Beach Party

Mariana Pov

Yesterday went by pretty fast. After getting ice cream with Carlo, he showed me the rest of the island and where all the teens went for a good time. We spent the entire day together getting to know each other.

After he dropped me off at home he told me where I could find him before the party started. So, I bid him a good night and went to bed. He was thoughtful enough to buy me dinner on the way home.

* * *

I wake up around seven to get an early start so I have enough time to het ready for the party. I get out of bed and take a shower. I choose to wear a purple plaid dress with my golden flip flops. I braid my long hair to the side of my head and put on some light makeup for the finishing touches.

I leave my room an hour after seven and head to the kitchen. Maria keeps wiggling her eyebrows at me for some reason and it makes me so uncomfortable that Paps has to tell her to stop. After I finished breakfast I help Maria clean the dishes, dust the house mop the floors and still manage to look good afterwards.

I look at the clock on the wall and it's well past midday, so I go outside to find Papa so he can take me to the beach. South Side Bay is what they call it. It's the largest beach and perfect for partying and the water is much warmer. Not that the temperature would bother me really.

I find Papa in the garage busy fixing another boat engine. "Hey, Paps. You ready to drive me to the beach?" He looks up and puts down the wrench, wipes off some oil from his hands and nods. "Yes, lassie. Ye got all ye're things?" I nod in response and Paps leads me to his old Ford he drives and we head to the beach.

"Ye be good now, lassie. Don't want anything happen'n to ye out there." I know what he means so I just nod my head and walk down the path leading to a mini fruit bar that's situated close to a rocky yet sandy dune. Papa gave me enough money for at least ten parties. He said that these kind of things usually demand a lot of money.

I finally reach the bar and hid under the shade to protect my skin from the hot sun. The bartender takes my order, I happen to get myself a Pineapple Punch with a hint of strawberry. I can also see loads of crates filled with alcohol. Everyone will be having a good time tonight. The drink tastes really good and while I drink I look out over the ocean. I find Carlo in a swimsuit on a surfboard riding a big wave.

There are two other guys with him but I can't see their faces. They are a bit further in. As the wave levels out and brings the ride to an end, Carlo swims back to shore. He rinses himself off under the shower pole the people put up a bit further from the bar.

Carlo sees me and he waves so I lift my hand and wave back. Looks more like he is in need of help the way he swings his arm. He looks back and signals for his companions to come to shore. I focus on Carlo as he walks over to me. I like the way his toned body moves so languid on the surface. Some of the royal men in my kingdom don't even move with the grace he's moving with.

He reaches me and places a kiss on my left cheek. It makes me light aflame, this simple gesture is enough to turn me bright red while he just chuckles at my red face. I try to feel less awkward and ask him how the waves were. "They were okay, not nearly as big as a week ago. That was a good ride." He smiles as he finishes telling me about the huge waves that nearly reached the highway.

I remember all to well why the waves were so big. I shake the thought from my mind and think about the party instead. Just then, his two companions come up to us and I instantly recognize them. They were at the diner the other day. The one with the white hair, he made me feel strange.

By the looks on their faces they must recognize me too. "Anna, these are my two very best friends, Logan, our very own Mr. Clause and Ryan, our Hercules." I reach my hand out as I stand, "Hi. It's nice to meet you." Ryan is the first to respond. "You're the girl from the diner!" He sounds like an excited little school boy.

He takes my small hand in his very large hand and brings it to his lips and kisses my knuckles, it reminds me of William. He would do the same when he greeted me. But Williams's intentions were feral and Ryan's are humorous, so I smile at him and curtsy.

"Haha! I like you. You seem like you can have some real fun. Hey, Logan, you gonna snap out of whatever world you're in?" He asks his friend. Logan instantly comes back to reality and shakes his head. He seems to have wondered off very far in his mind.

"Uh yeah, sorry. I'm Logan." He takes my hand and then I feel sparks the moment he touches me. It's like my soul is acknowledging something that hasn't been there before and at the same time, needs to be there. There's tingles going from my hand through my entire body and goosebumps forming on my arms.

"Okayyy. They're having a moment again." Ryan's comment makes me snap out of the trance I was in and I retract my hand from Logan's. Carlo looks confused so I turn to him. "We've seen each other at Lulu's. But it was brief. I was in and out." I explain to Carlo.

Carlo makes a funny face then shrugs it off. "Well then, since we all know each other now, let's get to that party." "Hell yeah!" Ryan shouts. We all walk to a secluded part of the beach where we see a few people setting up a stage. Carlo goes over to greet them. He seems to know a lot of people on this island, if not all of them.

I feel someone tug on my hand and turn around to find Logan pulling on my arm. He gestures for me to follow him and like the little love struck girl I am, I follow him. He leads us to a small cave and looks around to see if anyone saw us. "Okay, I know this is going to sound weird but who are you? And what are you?"

