The Bad Boy And The Mermaid

Blue

“Hannah, where do your parents live?” I asked her since I’d never heard Hunter talk about their parents.

“We used to live together at first. Me, Hunter, Ryan. I’m still in high school so I live with my parents, Ryan has a condo downtown and he takes care of the family business. And Hunter, well. He’s not the obeying kind so Dad disowned him temporarily after a series of bad behavior. He’s the black sheep of the family.”

Hunter certainly didn’t seem like a sheep to me.

“What kind of bad behavior?”

I didn’t think there was anything remotely bad about Hunter’s behavior. Sure he was a little scary when he was angry, but he was still nice.

“He used to get kicked out of schools, the soccer team, getting into fights. That sort of thing.” She explained.

I nodded. I could ask Hunter about it later.

“Who is Ryan?” I asked.

“He’s our oldest half-brother. Ryan’s mom died when he was four and then Dad remarried Hunter’s Mom who...well, it just didn’t turn out well. They separated, and then he remarried for the third time to my mother.” She said taking a sip of her drink that she called a “slushie” it made her tongue look blue. “Dad’s been through some rough marriages.”

“So the three of you have three different mothers?” I was surprised. I’d never heard of something like that.

She nodded. “Yup, but we share the same Dad. My moms pretty cool though.”

“My mom’s cool too.” I told her.

Then Hannah started talking about music and some boy band that I didn’t know anything about so I continued to nod my head. I guess she was really tired of my nodding, because she suggested. “How would you like a nice haircut?”

“A haircut?!” I exclaimed.

“Yeah. We’ll just trim your hair a bit.”

I shook my head. “I can’t. I’m not allowed to.”

“Why not?”

“Mermaids can’t cut hair. It’s a sin.”

Hannah seemed suspicious. “Mmm-hmm.” She eyed me warily. “Oh, I see.” It was clear she didn’t believe me at all.

It’s a good thing she didn’t push about cutting my hair. I liked my hair long.

“Hannah, can I ask you something?”

“Go ahead.”

“How do I make Hunter like me?”

She laughed. “I think he already likes you, honey.”

I didn’t believe her. “I don’t think so. Whenever I ask him if we could kiss, he gives me his cheeks.”

She snorted. “Well in that case, you should take the lead.”

“What do you mean?”

permission, just kiss

eyes widened. “Really? I

nothing wrong with that, and I’m pretty sure Hunter wants that

number so that we can talk sometimes if I needed

contents onto the table. Finally she picked the phone out of all the junk. “Save my number. It’s double four...” after we’d successfully saved our numbers and she’d dumbed the garbage back in her bag, she asked me.

your nails. Can we paint my

know a great saloon in this mall. We are giving you a mani and a pedi and then we’ll do some makeup for your face.” She declared with a mischievous smile. “I’m

called a “beauty saloon”. An hour later, when the lady started dipping my feet inside water, I refused to let them. Hannah insisted that it was fine but I kept refusing. In the end, they painted only my toes and did a mani for my hands. My nails looked lovely with the peach nail color. I stared at it in awe. I had matching beautiful nails

her the money that Hunter gave me but she waved it off and told me to keep it instead and use it when I wanted to buy something for myself in future. I thought

she called “makeup”. She assured me that she was good at it. When I looked at myself in the mirror for the final product, I really

I looked pretty, right?

Would Hunter like it?

evening when she told me it would be time for me to go back home and that Hunter would come to collect me after his part-time work. I was elated with the idea

herself. “It’ll just take

staring at me, mostly boys the age

kept walking towards the cone. It was humongous

The guy inside the shop yelled.

pointed at the ice-cream on the truck. “I was wondering if I can get that ice-cream.”

just like others had. “You’re funny.” He looked me up and down and I really didn’t like the way he was looking at me, it

He continued to leer at me. “Are you

his honey and started walking away. I glanced behind me but there was no sign of Hannah. Where was she? It was crowded and I couldn’t see her. I’d strayed away from her

Stupid Blue!

I called out to her but knew there was no use. There was no way she would hear

and then he’d know where to find me. I reached for my pocket when I realized I was wearing the new dress. The phone was in the pocket of the shorts that I’d worn in the morning, the shorts were in a bag

find me and went back home? What if Hunter didn’t bother to come

“Hunter.” I whispered.

tears had

me. It was an older man with a bushy mustache. He was tall and had a bulging stomach.

looking for my friend.”

“What’s her name?”

“Hannah.” I said.

I’ll help

eyes widened. “You

nodded as I followed

* * *

Hunter

from Hannah saying that “there was a problem” I knew something was terribly wrong or else she wouldn’t have called me again when I’d already called

“Hey.” I said.

that my sister said when she answered the call. Hannah answering on the first ring was a

“What is it?”

“Blue.”

my body, and my palms were starting to feel sweaty. “I’m on my way.” I told her as I stormed into the staff room of the café, pulled down the apron and stuffed it inside the locker. Good thing my brother wasn’t around, or else I’d have to give an explanation as to why I was leaving an hour earlier. The cafe was a family business, my

table. I was going to talk to her and make up an excuse for an

sister, Hannah. She’s

her Harry Potter glasses with suspicion. “Huh. For once,

me. “Can I go? Will you cover for me? If Ryan asks about me, tell him

agree for a coffee date

a thing for me and it seemed like everyone knew about it, excluding me. Sometimes when we were working together, she’d find a reason to touch my hand or just playfully hit me, things like that. I’d assumed it was just a friendly thing between colleagues. Now, it seemed like that little “rumor” had some

waist, boobs the size of watermelons, dark hair tied in a ponytail and eyes the

date. It’s