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Weeks had passed since that fateful day, when Aquamarine had proven to her father that love existed, love between her and her two new friends Hailey and Claire.
After tearfully saying goodbye to the girls, she and Raymond sat atop his board, a very necessary conversation being had between the two gushy teens.
"I'm not sure how to ask a mermaid out...but I'd like to see you again."
A part of Aquamarine wanted to stay with him, to leave the water and go and do all of those things he had suggested before, going surfing on a kite and eating something called a hot dog. But she missed her family, and knew she needed to tend to her called off engagement, which surely would have her ex-arranged fiance's family's scales steaming with anger. So she asked Raymond to wait and kissed him once more.
Now, Aquamarine surfaced. In the early morning hours, the Capri Beach Club's beach was empty, allowing her to crawl out of the water unnoticed, her long blue tail glistening under the rising sun. She headed towards a gathering of shrubbery, hiding herself. Aquamarine laid, feeling the warm sunlight, the tingling feeling of magic spreading over her tail, the scales transforming into pale skin.
Aquamarine stood, and headed towards the small house, excited to see Claire.
"Aqua! You're back!" Claire excitedly yelped after answering the door to Aquamarine's knocking. She instinctively went to give her a hug, before noticing her tall friend's lack of...erm...outfit. "Let's get you inside before my grandparents see!"
Aquamarine dressed quickly in a white sun dress and a pair of white flip flops. She and Claire sat in her kitchen, Claire eating her oatmeal, and Aqua pouring salt into her mouth directly from the Morton’s container. They caught up, Aquamarine telling her about her world under the sea and Claire telling her about her starting 8th grade.
“And we’ll have to call Hailey! She started at her new school! She can tell you all about it,” Claire said between bites.
“She’s happy there? With her mom?,” Aquamarine asked. Claire nodded.
”Yeah, I think she is, we still miss each other, but it’s good for us to try and stand on our own. Try new things.”
New things. Aquamarine thought back to the night of the Last Splash, when Raymond held his glass of saltwater to hers.
“To new things.”
“Claire?”
“Hmm?,” the young girl looked at her, awaiting her question.
”Did Raymond leave for college?” Aquamarine asked, a smile perking up her face.
Raymond surveyed the horizon line through his binoculars atop his lifeguard chair, hoping he’d catch a glimpse of her. Her platinum blonde hair, or her iridescent tail.
Inspired by Aquamarine, her ambition of coming onto land, Raymond had stood up to his father, telling him he wasn’t going to college, at least not for a bit. He wanted to travel, see something, anything outside of Florida. Especially now, knowing that mermaids were real, he wondered what else was out in the world.
Unfortunately, traveling cost money, so he would have to stick around Baybridge for a little while longer, lifeguarding at the Capri Beach Club, which luckily still had a decent crowd even after the summer season ended. And he would pick up any other jobs he could. Mowing lawns, walking dogs, whatever it took.
After scoping out the open water once again and still seeing no trace of her, Raymond lowered his binoculars, and put on his sunglasses. He surveyed the beach’s Saturday crowd surrounding him, the little kids building a sand castle, noisy teenagers with their boombox, older ladies in big sun hats.
And then he saw her.
Like something out of a dream.
It was Aquamarine, a vision in white, gleaming bright like an angel. The cool breeze blowing her bright hair all around her, streaks of blue and blonde.
She was running towards him.
”Raymond!” She yelled out, waving at him.
He couldn’t believe she was really here. He quickly descended his lifeguard tower, heading towards her. “Aqua!”
Aquamarine ran into his arms, Raymond picking her up and twirling her around, her giggling being music to his ears. He gently placed her down.
”I surfaced!” She said, happily, her big blue eyes glowing. He chuckled at this.
”I see that! I wasn’t sure when I was gonna see you again. I know we said we’d meet in Fiji, but I don’t think I’m going to be able to make it there for a little while,” he said, tucking a stray piece of her hair behind her ear. “I’m really glad you’re here.”
Aquamarine beamed up at him.
”Me too,” she said.