Out of the Ordinary

Chapter Five- What A Night

To my surprise, Noah was really good at the humans math. He just needed to learn the basics first and then he got a hang of things. Though he occasionally asked me if he was right or how to do a certain problem through out the rest of the week. We planned to go out Friday night, my family and the friends that Noah and I had made recently. Max, the giant, was talking to me more; and he made sure he sat next to me in the two classes we had with each other. I was very surprised that everyone was o.k. with me being a human.

My old friends even would stop by my locker and ask how I was doing, they asked if I wanted to go to the movies with them but I had told them I already had plans and that we could try for the following weekend.

After school Noah and I did the same thing as the previous days, go to my room and work on our homework together. We only had Trigonometry together, but we still had the same subjects. We laughed and joked around, my sister would even stroll inside and laugh along with us. My brother spent his time home with a human girl. I wasn't sure why, humans weren't spectacular, or maybe that was just me. Whatever the reason, I always saw him the least.

When we were done we all got ready to go out; we would have dinner and go to the fair. Noah was excited and nervous and disgusted all at once. He had never been to a fair and so that was why he was both excited and nervous. But he was disgusted because he would be surrounded by so many humans. I tried my best to comfort him, which I wasn't sure how since I never really had to comfort anybody.

"It'll be alright, we'll be walking around in a group, you could stand in the middle. We'll even leave as soon as you want. You'll have fun." I assured him. I would take my car and pick up Max and a girl named Jennifer. We would all meet up at a restaurant; I didn't remember the name, I was more focused on remembering how to get there.

"And the lion went running when he saw my brother, he's a werewolf. It was so hilarious." Max said, he was funny but it seemed like he was the only one talking all night. Most of us were done with our food, just waiting for others so that we could leave; there was a total of 13 of us. The restaurant had to combine 2 long tables and smaller one just to seat us all. The dinky waiters, dinky compared to the 6 foot 5 inch Max, tried with difficulty to move the heavy tables when Max and Noah walked over and took over with such ease.

Finally we payed and we were now at the ticket booth. We didn't stay together like I told Noah; I felt a little bad, but I honestly thought we would. Instead, my family went off in one direction, the other people we had become friends with went off to the roller coaster, and Max, Jennifer, Noah and I were stuck at the ticket booth not really knowing where to go first.
"Noah, let's ride the ferris wheel, I'm sure you'll love that." Jennifer cooed in a too nice voice. Max smiled brightly, "Yeah, the ferris wheel is a great idea. "He voiced as he swung an arm around my shoulder. I didn't find it offensive so I let him leave it there, but it was weird because he was a whole foot taller than I was, maybe more.

Noah and I were practically pulled along as Jennifer and Max seemed to be so eager to get on the circular ride. We finally got on, Noah sat with Jennifer and I sat with Max. He kept his arm around me. We made one revolution and then Max stared at me. I couldn't help but stare back because it made me a bit self conscious. I looked at him oddly, I wanted to tell him to look at the stars or something else cause he was making me feel weird, but I thought I'd seem rude.

He grabbed my chin. Now, usually when a guy grabs a girls chin it's because he's about to kiss her. "I can't believe you were there all school year and I never had the guts to talk to you; I should have." And there it was, he was moving his head in and his eyes were already closed. I didn't want him to kiss me, this wasn't even a date. Before I could object though Noah was already yelling at us from below. My eyes found a way to widen even more as I looked down at him while trying not to fall off. Max looked mad and he looked down as well. Once he did I moved back, wishing I was a hundred pounds heavier because with Max leaning over it felt like I would fall off. He leaned back and placed his arm around me. "The nerve he has." He mumbled. I looked at him, eying him curiously.

"Max? Why would you kiss me?" I asked a bit confused. He looked at me as if I had asked him a question about rocket science, which shouldn't be that difficult to answer. "Don't you like me?" He asked, just as confused as I was. "As a friend, yes. We just started talking to each other, we aren't even dating, I hardly think now is the proper time to be kissing." I said, my eyes showing how shocked I now felt.

"Oh" was all he said and the ride ended. We all walked back to the ticket booth. Even Jennifer was in a bad mood, she had her arms crossed and her blond hair was blowing in her face and she didn't care. I thought I saw a tear drop on her face and it started to rain. Maybe she was a witch, some were powerful enough that their powers were attached to the weather. No one minded the rain besides the humans, they all ran to the vehicles and left. It was just all of us and the few humans that loved rain stayed.

My family finally came, along with everyone else and they were all laughing. At least they all had a great time. We all left, I think Max was trying to get a ride with the other group but he was too big to fit; he made a grunt before getting in my car. I dropped him first, he seemed to really want to get home. Jennifer got down quickly when it was her turn and Noah walked her to the door.

I watched and looked away as he walked forward, moving closer to Jennifer; I'm sure they would like their privacy. We had about 15 minutes before we would be back home. I sighed. Noah finally talked. "I'm sorry if I ruined your chances with Max." He said calmly. I wanted to look at him with curious eyes, but I was the driver so I looked out the windshield with intense eyes. "What do you mean? I don't think we knew each other long enough to even start something, maybe if he had asked me on a date then-" he cut me off. "Wasn't tonight a date?"

