When Life Gives You Fins - Elaina H (romance book recommendations .txt) 📗

my head and tighten the invisible laces she has put into the side.

            The dress tightens, it makes my waist look skinnier and my boobs look bigger. It’s the perfect dress for a 15, no wait, 16 year old. The purple matches my fins perfectly. I turn around and hug her, “Thank you so much.” At first she stiff, but then she hugs back.

            We hear the door open and Haden comes in, “CJ! CJ!”

            “Right here!” I continue to look at myself in the mirror. Haden comes up behind me and looks at my dress.

            “Wow. Celia you look amazing.” His eyes follow my dress down to where it stops and I wiggle under his gaze.

            “Not to shabby, eh?”

            “Not shabby at all,” he replies sort of dazed.

            I snap my fingers, “Earth to Haden!”

            “Sorry.” The door opens again and we hear someone ring the bell.

            “Hello,” she calls, “right here.” I give her a look basically saying I don’t want anyone to see me in this dress. She shrugs her shoulders, again.

            Two girls walk back, one is blonde and tall with a emerald fin. The other has brown hair and the most common color fin, blue. But not a blue like Zak’s sapphire or Adrianne’s aqua, plain powder blue.

            The blonde looks me up and down and continues her conversation, “Anyways,” she tells the auburn girl, “Prince Zak already asked me to the ball.” She flips her hair and laughs.

            “Wow,” the other girl says.

            “I know, I have to be at some high level of irresistible.”

            I almost gag at her fakeness.

            “Here you are,” the old woman brings out a white dress that ends right under her but and starts right smack in the middle of her boobs.

            She puts the dress on and comes out. Just as I thought little…nice words…meany? What am I saying she’s dressing like she’s standing on the side of the street, if you get what I’m saying.

            She runs her hands down the stretched fabric as I step off my pedestal to change, “OMN! Oh my Neptune I love this so much! It hugs in all the right places!” which, I’m guessing, is everywhere.

            I put on my regular green seaweed top and come out.

            She’s twirling around in her dress and stops in front of me, “You’re the mutant.” She cocks her head to the side.

            “Excuse me?!”

            Haden steps forward, “And you’re a b………!” my hand flies up to Haden’s mouth and I cover it.

            “a beautiful creature who’s going to get everything she deserves!” I finish for him.

            We walk out and he gives me a look. “Thanks. I really don’t know what got into me.”

            “No problem. You do it for me all the time,” I dismiss the subject with a wave of my hand.

            “Well, apparently the rumors are true. Prince Zak did snag some super hot chick,” he raises his eyebrows in my direction, “or most people’s opinion of a super hot chick.”

            “What?”

            “That girl,” he gestures to the seamstress’ door, “she’s going to the ball with Prince Zak. Didn’t you hear her?”             I feel really guilty that Haden doesn’t know. “Haden,” I pause, “I must tell you something.”             “What?”             “Prince Zak, the other night, asked me to go with him.”

            Haden’s expression is worried, “Go where?”             “To the ball.”

            “Oh.” Haden drops his head and slows his gate.

            And just because it’s my life Zak swims up in front of us.

            “Hey, CJ! What’s up Haden?” he looks at Haden and I shake my head no.

            “Well, I was just passing through, so I better go.”  When Zak tries to swim past Haden, Haden ‘accidently’ rams his shoulder into Zak’s shoulder.

            “What’s your problem?!” Zak turns to Haden and gives him a small shove back.

            “Guys?” I try to stop it before it starts.

            Haden answers, “You either know the problem and are acting blind or you don’t know the problem because you are an idiot!”

            Zak gets in Haden’s face, “You better remember who you are talking to, Haden.”

            “Listen, Zak,” I try to talk again.

            “I know what this is about. You’re mad because I yelled at you last night.”

            Haden rolls his eyes just as Blondie and Airhead come out.

            Blondie gives a wave and giggle to seething Prince Zak, “Hey!”

            “Hey.” Airhead walks up and begins to talk to Zak.

            “Prince Zak. I think you and Jennifer –aka Blondie- are going to be the cutest couple at the ball.” Jennifer gives Airhead a look that could kill.

            Zak, not really paying attention, “I know Celia is going to be the prettiest girl there.”

            Blondie stands upright, “What? Who’s Celia? I thought you didn’t ask anyone yet!”

            “Celia,” Zak points to me, “is her.” Blondie’s mouth falls open.

            “Well, I think you should know that her dress is horrendous. It’s flashy and ill-fitted!”

            “I’ll have you know. Jennifer, I designed that dress.”             Again Blondie’s mouth is gaping. “Oh! Prince Zak I am so sorry!” she drags out the so a little too long.

            “Celia is my date, she’ll look good in a trash bag, and You,” he points to Jennifer, “are getting on my nerves.”

            She turns to me, “You’re little man stealer! I will pulverize you into a social outcast!”

            “Jennifer,” Zak shouts, “you’re being a b……” I cover Zak’s mouth.

            “beautiful person that will get everything she deserves!” I finish. Zak smiles at me. I roll my eyes.

            I look at both of them, “Man! I must be rubbing off on you guys! I’m a bad influence.”

