Chapter 6
Pale's POV

"So this is where you grew up?" Pearl asked tilted her head.

I nodded. "Yep."

The small, dark blue colonial with two rows of three windows looked the same as three years ago. A small, bronze number "18" shown in the mid-afternoon sun next to the old wooden door.

Pearl and I slowly approached the door. Hopefully my mom wouldn't get mad. I mean, I'm her daughter, she would be happy to see me? Right?

"Alright," I said taking in a deep breath. My stomach filled with butterflies, something told me that this wasn't a good idea.

The door swung open and I was greeted with my mom. Her golden eyes flashed with surprise and anger. Her ginger-brown hair was a gorgeous, frizzy mess.

"Pale!" Mom yelled furiously.

Uh oh.

"Why are you here? How are you here?"

"See mom...uh...we had a little incident that gave Pearl legs."

I tried to soften my voice, but it's hard when your mom is staring murderously into your soul.

"Well don't just stand there! Get inside!" She grabbed Pearl and I by the back and guided us inside the house. The door slammed behind us.

"What do you mean incident?" Mom whispered.

"Mrs.Atlanta," Pearl said. "I'm not sure what happened, but I was swimming and all of a sudden, I was human! Then, Pale suddenly turned human and we decided that it was best to stay here until we figured out a plan."

My mom blinked twice. "English, please Pearl."

Pearl furrowed her eyebrows and repeated herself. She spoke with a strange accent, which made sense because mermaid language was just a sequence of clicks, kind of like dolphins. I always found it weird how all mermaids knew English, maybe it has something to do with ancient history.

"Pale! You have a kingdom to rule."

"Yes mom, I know, but I can still turn into a mermaid. I'll just show up on land to look after Pearl."

My mother still looked at me like I was crazed. Honestly, she wasn't far off. I had no idea what I was doing.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Pearl needs my help and I know that I'm the only one who can take care of her."

"Oh Pale, what a surprise. I didn't know you were uh...human?"

I turned my head to the top of the circular staircase. David stood, looking very confused.

"Uh...hi David," I said waving awkwardly. "Oh, ya know, just visiting. Carry on."

Mom turned around too. "Yes, carry on honey."

David walked back upstairs. How am I going to deal with him, a new father, for...god knows how long?

"Listen Pale, I'll let you and Pearl stay, but please, try and get back to the ocean as quick as you can, and call Matthew, he can cover for you when your gone."

"Thanks mom," I said.

Tears began to fall from my mother's eyes.

"I'm just so happy my little baby is home," she squeaked. "Give your mom a hug."

I laughed and gave her a quick squeeze.

She released me, but still held on to my arms.

"Now I'm going to go get some new sheets for the bed. Pearl can sleep in Matthew's room and you should be making some phone calls."

"Thanks again mom," I said.

I glanced at Pearl, who had the widest smile across her face.

"Come on Pearl," I said grinning, probably like an idiot. "I'll show you to your room."

Pearl slowly climbed up the stairs. "This is so weird! I'm finally on land! Why is it so hot?"

I laughed as Pearl asked random questions.

"What food do you eat? Do you just walk? How big is your kingdom? What do you do for fun? Whose the queen? Is it your mom? Doesn't look like it, who is your ruler?"

I turned down a small hallway where Matthew's bedroom was.

The walls were completely blue and covered in stickers of sport balls. His small wooden bed with an old white comforter laid on the far right of the room up against the wall.

On the left side of the room was a small wooden dresser filled with lots of clothes. Toys and shirts sullied the floor.

"It's perfect," Pearl said as she ran around the room.

I shrugged. "I mean, it's messy and probably has three year old pizza under the sheets, but it's yours."

Pearl ran to me. "Where are you sleeping?"

I smiled. "Come on, I'll show you."

I ran across the hall to my old white wooden door. I turned the squeaky handle and a rush of cold air hit my face.

The room was exactly as I left it three years ago. In a way, I felt both joy and sadness.

It was pale pink with white lace curtains on two windows over looking the sea.

My bed had a white comforter with several stuffed bunnies on top. It was big enough to easily fit two people.

A couple years after my mom had Matthew, she went through several debts. My mom had to sell Matthew's crib, but couldn't afford a bed. So, every night he slept with me.

"Wow," Pearl said. "It's so nice."

I shrugged. "Yeah I guess."

I glanced at the old landline on my night stand.

"That reminds me, I need to make a couple of calls."

I gingerly picked up the landline and held it to my ear. I quickly dialed a number and waited.

"Hello?" A teenage girl answered.

"Hey Ally!" I exclaimed.

"Pale? It's that you?" Ally asked.

"Yeah!"

"But, your human? How is that possible?"

"I'm not sure."

"Well that doesn't matter! Your human! I have so much to catch up on! Remember that girl at the mall who gave me her number last year?"

"Yeah, and?"

"She asked me out!"

"Oh my god, Ally! That's so great!"

"What? What is going on?" Pearl asked grabbing my arm.

"Ally has a girlfriend!" I exclaimed.

Pearl furrowed her eyebrows. "A girlfriend?"

"Okay, Ally, I got to go, I have so many more calls to make!"

"Okay! Bye! But wait! We need to hang out sometime! How about at the shopping center at three tomorrow?"

"Sounds great! Bye!" I hung up.

Pearl looked at me. "A girlfriend?"

I nodded. "Yeah. A girlfriend."

"A girlfriend?"

I nodded. "Yeah. A girlfriend."

"But-"

I sighed. "Pearl, a girlfriend."

Pearl laid on her stomach on my bed and looked up at me. "Are you going to call Brian and Matthew?"

"Yeah, my mom has a shellphone on her dresser. Can you go get it?"

Pearl nodded and walked outside. She returned a minute later with a large pink and orange conch shell.

"Thank you," I said as I took the shell.

I put it to my ear and willed it to call Matthew.

Finally, after several rings, he picked up.

"Hey mom, what's up?" He asked.

"Listen Matthew," I began. "It's Pale."

"Pale!" Matthew screamed. "What are you doing on land?"

"I don't know! Somehow Pearl is permanently human and I need to take care of her."

"Pearls with you?"

"Yeah, but listen, I need you to cover for me, just until I figure out how to turn Pale back into a mermaid."

"But are you permanently human too? Because next week we have that mercouncil meeting."

Ugh! I totally forgot about that! That sinking feeling returned back to my stomach.

"If I'm emerged in water, I turn back into a mermaid. I'll be on time for the meeting, I promise."

"Okay, but how long are you going to be gone? People are going to start asking questions."

"Just tell them I'm inspecting something in the...um...Marinara Trench."

"Okay...just be safe," Matthew said, his voice suddenly soft.

"I know, I know. Just don't blow up something while I'm gone."

Matthew stifled a laugh. "Okay, bye."

He hung up.

"Now it's time to call your boyfriend!" Pearl yelled. "He's gonna be so happy to see you! You can meet his family! Have dinner! Not be able to meet in secret! It will be great for you two."

I nodded. "Yeah it would be." I tossed the shell to Pearl.

She looked at it like I just handed her a grenade. "Why are you giving me this? You should be calling him."

"Go call Pisces and your mom, I think I'm gonna see Brian in person."