The room remains deathly quiet for close to five minutes. Emma and Cleo still trying to process the new information, and Rikki and Mirabelle observing the two of them. Rikki, with a bored expression, and Mirabelle with a fearful one.
This was it. The moment Mirabelle had equally been anticipating and dreading. She felt like everything hung in the balance now, and that whatever happened, could either make or break her.
Rikki, on the other hand, didn't understand what all the hold up was. Mirabelle was a mermaid, big whoop, so were they, why were Emma and Cleo making such a big deal about it? They looked like they had been informed that an alien race was going to invade earth, and kill all humans. It was beginning to annoy her. What was more annoying however, was little miss twiddle thumbs, who looked about ready to pee herself, or puke, or both at the same time. She seemed as if she felt guilty for being a mermaid, like she'd committed some heinous crime, and Emma and Cleo we're here to incarcerate her. It was pathetic, and overall sad. Rikki didn't know anything about Mirabelle, but she could already tell that this chick could use a major confidence boost, even more so than Cleo, and that was saying something. Rikki knew what it was like to be like her, but that was a part of her past, she never wanted to revisit. She knew what it was like to crave the approval of others so badly, that you didn't care what you had to do or who you had to hurt to get it. Rikki didn't want that at all for Mirabelle or even her worst enemy. It was the most degrading thing in the world to live by other people's standards because the moment you're unable to reach it anymore, they dump you like the trash you always were to them.
Rikki, already fed up with the unnecessary silence, decides to speak up.
" Oy! What's the hold up, fish got your tongues or something? " She snaps at Emma and Cleo.
This shocks everyone back to the present, and they even jump a little. Mirabelle blinks rapidly, as if trying to clear tears from her eyes. Rikki gives her a wierd look.
" How long have you been a mermaid? " Cleo asks Mirabelle with an indecipherable expression on her face.
" About eight years now. " Mirabelle answers in a soft voice, as she takes in a deep breath to calm her nerves.
" Wow, it must have been hard going through that on your own, you were only a kid " Cleo says in awe as she goes to stand beside a nervous Mirabelle.
Emma remains quiet, her expression, cold.
" Yeah, it wasn't easy.. but I managed, somehow.. I'm just glad I don't have to continue alone anymore " Mirabelle says, now feeling a bit more relaxed with Cleo by her side. She could already tell who she'd be the closest to in the future.
This was a good sign for Mirabelle, even though Emma has been dreadfully quiet.
" Yeah, don't worry Mirabelle, you have us now, welcome to the cult " Rikki says, her eyes twinkling maniacally at the last comment. She stands up and gives Mirabelle a light tap on the shoulder, smirking.
" Cult? " Mirabelle asks a bit scared.
Cleo just laughs " don't mind her Mirabelle, we are most definitely not a cult " she says glaring playfully at Rikki.
Mirabelle gives a small smile " thanks. " She says to Rikki, and Cleo.
" Yo Emma, are you in shock or something? You've been pretty darn quiet for a while now, do we need to get a doctor? " Rikki asks smirking, coming to take Cleo's spot on the bed beside Emma.
" What's there to say? It seems that you've all decided, and my input, won't change anything, nor does it matter. " Emma finally says, her voice icy.
Cleo and Mirabelle flinch slightly at her tone, but Rikki is unaffected.
" Yeah, you are a bit right about that. I honestly don't know why it's such a big deal. So what, Mirabelle is a mermaid just like us, and we need to stick together, if we're gonna understand what happened to us. Mirabelle is way more experienced than we are, and it's a no brainer that we could learn a lot more about our abilities from her. So Emma, try not to be a controlling bitch and look at the bigger picture here. " Rikki says, her voice stern as she stares intently at Emma, who is glaring hard at the floor.
Emma doesn't respond, and Mirabelle takes this as her cue to leave. This is exactly what she'd been afraid of.