            Haden smiles at my joke, but I can tell Zak is smiling at something different. “I get what this is all really about,” Zak starts, “Celia and I going to the ball together. Do you feel left out? It’s not like you could take her.”

            “What’s that supposed to mean?”             “The only place you could take her would be the market!” Zak slices Haden down with his words.

            I slap Zak, hard, and then look at both of them. Haden is smiling again. “For Neptune’s sake! You both enjoy each other’s pain or something? Haden I’m not going with Zak because I’m ‘in love’ or like him more. He simply asked first. If you would have asked me to go to the point, first, on the night of the ball; I would have gone with you even if Zak asked me to the ball two minutes later.

            You guys are being way too clingy, and I think, I think I may not want to go anywhere in two days. I might just chill with Mira!” I stay there with my hand on my hip.

            Haden is the first to speak, “I’m sorry, Celia. I really care for you, and seeing you hang out with this slime ball makes me jealous only because I can’t do what I want with you. I can only stay to strict guidelines. In all honesty, I want you happy, but I really wish you’d be happy with me,” Haden’s eyes meet mine and I feel like I am seeing him open himself all the way up to me.

            Zak speaks next, “Celia, I will follow you anywhere. I like you a lot. Actually, I thing I L…”

            “Stop! We are not going there, so if you want to keep talking, skip over that part.”             “Anyways, you’re special. And my mom adores you. I really hope you choose to ditch your plans with Mira and go to the ball with me.

            And Haden you can come to the ball too. Because she’ll need her best friend.” Haden’s jaw clenches.

            “If that’s what she wants.”

            “Good! Now that my two best friends are coming I would really enjoy my third friend Mira to come. With a date of her choice,” I wait for an answer.

            Zak shrugs, “Whatever.”

            I hug them both. “Now it’s almost 9:00. I have till 3:00 to do some fun stuff. Who’s in?”             Two hands went up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Sirens Go Off In Town

 

            Zak and Haden take me out of the castle. And of course it’s not like they magically understand each other, and are best friends.

            But, they’re both walking in the same place at the same time. So it’s a start. We head toward the heart of the city, which I haven’t really explored yet. I step ahead of Haden and Zak, and make my way to a little parlor.

            All of these small little shops line the street: Seamstresses,Farmers, Bakers, Carpenters, Bankers, Restaurants, Beauty Salons, and Clothing Stores.

            “This is amazing!” I spin around examining all of the shops. “Do these people use the supplies you get from us?”             “Yes, and no.” Zak answers.

            “What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask.

            Haden answers, “Some comes from there,” he points to the top of the water, “but most of it people find. I mean our baker uses a lot of Fish and algae to make the pastries.             “And our Carpenters use coral and other sea rock,” adds Haden.

            “So what kind of supplies do you get from Brunswick?”             “Well, they raise money for underwater Brunswick and then my Father tells them how we wish to use the expenses. Pretty simple, actually,” Zak tells me.

            “How does your father meet with the city officials? For spending and budgets?” I pry.

            “He doesn’t, you do.”

            “Oh, so in four weeks and six days I will meet with a council and basically state what your father wants me to?”

            “Basically.”

            “What stops Brunswick from stopping all funding?”

            Haden answers this question, “Neptune III is one of the strongest sea rulers. He has the staff, and he’s honed his skill.”

            Zak decides to embellish, “Yeah, trust me! You do not want to make my Father mad!”

            “Then what stops Brunswick from turning you guys in. Neptune III can’t hurt them then, can he?” I argue.

            “Well, technically,” Zak starts.

            “nothing.” Haden finishes the statement very bluntly.

            With that sour end note I continue swimming along. I stop in front of the clothing store, and see Blondie and Airhead. Not going in that place.

            I keep dragging the boys behind me until we hit the end of the street and a huge giant fence. “Holy crap!”             “Yeah,” Zak explains, “took almost one whole spending budget to put this thing in. We had kids ‘sneak’ out a night.”

            “Do kids still sneak out?”             “Yes.”

            “Isn’t there anything fun to do in this town? Where are all the people?” I complain.

            “The people, probably like you should be doing,” he starts, “are getting everything in tip top shape for the ball in a couple days.”             “But it’s two days away. I won’t get ready until the day of.” I look at Zak and Haden, “Is that what everybody does?”

            “Pretty much.”

            “If you’re a girl,” Zak adds.

            I roll my eyes, “So how does this fence work anyways? Can’t I just swim over it?”

            I swim up making my way to the top. Zak and Haden scream no and pull me straight back down. I land with a thud and a glare.

            Zak wheezes, “Electric!”

            “We are under water!”

            “Just stop asking questions,” Haden says as he rolls off of me.

            “Okay,” I sit up and come to a ‘standing’ position.

            I give Zak my hand and start pulling him up, and then I drop him. I laugh my Zak is rubbing the back of his head. Haden’s cracking up along with me.

            “I can’t believe,” I take a deep breath, “the worked!” I laugh some more as Zak gets up.

            He turns to Haden, “We really need to find her something to do.”

            Still laughing, “This day could be so much better, but that,” I point to Zak, “was priceless.”

            We swim through town until we are back to the main street. As we swim we hear six or seven voices