When Life Gives You Fins by Elaina H (most read books txt) 📕

            “Anyways,” I try to cover the awkward silence, “what did you need?”

            “Oh, yes, my father wanted to invite you to dinner tonight before you start your first official training tomorrow. You can wear whatever,” he rubs the back of his neck again. “Haden is going to lead you to each of your training procedures tomorrow.”

            “Okay. That it?” I’m impatient to get back to my room and search more on Destin’s ideas. (Okay so I’m a little bit interested)

            “No, uh, that’s it.” He steps back out of the door, but not before hitting my desk and knocking my snow globe onto the floor.

            I cringe as I watch it fall. Zak reaches out to catch it and misses. The snow globe stops just inches from the air as Destin comes in again with two more books in his hand.

            “Do you believe me now,” he asks very calmly.

            I shake my head timidly.

Do It Right This Time!!!!

            Destin enters into the room and waits for Zak to come in, then he closes the door. He sits on a couch and begins, “So I already told you my theory about not controlling the coin, but the water. So here’s the other part to my idea, you are controlling the water to still the coin, and I bet you a hundred Clams you can control the water to move the coin. Sooooo, we’re going to try it,” he has already made up our mind. “So we are going to use a coin, just because it works.”

            He flips a coin in the air and I watch it float down to the floor. I stare at him. “You have to try and stop it?” he looks exasperated.

            “Okay, should’ve told me that before you threw the coin at me.”

            “Whatever.” He throws the coin at me and Zak sits back and reads from the ancient textbooks.

            I stop the coin in mid-water again and wait for something else to happen. “Move the coin,” Destin whispers.

            I concentrate on the coin and squeeze my eyes, twitch my nose, press my lips but nothing happens. I squinch my face together and grunt then, Prince Zak bust out laughing.

            My eyes shoot open and I glare at him. He is rolling on the floor laughing his guts out as a coin drill him in the face. “Owww!” he shoots up.

            “Ha! Now that’s funny Prince Zak!” I laugh and snort in his face all the while Destin is trying to get my attention.

            Prince Zak rubs his forehead and gives me a hurt face, “Let me guess? You’re not sorry one bit.”

            “Nope!”

            “You,” Destin shoves a finger in my chest, “listen! You moved that coin with water, right? Because if you did we are making progress!” Destin was so excited he was shaking and talking to himself.

            “Okay crazy professor! Tell me why are your spidey senses tingling!” I wiggled my fingers in his face and they both gave me the same questioning look. “Oh yeah, I forgot! No television. This place can be lame can’t it?”             Destin grabs my hair and yanks it, hard, “Owwww!!!!! You little piece of sssssshhh…slime, slime!”

            “Good cover,” Zak whispers.

            I give him a tight smile and glare as I swim away rubbing my head.

            Destin swims out of the room, “I’m going to be here tomorrow to try again.”

            I raise and eyebrow and to prove my point I slam to door after him as I sit on the other side of the room.

            “That is so cool, CJ!”

            “Thanks Zak,” silence follows before I realize my mistake. “Oh! Sorry Prince Zak. I curtsey trying to cover up my blushing cheeks.

            I feel Prince Zak grab my shoulders and pull me up. He tilts my chin up, “Actually Celia, I’d rather you call me Zak,” I nod my head just waiting out the awkwardness, “Zak is perfect.”

            He is way to super close to me and I’m starting to have a panic attack. Just as I think he’s going to kiss me, “See you at dinner, Celia.” And he’s gone.

Life on Repeat! Life on Repeat! Life on Repeat! Life on Repeat!.....

            I sit at my dresser as Mira twists and weaves my hair for dinner tonight. I feel her braid my red strands and then she adds beads and other hair pieces. As she works I run my fingers over my lips and trace them with my pointer finger. I stare into my green eyes and examine my freckles. No wonder he didn’t kiss me! I think. I’m too bland, too boring, too normal! Uhhhh I slump in my chair and Mira flicks me in the back of the neck.

            “Sorry,” I mumble.

            After a silence Mira speaks, “You are very pretty, Ms. Celia. Quite pretty, the other palace girls are jealous of your looks and your connection with the prince.”

            I look at her, “You know what Mira! I am pretty. I am pretty,” I state to assure myself what I believe I already knew. “But you’re wrong with out connection. We are friends.”

            Mira raises her eyebrows and looks at me, “I know, that’s what they’re jealous of.”

            From this point she continues to do my hair in silence. When she’s done she moves me to my couch. And pulls out a top from the closet. It’s green, apparently I look amazing in green. The top is strapless and is very detailed. Green braided fabric is intertwined with gold fabric and shells, similar to my bra top, but this short ends just at my belly button.

            “Wow. It’s very beautiful, Mira.”

            “Yes.”

            I slip the top on and go to the mirror. I have on a gorgeous top, and my hair is half up and half down. I have on purple creamy eye shadow.

            “Thank you, Mira.”

            “You look great,” she hugs me and swims out the door.

            I twirl in front of my mirror and then there is a knock on my door.             “CJ,” Haden whispers.

