Waterworks (H2O Just Add Water) 🌊

63. Just a Girl at Heart

On meeting up at the moon pool, Bella told Cleo and me of seeing Will training at the pool and Sophie being extremely pushy. Whenever we interacted with Sophie, it was brief, like she didn't want anything to do with anyone who socialized with Will. 

"I know a coach is supposed to be tough. But the way she was talking to Will was just mean," Bella expressed just as Rikki surfaced near us.

"So, what did you do?" Cleo wondered.

"Well, I wanted to see how long she could hold her breath underwater. But I didn't. I just walked away. Don't know how he puts up with her."

"You did the right thing then."

"There are times it's best to not get involved in certain affairs that aren't our own," I nodded.

"Mm, not necessarily," Rikki smiled.

"Hang on, you were the one telling Bella to stay away from Will in the first place," Cleo pointed out.

"That was before he found out she was a mermaid. Now the best way to keep that secret is to make sure you're right there beside him. So, I say follow your instincts."

"What instincts?" Bella asked.

"The ones that are telling you to get close to him," Rikki answered.

"But they're not. They're just telling me that Sophie shouldn't work him as hard."

"Are you sure?" Cleo gave Bella an expression as if there was an obvious answer in front of us.

"He doesn't see us as a thing and neither do I," Bella clarified.

"Then get close to him to save him from the devil coach. Whatever!" Rikki remarked.

"You mean his own sister," I pointed out.

"I know that Zoey. We need to keep an eye on him."

Rikki still didn't trust Will would keep Bella's mermaid side hidden. Even though he was a chill guy, there was no telling what might happen next if he figured out Bella wasn't the only mermaid around.

🌊

The following day, Rikki recruited Cleo and me to help her set up the cafe for a talent agency who had booked the entire place for the day. 

Bella was hanging out with Will to deepen the trust that he would tell anyone else, especially Sophie.

It turned out the talent agency consisted of kids who were aspiring actors and actresses. Cleo and Rikki relied on me to help keep them calm knowing of my experiences of interacting with my younger third cousins.

When it became clear the kids were extremely picky about the catered food provided, I raced to the department store where Fiona worked at and got a large amount of candy and chips at the kids' request. 

"How did it go with the talent agency?" my stepmom wondered as I placed a large bag full of sweet and sour candies.

"Turns out they're extremely picky and refused to touch some of the catered food," I replied, "You know Darren's kids, they eat just about anything set in front of them." It always surprised me when Flynn, Bodhi, and Pippa ate whatever was provided with no hesitation, especially since Kristi was into foreign cooking.

"Yep. Some kids can be like that. I used to be one of the picky eaters until I learned to try new stuff. Let me pay for all that."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

I got back to the cafe to find Rikki dressed in a clown costume and Cleo attempting to liven things for the kids and their acting teacher. The kids stampeded over to me when they saw that I brought assorted chips and candies that I thought they were about to tear right through me like a zombie horde.

One of the kids tossed some water at Rikki who managed to get to her office before her tail sprouted.

🌊

The next day, Cleo, Rikki, and I found Bella at the moon pool. It appeared something upset her making the rest of us wonder if Will said or did something.

"What's happened?" Cleo inquired in concern after surfacing.

"I told Will to stay away from me," Bella answered.

"I said to follow your instincts," Rikki clarified to her recalling the conversation from the other day, "If they're telling you, you don't wanna be around him, then--".

She cut off the rest not wanting to say anything else that might be offensive to Bella.

"But that's now what they're telling you, are they?" Cleo asked.

"You guys are right. I, I really like him," Bella confessed.

"Then why tell him to back off?" Rikki wondered.

"Because he doesn't like me. I mean, he likes me, but not me, me." Bella sounded emotional, "He, he likes the mermaid, the one that he can swim with."

"That's just shallow of him," I shook my head, "It's his loss if he can't appreciate what makes you whole."

"Then you did the right thing," Cleo nodded at Bella.

"But he knows my secret!" Bella stated, "I, I mean, I'm sure he won't tell anyone, but how will we know."

"I guess we won't," Rikki shook her head.

"I've made such a mess."

"Welcome to the club," Cleo jumped in, "We've all told someone our secret, and we've all worried about whether it was the right thing to do."

"It's true," I agreed, "All of us screw up from time to time."

"Comes with being a mermaid," Rikki added, "The important thing to remember there though, is that no matter how rotten we may feel, a mermaid always has a way of making herself feel better."

"Swimming?" Bella wondered.

"Not just that," I smiled shaking my head at her.

🌊

The four of us went shopping at the mall. We were about to head inside the cafe when we saw that there was a children's party being held there and Zane, who was dressed in the same clown costume was being horded by a few small kids as he called out to Rikki.

The girls and I decided to head somewhere else.