The water was my home. There was no point where I ended and the water began. We were one.

I was swimming in the ocean, my home. But my home was isolating. There were no others in the water with me. I was completely and utterly alone. This was dangerous. Being and feeling alone was deadly.

It felt like an abyss of darkness that chilled my bones. There was no sense of direction as I let myself float along with the currents.

Looking down, I realized that my legs were bound together. No, I didn't have legs. I had a tail from the waist down with shiny, swamp green scales on them. For some reason, this didn't scare or surprise me. I was use to them.

The water around me started to scatter, mimicking the feeling of the vibration of sound. My head tilted towards the direction I thought was down and saw strongly built legs propelling themselves to the surface or at least they were attempting to.

Should I swim closer to get a better look? Was I even allowed to let humans know I existed?

I decided to just get a tad closer - just to sneak a peek.

My heart sunk to the ocean floor.

He was drowning. He was reaching with all his strength to get to the surface but the boy was about half a mile from the air. His skin was paling by the second, his face turning a sick blue. Blonde hair swirled around him, his white shirt flowing around him like wings trying to lift him up. The movements were slowing down as his muscles cramped, his lungs emptied, and his heartbeat faded.

I was watching the life leave his body. Watching him die.

And I could have done something about it. I could have saved him at the cost of making my presence known. All I had to do was reach out, bring him back to the surface.

I had made up my mind. I was going to save him, even if it meant changing everything he thought he knew about the world around him.

My tail moved in curvy motions, bringing me to him. My hands grasped him by his shirt, I would pull him up.

The sunlight was seeping through the water. It wasn't a far swim for me. I could feel its warmth. He'd make it.

He didn't react to my presence. He didn't flinch, he didn't scream.

His eyes were open and bloodshot but they weren't looking at me. They weren't looking at anything because I was too late. He was dead.

I shook his limp body, feeling a horrible aching pain manifest in my chest: Guilt. Overwhelming guilt that I couldn't handle.

"Wake up!" My voice was a high pitched shriek that should have sounded ugly and mournful but it came out in a melancholy musical note.

I pulled him closer and scanned his face with my sea blue eyes. He was familiar. I knew him.

He was Pete.

I let him drown.

"No!" The shriek continued to echo throughout the ocean, sending violent waves in every direction. A whirlpool formed around us, raging and disorienting.

"You can't die! Please! Wake up!"

My head fell off my hand and slammed onto the desk.

"Ouch!" Someone yelped at my side. "I only meant to wake you not give you a concussion." When my vision cleared up, I saw the guidance hovering over me and the whole class staring at me like I grew three heads.

"I-I'm sorry . . . I didn't mean to fall asleep in class." I rubbed my head and sat back feeling my cheeks redden.

"Its okay-" Mrs. Pillsbury began to say before she was interrupted by my history teacher.

"No, it is not okay. I will no longer tolerate this in my class," he said pushing up his large glasses. "You can make up this classwork in detention."

I opened my mouth to argue but realized I should save it for something more important. Half an hour longer in school wasn't that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things.

"I was going to talk to you about your project for the art showcase but now that we have an audience," Mrs.Pillsbury glanced at the room full of faces who shamelessly watched us like we were a tv show, "we can talk in my office after detention."

Pete was sitting in a seat to my right doodling on his paper. His presence startled me as my mind flashed back to the nightmare.

Why did I have such a weird dream? Mermaids and Pete? How did those two even mix?

By the end of the day, I was standing at my locker, putting my books away before I had to go to detention. Shelby had come by and expressed how ridiculous she thought it was.

"Um, it's history class. How are you supposed to stay awake?" She shook her head, her lavender bouncing. She took the time to curl it in the morning and she wore a white flower crown on her head as well.

"I know but it is what it is . . . You seem to be dressing up lately. Anything special? Or is Hannah's style rubbing off on you?"

She didn't discuss how living with Hannah was that often. Just that Hannah sweet talked her parents but treated Shelby like a pest. They had gotten Hannah her own dresser and bed. It gave the impression that Hannah wasn't going back to living with her mother anytime soon. Guess the case of child abuse wasn't going in her mother's favor.

