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?”

for permission, just kiss

eyes widened. “Really?

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

so that we can talk sometimes if I needed

Prada) and dumped the 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

color of your nails. Can we paint

in this mall. We are giving you a mani and a pedi and then we’ll do

went to the shop 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.

off and told me to keep it instead

that 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 looked different. I had something called a lipstick on my lips. It was the color pink. I touched

I looked pretty, right?

Would Hunter like it?

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 of going

she excused herself. “It’ll just take a minute.” She said and walked a little farther away

were still staring at me, mostly boys the age of Hunter. I didn’t

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

shop yelled.

ice-cream on the truck. “I was wondering if I can get that ice-cream.” I pulled out the money I had from Hunter. “I

he was looking at me, it was similar to Hunter’s but also different.

leer at me. “Are you

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

Stupid Blue!

there was no use. There was no way she would hear me

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 in the pocket of the shorts that I’d

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

“Hunter.” I whispered.

had blurred

Someone called out to me. It was an older man with a bushy mustache. He was tall and had a bulging stomach. He cleared

friend.” I said.

“What’s her name?”

“Hannah.” I said.

help you

widened. “You

as I followed

* * *

Hunter

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 an hour back

“Hey.” I said.

sister said when she answered the

“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 brother Ryan was the in-charge here

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 one last

a call from my sister, Hannah. She’s in trouble, kinda.” I told

Harry Potter glasses with suspicion. “Huh. For once, she’s

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

If you agree for a

the chef had warned me that Stella had 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

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

date. It’s