Mer Tales 01 - Everblue

“It’s hard for me to see you looking so grown up. You’ll be lovely tomorrow night.”
    “ Thanks.” I looked away. She could retract what she said in the car, but I knew her first impression—lovely wasn’t a word she used.
    I scratched my eyelid and loosened a lash. Embarrassed, I darted from my room toward the bathroom, praying Lucy wasn’t hogging it. “I’m going to wash my face.”
    “ Well, my work here is done,” I heard Dad say behind me.
    I closed the door and leaned up against it. In the mirror, conflict etched its worrisome talons down my smeared skin. First with Mom’s hurtful comments, and second from the turmoil of my continued drive-by thoughts about Fin. What did I expect to happen tomorrow? Did I want things to go further with Callahan? Or was I holding back because I still harbored feelings for Fin?
    With an angry tug, I pulled off my other eyelash. The skin underneath stung, making it painfully obvious I’d done something wrong. I stood with two black rows of fake hair stuck on my fingertips. I didn’t do the girly thing well.
    But still I floundered, with more than what to do with the eyelashes. Life felt so unsure, especially knowing Callahan would be expecting a kiss from me tomorrow. Why was I so willing to kiss Fin, or even Colin, but scared to death with Callahan?
    The warm wash cloth felt good over my face and a little moisturizer brought back the natural glow to my skin. But Mom’s comment still rang loud and clear. Was I really trying to grow up too soon? Maybe she was right. The excessive make-up was a little over the top.
    With a flick of the lashes into the trash, I went back to my room to wait for Callahan’s call. I hoped my sheep flannel jammies would infuse my psyche somehow and help put me to sleep later. From the window, Tatchi’s house caught my attention. All the lights were on inside.
    Without hesitation, I picked up the phone and dialed. Someone had to pick-up and when they did, I would make them give me answers. I’d had enough.

18
FIN

    The day couldn’t have ended better. I rushed home to find Mom in the kitchen cooking dinner.
    “ Mom!” I briskly walked toward her and held out a golden cup filled with rubies. “Here.”
    “ What is this?” she asked with knitted brows, dusting her hands on her apron.
    I smiled proudly. Only after a few weeks of training, I’d managed to defeat Badger in the first round and then took out the subsequent fighters with ease. “I won the tournament today.”
    She blinked back at me, confusion crossing her face.
    “ This was the prize,” I said, lifting my eyebrows to convince her. “And I want you to buy back your diamonds with it.”
    Mom gulped as she looked at me, then back at the cup. A tear spilt down her cheek—not the reaction I’d expected. I could count on one hand the times I’d seen her cry.
    Needing a distraction, I tipped the cup to the side, ready to spill out the contents. “You better hold out your hands.”
    She dropped her dish towel as the blood red stones piled into her trembling hands. Once the last gem fell, her hands formed a ball over them like they were a life saving rope.
    “ Fin, I can’t take these—”
    I put my free hand on top of hers. “This isn’t an April Fools joke. And if you don’t use them to buy your diamonds back, I’ll be upset. Just think of it as my gift to the family—that I paid for the stove and air bubble. And that’s what we’ll tell Dad when he comes home.”
    Her voice hiccupped. “This is too generous.”
    “ What else am I going to do with them? Save for college?” I laughed under my breath and thought of the solitary ruby I’d put aside for the future in my sling pack. “It’s what I want to do.”
    She put the stones in her apron pocket and enfolded me in a hug. “Thank you, Fin,” she whispered in my ear. I puffed out my chest. Dad would be proud.
    : : :
    Still on a high from the tournament win and Mom’s surprise, I rushed off to collect Tatch at the palace.
    “ You’re late,” she said, punching me in the arm and swimming ahead, this time decorated from head to fin in blue.
    “ Sorry. I had things to do.” I raced to catch up with her.
    “ Nothing can be more important than saving me from the palace and Azor’s claws, so it better be good,” she said with a sneer.
    I smiled evilly and watched her smirk vanish as I filled her in on what really happened with the win and the rubies.
    She rolled her eyes. “Okay, fine. I guess