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

eyes widened. “Really? I

that, and I’m pretty

have your number so that we can talk sometimes if I

she picked her bag (that read Prada) and dumped the contents onto the table. Finally she picked the phone out of all

the color of your nails.

mani and a pedi and then we’ll do some makeup for your face.” She declared with a mischievous smile. “I’m just dying

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 like Hannah. I

and told me to keep it instead and use it when I wanted to buy something for myself in future. I thought that was a

at it. When I looked at myself in the mirror for the final product, I really looked different. I had something called

I looked pretty, right?

Would Hunter like 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

Hannah received a call and she excused herself. “It’ll just take a minute.” She said and

myself. People were still staring at me, mostly boys the age of Hunter. I didn’t know why. Maybe I looked

with a huge ice-cream cone on it. “Ice-Cream!” I shrieked loud. I think some people turned but I kept walking towards the cone. It was humongous and lit up, shinning like a star. I stared at it in awe and reached my hand towards it. If I could reach it, maybe I could

guy inside the shop yelled. “What are

get that ice-cream.” I pulled out the money

I really didn’t like the way he was looking at me, it was similar

backed away. He continued to leer at me. “Are

behind me but there was no sign of Hannah. Where was she? It was crowded and I couldn’t see her. I’d

Stupid Blue!

her but knew there was no use. There was

tried walking back towards the path I’d walked in but I still couldn’t see her. I remembered I had a spare phone that Hunter had given me. I could call him 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

lower lip trembled, and I knew I was going to cry. What if Hannah couldn’t find me and went back home? What if Hunter didn’t bother to come to the mall and decided I wasn’t worth all the trouble? What

“Hunter.” I whispered.

tears had blurred my

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

my friend.”

“What’s her name?”

“Hannah.” I said.

me. I’ll help you find

widened. “You

nodded as I followed

* * *

Hunter

call 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

“Hey.” I said.

be mad.” That was the first thing that my sister said when she answered the call. Hannah answering on the first ring was

“What is it?”

“Blue.”

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 brother Ryan was the

recently vacated table. I was going to talk to her and make up an excuse for an emergency, hoping like hell she’d fall for my excuses

sister, Hannah.

me through her Harry Potter glasses with suspicion. “Huh. For once, she’s taken your position

suppressed an eye-roll. I hated how she enjoyed teasing me. “Can I go? Will you cover for me? If Ryan asks about me,

agree for a coffee date with

together, she’d find a reason to touch my hand or just playfully hit me, things like that. I’d assumed it

a dorky way. Trim waist, boobs the size of watermelons, dark hair tied

A date. It’s a