" Um.. I think I'd better go, you obviously have a lot to discuss, and it's getting pretty late... My house is a bit far from here so.. um... Bye? " Mirabelle says and immediately heads out of the room, closing the door behind her, and practically sprinting all the way down stairs to the front door.
Her eyes were blurry as tears kept threatening to spill, even though she had been wiping at them furiously. As she opens the front door, she runs into the hard chest of a man, Emma's father, but she doesn't know.
" Sorry " she mumbles, without looking at the man, as she dashes to her bicycle.
She could hear the man faintly asking if she is okay, but she does not stop, or answer, as she gets on her bicycle and heads home to allow her tears freedom.
* * *
" We don't even know who she is! " Emma yells at Rikki.
They had been arguing about Mirabelle, ever since she left the room. Cleo had been trying to get them to calm down because she knew how bad it could be if the both of them got too angry.
" There's nothing stopping us from finding out now, is there?! " Rikki fires back.
" You guys, seriously, calm down. Bickering will get us nowhere. " Cleo tries again for the umpteenth time. She honestly thought they were past this stage, but apparently not. They ignore her.
" Why are you even opposed to this, no one's asking you to become buddy buddy with her. All I'm saying is that you keep an open mind about this. Why is it so damn hard for you? " Rikki asks, trying to reign in her anger. She could feel the heat threatening to spread through her.
" Because I don't know who she is, or where she comes from. For all I know, that whole mermaid story of hers, could be a lie! How can she have been a mermaid since she was eight, that's assuming 16 is even her real age! I don't know about you Rikki, but I don't just go around making rando's my friends. I'm very particular about who I let in my circle, and I'm starting to see that even accepting you was a bad idea because you obviously have no standards! " Emma retorts, trying to control her anger. The chill was present.
Before anyone could say anything, the door opens and Emma's dad walks in.
" Is everything okay in here? I think I just saw a friend of yours, and it looks like she was crying " he says, looking at all of them with confusion and concern in his eyes. He really didn't understand teenagers and all their drama.
" Everything is okay Mr. Gilbert, just a little misunderstanding that's all " Cleo says, smiling nervously as Emma and Rikki were still in a stare down.
" Okay.. would you all like something to drink, it seems you need to let off some steam " he says noticing the tension between Emma and Rikki.
" There is no need for that sir, " Rikki says, turning to face him with the fakest smile she can muster. " I was just leaving. " She finishes, and walks out of the room without a backward glance.
She was right about this shit called friendship. It was bogus. She picks up her bicycle, and rides off. This was the last time she tried at it.
" What about you two? " Emma's dad asks when Rikki leaves.
Emma blinks, just now realizing what she'd done. She was such an idiot. She looks at her dad and finds him staring at her in confusion. She wants to say something, but Cleo beats her to it.
" No thank you sir, Im also leaving too. It's almost past my curfew " Cleo says, as she backs out of the room, not making eye contact with Emma. " See you at school Em " she adds softly, and leaves the house.
As she rides home, she tries to make sense of what just happened. Why was Emma so against Mirabelle, she was practically harmless. Cleo could tell almost instantly, that Mirabelle didn't have much friends when they talked in the bathroom. The way she looked so scared and lost after running away from Darren, made Cleo's heart go out to her, and made her want to be her friend, even more so now that she's one of them. Cleo was disappointed in Emma, but for friendships sake, she was gonna give her the benefit of doubt until she knew what was going on in Emma's head. She takes a deep breath, and let's the evening breeze cool her skin. It has really been a long day.
# # # #
What to say, what to say, what to say.
It is done! The chapter you've all been waiting for. As expected, Cleo was no hassle, but Emma? Sheesh, she scares even me 😅
So, what'd ya think about Emma's reaction. Was it called for? Or was she just being a controlling bitch like Rikki not so subtly pointed out?
Lemme know in the comment section.
Please vote.
Song Suggestion: Love To Hate Me by Blackpink ❤️🖤
Thank you.
Till next time,
Luwiza out ✌️