            I open the door and he immediately starts talking, “CJ let’s go to the Point again tonight and we can….Oh.” Haden stops and looks at me.

            “I really want to go Haden, but I have dinner with Zak and his family.”

            “Dinner with the Royal Family, which happens to include Prince Zak, is what you mean right,” he says with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

            “What’s your problem Haden? Zak…”

            “Prince Zak.”

            “Stop being a jerk! I don’t want to be all red and mad two minutes before I have to go to dinner!” I yell at him.

            His blue eyes go somber before they harden, “CJ, why are you so obsessed with this guy you barley know?! What’s so great about him!” Haden is mad now, and I’m not even sure what I did.

            “Haden, maybe you should leave.” I say quietly.

            “Leave! Well,” his temper has suddenly lessened, “I guess I’ll go to the point by myself then.”

            A fat tear rolls down my cheek, “Haden! I…”

            He raises his hand, “Good night, CJ.” He opens the door, and standing right behind it is Prince Zak.

            “Haden, if you would be so kind as to never come back to Ms. Celia’s room. Ever. From now on you will only speak to her when necessary and take her to her training exercises,” Zak’s voice is hard, and tense and it doesn’t help when he sees that I’m crying.

            “Zak, no! He didn’t do anything wrong!” but Zak doesn’t listen.

            Haden nods, “Yes, Prince.” He bows and I swim past Zak and stop Haden by using the water. I pull him toward me. His eyes are saucers. “Good night, Haden.” I say as I kiss his cheek.

            I turn around and rub the tear from my eye. Zak hooks his arm through mine, but I remove it. I look behind me and catch Haden smiling.

            I’m nervous to look at Zak, and that’s beside the fact that I’m mad at him for kicking Haden out.

            “I’m sorry, CJ. But I did what had to be done. He was only going to get hurt when you have to leave in five weeks.

            I turn to him with my mouth open and start, “First of all, it’s his heart to break, Prince Zak. And Second I could still see him. He goes on land too.”

            “Your delusional, he can’t go on land, no full-mer can. Besides what does he have that I don’t?”

            “Why does everyone keep asking me that question!” and right about here is when Adrianne comes up the stair and sees us.

            “Trouble in paradise, Big Bro?”             “Leave us alone Adrianne,” Zak says to her, but his eyes never leave mine.

            “Trust me I wouldn’t love anything more, but you’re late for Daddy’s meal and he’s no happy. So I suggest you get your butt down there,” she looks at me, “even if it is scrawny.” She laughs and makes her way back to the dining hall.

            “Let’s go.” I swim down the stairs with Zak in my trail.

A Dinner I Dread

            As we approach the door my hand goes out to open it, but Zak grabs my arm. “You probably shouldn’t go in first,” he says with his head down.

            I hook my arm through his unwillingly, and we enter. The King is sitting at one end of the table. To his left sits his wife, his right is left open for Prince Zak, after Zak is Destin, after the Queen is Adrianne. Then all the way at the opposite end is me.

            I curtsey, “Your majesties.”

            The Dining Hall is exquisite. The table has six places, the chairs are made of gold and seashells, and the walls share the same images the entrance halls have.

            “Have a seat, young lady,” the King proclaims with nod in my direction.

            I sit and wait for something else to take place. I most definitely keep my eyes from meeting Zak’s. But in this process I catch Adrianne’s sly smile.

            “So are you ready to start your training, Celia Jane Kendal?” the Queen asks.

            “Yes, your majesty. I am,” I pause thinking of how to formally say what I wish, “most delighted with this city, and I can’t wait to learn and experience more.”

            Adrianne laughs under her breath, but her Mom kicks her under the table. Her Majesty nods. “Well, we are most delighted to have you with us! Right, Dear?” she looks at the King waiting for his reply.

            “Yes, yes! Of course!”

            After the King’s words our food is brought out. Colorful fish, large crab, red lobster, and massive clams line the table. “Oh my God,” I whisper under my breath.

            I look up at he royal family, “This is awe…amazing. It looks absolutely delicious.”

            They all smile, and eat contently. During the silence that follows I catch Destin throwing a pea at me. I don’t stop it, too many people. I eat slowly at first, but gradually I eat fast.

            After twenty minutes everyone is finished and the food is brought away from the table. I turn around and hand the servant my plate.

            When my attention is back on the family I see that Adrianne is smirking, the Queen is smiling, the King is angry, and Zak and Destin are smiling along with their mother.

            “We have people for that,” Adrianne informs me.

            Oops! “Oh, I’m sorry. I mean I’m sorry if I offended anyone.” Crap! I clutch my stomach in the tense moments that come after. With all eyes on me I really want to leave. Thankfully Zak speaks.

            “Well, there is still dessert! So hopefully we all are still hungry.”             “Bring us our dessert!” the King bellows.

            Servants poor out of the kitchen with fancy plates and divine topping, I glance around, crossing my fingers for ice cream.

            “The chef has made you a lovely mouse. It is Creame` Kelp Mouse with many topping