Waves of Change

Alice hurried to the bathroom, her heart racing as she splashed cold water on her face. She couldn't shake the image from her vision—Johnson's bloodied forehead haunted her thoughts. I don’t have to tell him about this. He might think I’m a freak! she chided herself. Taking a deep breath, she calmed her mind and emerged from the bathroom with a smile, despite the turmoil inside.

“I’m sorry, it must be the alcohol. I suddenly felt like I needed to vomit,” she said, embarrassed, knowing she was lying through her teeth.

“Well, why don’t you come here and let’s do some star-gazing? We’ll just go home later,” Johnson said, patting the space beside him on the bed.

“Okay.” She lay down beside him and gazed at the galaxy through the glass roof of the room.

“Get some rest first, then we’ll leave later.” They lay in comfortable silence, watching the stars, Alice feeling a deep connection to the universe. She marveled at the movement of the moon and the stars until she spotted a shooting star.

She turned to ask Johnson if he saw it, only to realize he had fallen asleep. She studied his handsome face, searching for signs of when her vision might occur. Suddenly, she was struck by how much he resembled the actor who played Finn in the Glee series. The same smile, the same smirk; they could have been twins if they were the same age.

“I don’t want anything to happen to you and Odette,” she whispered, gently touching his forehead. As she drifted off to sleep beside him, her dreams returned to Odette.

In her dream, Odette was naked, swimming in a deep lake. Alice waved at her from a small boat.

“It’s so cold! Are you out of your mind? Do you want to die of hypothermia?” Alice yelled, rowing toward her friend.

“You don’t understand, honey. I don’t have a choice,” Odette replied, her eyes filled with sadness as she struggled to stay afloat.

“Stop talking nonsense and come aboard so we can go home!” Alice shouted, frustrated. Odette, always strong and courageous, was acting out of character.

“No one can pull me out of this water; a mermaid is holding onto my legs,” Odette whispered nervously.

Suddenly, the water became crystal clear to Alice, revealing a beautiful mermaid gripping Odette’s legs, pulling her deeper. As Odette's head began to submerge, Alice lunged to help her.

“Tssss!” The mermaid hissed like an angry snake, surfacing to face Alice. “Do not snatch her away from me!” she bellowed.

“What do you want?” Alice demanded, disgusted by the mermaid's rotten fish smell.

“I want to take her down with me, and you can’t do anything about it! You cannot bring back the past!” The mermaid hissed, dragging Odette violently into the depths of the lake. Alice dove in, desperately trying to pry Odette from the mermaid's grasp, but the mermaid only laughed.

“You cannot bring back the past… you cannot bring back the past…” she taunted as she swam further down, pulling Odette along. Alice gasped for air, realizing she couldn't breathe underwater. With a heavy heart, she swam back to the boat but could still hear the mermaid’s voice echoing in her mind. “You cannot bring back the past…”

Desperate, Alice turned to the people around her for help, but they were the same cold figures from her previous dream, those who had chased Odette. “Odette, why didn’t you fight back?” she cried out.

Alice woke with a start, the dawn light illuminating the room. She glanced at the fading stars, knowing her friend would face a significant challenge in the future. Despite Odette's friendly nature and excellent interpersonal skills, Alice sensed trouble ahead.

Though it felt like hours had passed, it was only three. She looked over at Johnson, still fast asleep, snuggled close. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and she smiled, sending a quick text to her parents to let them know she was with him. She then drifted back to sleep.

---

“Mom, Dad, why don’t we go out for dinner tonight? I don’t have a schedule this week, so I think we can spend some quality time together before I move out,” Alice suggested, returning home that afternoon.

“I would love that, dear! Maybe we can go to that restaurant that serves unlimited seafood,” her mother replied eagerly.

“You know I hate eating fish, Alyssa!” her father glared at her mother.

“Don’t be such a grumpy old man, Cole. Just because you hear ‘seafood’ doesn’t mean you have to eat fish. There will be crabs, shrimp, oysters, and other sea creatures for you to enjoy,” her mother laughed.