Shelby's lips curled into a smile. "No, I just -" A different kind of look flickered on her face. "I just wondered if dressing confident actually made you confident. Turns out it's true. With a wardrobe like Hannah's we could rule the school." She playfully nudged my shoulders with hers.

I laughed. "Thanks but I've been down that road. Not all it's cracked up to be."

"Sometimes I forget that you were one of them. You're so different," she said. "Do you think it could have been better?"

I gave her a side look indicating I wasn't following.

"If you were popular with the right group of friends."

I shrugged. "Sometimes I think maybe it's not the girls. Maybe it's the power. It goes to your head."

"You're probably right."

Now I was at my locker humming a tune to myself while deciding what books I should take to detention. Should I do my Calculus homework or my English homework?

"You have a pretty hum."

I turned to see Pete. Again his presence startled me. It took me back to the nightmare. Usually, I forgot what I dreamt about seconds later. I found it haunting that this one was still sticking around. All I could see was his limp body and bloodshot eyes for a second.

"Pretty hum? I don't think I've ever heard that before."

He chuckled while rubbing his neck. "You know what I mean."

"I'm not sure I do."

"My mom is a vocal coach. A pretty hum usually means a pretty voice," he explained.

I never thought I was that good of a singer. I was mediocre at best. Then I realized I would be singing in front of the whole school and a large chunk of the town for the showcase. That was in just a couple of days- which scared me beyond belief.

"You'll get to confirm that during the showcase," I said my voice shaky.

"Oh, your group is singing? That should be fun." He leaned on the locker and from the corner of my eye, I could see that most students were out the door for dismissal. They didn't waste a single second when it came to escaping this school - escaping Hannah.

"What's your group doing?" I decided on English and took out my notepad and pen, easing the locker shut afterward.

He wrinkled his nose. "A dance."

"Hey, don't look so miserable! This is for Tori!" I teased slapping his arm. His really muscular arm. Probably from swimming.

"I know. It's a contemporary interpretive piece and when I'm performing . . . I kind of feel like a fish out of water." I bit my lip to hold a laugh.

"That's not good."

"Tell me about it . . ." He glanced at the books in my hands."Ready for detention?"

I sighed, my hair blowing out of the way. "As I'll ever be."

"We can go together. I happened to get detention as well." My eyebrows shot up. Pete didn't seem like the detention type of guy.

"What are you in for?" I asked.

He grimaced. "A fight."

It was only then when I noticed the gash on his lips. My stare lingered too long because he tapped it self consciously.

"With who? Why?"

He put his head down and his pace picked up a bit. "Forget it. It was dumb."

I hopped ahead of him, blocking his way. "Pete," I demanded with a stone cold expression.

"Zac."

"What?"

"I got into a fight with Zac."

My eyes nearly fell out of their sockets. "Why would you do that?!"

"It wasn't all my fault! I worked up enough nerve to confront him about Tori and his involvement with her." He scratched his arm, still avoiding my gaze.

"I'm assuming that didn't go well."

"He kept answering cryptically and dodging questions. He said that 'I wasn't ready to hear the truth' and that 'Victoria wouldn't want me to find out this way'. Then he shoved me and it escalated from there." He didn't seem as irritated as he did shameful.

When I stood quiet, he put his hand on my shoulder. "I know you and Zac are friends. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have fought with him."

"It's okay. Really." With a crazy stalker and Victoria's murderer on the loose, a petty fight between the boys didn't feel so important. Besides, Pete had the right to angry. Zac's vagueness got to me sometimes as well. "Does that mean Zac is gonna be in detention too?"

He shook his head as we arrived at the room. "We got different days to avoid another fight."

I reluctantly took a seat at a desk. "Will there be another fight?"

"No."

"Good."

Pete and I were the only ones in detention aside from a super senior with a neck tattoo who sat in the back. He was sketching in his notebook the entire time. His drawings were dark and composed of mostly shading. The white space was left to form evil eyes and a mouth. It reminded me of some sketches I thought I saw in Victoria's diary. I'd have to check again later.