I did not expect this. He doesn't even know me but he's interrogating me. I straighten up my stance and hold my head high. "That is no concern of yours. Who do you think you are for even thinking you could confront me like this? We don't even know each other!"

He looks frustrated at me. What is this human male's problem? He takes a deep breath and then he starts. "Whenever we interact we get lost in some weird little trance. Then, whenever you get close to water, it draws to you like a magnet and finally, why are the sea creatures following you?"

I am at a loss for words. I have no idea how to explain everything to him, but he surprised me by noticing all of this. I look down at my tiny feet not wanting to look him in the eye and lie to him. As I look down I see that the sea creatures are indeed following me. The water also comes to me when it moves in over the shore.

"Um, I honestly don't know what to tell you." I say while looking up at him through my lashes. He sighs in frustration and his arms flap against his sides. "Fine. But after the party we are going to have a chat. After only meeting you twice, and both times something weird happens, you have to explain. This is something connected to you."

I feel a sigh of relief leave me and I nod my head. At least I'll be able to figure things out aswell. Besides, I kinda like him. So, getting to know him might be the highlight to this problem, if I could call it a problem. We leave the cave and get back to Carlo and Ryan, which leads to Carlo asking us where we went off to, but we only shrug it off. Carlo doesn't like the response and gets a bit defensive. Ryan smirks at us and it makes Logan roll his eyes at him.

* * *

We have been partying for four hours already. This is the most fun I have ever had. Papa was right to give me so much money. After two hours I have half of it left. People drink a lot when they enjoy themselves. Logan hasn't been leaving me alone. Either he reminds me of our 'chat' or he dances with me. I really like it when we are so close, and he does too, I can see it in his eyes.

Carlo seems different too. It's like he doesn't want me and Logan to be getting close. Especially when we dance. He has even pushed Logan out of the way a few times to get to me and it is really starting to annoy me. Ryan makes me laugh non stop and I appreciate the big guy's humour and just his company overall.

It's almost midnight and no one seems to be getting tired. It kind of feels like they are getting more hyper as it gets late. I don't mind at all, I just keep enjoying myself. All my worries slowly disappear the longer I danced and drink. My head is starting to feel fuzzy and the more I dance the more the dizziness increases. I start to stumble and before I can stop myself I fall flat on the sand.

I sit there and giggle like a school girl. Tears are running down my face and in the blur I see someone walk over to me. Logan comes into my view and he helps me up. It's a big mistake, when I feel my head spin and my stomach flips. I feel nauseous beyond compare and I have to cover my mouth and stop myself from vomiting all over Logan.

"All right. I think you've had enough to drink for the night." He sets me down on a stool and gets me water. I feel close to passing out. I faintly remember that we still had to 'chat'. After downing the water I look up at his face. "You...hic...have beautiful...hic...eyes..." What just came out of my mouth?! He stares at me with flushed cheeks. "Thank you, and you have to go home."

"Aww, but what about our chaaaat?" I slur, dragging out the last word. My mother would have a fit if she saw me now. "Our chat can wait until you're sober again." Logan tells me and I let out a dramatic sigh. "I don't want to talk about it when I'm sober. Then I'll be able to lieeeeee." I whine in his ear as he helps me to walk to wherever it is we are going.

"Fine, then tell me." He says and I smile in glee. "Well then, I am a mermaid looking for her soulmate." I smile. He looks down at me, not happy with the answer. "What? You don't believe me?" He shakes his head not amused and I pout at him.

"Fine, then I'll show you." I get out of his grasp and run towards the water laughing hysterically. "Anna wait! It's not safe and you're drunk!" Without responding to him I dive right into the ocean. I can see him come closer to the water while shouting my name. When he's close enough I jump out and reveal my tail.

"Ta da! I'm a mermaid!" I shout out. His face is full of fear and confusion. He takes a few steps back which makes me falter. "What? What did I do?" I ask myself more than I ask him. "Holy shit!" I hear someone else say. Ryan and Carlo are now standing behind Logan. They look at me the same way.

When I move a little closer they each take a step back. "Stay away, don't hurt anyone, please." Logan says. He looks at me like I'm some kind of monster. It hurts so much. I have forgotten about my drunkenness and now it's replaced by sorrow and rejection. Tears well up in my eyes. "Okay, then I'll go." Before they can say anything more, I turn around and dive into the water as far down as possible. I faintly hear Logan shout but all I can feel is the intense pain in my heart.

I now know that Logan is my mate, who had just rejected me without knowing. I can't go back there and I can't go home. I am now one of the many homeless merfolk in the ocean. The only place left for me is the Deep. The Trench. The last place Neptune was left to die and rot in. All kinds of creatures mutate there and now I'll be one of them...