Isamaria
Isa wokeup the morning of the Seaside Ball in asourmood.
She shouldn’t have felt that way, because she’d woken on the beach, the sun was rising and Adrian was next to her, but still, there was an aching feeling in her chest that was really telling her nottogo.
Just stay with Adrian. Eat junk food. Go somewhere fun. Blow it off,her mind repeated overandover.
Every time she thought about it she had this rotten feeling. And Isa wasn’t sure it was just her personal resentment against the ball. It was like… her instincts were telling her tostayaway.
She checked her phone. Already, there were a million texts from Shelly and Harbor about the ball and if she was going tonight. She knew if she didn’t show up they would be disappointed. Not to mention even though her father was out on business, he’d blow his top if he found out his daughter was a no-show at the premiere event oftheyear.
She didn’t know. She still had to thinkaboutit.
Her mind was still whirling with the reality that Adrian was a merman. This was too much information to take in. If merpeople existed, what other kinds of creatures were out there in the world? Did dragons, werewolves, and fairiesexist,too?
Isa decided that for her, personally, she had hooked up with a merman. And no matter how Adrian had reassured her that this was permanent, she knew him being human had to come at a steep price. She wasn’t sure whatever Adrian had gotten himself into wasoveryet.
Isa had the idea that she and Adrian should go to Orlando. Enjoy the theme parks, go shopping, maybe do a bit of clubbing. They could avoid the Seaside Ballcompletely.
Her chest settled when she thought of this, and Adrian woke up beside her. He blinked a few times. Isa smiled when she saw his bright blue eyes spark as they settledonhers.
“Hey,” she whispered. She bent down to kiss him. “How are youfeeling?”
Adrian rubbed his chest. “A bit… weird to tell you the truth. I don’tknowwhy.”
“Metoo.”
They stared at each other for a moment, then Isa said, “I was thinking today we should go to Orlando. It would be fun— we could even get a hotel for the night.”Or forever… and nevercomeback.
“Sounds good.” Adrian sat up. “You sure you don’t want to go totheball?”
Isa opened her mouth to respond, but then sheheard, “Isa!”
She whipped her head around. Running down the shore were Harbor andShelly.
Dammit. She should’veknownher friends would come looking for her at the beach if she’d neverresponded.
“Woah,” Harbor said when she noticed Isa’s blue locks. “You want to look like analien?”
“Hey girl,” Shelly said, ignoring Harbor’s rudeness, though she was staring at Isa’s blue hair, too. “We came looking for you. You said we’d get readytogether!’
Isa had never said such a thing, but she said, “It’s the morning. The ball isn’t until seven. It’s too early to start gettingready.”
“It’snevertoo early to start looking good,” Harbor responded. “Isa, you promised you’d come! Are you really going to backoutnow?”
Isa turned to look at Adrian. He stared back at her. “I’m okay with whatever you wanttodo.”
Adrian truly meant it, but the pressure of whateveryone elsewanted got to her, so Isa gave up what she desired and settled. “Okay. I guessI’llgo.”
Harbor and Shelly squealed and did a little dance, but the person inside of her was rotting. The voice inside screamed that this was amistake.
“Come on,” Harbor said. “I want to get a new lipstick. The shade I’ve got now doesn’t match mydress.”
“I’m busy today,” Isa lied. “I’ll meet up with you guysatfour.”
Her friends grumbled and groaned, and Harbor mumbled something under her breath about Isa being obsessed with her new boyfriend as they walked away, but Isa tried not tohearher.
Adrian came up beside her and nudged her shoulder. “So if you’re going to the ball later, what do you want to do in themeantime?”
