Chapter 2

EVA

MY FRIENDS AND I spent some time in the gym because my fans asked to take pictures with me. My friends just laughed when I looked at them with that familiar look. They already know I'm asking for help. I breathed a sigh of relief when my fans left. That's when Amber approached me.

"Hi, babe. I'm sorry. I only got to be here with you now because I was still organizing the squad. Congratulations!" She said, wrapping her arms around my neck and kissing me on the lips.

I was just surprised, not because it was the first time she did that, but I was just surprised because I didn't expect her to do that with audiences.

We were in such a scene when I noticed that someone was looking at us intently. I don't know why, but the hair on the back of my neck stood up. I immediately looked at the exit of the gym because it’s the direction I felt that intense energy. I could see the figure of a woman, but because that part was dark, I wasn't sure. What I can't explain is that I suddenly felt like I saw its red eyes despite the darkness in that part. I pushed Amber away.

"Babe!" Amber shouted.

Maybe she was hurt by what I did, so I looked at her, but only for a moment. I looked again in the direction of the woman earlier, but she was no longer there.

'Her eyes. Very familiar. Where did I see her?'

"Ev, why did you push Amber?" Miko said, suppressing his laugh.

Amber, who was standing in front of me, raised her brows with her arms crossed. The gorilla guys held back their laughter.

"Eh, sorry. You're the one who suddenly started kissing me in public. Amber, didn't I tell you not to surprise me in public?" I said apologetically.

"You did, but Ev, you know I like you. Why don't you try to love me back?" she asked, crying.

"Ah. Eh." I don’t care if she cries anymore. Besides, I don't feel like consoling her right now. And I know she is just being dramatic. Amber always uses her tears to make me feel bad.

"Stop this nonsense already," I said, and we walked out together with the guys.

"Eva!" I heard her calling me. I sighed and turned around. "You are mine! No one else will own you but me!" Amber added emphatically with a threatening tone.

I just laughed at her silliness and walked away. The gorilla guys also followed me. I like to call them my gorillas. They don’t like it, but I called them that because of their height.

"Amber seems serious about her threat," said Jon.

"When did her threat become true? Let that psycho do what she wants," I said as I continued to walk.

"Why don't you like Amber back, Ev? She's beautiful and sexy. And she is head over heels for you," said Miko while flirting with the girls passing by.

"If you want her, you can have her. Besides, I'd rather die than be with that freak. It was better when we had no strings attached, but she changed and wants more. I will commit suicide over my dead body. Have mercy on me!" I said it exaggeratedly as if having a heart attack.

They laughed at me.

"Don't worry, baby girl, we'll watch over you. We won't let anything bad happen to you," Anton said, smiling as he walked beside me.

"I know that." I kissed him on the cheek.

"Oops! Is Evangeline Damian falling in love with me?" Anton teased.

"Ew! You wish!" I exclaimed.

We all laughed. "Take a shower. You stink," he said, covering his nose as if I really smelled bad.

"I stink, huh? You are the ones hugging me even when I am so sweaty," I said.

Of course, we were just teasing each other. Because I'm their baby girl, I'm so used to being a baby with them. I also know that they are just teasing me.

But that’s not even remotely teasing. Because when we make fun of each other, those who will hear us will surely cry out of embarrassment.

I separated from them and headed to the locker and shower room of the Lady Crushers to freshen up and get dressed. After twenty minutes, we left together.

They took me home because the party starts at eight o'clock tonight. As usual, they will pick me up again because I'm too lazy to drive. That’s why I love having these guys. They treat me like a princess.

I sat on the sofa in our two-story house. Our house is simple but elegant.

My real mother is with me at home. Mama Fe is a doctor, so you know, I'm always the only one left at home. Mama Fe is busy, but she has not been a neglectful mother to me since I decided to live on the ground.

I'm half-human, half-mermaid. I decided to live on the surface when I wanted to study and learn human habits. I was eleven years old then. My real mother and I met when Amor left for the US.

Ahh! Amor.. Where could she be now? But no, she should be erased from my mind. I waited so long. I don't know if she is still alive. She didn't come back. A lot has happened in technology, but she has not made any move to communicate with me. I waited for her every day of my life at our meeting place, but years passed and I felt like a fool for waiting for her.

My father found out that I made friends with humans, but he did not get angry. Instead, it was the time my father introduced me to my real mother, who happened to be human.

I'm no ordinary mermaid. I am a princess in the kingdom of Serenity. My father is the King. King Adam Ezra has been the king of Serenity for a long time, and I will be next in line to the throne because I am his eldest daughter.

Regarding my sexuality, that is not an issue in Serenity because our kingdom's view of homosexuals or hermaphrodites is normal. Here on the ground, there are many homophobic people. I don't know why they are like that. But we can’t control what other people think, so I don’t mind their opinion about me. They are not my concern either.

So, to forget Amor because I was really angry with her, I decided to study in a country that I didn't think I would enjoy.

I became a good volleyball player and also excelled in school. I had friends who were compared to F4 (Taiwanese actors), but I don't count as San Cai because I will never be Dao Ming Shi's lover. I'm a lesbian, right?

So, they say I'm a player, but that's not true. The girls approach me, and I always make sure they understand my status with them. Others who don't know me, on the other hand, are spreading the rumor that I play with every girl's heart in Marion High.

My father agreed to let me attend Marion High as long as I returned to Serenity when I turned eighteen to claim my throne. Hmm, thinking about that makes me feel stressed. I think I am not yet ready to be able to handle such a heavy responsibility.

Sometimes, I still go home to our kingdom, but I change my route so that I don't pass the place where Amor and I used to meet.

Mama Fe's house is just on the other side of the sea, but it's far enough away that I can't get past where we used to meet. I have been avoiding that route for four years.

'But I've moved on,' I convinced myself.

How did I survive on the surface?

We are also hi-tech at Serenity. If the mermen and mermaids want to have legs, we will just drink a special potion and tada! You already have legs. But, of course, there must be the king's consent.

They have a chance to get their legs if the king allows other mermen and mermaids to meet with our business partners. Yes, we have also ventured into the land. The mermen and mermaids have been civilized well.

Actually, land technology is no different from our kingdom. Because we use censors and holograms, we are even more advanced than the technology available in the land. Here on the surface, the progress of technology is so slow.

But I also didn't look for Amor via technology because we had a promise, right? It had been so long since she had gone. I had to move on because I could just waste my life waiting for her broken promise.

So I decided to study on land because I also aim to learn human behavior. I can use this research when I run our kingdom. However, I couldn't stop myself from enjoying it. There are just as many beautiful humans who are attracted to my charisma and beauty. Just like the adage says, 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.’ Aha!

And I know Amor will never return. That's the idea that I stuck in my mind. But in one part of my mind is the painful truth that, until now, she still has a little ownership in my heart.

I just closed my eyes. I just focused my mind on the victory party later. I'm sure there will be a lot of beautiful girls that will flood there. Just thinking about it makes me drool. I can feel it. Tonight will be fun. And because of that, I fell asleep smiling.