Pete couldn't help but attempt to do the same. Every two minutes he'd lift up his book to show a new doodle. He showed me his failed shot at a horse that turned out to look more like a beached whale.

I covered my mouth to hide a smile while he silently presented his artwork to me from across the room. The teacher too busy scrolling through her phone to see.

A few minutes later, I let myself be childish and threw notes at him.

Whatcha doing?

He flung a note back. Baking a cake. What does it look like I'm doing?

No need to be so sassy.

He smirked as he read it and gave me a wink.

Says the girl who has a resting 'Fight me now' face.

I dropped my jaw to emphasize my shock. I do not! I'm the most passive person on earth.

Sure but you almost made me pee my pants when I told you I fought Zac. Thought you were gonna fight me.

I couldn't help the laugh that escaped my lips. The teacher looked up at me and scowled. Then she gave up and went back to her phone.

He sent another note. You know this would be easier through text.

Below the words were his number.

I raised an eyebrow at him. He popped his collar and gave an overly flirtatious grin. His silly side was a side I had yet to see before today. It made me grateful for detention.

This was the Pete that existed before Victoria died. He was finally getting back to himself.

The last moments of detention were calmer and soon I was walking out with Pete, on my way to Mrs.Pillsbury since she requested I see her earlier in the day.

"I was thinking in there and remembered something," Pete started. "That time when Victoria planned a double date. Me and her, you and Zac."

I remembered the time clearly thought it wasn't the dream date Tori and I had expected it to be. "Oh yeah."

"So you have a thing for Zac?"

I pressed my lips together realizing I might be treading rough waters. "I'm not sure."

It wasn't a lie. It was true that I had to have feelings for Zac and have him return them with a kiss to prove to Hannah I was loveable so she wouldn't turn me into the police. But honestly speaking, I wasn't sure if I liked him romantically. At one point I was sure I did but somewhere along the way, something changed. I couldn't be sure. At least, not yet.

"Oh." He blinked. "I'm sorry you never got to go on that date. I remember him and Tori canceled last minute."

Yep. Zac had called me saying he had a family emergency and couldn't make it. I had already shown up at the theatre all dolled up in a dress and leather jacket. I went in thinking I was going to see the movie alone when I saw Pete - Tori-less. She had gotten sick because of bad takeout apparently. So Pete and I figured 'what the heck?' and watched the movie together.

"Don't be sorry. It wasn't absolutely unbearable going with you."

"So it was only a little unbearable?"

I rolled my eyes and gave him a quick hug. "See you around, Pete."

He saluted. "Get home safe."

---------------------------

I stopped by Mrs.Pillsbury's office to find it vacant. She was nowhere in sight and it almost looked like she was never in it at all.

The plan was to go home and spend some time with gran. Lately, she had been suspicious of the amount of time I spent locked up in my room or out in the town. Basically, she wanted me by her side at all times so she could make sure I was alright.

But a phone call from Helen set those plans off course.

"Arielle! Go to the local diner. I'll be there in the back booth. Our usual spot. Got it reserved and everything." Her words came out in puffs - as if she was running and out of breath.

"Not to sound rude but . . . why?"

"Why I want to hang out with you?" She laughed. "Because I miss you. It'll be just me and you."

The thought that it would be just the two of us instead of all of the girls was a comforting thought. Could I really say no to Helen?

"Fine. See you there." Apparently not.

Helen was sitting in the booth as promised. She was sipping on a strawberry milkshake and staring out the window. She only noticed my presence when I sat down.

"Oh! How are you?" she greeted, her face cheery.

"I'm managing."

"Me too but Hannah is encouraging us to be positive. She says we have to fake it until we make it." I tried not to roll my eyes. Poor Helen, still listening to Hannah's terrible advice.

"Can we not talk about Hannah?"

"Right," she said scratching her arm. "Let's catch up." She tapped the ketchup bottle on the corner of the table. "Get it? Catch up- ketchup?"

