Fathom by L. Standage (spanish books to read .TXT) 📕

I turned and stomped down the steps and onto the beach. Behind me, the door to the house opened and closed. He’d gone back inside. Good.

The sky was clear and black, and the moon shone on the waves like a silvery lamp. The sand glowed white while the crashing tide hissed and frothed in front of me. I trudged toward the water and sat down, shivering from the chill and the remnants of my anger.

And then I bawled like a baby. All the bravery I had to muster in standing up to Calder dried up as the wrath vented off. My body shook with the misery replacing it. As I sobbed so pathetically, I had to wonder why. Why should my feelings be so fragile in the hands of someone I didn’t care about? Somehow, there had been a serious miscommunication within the group. How could he have misunderstood? Maybe he didn’t want to see the truth. Something about me irked him so much, he only saw what he wanted. Didn’t that make him another idiot like Brock Mallory, just as easy to brush off?

No. It didn’t. That was the part I hated most. I wanted him to notice me. I admired him. I liked it when he grabbed my hand earlier tonight. I felt a rush when he pummeled Linnaeus to free me. And I felt an inward prick in my heart every time he frowned at me or ignored me, even if I hadn’t realized it until now.

It was so stupid; I’d renounced chasing guys. I shouldn’t be pining over someone who didn’t trust me, who didn’t like me, who—as Cordelia put it—hated what I was. Hated.

Pathetic. That’s what I was. My face crumpled into my hands as I started crying again, glad I was by myself. Or was I?

The door to the house closed. I sniffed and wiped my eyes, listening. It was probably Samantha. Best friend to the rescue. I continued to stare at the water and prepared myself for the nice little pity-the-Olivia/bash-the-Calder party I was about to have.

“Well now, don’t you have quite the wicked mouth?”

I jolted and looked behind me. Samantha didn’t come out; Cordelia did. I wiped my eyes again and cleared my throat, mortified she’d witnessed my drama-queen’s holiday.

“Did everyone hear all of that?”

“Oh no. Only Seidon and I could hear. Our hearing is much keener than human hearing.” She sat down next to me and looked out at the water too. “It really is quite beautiful on the surface, isn’t it?”

I stayed quiet. She continued.

“It’s very beautiful underneath too, once you get the chance to see it.”

“I’ve seen the ocean underneath the surface,” I muttered, looking down at the sand.

“A hundred fathoms down?”

Again, I said nothing.

Cordelia sighed. “Few human eyes have ever seen the deepest parts of the ocean. Some think the best of it is near the surface in the reefs where the sun can shine through. The deeper you go, the darker it gets. But if you know what’s really down there, you’d be able to see what a wondrous world it is.”

Something told me she wasn’t just talking about the ocean anymore.

“But why does he have to act like this?” I asked, looking over at Cordelia’s pensive profile and hoping my assumption at her analogy was correct.

“Calder is a good young man. One of the few humans I actually have some respect for. But he has suffered great tragedy in his life. And suffering can sometimes bring out the worst in us.”

“But he’s okay toward Samantha, and to you and Seidon. Why me?”

Cordelia looked at me for the first time. Her eyes narrowed studiously.

“You look like her.”

Though I didn’t know what she was talking about, my insides stiffened.

“Like who?”

“Well…” She tilted her head to the side. “Not exactly like her. Just your hair, maybe.”

“Who?”

“I shouldn’t be the one to tell you this. It should come from Calder himself, when he’s ready.”

“Was there some other girl?” I asked, my thoughts turning to my own angsty history with Landon. Reluctantly, Cordelia continued.

“All I know is that there was a mermaid named Aeronwy. She was young. Thoughtless. I’d even go so far as to say she was a coward.”

“Oh…” I looked back at the dark water. “A mermaid…” I remembered again what Cordelia said in the car: He hates what you are. I’m a reminder. A reminder of a person who had broken his heart. A person he couldn’t trust.

“Of course, there’s more to it, but it’s none of my affair. All I’ve told you is merely Seidon’s idle gossip.” She waved her hand.

“Why are you telling me?”

“I have my reasons. I’ll tell you one of them: a woman deserves to know. You appear to care a great deal for him.”

“What? No I don’t! He’s a jerk!”

Cordelia stood, chuckling like a villain. “So you say. In time, Calder will come to respect you for the person you are, not dislike you for the person you remind him of.” She started walking toward the house.

“I guess I have to go apologize then, right?” I said with an edge of disdain.

“Apologize?” said Cordelia over her shoulder. “Who said anything about apologizing? He had it coming.”

I closed my mouth, baffled but pleased.

She turned back. “Everyone else has gone up to bed, I suggest you do the same.”

I went in after her. When I got to my room, Samantha looked up from where she lay on her air mattress. She sat up with a dish-me-the-details-now gleam in her eye. I shut the door behind me.

“You won’t believe what just happened,” I said, then sat down next to her. Then, in a harsh whisper, I unloaded my misery.

When I awoke the next morning, I opened my eyes and stared at the wall. Memories of the night before raced through my mind. Had Calder really thought I was a mermaid this whole time? Didn’t Eamon tell him? How did he miss it? And had Cordelia really come outside to offer me encouragement? So