Tera Lynn Childs - Forgive My Fins

Tera Lynn Childs

Forgive My Fins

Tera Lynn Childs

Forgive My Fins

Tera Lynn Childs

Forgive My Fins

Forgive

My Fins

Tera Lynn Childs

Tera Lynn Childs

Forgive My Fins

SUMMARY

Seventeen-year-old Lily Sanderson, half-mermaid and half-human, has been living on land and attending high school where she develops a crush on a boy but is afraid to tell him of her true destiny as the ruler of the undersea kingdom of Thalassinia.

Tera Lynn Childs

Forgive My Fins

For Sarah, because she took me with her.

Tera Lynn Childs

Forgive My Fins

Water calms me. Its like chocolate or hot tea or dulce de leche ice cream. After a rotten day, I lock the bathroom door, fill Aunt Rachels old-timey tub with steaming water and bath salts, and then sink into a world where my problems all melt away.

Some days its not enough.

Did you ask him?

Securing the phone against my shoulder, I scoop up a handful of bubble bath and blow the fluff out over my belly. I can choose to ignore the

question, right? Especially since neither of us is going to like the answer.

Lily, Shannen prods.

When the bubbles hit the water and dissolve into a frothy film, I sigh.

The whole point of this bath was to make me forget my disastrous dayincluding the subject of Shannens questionbut that seems impossible. Even though Im feeling slightly more mellow than when I slid in twenty minutes ago, nothing can completely wash away that memory.

Too bad bath salts cant change the past.

Tera Lynn Childs

Forgive My Fins

No, I admit with a frustrated growl. I didnt ask him.

I thought we agreed, she says, sounding exasperated. You were going to ask him in trig when Kingsley had you trade papers.

We did agree, I concede, but

But what, Lily? she interrupts. Youre running out of time.

I know that. Boy, do I know that. The sand in my countdown timer is draining fast; graduation is just around the corner.

Leaning my head back over the tubs graceful curved edge, I let my hair hang to the floor below. A long mess of blond that defies all attempts at 6

control. I might as well have a sea sponge on my head, since no amount of conditioner or antifrizz serum can tame the effects of Floridian humidity.

But Kingsley didnt do the normal swap, I explain. He had us trade down the row instead of across the aisle.

Shannen groans, and I can imagine the look of disgust on her face.

I hate it when he goes to a professional development workshop, she says. He always comes back and tries something new that never, ever works.

Tera Lynn Childs

Forgive My Fins

I know, I agree, latching on to this divergent train of thought in the vain hope that it will make herand meforget our original topic. Im not above avoidance tactics. Ill totally throw Kingsley under the bus to save myself from another lecture about seizing the day. It was a total flop. I sit up a little straighter, gaining confidence in my distraction. The Danfield twins switched places, and most of the class ended up grading their own papers. Kingsley congratulated us on our high grades.

Good grades are a rare thing for me. Shannens on the valedictorian track and she tries to help me out, but Im clearly not learning anything by osmosis or association or whatever. Can I help it if all these subjects are like a foreign language to me? My brain just wasnt wired for academic study. The only class Im pretty sure of passing is artand only because Mrs. Ferraro likes me. Everything else might as well be advanced nuclear 7

physics.

Besides, lately our unified focus has been on the upcoming Spring Fling dance and not next weeks homework. With the dance only days away (as in three), it seems a lot more urgent than an English essay onAnimal Farm

.

Tonight, though, Id rather talk about homework. Or beauty products. Or swarms of killer jellyfish. Anything other than the thing shes asking about. I fumbled the planagain. The last thing I need right now is Shannen telling me one more time that

Tera Lynn Childs

Forgive My Fins

Youre a coward, Lily Sanderson.

Im a coward.

Son of a swordfish.

I give my tail fin a flick, sending the key lime bath salts sloshing up over my shoulders. This is the same admonition Ive heard every week for the past three years. Youd think Id get tired of hearing it, suck up my courage, and get it over with. But the trouble isshes right. I am a coward.

Especially where Brody Bennett is concerned.

We mermaids are a cowardly bunch. Keeping our existence a total secret makes cowardice pretty much a necessity. If we dont flee fast enough at the first sign of a passing ship, we might end up on the cover of next weeksFlash Paper . Were more of an escape-now-ask-questions-later kind of species.

But with Brody its like I take my flight response to a whole new level of spinelessness. I can make all the plans in the world, be fully ready to follow through, and then the instant hes within sight, I totally clam up.

Im lucky if Im able to breathe, let alone tell him how I feel. Hormones are cruel like that.

Tera Lynn Childs

Forgive My Fins

Still, the constant reminder of her cowardice can drive a girl to the edge.

For a secondhalf a second, reallyI consider blurting out the one thing Iknow will derail her lecture permanently.

But Ive heard the stories.

I know what happens when a human finds out a mermaid is a mermaid. I love Shannen like a sister, but I cant take that risk. I cant put myself, my family, and my entire kingdom in jeopardy for the sake of avoiding an unpleasant conversation. No matter how badly I want to confess, my duty comes before our friendship.

Shannen would understand.

So, instead of blurting out my dirty little secretactually, not so dirty at the moment, since my fins are currently gleaming green and gold in the salty waterI resort to the pathetic truth.

I tried, Shan. My head drops back against the porcelain tub with a well-deservedthud . Really I did. This time I was super, super close. I took a deep breath, said his name, and

And what?

Quince Fletcher threw a wad of paper at my forehead.

Tera Lynn Childs

Forgive My Fins

It had taken every last ounce of my self-controland the dismissal bellto keep from leaping out of my seat, apologizing to Brody as I vaulted over him, and pummeling Quince into seaweed salad. Merfolk are a peaceful people, but that boy makes me wish I had free reign of Daddys trident for a good five minutes. Ive fantasized some pretty creative ways to shut Quince up.

That dog, Shannen says. Youd think it was his self-appointed mission to make your life miserable.

I know, right? I rub the shower pouf absently over my scales. Why does he even bother? I mean, its like his two hobbies are working on that disaster of a motorcycle and tormenting me.

Thing is, I dont even know why he is so devoted to tweaking me on a near-constant basis. Its not like Ive ever done anything to him, other than move into the house next door. At first we were almost friendsuntil he started treating me like the enemy.

Boys arent nearly so confusing in the ocean.

He needs toabeep-beep interrupts Shannens responsediversify.

Hold on. I wiggle myself into a semisitting position. Theres another call.