I chuckled at her desperate attempt to lighten the mood as my eyes wandered to the back of the diner. Workers shuffled around the space in a hurry. They were all young. Tori used to work among them. She was an employee of the month twice.

"So, make any advancements towards Zac?"

The boy seemed to be the topic of the day. I should have been delighted since he was my crush.

"Kind of." I fiddled with the napkins in front of me, folding them into poorly constructed origami. "I think I'm as close as I've ever been to going out with him."

Helen sighed, exasperatedly.

"Why don't you just ask him out? I'm pretty sure he likes you and will say yes." I appreciated her confidence. Little did she know that this was no longer a simple crush I was worried about. It was a matter of imprisonment or not due to Hannahs deal. I guessed Hannah didn't tell her.

"Maybe I will."

She squealed and clasped her hands. "Let me plan it! I have the best idea! A boat ride on the little lagoon. The sounds of nature urging him to come out of his shell." Her eyes went dreamy as my face went red.

"You won't say much because we all know you don't have a way with words. However, even though you don't have much to say there will be something about you. He won't know why he wants to try and do it but - by the end of the night, he will have kissed you! Then he'll realize he's madly in love with you."

I gave a little round of applause. "Sounds like it came straight of a fairytale."

"I bet I could make it happen," she said with a shrug. "Let me make it happen."

As embarrassing as the idea sounded, I was kind of desperate. I only had about two weeks to meet Hannah's end of the deal. It was really a life or death situation. Besides, a break from all of this drama with the boy that I was pretty sure I liked didn't sound that bad.

"Okay. You can do it." I covered my ears bracing myself for another one of her squeals. I was right to. Helen acted as if she won the lottery and successfully purchased a pony farm.

She grabbed my hands from the other side of the table, nearly spilling the rest of her drink. "You will NOT be disappointed." That was her promise voice. She was going to make it happen and nothing was going to stop her.

She placed her hands back in her lap. "Ew!"

"What?"

"There's something weird under the table."

"It's probably gum. Don't touch it." Her face went slack.

"Duh! If it was gum I wouldn't touch it. I'm not gross." She poked her head under the table to get a better look. The back of her silk sweater was the only visible sign of her.

"But you do look kind of crazy right now." No one was looking at us, thank goodness. The town appeared to have back off from the theory that us girls murdered Victoria since it had been ruled a suicide. But that didn't stop them from believing she committed suicide because of us.

"Helen, you're gonna get gum in your hair-"

"Get down here," Helen ordered. She was fully underneath the table now, curled into a ball and staring up at it.

Had she gone insane?

"Why would I-"

She gritted her teeth. "Do it or I will pull you by your red locks!"

"Okay! Okay!" Putting my hands up in surrender I slid right next to her, thankful the booth was large enough for us to fit.

I had to cross my eyes to look straight at Helen who was trembling. "Don't panic but that isn't gum. Look."

After bumping my head, I positioned myself and saw that indeed - there wasn't any gum beneath the table. There were polaroids taped up. That wasn't even the shocking part. The shocking part was what the photos were of.

A photo of trees splattered with paint. A photo of the beautifully laid out picnic. A photo of a passing train. A photo of Jacob with his arm around me. I was looking slightly to the left of the camera and Jacob was looking at me with what could be interpreted as either lust or adoration. It depended on whether you knew him or not.

Now I was shaking too. "H-how? How do these even exist?" My voice was unsteady and mirrored the croak of a frog.

"I don't know. Someone knew we were going to sit here. When I made the reservations! Maybe it was one of the staff!" I was impressed with how she was already putting things together. I was following her train of thought. Whoever did this was the same person who had been stalking me for a while now and investigating the staff was my shot at discovering who this person was.

The problem was I didn't want Helen to know there was a problem. She should be able to go about her life without worrying about this stalker.

Whoever this person was - they did their research on me and had an unlimited access to my secrets and past. That made it hard to believe that this tormenter was working alone.

"I'm going to take care of