As dinner approached, Alice turned off her “freak” self, suppressing her extrasensory perception to enjoy being a “normal” person with her parents. She had learned to switch her abilities on and off, especially around those unaware of her gift.

Once outside, a few passersby recognized her. “Isn’t that the girl from the shampoo ad?” one girl whispered.

“Oh, it’s the girl from the toothpaste commercial!” another chimed in.

Alice smiled politely, used to the attention her beauty garnered. With her long, thick chocolate brown hair, Barbie-doll figure, and height of five feet nine inches, she often seemed unapproachable, even as people admired her from afar.

At the restaurant, the waiter led them to their reserved table. Though it wasn't their first family outing, this was the first time they’d come to this particular place known for its seafood. “Alyssa, how did you find this place?” Cole asked.

“I’ve been reading reviews after seeing it on social media. I knew Alice would love it, but she’s been busy with school and shoots, so this is the perfect opportunity,” Alyssa said fondly, looking at her daughter.

“Oh Mom, you know my favorite food! I have one request, though: I want Dad to eat more seafood, especially fish. It’s good for your health. You two will have to take care of yourselves once I move out,” Alice said, turning to her father expectantly.

“Alright, I’ll try,” he said seriously. “And you too, Mom. You need to eat more fruits and vegetables,” Alice added.

“Hey, I eat fruits!” her mother laughed.

“Yeah, just fruits, but not vegetables!” Cole teased.

Their food arrived, and they marveled at the delicious crabs and giant shrimp laid out before them. Cole eyed the oysters and mussels, preferring them over the other dishes. “Oh my! This looks and smells heavenly!” exclaimed Alyssa.

“It’s delicious!” Alice said after tasting the sauce on the crab. They enjoyed their meal for over an hour, indulging in multiple servings of crabs and shrimp. Once dessert arrived, they took a short break before diving in.

“This is indeed delicious!” Cole said, savoring his salad. For once, he was enjoying the meal, despite his general dislike of seafood.

Alice was grateful that her body stayed the same no matter how much she ate, thanks to her internal strength exercises—similar to yoga—designed to strengthen her abilities. If she were a normal girl, she might have broken the world record for heaviest girl on earth.

The Meyers family continued to dine out together all week. Cole’s business was thriving, running a prominent agency for security personnel known for their elite training. As a former soldier, he was strict and direct with his employees, earning a solid reputation among the upper class.

Now, as Alice prepared to move out, she felt the weight of change. It was typical for families to separate as children reached adulthood. Johnson and Odette had already turned eighteen, waiting for Alice to reach the milestone before moving out together.

“Alice, don’t forget to write. We’ll miss you so much!” Alyssa said, her eyes misty as she fought back tears. She had doted on Alice since she was a baby.

“Mom, what writing? It’s the millennium! We have so many ways to communicate!” Alice laughed, rolling her eyes. “Besides, Los Angeles is close, and I can visit every week if my schedule allows.”

“Alright, my baby. Just remember to video call us sometimes. This is your first time living away from us. If you ever need anything, just ask,” Cole added.

“I have plenty of savings, thanks to all my ads and shoots. You don’t need to worry! Just focus on giving me a baby brother or sister!” Alice joked, watching her parents’ eyes widen in shock.

“Seriously, Mom and Dad, you’re still young! You haven’t even reached menopausal age yet, so there’s still a chance. Just believe in miracles,” she insisted with a playful grin.

A loud honk interrupted their moment. “Alice, honey, are you ready yet? Hi, Uncle and Auntie!” Odette shouted from the car.

“I’m ready! I was just getting to my car!” Alice called back, having gotten her license after her birthday. She learned to drive young by watching her parents.

“Go now, baby. Take care and drive safely!” Cole urged. She hugged her parents tightly before getting into the car, waving goodbye as they drove off down the road.