Amongst The Water-Fresh Waters

Chapter 16: Creatures Among Us! Part 1

First Uploaded: March 2014 Dates updated: January or February 2018; October 31 2019; Jan.27, 2020 5:15pm)

        Kylie is laying on her bed reading her favorite author. She's so caught up in her fantasy book that she doesn't hear any of her surroundings. Something that hasn't happened to her for a long time. It used to happen often. But with so much change in her life recently; focusing on reading is last on her list of worries. Reading keeps her sane and it lets her escape into another world. She has the fashion designing she does in her spare time, but it's not as exciting as reading. P.C. Cast has a way of enveloping the reader into her own special worlds. Worlds with excitement, fantasy, and twists. Whenever Kylie feels the need to escape her life, she picks up a book by P.C. Cast. Or anything Fantasy related. But P.C. Cast is her favorite. She's always wished she could write like her. She reads at a decent pace and retains the information, but she can't put her words and ideas onto paper. She's a songwriter, but not an author.

Kylie reads the sixth chapter since getting back home from recording a demo for her new Album. Most of the songs on her 3rd album are about the ocean and ocean-related things. Since transforming into a mermaid; it's the only thing she can come up with. She can't write any other type of song like she used to.

She reads the same few paragraphs four times because she can't stop stressing about her failing attempt at writing songs. She closes her book frustrated. She huffs and rolls over on her back and screams. She jumps off her bed quickly. "Dad!" Her heart beats fast as she's staring at her dad in her doorway. "How long have you been there?" He laughs. "For about 5 minutes. I said your name a few times, but you were in your own world. As usual when you read." He points at her closed book. She looks at Moon Chosen. "Yeah. I can't write anything else for my album. So I needed to take a break and get out of my head." She sighs. He tilts his head. "The people at the recording studio said they liked the 3 songs you sang. What's the matter?" Kylie shrugs. "I can't write like I used to. Everything I come up with has something to do with the see." Her eyes tear up a little. "Or about Jacob. I hate him, daddy." She says trying to hold back her tears. Kevin walks up to his daughter and hugs her. "Honey. Don't say that." Kylie shakes her head. "But I do." Kevin squeezes his daughter not wanting to let go. He can tell she doesn't want to show how hurt she really is because he called her 'daddy'. She calls him that only when she's really hurt or sick. "Sweety. You still haven't told me exactly what happened. Why'd you guys break-up?" Kylie shakes her head. "I don't think you want to know." Kevin lets her go and tells her to sit. She sits on her bed. "Yes, I do. Why wouldn't I?" He asks. Kylie wipes her tears away. Wishing that's all it took to take the pain away. "I mean." Kylie takes a deep breath and explained why they broke up. Kevin's face reddens. "I can't believe he tried to do that again!" Kevin shouts. Kylie jumps, startled by her dads' reaction. She thought he'd be mad that she was alone with Jacob making-out and that his daughter was with another boy. Her dad has been pretty strict since the Halfway Night.

Kevin looks at his daughter's face. "I'm sorry Kylie. I'm just upset that you are hurting." Kylie smiles. "It's okay. I honestly don't know how I feel right now." Kevin looks at his daughter's brown eyes. "I'm glad this Finn boy was there. You seem to be good friends with him." Kylie smiles. "We are good friends. I'm afraid what would have happened if he wasn't there daddy!" Kylie starts to cry hysterically. Kevin shakes his head. "Honey no. Please don't." Kylie lays her head on her dad's lap. Kevin tries to calm Kylie down. She's crying so hard, her body is shaking. Kevin leans over and hugs her. "Shhh. Calm down. You don't want to have an anxiety attack." He says rubbing her back. "Talk to God Kylie. Release your anxiety to him and ask for help sweety." He advises. Kylie does exactly as her dad suggests. After a moment, her breathing is back to normal. She wipes her tears away and takes a few breaths. She sits up and looks at her dad. She doesn't want to tell him this, but she feels like she has to. "Jacob pressuring me wasn't the only reason why we broke up." Kylie holds back a sob. Her dad looks at her curiously. "He also cheated on me. A lot he said." Kylie wraps her arms around her body. She looks at her open door. Now everything is out in the open. Well besides her being a mermaid. Something else she doesn't know how and when to tell her dad.

