‘What do you think?’ Carolina asked, tossing an intricately woven tail over Pearl’s shoulder. ‘You have a lot of hair, and the only thing I can do well is a braid. It would take forever to dry all of it.’
Pearl ran her hand over the bumpy strands. ‘Thank you.’
Carolina shrugged a shoulder. ‘Are you hungry? I haven’t eaten breakfast yet.’
Pearl licked her lips, wondering what new human food awaited her. ‘I would like to eat.’
‘Let’s go. I’m sure it’s cold by now. You took a while in the shower.’
Pearl trailed behind Carolina toward the delicious scents trailing from the bottom floor.
*
Carolina’s house was much different than Mrs. Jones’s. Where Pearl had experienced a cozy environment with the first human she’d ever met, this kitchen was almost too open and didn’t give her that same warm feeling. Everything was clean and neat as if someone was trying to preserve it instead of living inside it. She wasn’t sure why she cared to compare the two, but she did anyway.
They didn’t meet any other humans on the way, but piles of food-topped plates were set out for anyone to eat. Pearl watched Carolina pick several items as if this was a normal thing – to have her meal appear in front of her. She wished that were the case at home. If the schools of fish came to her, she’d never have to leave the troop.
Carolina walked to the table across the room, but an idea struck Pearl. ‘Can we eat outside?’
‘If you want. It’s a little cold.’
‘I like this weather.’ Pearl was close. She’d say anything to get Carolina outside.
‘Whatever you say.’
Pearl took one of everything onto her plate and followed Carolina outside. The human was right, it was uncomfortably cold, but she couldn’t go back now. The ocean beckoned her, and after one last meal of human food, she’d take Carolina under the waves and return home.
Carolina sat at a table closer to the edge of the fence. It was shorter than the one in the front of the house. Pearl could easily toss the human over. Getting down there would be a struggle, but she’d think about that when the time came.
‘I love this view. It’s why I demanded to have the room I do.’ Carolina’s shoulders hunched as she ate.
The cold metal chair didn’t help warm her. Pearl’s teeth chattered again, but she stuffed food in her mouth to cover it up. ‘It’s beautiful.’
‘Do you live on the coast?’
Pearl smiled. ‘Nearby.’
‘It’s the one thing I’m going to miss about this place.’
‘Are you leaving?’ Pearl asked.
‘Not the area, but I can’t live with my parents forever. I’m twenty. I’m hoping to be married soon.’
Married. The human word for bonding.
Carolina wasn’t marrying anyone if Pearl had anything to do with it. ‘Who are you bonded to?’
‘You’re really not from around here.’ Carolina laughed. ‘I’m hoping Ben. We’ve been getting closer lately and going out together. Well, with Harry, too. I’ve had a crush on Ben my whole life. As kids, we used to play together. He broke up with his girlfriend a while ago. I’ve waited for him to take a little space before I tell him how I feel. It’s why I took you in so quickly. No offense.’
‘Can we go down to the water?’ Pearl asked, licking the remaining sweet syrup from her fork. There was no reason to delay the inevitable.
‘Here?’
‘Yes.’
‘There’s no way down there. We can walk over to the beach if you want, but you’re not going to get this view.’ Carolina turned away again.
Pearl stood up. ‘I’d like to go to the water.’
‘What is your damage?’
‘I like the beach.’
‘Okay, we can go later. Unless you want to break your neck on the way down – if so, have at it.’
‘Carolina,’ someone called from across the way.
Pearl glanced at the female as she stood. She had her back to Pearl. With Carolina distracted, this was her chance. All she had to do was reach forward and grab the female. Once Carolina was dead, either from the fall or drowning, her ceremony was complete. Pearl’s body ached for the water and to see Syrene again. Her time with the humans would be over.
But Carolina either moved too quickly, or Pearl’s unexpected hesitation prevented her from completing her goal.
‘What are you doing out here?’ a male asked. He had pale hair, like Carolina’s – but much shorter than Ben’s.
‘She wanted to eat outside.’
Pearl gripped her fork, hard enough that the metal dug into her hand. With the male’s intrusion, she’d never reach her goal.
