Mer Tales 01 - Everblue

life on land was like. “We also have a sailing business and take people on cruises around the lake.”
    “ You take humans on rides in your boat? No way!” Her eyes bulged from their sockets. “How did you get permission to do that?”
    “ Lily,” Sandy interrupted, “remember, you have to keep our adventure a secret. We don’t want anyone to know that I go on land as often as I do.”
    “ Of course. But I can talk to Fin about it. Right?”
    Sandy chuckled and curled up into a tighter ball on Badger’s lap as he rubbed her shoulders. “Yes. Fin’s safe.”
    Lily looked at me with a glimmer of wonder and touched her lips. “I wish I lived on land and my parents had a gate instead of sea bed cultivation. I can’t believe you get to be like a human every day.”
    I shrugged. “It’s kinda cool, I guess. People, for the most part, are like us except they don’t promise for life and there’s crime and stuff. But, it’s not all that bad. One day I hope to guard the Tahoe gate myself. I like the vibe there.”
    Lily sank back in her seat and curled her legs underneath her body. With a dreamy look, she bit her lip. “Wow. I wish I could live in a real house in a town like you and have a dog. Maybe one day.” She hit me with a look that zinged an electrical current down my torso and into my legs.
    “ Yeah,” I choked out, trying to sound like her suggestion didn’t affect me like it did, “I think you’d like it.”
    Badger and Sandy, lost in each other’s eyes, hummed in agreement.

17
ASH

    The time flew by faster than I expected, and the fact that it was April 1 st and the day before my big meet and Senior Ball was no joke. Nightmares of being crowned Senior Ball Queen in my underwear or trying to swim my race in JELL-O riddled my dreams.
    I yawned at the cafeteria table, resting my chin against my palm while Georgia filled in the quiet with her random observations. Callahan, who’d become a regular at our table had a pre-game baseball meeting, putting a damper on my spirits. The way he’d blended right in as if he’d always been there and easily opened me up in our conversations left me awestruck. And again, we’d talked the night before until 1AM.
    Georgia pushed the hair off her forehead with a freshly manicured fingernail. “So, I’m all set for tonight’s up-do practice. I picked up this amazing hair paste and I can’t wait to try it out.”
    “ Sounds good.” I sucked the last drop of milk from my carton but continued to make an obnoxious gurgling noise, remembering something Callahan said the night before—about wanting to have a son so he could teach him to snowboard.
    Georgia reached over and stole the noisemaker from my hands. “Seriously, could you be any more blasé about this?”
    I leaned back in my chair and folded my arms. “I’m not. I’m just thinking.”
    The warning bell rang and she moaned. “All ready? Come on. Let’s go.”
    I scuffed my feet slowly behind her, still lost in a multitude of worries and thoughts. Once the school day finally ended, I headed to my locker to deposit my books before practice. In one swift turn, I plowed right into Callahan.
    “ Hey,” he said, steadying me by my shoulders, holding me there, “where’s the fire?”
    “ Oh, hi.” I looked up into his big brown eyes beneath the shadow of his STHS baseball hat. “Do you have a game today?”
    My legs wobbled as he rubbed his warm hands further down my arms.
    His eyes softened. “Yeah. Can you come?”
    My lips curled up as I imagined myself in the stands, my presence his good luck charm. “Is it here?”
    “ It’s in Minden.”
    “ Oh.” I frowned. Swim practice would be at least an hour, then afterward Georgia expected me to do make-over night. Not to mention Minden was at least forty-five minutes away and I didn’t have a car. “Why couldn’t it be a home game?” I mumbled.
    “ You’ve got plans?” Disappointment darkened his face.
    “ Sort of. Sorry.”
    “ That’s too bad. Maybe next time.”
    We stood extra close as the hall emptied out, everyone rushing off to get to his or her Friday night plans or the locker rooms. My eyes darted to his perfect lips and my heart took off in a gallop, wondering if he’d make a move.
    “ Callahan. We’re late. Let’s go!” someone called down the hall, breaking his concentration.
    Darn it.
    “ I’ll call you tonight,” he said and pulled me into a hug, kissing the top of my head.
    I breathed in his scent,