Chapter 2

GENERAL POV

"How did you not know I was a mermaid?" Bella asked Emma as Rikki bent down to dry Bella's orange scaly tail off.

"How did I not know? I don't usually assume every person I meet is a mermaid. I thought we were the only ones!" Emma shouted at Bella. Bella stopped and didn't know what to say. She looked up at Rikki and Cleo for some support.

"Emma I guess we just all assumed that you know she was a mermaid considering we don't hang out with other people for that reason." Cleo stated taking her arms behind her back.

"I just can't believe you would let another girl find out about us and then let her become a mermaid!" Emma shouted leaving the café. Cleo chased after her while Rikki stayed and continued to dry her tail.

"Emma! Emma!" Cleo shouted as Emma left the café.

"What? You want to tell me about another mermaid?" Emma asked sternly.

"No, listen Bella didn't find out about us, she was…" Cleo tried to say but Emma cut her off.

"Save it. I don't want to hear it. I can't believe you guys replaced me that quickly." Emma said storming off and diving off the dock at the end of the café. Cleo sighed and scratched her head while she walked back into the café. Rikki had dried Bella off completely and they were sitting in the chairs.

"Guys I'm so sorry. I didn't know she didn't know about me. This is my entire fault." Bella said sitting up in the chair and putting her arms on the light brown table.

"No it's not." Cleo said sitting down at the table across from Rikki and Bella.

"Did you explain to her that Bella has been a mermaid since she was eight?" Rikki asked Cleo who looked around the room.

"I tried but she took off in the water." Cleo paused as Bella and Rikki both looked around the room. "She thinks we replaced her." Rikki grunted and shook her head in annoyance.

"Why is she always jealous or paranoid or something? Rikki asked annoyed. Cleo shrugged her shoulders and looked down.

"Maybe I should go talk to her." Bella said getting up. Cleo and Rikki both jumped up too and followed her. Rikki stopped her by tugging on her arm.

"Emma work that way. If the person she hates tried to talk to her she will just shut them out." Rikki said to Bella.

"Rikki, Emma does not hate her." Cleo said correcting Rikki.

"Did you see how mad she was?" Rikki asked in a joking tone. Cleo looked down and Bella said,

"Can I please just go try?" Bella asked. When Rikki and Cleo just looked at each other Bella assumed she could go. Bella walked out of the café and looked around. No one in sight. She walked down to the dock and as she got closer to the bottom she walked faster to gain momentum. She reached the end and dove into the water.

"Do you think it'll work?" Cleo asked Rikki about Bella trying to talk to Emma.

"Not a chance. You know Emma." Rikki shook her head.

BELLA POV

I dove into the water and started swimming. I knew Emma had to be in the moon pool. She hadn't been there in months so she probably went there to think. I swam my mermaid speed until I reached the moon pool. I slowed down and swam into the cave. As I came out the other side I didn't see another mermaid tail. I slowly came up to find Emma sitting on the edge of rocks about a foot from the water. She saw me come up and started getting up as if she was going to dive in.

"Wait! Just hear me out please." I said begging Emma to stay. She looked annoyed, frustrated, and upset. She crossed her arms and looked down at me.

"I'm listening." She said harshly.

"Emma first of all I thought you knew I was a mermaid so that's my fault but you need to listen to me. I didn't find out about Rikki or Cleo and then want to become a mermaid." I said as Emma interrupted me.

"What did they force you?" Emma said sternly and sarcastically.

"No. Emma I've been a mermaid since I was eight." She looked down and looked shocked.

"What?"

"I've been a mermaid since I was eight. The girls found out about me; not the other way around. One night at the café Rikki was in trouble and got pulled into the water so Cleo dove into the water to help her and I don't know why but I did too." I stated. Emma uncrossed her arms and walked around the sand for a moment trying to process what I just said.

"Wait, why was Rikki in trouble in the water?" Emma asked.

"That's a long, long, story. Cleo and Rikki should be with me to tell it." I said. Emma looked down at me again, this time not harshly but just to look at me. "And Emma, I didn't replace. They are constantly telling me about you and good and bad you guys had together, I mean, they care about you just as much as they care about me." I said looking up at her. She looked at me and had a look on her face as if she was pondering something. Just then she dove into the water making a splash. I sighed and looked at up at the volcano. Next thing I heard was a sloshing and turned to see Emma next to me as a mermaid.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know about you and that made me upset. I have a hard time accepting new people." She said sweetly. I smiled and said,

"Apology accepted." We both smiled and Em said,

"Should we get back to the girls?" I nodded and we both went under and started swimming back towards the café. We didn't swim our mermaid speed but we swam side by side smiling while we were enjoying the water, the fish, the feeling, and experiencing it all for the first time together.