The Bad Boy And The Mermaid

Hunter

Fred and Hannah helped me choose a wedding ring for Blue. It was a round solitaire diamond stud in a platinum ring, a little out of my budget but looked really beautiful. My bank account was almost empty, but it was worth it. Blue deserved this and so much more. I kind of wished I had enough money to move into a bigger house where there was a lawn, a fence, a room for when Blue and I decided to have kids.

I dreamed of it, about having my own little family.

I’d never thought this was possible in my wildest dreams, that I’d find a woman who’d love me enough to want to marry me.

The phone in my pocket began buzzing. It was from an unknown number. I pressed answer.

“Hello Mr. Brantley, this is Gracie. I’m a wedding planner. Your mother told me you wanted to discuss a few things.”

“Hi Gracie, please call me Hunter.” I spoke on the phone while walking out of the jewelry store towards the parking lot across the street, “I’m looking for simple wedding decorations, I’d like to discuss about this. Are you free around three p.m? We could talk it over lunch and—”

A loud blare of the honking stopped me dead in my tracks and I turned to look. I wanted to run but my legs weren’t moving. I was glued to the place.

A car was moving towards me in high-speed and there was absolutely nothing I could do.

I saw it that time.

Death was coming for me.

Blue

Adrian had tried convincing me that marrying Hunter was a bad idea. And then he’d given me another alternative that I knew would make Hunter really furious. Adrian suggested that I could marry him instead and visit the Land often to meet Hunter.

In other words, he didn’t mind me having an affair with Hunter on land as long as I married Adrian in our world. I’d told Adrian that he could stop talking and that I wasn’t going to have an affair with Hunter because I intended to marry him.

I’d been napping with Leslie when I got one of those bad premonitions that something was going to happen. Since then I couldn’t sleep and paced around the apartment. I tried calling Hunter’s number but he didn’t answer it and that gave me even more anxiety.

Adrian was reading a magazine upside down, a magazine he’d found discarded in a box within the depths of the storage room. The magazine had a naked woman on it. I didn’t know how I felt about Hunter going through this one. Adrian was merely leafing through the pages, his face masked with interest.

I tried texting Hunter.

Me: Why aren’t you answering my call?

I called him several times but each time it hit voicemail. Thirty minutes and forty texts later, I decided to call Hannah. When she answered the call she was sobbing and that was a clear warning that something was wrong.

“Hannah, I’ve been trying to call Hunter but he’s not answering my phone. Is he with you?”

“Blue...well, Hunter got into an accident. A car almost ran over him.”

My heart almost stopped beating, “What?!” It took me an entire minute to collect myself. “Is he alright?”

“He’s in the hospital.”

“I want to see him.” I said urgently.

Hannah told me that she was sending a car and a chauffeur to take me to the hospital. When I hung up the call, Adrian’s expressions clearly said ‘I told you so.’

“You still have time to stop the wedding.” Adrian suggested.

I gave him a sharp look, “I can’t ask Hunter to do that. We both love each other.”

“Is that love any use of if either of you end up being dead?”

I hated that he had a point.

What if something happened to Hunter before or during the wedding ceremony? We still had a week ahead of us before we got married.

angry at my situation, like there was nothing else I could do against the laws of

today, and he may come back home looking prim and fine, making those promises about lifelong love but it’s going to

wasn’t so sure before but I think I understand now.” I said, keeping the venom out

asked, still looking through that vile magazine filled with naked

of Hunter.” I said

me, “And

doesn’t matter, Ade. I’ve made my decision. It would make me the happiest in the world to marry Hunter, if my situation doesn’t allow me, then

our marriage to be fulfilled when we were old enough...” Adrian said, “Mermaids marry mermen. That’s our

mermaid law.” I snapped. “I’m different than other mermaids. I will take Hunter as my husband and no one else.” The last part came in a choked voice, tears were threatening to spill

price to pay for every law that’s broken.”

me to go with you because

if he lives a full healthy life, it won’t be enough, Blue. You will watch him, your children, your grandchildren, and everyone else you care about grow old and die while you stay the same.” He said vehemently. “Do you want to spend the rest of

hurt if I left and watched him marry and have children with someone

a expression of resignation on his face, it looked like he

quickly in a casual t-shirt, jeans and sneakers and waited until Hannah texted

twenty minute car ride, I recalled each

how much I loved Hunter, I valued his life

to a hospital, and the atmosphere around made me ill. A stretcher occupied by a boy was wheeled away, a mother

place was giving me a very sad feeling. I couldn’t ignore the scent

The scent of death.

a nurse. I walked towards them and found Elaine standing outside a room and knew that it had to be Hunter’s. She wrapped me in

god nothing serious happened to him. Fred and Hannah are on their way. You go see him now.” She said sweetly, “I’m sure he wants to see his fiancé

The lies about everything, about who I was, where I came from and what I had done to put him in the hospital. She loved her step-son, and I’d almost gotten him killed because of my

the room and saw Hunter lying on the propped up hospital bed, and when he saw me, he flashed me a huge

when I saw him safe and smiling that a sob escaped my lips

white looking thing, and he was sitting shirtless. A patch of bandage covered his upper torso. He told me to sit beside him on

asked touching his heavily

fractured. It did hurt when it happened and all I remember later is waking up in the

covered my mouth with my hand and cried, “I’m so sorry, Hunter. I

stopped talking and I saw his expressions register why it

was

the wedding.” I said firmly. “Adrian’s

mean this is a bad idea? What are

said. “I can’t lose you. I can’t watch

and you’re not going

been foolish to assume that I could live peacefully here

“I’m going to marry you, Blue, and no

but when he said that with so much conviction, I believed him. His eyes, they told me he’d

can’t bear the thought of losing

ever imagine. I’ve

this brave man. He was ready to sacrifice his life in order to marry

still have time to think. Take your time.”

up

me see your arm.” I touched his

wrapped my fingers around his elbow, holding his arm in place and closed my eyes. I began chanting softly in whispers, and seconds later I felt the burning sensation in my

heard Hunter whisper ′what’s happening? I ignored him

eyes, I saw Hunter giving me a weird look, he was

moving your arm now. Do

features, but he did what I’d

surprised look. “I

it was done, I slowly peeled off the bandage and the part looked smooth like he hadn’t been hurt

stared at me in awe, “how

but shhh...don’t tell

down to his in a long lingering kiss. It felt so good to have his