Kevin shakes his head furiously. "I can't believe that kid." He says trying to keep his voice under control. "I can't believe he'd do all this to you." Kylie nods. "I know. I thought he loved me." Kevin chuckles. "Apparently you weren't enough." Kevin recoils from his comment. He'd never say that to his daughter. Only if his anger was taking control. He looks at his daughter's face. "I'm so sorry sweety. I didn't mean to say that. You know how I get when he upsets me." Kylie nods. "I know. But I guess I wasn't. 8 girls had to be enough." Kevin's eyes widen. "What!?" His voice raises. Kylie flinches. "Ummmm...." She didn't realize she said that out loud. "8 Girls? And while he was with you?" Kevin's voice gets deep, then he gains control. Kylie nods ashamed. "Yeah. What's wrong with me?" Kevin looks at her shocked she'd ever ask that. "What? Nothing is wrong with you. You are sticking to something you believe in Kye and something you are too young to be doing. You are an amazing daughter Kylie. Don't you ever say that. You were there for Jacob at his worse and you stuck by him. You are loyal. And he's the idiot for messing that up. This family was the best thing for him too." Kylie laughs. Her dad never called anyone an idiot before. "Yeah, we were." She rolls her eyes. "I can't believe he thought I cheated on him." She chuckles. Kevin blinks. He looks at his daughter. Kylie looks up at her dad. "What? Why would he think that? Now he's making up stories?" Kevins asks. Kylie stays silent. Nicholas clears his throat. Kevin and Kylie look up at Nicholas standing in her doorway. "Sorry to interrupt sis. But you have a visitor." Kevin looks at Kylie confused. She usually asks if a friend can come over. Finn steps out from the hallway. He nods at Kevin. "Hi Mr.Couture. Hi Kylie. Sorry to come uninvited. But I have some play stuff for Kylie that she will need. I also have a few homework questions. If you guys don't mind me pulling her away for a bit?" Finn asks. Kevin nods at Finn. "I suppose since you are already here. And since you saved my daughter from a bad situation a week ago, I couldn't say no." Kevin stands up and walks up to Finn. "Thank you Finn. Kylie needs a friend who can look out for her and I'm glad it's someone who isn't afraid to get in the middle of something even if it'll create a conflict." Finn nods at Kevin. Although he's confused as to what he's talking about. Surely Kylie didn't tell her dad everything. Kylie gets up and whispers to Finn. "He knows everything." She informs him. Finn's eyes widen. "Oh okay." He nods at Kevin. "You are welcome. I couldn't have let Jacob go any farther. Kylie is my friend and I didn't want to see her get hurt." He says. Kevin nods. "Thank you for caring. I'll be two rooms down in my study if you need me Kylie." Kevin looks at his daughter. "Keep the door open." He says as he walks out of her room staring at Finn. "Dad! Friends! We're just friends! And I know!" Kylie yells as he walks down the hall. "I'm sorry about that." She says. "He's probably going to be even more strict and protective than he was before. And that's not a good thing." Finn nods. "It's okay. In his position, I'd be the same way. And it's a good thing he cares." Kylie smiles. "I know. I'm glad he cares. Sometimes he's a little overbearing." "So where is the stuff for the play? And what question did you have about the Marine Biology homework? Because we are on break Finn." Kylie laughs and looks at Finn. She's been waiting for his texts since he found out she was a mermaid. The next few days at school he didn't say much to her. Then he went camping on Moanie island for his break. Jakobe and Brian went to Jindabyne, while Kaylee and her mom went to New Zealand to visit some family that Kaylee's mom, Brianna hasn't talked to or seen for years. Kylie and her family stayed home and didn't do much.

Finn looks at Kylie not knowing how to tell her. He walks around in circles. Kylie watches him confused. "Are you okay Finn?" She asks worriedly. He stops and looks at her. He sits on her bed next to her. He faces her. "Do you remember when you told me about the weird experiences you had when you were on Moanie Island?" Kylie noded. "Yeah." Finn sighs. "Well, when I was camping there, I heard the same noises and felt the same weird gusts of winds you described. And Jakobe and Brian said they experienced them too. And all those times the water in the cave was glowing." "But that's not the weirdest part. What's messed up is when I was fishing in one of the many small ponds on the Island; it wasn't the 'Moonlight Times' like that blog said. And I heard other noises." Kylie's eyes widen. "That's odd. But that entire Island is strange. So why are you so freaked out?" Finn shrugs. He laughs. "I'm not sure if you'll believe me, but; I went home the day I caught a few fish and clams and I cooked them and ate them. And since then I have felt very strange. Like my body feels like it's tingling and I feel like I can drink all the water in the world." He shakes his head. "And this morning, I wanted Prawns and Crodile Bites for Breakfast." Kylie cringes. "That is weird." Finn nods.