Oof. That was close. My big sister called them, and somehow she worked her little magic and made my parents stop. She was on speakerphone while my dad drove. My mom complained a bit, but my big sis cut it short.
"Watch your mouth, Mom! Ophelia is there!"
She is like my hero - always taking me away from my parent's fights. But she is not always there. She's much older than me, has her own job and her own house. As much as she would like to kidnap me and take me away forever, she can't. And sometimes, in the middle of the night, as I pretend to sleep so my dad doesn't hurt me when he's drunk, I feel alone. Wishing she could live there with me.
But hey, at least I can still dream. I count on my fingers how many years I have until I'm eighteen and free. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 years left… I swallow hard. At least I still have school, my bike, and the beach close by. All I need to do is catch a bus when I'm a little older.
My parents talk to my big sis on the phone while driving, so the trip becomes a little more peaceful. I didn't hear a word of what they say. Maybe they're fighting, but in adult language – at least they are not shouting.
My mom keeps saying that the ocean is dangerous. I don't truly believe her. The waves are so nice to me. I think if I keep coming back to them, one day they will recognise me as family and take me. Then I will be happy. I will swim forever, and no one can take me away. My mom snapped one day when I told her that, she said it could happen for real, but I'd be dead. She called me stupid. That didn't make sense.
We arrive home after thirty minutes, and I ran to my bedroom. I had two big tasks:
1. Create a magic potion to become a mermaid.
2. If that doesn't work, choose clothes, hairstyle, and plan what I'll say tomorrow in front of the whole classroom.
First day back after the summer holidays – I'm kind of nervous. The teacher is probably going to ask me what I did during the holidays… What did I do?
I went to the beach many, many times; I went to the bar with my dad and tried beer; My sister took me to the zoo; I spent many weekends on my sister's house; I played a lot and made many drawings, my mom brought me canvas, brushes and acrylic paintings - That was the best gift I received. I made some drawings but she didn't pay attention after. It's alright, at least she got me what I wanted.
I drew mountains, rivers, oceans and even one little drawing of a ballerina, that's what mermaids would do right? If they could have legs and toes they would dance a lot.
I am good at drawing, everyone says so. My parents, my sister, my friends and even some teachers! It's good to hear that I am good at something, maybe this is what I will do when I grow up.
Okay, now important stuff: What would a potion take? Water, definitely. Oh, and salt – the ocean is salty. I get a glass cup, fill it with tap water and take a bunch of salt in. It's not dissolving. I groan and get a spoon to mix it. Okay. Now what else I need to add to become a mermaid? I look around in the kitchen. Do mermaids eat fish or kelp? I could add a tuna can – ew, nevermind.
I blink a few times, staring at the salty water. What else do I add? Oh, yeah! Glitter! I run to my bedroom and search all my drawers. There it was! Glitter! Pink, not blue… Will it still work? Maybe my tail will be pink! I run back to the kitchen – oof, I could have brought the cup to my room and avoided all this running.
I pour all the glitter in the cup and mix it with the spoon. Now what? Do I drink it? Mom said if I eat glitter I will die. Just a sip, what if it works? I pray "Dear God, please make this potion work, I want to turn into a mermaid everytime I touch water!" – then I give a small sip. It tasted salty but then I got scared I might die so I swallowed the little bit (in case if it works) and threw the rest of the liquid into the sink.
There it goes… truth time. I need to touch some water and maybe, just maybe, this will work and I will have a pink tail – or ANY tail!
I slowly walk to the bathroom. I'll pretend to have a normal bath. I can't let my parents know I'm a mermaid.
"Mom, I am just going to take a quick bath, okay?" I shout and wait for an answer.
"Okay!" She shouts from the living room. She sounds busy.
I lock the door and pace to the bathtub, closing the drain and watching the water fill up. I can't fill up too much - water is expensive, Mom said.
I take off my clothes and hop in. I shut my eyes tight. Please work, please work, please work, please work…
I open my eyes. My legs are still there. I sigh. Fine. I'll go to school tomorrow.
I finish washing my body and notice how my back is hurting, got a skin burn – all that I needed!
I wrap myself in a towel, go to my bedroom and take my pyjamas. I climb into bed, still thinking about the ocean, glitter, and magic potions. Maybe one day I'll figure it out. Probably was that pink glitter, should have been blue! But for now, I close my eyes and let sleep take me… though I can't stop imagining the sound of the waves, as if they're waiting for me to return.