‘Okay,’ he said, coming forward. Something was pleasing and familiar about his face as he came closer. The memory of seeing Carolina, Ben, and this male on the boat flashed in her mind. ‘I’m Harry.’
Pearl shook his hand, without the awkwardness that there had been between her and Ben. ‘I’m Pearl.’
‘Are you ready to take over?’ Carolina asked. ‘I don’t have all day to babysit.’
Harry nodded and waved Pearl over.
‘Leave your plate,’ Carolina said. ‘It will get cleaned up.’ Then, she disappeared inside.
Harry stared at the door until Pearl walked over to him. ‘I got here as soon as I could after Ben called me. He thought you might need rescuing from her.’
The weight of his gaze pressed against her face. They were steps from the fence separating them from the water. She’d lost her chance at Carolina, but a male stood before her. If she wanted to get home, Harry was her best choice.
‘I need to run into town,’ he said. ‘You can come with me.’
Pearl mashed her lips together.
‘I want to go to the beach,’ Pearl said.
‘Okay,’ he said. ‘We can do that after. Do you have a coat?’
‘Yes.’
‘Are you wearing Carolina’s clothes?’
Pearl tugged at the hem of the shirt. ‘She let me borrow them.’
It was as if he disappeared for a moment inside his mind. He blinked and shook his head. ‘Let’s go.’
Pearl led the way inside. Harry found her coat in a small room near the front door, and he helped her thread her arms through the holes. The heat rolling off his body was enough to add an extra layer in addition to the clothing.
He reminded her of Kaito and the way he had held her before she left.
Pearl wouldn’t keep him waiting much longer.
Carolina walked down the stairs, holding Mrs. Jones’s bag at arm’s length.
Harry took it from her and slung it over his shoulder. ‘That was nice of you to let Pearl borrow your clothes.’
Carolina shrugged. ‘Ben asked me to take care of her. He said he’d owe me.’ A slow smile crossed her lips.
Harry flinched as if Carolina had insulted him. Pearl couldn’t help watching the two of them. Their relationship was much different than how Carolina interacted with Ben. Pearl understood. She wished Ben were still with her instead of Harry.
‘Have Ben call me later,’ Carolina tossed over her shoulder before walking up the stairs.
‘Come on,’ Harry muttered.
If Pearl didn’t know any better, she would have thought Harry wanted something more from his farewell with Carolina.
*
Harry had a much smaller car than Ben. It zipped through town a lot quicker. Pearl held on to the handle on the door to keep herself still.
‘I need to stop by the library to pick up a book I have on hold for school,’ he said.
‘School?’ she asked, trying to control her breathing. At least talking to Harry might distract her. She regretted not taking him to the water at Carolina’s house.
‘I’m graduating college in May. Do you go to school?’
Pearl shook her head, remembering the conversation with Mrs. Jones about her daughter. It hadn’t been about fish. It was a place for humans to learn about life, she supposed.
‘How old are you?’ he asked.
‘How old are you?’ Her kind lived decades longer than humans.
‘Twenty-one,’ he said.
‘I’m older,’ she said.
He smirked. ‘You can’t be much older. You look somewhere between me and my brother’s age.’
Ben was the elder of the two. Harry had a rounder, more youthful appearance. The vision of him floating in the water with still eyes made her throat tighten.
Harry stopped the car next to a row of buildings across from a small green area. He pulled the handle of his door and stepped out. Pearl mimicked his movements. At least she was on the side of the car where other ones couldn’t hit her. She wasn’t ready to relive that experience.
What Harry called the library was a brown building across the street. It was bigger than Mrs. Jones’s house by several sizes.
‘Do you like to read?’ he asked as they walked toward the building.
‘I don’t know how,’ she admitted.
‘Really?’ he asked.
‘My family, we communicate differently.’
‘How did you get here if you can’t read?’
Pearl frowned, wishing she hadn’t agreed to come with this human.
‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry. Ben didn’t give me much information other than helping a girl who was new to town.’
Pearl wanted to know what else Ben said about it.
‘I’m sure the people at the airports were able to help,’ he added.
She shrugged, unsure what an airport was.
Harry stumbled over his words, discussing the book he needed for school. Pearl tried to piece together what he communicated as she looked up at the building, wondering what it held.