Aquatic Ties

I wait until Mark wakes up and then I leave with my dad. We run into his parents, but I keep my eyes down. I get along fine with his parents, but they are the type of people that will lose it, if they lose a child. They lost a child a long time ago, is what I have been told and if they lost another, it would be my fault. Mark is their golden child.

Dad follows behind me in his truck, as the rain eases up. Driving over the bridge, I glance bellow, but see nothing. What I had seen true? Did Xavier save Mark, by using a seashell? What did that mean?

My phone goes off, it's my mom ringtone, but I won't pick it up. The rain might had eased up, but I have never been one to really pick up the phone as I drive. I have seen enough people die in car crashes by the hand of using their phones, when it just couldn’t wait.

It feels shorter time has passed when we get to his house. Dad reason for staying so close, is because of me. But I think it's because of something else. Dad might not admit it, but I think he has a girlfriend. But what do I know? I've never had a boyfriend.

Getting out of the car, I grab my bag. "Thanks for being there dad," I say as he gets out of his truck.

"I'm always here for you," he puts his arm over my shoulder and we walk into the house. "So I got plans for us this weekend," he tells me.

Weekends with dad are always filled with fun and peace. There is no screaming younger siblings and there is no messed up parents around. Dad is a lot more stable then mom. I must get his stability, which I'm happy about. "Really? What are those?" I ask as he unlocks the house.

"Movies, go mudding and whatever you want to do," he pushes the door, as it sticks tight. He pulls back and then hits it hard, almost falling in.

"Might want to get the door fixed first," I tell him.

He shakes his head. "Yeah, your most likely right. I'll get to it later tonight."

"I'll go put my stuff up and we can get to start at are fun weekend."

~~~~~~

Later that night, I watch bad movies vies with dad and eat pizza like I always do. He goes to bed after the fourth movie. He pats me on the head and heads upstairs.

I stay planted in front of TV for another hour, then I head upstairs and take a quick shower. After the hot shower, the mirror is steamed up. With the towel wrapped around my body, I clear the mirror with one hand motion and my heart stops. I see Xavier reflection in the mirror. I turn around, but he isn't there.

Rubbing my face, I shake my head. -I'm going crazy,- going through the other door that goes into my room, I get changed into my sleeping clothes.

Going over to the window to close the blinds, I look down and see Xavier looking up at me in the rain. I try to open my window, but its stuck and when I look back down, he's gone. Shaking my head, I close the curtains and go to bed. -He's not here. I didn't see him.-

~~~~~~~

Later in the night, I dream of being in water. I'm able to breath and I have a tail. The fish swim passed me. Swimming around, I come to a rock with a big hole. Swimming through it, Xavier looks over down at me. "What are you doing here?" he asks me.

"This is my dream. So what are you doing here?"

"You're thinking of me, so I am here."

"What are you?" I ask him.

"I'm a merman, I saved you when you feel off the bridge. You know that. You seen my face, before you passed out."

"Why did you save me?"

He shrugs his shoulders. "Only the real me knows the answer to that," then the dream ends.

~~~~~~

Going back home after my good weekend with dad, I pull over to the side of the road. Close to the water, where I have always seen Xavier. Looking out the window, I almost expect him to break water and to wave at me. I grab my backpack and pull out the seashell he gave me.

I put my car in park and get out. Going down to the rock and open up my bag. The water brakes and his head comes up. "Brook?" I pull out the seashell and put it on the rock. "Why are you giving this back to me?"

"I know what you are, I remember now. You’re a merman. But why did you save me?"

He is quite for a minute or to, then he swims closer and reaches out his hand to me. "Because you have something, that no one has. You have the heart of our people, I seen it when I saved you. You are one of us,"

I stand up, with my bag in hand. "I am not like you, I'm human."

"Come with me, let me show you our world."

A cold bone chilling wind almost pushes me over into the water. "I think I need to stop seeing you," I whisper.

"If this is because I'm not human, I can make my legs come back. You've seen them before."

"My heart and head are telling me two different things. This is all to confusing," I turn away from him.

"Brook!"

"Please give me time, until I make up my mind, I won't come back here or close to the ocean water." I walk up the small hill and start heading to my car.

I hear a splashing sound and then feet hitting the ground. "Brook!"

I get in my car and drive away, not daring to look back. -Please give me time.-