Chapter 1

"DO NOT WORRY," the six-year-old girl reassured the other six-year-old mermaid girl.

They were on the seashore on a large rock not far from the young human’s house. There she met a young mermaid and they became best friends without anyone knowing.

The young man rubbed the young mermaid’s back because she was crying non-stop once she heard the plan of the young human girl.

"My mother said, we'll be back soon. We're only staying in the US for a while. They just have an important trip there and I needed to be with them too," said the human girl, sadly.

"W-why now? N-no one will listen to me anymore. T-there's no one I can run to when my mother will scold me," said the young mermaid between sobs.

"We'll only be there for a while, Ev. Besides, I'm going to get treatment there too. I'll be strong. I won't be sick anymore. Don’t you want that? We'll be able to play for a long time if I get healed," said the human girl, trying to sound happy.

"Okay. Alright. A-as long as you come back right away, okay? I'm going to miss you," said the young mermaid, who was still crying.

"Shush. Stop crying, please. I'll be back here before you know it. We'll be together again and then we'll play until you're tired because I'll be as strong as The Hulk," the human girl said weakly. She wiped the tears of the young mermaid with her small hands.

The young mermaid just nodded but continued to cry.

At a young age, Eva could not explain why the human girl was so special to her. Maybe because she accepted her even though she was a mermaid.

The human girl befriended her fearlessly, even though she knew she was not human. She is brave, isn't she?

For a year, ever since they met on the big rocks by the sea, they became best friends and always met secretly.

The human girl, Amor, is kind. You can see that what made her beautiful on the outside is just as beautiful on the inside. The young mermaid is also very special to her in ways that her young mind cannot explain. All she knows is that she is very happy when they are together and very sad when they are separated in the afternoon.

And now, Amor is leaving. It was as if the young mermaid's heart was being crushed while looking at the angelic face of the human girl.

Amor is sick. She didn't tell the young mermaid what her sickness was, but Amor couldn't be with Eva for a long time because Amor gets tired easily. That's why they can't play as much as they like, even swim. Besides, running is also not possible because Eva has no legs. She is a mermaid, remember?

But if going away is the only way for Amor to heal, the young mermaid should accept that they will be away for a while. And yes, that is the reason that the young mermaid planted in her mind so she could easily let go of Amor.

"Smile. I don't want to leave with our situation like this. Come on, smile now," said the young Amor, who was about to cry, holding both of Eva's cheeks.

But instead of smiling, the young mermaid hugged Amor tightly.

"I will wait for you, Amor. Even if it takes me years. Please don’t forget me, I love you. I love you so much," said the young mermaid.

The human girl started crying too. The reality is she doesn't even know when they will return or how long her treatment will take.

The human girl did not know why she felt something different about the young mermaid. When she first saw Eva, the human girl freaked out. Because Eva was different. She has a tail like a fish!

But eventually, they got to know each other very well. Amor found out that the young mermaid was very kind and considerate. Since then, Amor couldn't stop making friends with her. And since then, Amor has also loved the young mermaid more than a friend.

It's weird, isn't it? The human girl knows that her feelings for the young mermaid are against all odds, but she can't stop herself. Even though they are both women and Eva is even a mermaid, the human girl couldn't stop being fascinated by the angelic mermaid. What only Amor knows is that the young mermaid is very special in her life.

"I love you too, Ev. That's your promise, okay? That you'll wait for me even if it takes a few more years for me to come back," said Amor.

"Promise, Amor. Promise," said the young mermaid.

~*~

EVA

TEN YEARS LATER…

"Mine!" I shouted as the ball came near me.

Our score is tied with the friendly match with the Roman High School girls' volleyball team, and it's in the last set.

I told myself, "I don't want another set."

I looked at all the team members and they just nodded. They already understood what I meant by that stare. I'm not the type of person who gives second chances.

I hit the ball to the other side, but their libero caught it.

‘Shit! Let's see if you can catch it,' I said in my mind, already annoyed by the Libero, who was now smiling foolishly at me.

They had the ball and our libero Kim caught it, which our setter Jane tossed to me.

'Catch this, bitch,' I said to myself, doing a spike.

"And that's it, folks! The Lady Crushers win again. Thanks to Evangeline Damian's deadly spike!" screamed the announcer.

The audience screamed. The Roman students were frustrated.

"Eva! Eva! Eva!" shouted my cheering squad. Yes, my cheering squad.

Not to brag, but the support of the Marion High School girls that we are getting is too much. Amber leads my cheering squad with no hesitation in showing that she likes me. It's hard to be beautiful.

My sexuality is not a secret to the people of Marion High School. I am one of the femme lesbians. I am one of those women who still dress and move gracefully but want to be with the same kind of woman too.

They found out I was a lesbian during my sophomore year at Marion High. I was embarrassed because I didn't know if the students would judge me. But they were afraid of my best friends, Anton, Joma, Miko, and Jon, so no one bullied me.

Yes, my friends are all boys, and I am the only girl. Anton, the soccer captain of the school, Joma, the oddest nerd (he is the smartest of the five of us), Miko, the cute boy, and a band member, and Jon, the basketball team captain.

We are in the school's familiar circles. I'm the only rose among the thorns, but I'm even thornier than they are because I'm the most "player" among the five of us. That's what they say. But as long as I know, I'm just friendly. *wink*

I'm Evangeline Damian, the volleyball women's team captain of Marion High School and a certified girl magnet.

"Congrats, Ev," Miko greeted me with a hug and lifted me up.

"Let go of me, Mik! What the hell?" I said, laughing at what he did.

"Put her down, Mik. We want to congratulate her too," said Jon, smiling as well. Anton and Joma are behind him.

Miko put me down, and Jon was about to hug me too when I stopped him. "Oops! Can we just have a group hug? This is so childish, you know?" I said while stopping him with my hands on his chest.

"Group huuuugggg!" shouted Anton, who was already close to us.

And we did have a group hug, and I got stuck on them. These men, they are so tall and they sandwich me. I am the smallest of the five of us at the height of 5'8".

"Ouch! Stop this!" I shouted, and they immediately let go. These gorillas are really childish.

People in the gym are staring at us. Besides being tall, the gorillas I'm with are also handsome. Of course, I won't be defeated. We were just laughing when Jane approached our group.

"Hey, Ev. There's a victory party later at my house. Come, okay?" She was looking at me but stealing a glance at Joma. While Joma was concentrating on his phone.

I smiled at what I saw. It's no secret to me that Jane has had a crush on Joma since we were freshmen. Joma knew but just shrugged it off.

"Sure, Jane. Can I take them?" I teasingly smiled at her.

"Oh, Jane, we're definitely going. Aren't we, Joms?" said Jon, elbowing the busy Joma.

"Ah. What is that?" Joma said nonchalantly.

"Let's go with our baby girl to Jane's party because Amber might rape her there," Anton said while messing with my ponytail hair.

"What the eff? Touch everything, just don't touch my hair!" I screamed at him. He hugged me when I tried to beat him. He was too strong for me. "We're going, Jane," I just said to Jane, who was stunned by Joma again. Poor creature. "Jane?" I called her.

"Ah yes. O-okay, see you all tonight," Jane said, looking at Joma.

"Is that all, Jane?" Miko asked.

Jane just blushed. She nodded and said goodbye. Hey, that's the hard part about falling in love when you can’t do anything. Just staring. Pitiful. It's good that I was finished at that stage.