I open my eyes but shut them immediately at the light. I groan sitting up, feeling like two-hundred-pound weights are trying to pull me back down. I blink slowly to adjust my vision and see my soft wolf cover.

I gaze to the right and see my white soft carpeted floor and pink slippers. I clench my fist, gathering the soft cover and pull it off my legs. I swing my legs out and lay my feet flat on the carpet.

"Geez, what happened? Feels like I got drunk last night." I slur my tired voice and get out my soft white bed.

"Hey sleeping beauty." Austin walks in from my teal blue door.

"Austin? What are you doing here? How did I get in my bed?" I ask him, holding my right hand to my head that is swaying with water slushing about.

"Well, you passed out after crying over Stella's body and John asked me to bring you here. I slept on the couch, don't worry." Austin leans on the door frame gazing at me with concern laced in his eyes.

Memories of last night's events slowly return and huff in disbelief. Stella getting shot, the merman kissing me and the crying and place shaking because of me. I look up at Austin and his eyes widen.

"Woah!"

"What?"

"Your eyes."

"What about them?" i grow worried.

"They are glowing gold." I rush to my bathroom mirror and he is right.

Looking past the brown tangled nest hair and a black tank top that i swear i never had on, i see gold eyes glowing in my reflection. Gold Eyes! What the heck! Wait, the merman kissed me, the Potion!

"Austin did you find a vial when you took off my suit?" i ask Austin walking back in the room.

"Uh yeah, i put it there on the bedside table." I rush over grabbing the small glass object in both of my hands.

I lift it to eye level and turn it to shine in the light. It's blue color swirls and welcomes me to drink it. I uncork it and swallow a small amount down my throat. I close it and place it back on the bedside table.

I look over to Austin and he pushes off the door frame to walk closer to me baffled about something.

"How are my eyes?" I ask and he scuitns.

"They are back to normal? How is that possible and what is in that vial?" Austin asks.

"This vial was given to me free by the guy at the Kelptide Wonders. He said it will help keep the merman powers away from my system." I sigh in relief that it worked.

"Geez, you should have gotten that the moment the merman arrived. Furthermore, how are you feeling about Stella's death?" Austin leans slightly away from me in case I might explode.

"Relax, all that crazy has been done and gone. Just unexpected. The worst of it is who would kill Stella?" I ask Austin, getting up from the couch that is at the foot of my bed.

"Sarah, we are not the police, leave it to the professionals." Austin reaches out with his right hand and pulls my wrist back, my body following, and ends up sitting on his lap.

"I know but things are clicking in my head and I just..." I sigh slumping on Austin's body." I want to know the truth, about who my family is, who dared to kill Stella, and what I am going to do with that information."

"That is a lot of things to know." warm and soft hands begin to run slowly along my arms.

"Yeah, and it keeps piling up leaving me more frustrated than before."

"You know you are not alone in this right?" I turn my face to look into Austin blue eyes.

"I...know..." I whisper under my breath getting lost in those deep blue eyes.

Slowly, we continue to gaze into each other eyes, leaning in bit by bit. I never really realized how attractive Autin seemed till now. His hair I bet is really soft to touch, soft sleek skin that shines with the light, a muscular but lean built body to protect you.

"I..." he opens his mouth and I gaze at those soft plump petals.

"What..." I breathed getting closer to my target.

"May i kiss you?" he asks and a small smile adorned my face.

"Yes." he leans in fully and molds our lips together.

He wraps his arms around my chest keeping a firm yet loose grip, I reach my right arm to his jaw. I trail the back of my fingers up his jaw and into his hair. His hair reminds me of soft grass in the ocean, it isn't any way sharp and you can lay in it forever.

He pushes in slightly but leans back keeping a passionate and lightheaded feeling in its wake. He really is a good kisser but sadly, I need to find out about my family and Stella killer before I can get into a relationship.

I pull away slowly and keep my eyes closed slightly for a moment. He leans in slightly for another kiss but he leans his forehead against my forehead instead. He moves his head down onto my shoulder and I finally open my eyes.

"You're my everything," Austin uttered and a small single tear runs down from my right eye.

"Austin..."

"Don't say anything. I have always liked you, Sarah, heck I love you but I know we can never be. You will always push me away because your heart will never be taken. It is caged and I am not the one who has the key." Austin slides his arms back to his sides but keeps his forehead on my shoulder. I feel a droplet land on my shoulder and my eyes widen that Austin is crying.

"Austin..." I try once more to speak to him but he slowly shushes me.

"I will forever love you even though you will never accept me." Austin grabs my arms and slides me off his lap and stands up. My hand reaches out to him but i pull back.

Everything Austin has just said is true. Boys may fall in love with me but i can never love them back. My mother told me the Wavers always had the curse of being the one who cannot be caught, cannot be claimed and I guess now I understand.

'Never bounded nor ever chained'

"I understand." Austin still has his back to me.

I get up from my seat and wrap my arm under his gripping by the front of his shoulders and lean my head on his strong back.

"Can we still be friends? I don't want to lose you this fast," I say in a hushed tone.

"Yeah, we'll always be friends." Austin turns his head to the side and gives me a soft, small smile showing some of his white teeth.

"Have to go and talk to John about how your all good. I will come by to check on you." Austin walks off slipping out of my grasp around him and leaving them out in the air like bare branches with no leaves to sway with the wind.

"Austin..." I whimper feeling like we no longer share a strong bond like before.

No response came as his name flows through my lips and my heart starts yearning for someone to connect to. A jealous and lonely love that has yet to be cared for. That is my curse, to be left alone even when I have been loved, I cannot love back or else they will walk away.

"Why...?" I ask to the air around me. My arms are hanging at my side like the weeping willow my mother once planted down at the beach. i sit back down on the couch with tears once again streaming down.

3rd Person

In the water hidden behind rocks of the shore two figures are floating and watching the girl.

"She has grown up so much!" the female said. "Yeah, i still feel guilty in creating such fake death to return to the sea without her. We must show ourselves to her." the male says.

"No, you know the law, our child has to remain on land without knowing of us being alive when we return to the sea. We have Crystal to take care of now. Sarah is safe and as long as she doesn't know then no harm will come to her." the female explains. The male sighs feeling sad about their decision.

"Poor souls though. I can't believe Jack killed them but for what purpose I don't know." the male eyebrows furrow in confusion.

"Yeah but still, it is better this way." the female says placing a hand on the male shoulder.

"If only we stayed and did what was asked of us with the Coral king then we wouldn't be separated." The female nods.

"I feel as guilty of the situation as much as you dear but it was either die by a king's hand and have Sarah taken by force or we leave and Sarah is able to live a normal life."

"Mom, Dad!" Crystal the younger sister of Sarah calls to her parents.

"Yes, sweetheart?" the female asks.

"When will Sarah return to the family, I miss spending time with my big sister." the young girl asks her red tail shining in the light.

"Soon my dear." the mother replies.

The parents look at each other in the eye knowing 'soon' is actually never.

*Heya, people of the sea and land. How are you all doing?

This is quite the turn of events. Shall we see what happens next?

Read, comment, and follow me.

Thank you=)*