"Not for me."I said sternly, was the world going mad? Why would Noah think this was a date, I wouldn't consider hanging out with 12 other people a date, and I definitely would not have kissed him on a first date. "Did Max tell you this was a date?" I asked.

"He was hoping you thought of it as a date, apparently he did since he tried to kiss you." He answered. And then I remembered why Max hadn't succeeded.

"Why were you yelling? What were you yelling?" I asked him. He didn't say anything, I looked at him quickly so I wouldn't crash. His face was turned out the window. "I didn't want him to kiss you." And now Noah had succeeded to get on my bad side once again. "Well, I don't think that's up to you. What if I had wanted him to kiss me? What if I did like him?" I asked, growing more annoyed with each passing second.

"I saw what would have happened, once he'd find out he couldn't get what he wanted he'd move on and date another girl." All I could do was let my mouth hang open. I parked where I normally did, right in front of the path that led to the stairs of my house. It looked older and more worn down when it rained. "Are you serious?" I asked, we were still in the car; no one moved for about 5 minutes.

I looked at him and he nodded. "Thank you." We got out and headed up stairs. I was now glad that Noah had what ever ability he had, first was because I now knew someday I would become a mermaid, and now because I knew Max wasn't exactly as nice as I thought he was.

We walked up the stairs leading to the second floor at the same pace. I looked at him before he turned to head to his room and he looked back at me. "I'm sorry I got upset; thanks." I said, he nodded and walked away. I stared after him before going in my room.

I sighed looking out my window when I was done changing. I didn't have to sleep now, I didn't want to. My parents would come in my room in about 5 hours and tell me they were leaving.

I stayed standing there, I felt like I was missing something, something just didn't click in my head but I didn't know what on earth it was. Or maybe I was just sad that the one boy that took an interest in me ended up being a complete jerk.The second one seemed to fit.
Noah walked in my room, I was expecting my mom; I looked at the clock and it was 30 minutes before they would actually leave. She usually came in 15 minutes before.

"What if I were to ask you out and kiss you?" Noah asked me. I looked at him; shock and confusion flowed through me. He reached forward and placed one hand on my lower back pulling me closer to his body and the other was holding my arm. I couldn't even move or register anything, it was confusing and I couldn't let everything sink in quickly. His warm lips moved against mine, at first they were rough and hard, but then, most likely because of saliva, his lips were soft, moist and very warm. I closed my eyes and started moving my lips with his.

The moment my mouth moved with his I felt a shock on my lips and I felt a whole new feeling. I felt like I was floating on air, like nothing bad could happen now. I could feel Noah's lips moving with mine in a smile he couldn't stop and I started smiling too. We broke apart, we could still see each other from the light of the moon, but just barely. We stood there staring into each other's eyes and we smiled, it was impossible not to smile.

My mother walked in, my door was left open by Noah and she just said. "Oh."
She smiled but it quickly faded. "You two better not do anything you shouldn't be doing. You'll be left alone later and you best follow house rules." She said sternly; mothers were always like that. I giggled and Noah pulled me in to a hug. I was still confused but how could I not be happy now?

I walked with my family and Noah to the shore. I even walked as far as they needed to in order to change and make it easier to swim away quickly. There was still a glowing light around you when you changed, but it's never as bright and blinding as when you first become a mermaid. Noah was shirtless and I blushed looking toward my parents; happy it was dark enough that they couldn't see me turn red at the sight of his muscular arms, the way his chest was more profound because he was more built.

As I looked at my parents I couldn't help but feel how sad I would be when they would swim away and leave me alone. I looked at them and a tear fell, just as it always did when they left. They all smiled a reassuring smile and I moved towards them and we had a family group hug.

This time I wasn't only crying because they were leaving, it was because now I knew that every time they left it was a very dangerous thing. And then I remembered that Noah had said my family had been protecting the ocean. It made me feel better but also less relieved. They are out there protecting it and could be killed, spotted, or worse; captured, becoming a science experiment or carnival attraction.

I squeezed them tighter. My brother sighed, he hated lovey dovey family moments so I let go just for him to be happy and he gave me a thankful smile. I walked towards Noah, now realizing that most of my pajama tank top and all of my pajama bottoms were soaked. I didn't know whether to hug him or just wave goodbye. He chuckled when I lifted my arm up; I decided to wave. And he moved forward placing his arms around my waist. I bent down so it felt more like a hug and it wasn't so awkward for me. I smiled and then my father cleared his throat, an obvious way to say that our hug was long enough. I laughed lightly and watched as they disappeared under the water away from me.

I frowned and headed back to the house. I'd be alone again, maybe only for a few days since Noah would be back. And then hopefully my parents wouldn't have to do anymore of whatever it was they did and come back home. What would happen when Noah came back? Was I his girlfriend? Didn't Noah show some kind of affection for Jennifer when we had dropped her off? Did they kiss? And what would happen at school now? Would they still talk to me while Noah was gone? They could just be playing nice. And what about Max? Would he stop talking to me now? What a jerk.