
"Yes," Sera promises. "Those delicious, sweet, beautiful, gorgeous, um sticky candy!"
Tim's eyes widen.
"Really?" he asks, eyes welling with tears. "You would really do that for me?"
"Of course—"
"The answer's still no. But if you do have those lollipops, I'll take one for free."
Sera slowly deflates.
"Look, person!" Avelyn yells, slamming her hand against the desk. "I don't care if you want a lollipop because you ain't gonna get no lollipop! Not on my watch! You are stopping us from seeing our friend, for God's sake! Why? Oh, because you think she's in a delicate position, eh? Well, you wanna know what I think?"
Everyone ogles at her, silence sweeping over the office like a hurricane.
"Avelyn," Sera says in a soothing voice, as she starts to guide Avelyn away from the desk. "Maybe we should try sometime else, a time when Cami isn't in a quite delicate situation."
"Poisonous spider!" Avelyn shrieks, pointing at Tim's desk. "Oh my God, kill it— run, Sera! Find Cami's room and give her love from both of us!"
Sera bolts.