Rachel's Secret

by Janet Gurtler

But then I remembered that Friday was the concert too.

  He looked at my face. “What’s wrong?”

  I dropped my gaze to my toes. “I can’t believe it,” I said. “I’m in a concert that night. Singing for the Queen — uh, I mean, someone really important. I’m committed to it. I’m so sorry.” Telling Owen I couldn’t be at his party felt worse than stepping on a stingray.

  Owen ducked his head down. “No. It’s okay,” he said, but he couldn’t hide his disappointment.

  There was no way to back out of singing, but there was also no way I could miss Owen’s birthday party. Especially when he went out of his way to make mine so great!

  “I’ll try to think of something,” I told him.

  What was I going to do?

  Chapter Four

  I swam quickly through the ocean, and even though I felt down about Owen’s party, I couldn’t help smiling at a group of lobsters and crabs who waved at me along the way. I really did love all the creatures in the sea, and they helped cheer me up.

  The guards outside Neptunia nodded when I swam through the coral entrance. They were getting used to my coming and going.

  When I darted inside the front door at home, Dad was sitting at the kitchen table.

  “Rachel,” he said. “Where were you?”

  “Hi, Dad,” I said. “I went to see Owen. I missed him more than I realized.”

  “I figured as much,” he said. “But from now on, you need to let me know. I was getting worried.”

  “Sorry, Dad,” I replied.

  That’s when I noticed a big cake sitting on the middle of the table. Thirteen unlit candles were stuck in the top.

  “I feel terrible for messing up your birthday,” he said. “I should have planned a party and had your friends over. I’m not as good at these things as your mom was.”

  “Well, I spent the day with my best friend, which made it great. Owen couldn’t have come for a party anyway,” I reminded him.

  “I guess so.” He patted my hand when I sat down beside him. “The Queen’s cook made the cake when I told her it was your birthday. It’s your favorite — shrimp-vanilla.”

  I didn’t tell him that Owen’s mom had made a cake too. And that it had been one of the most delicious ones I’d ever tasted.

  He put his arm around me. “I’m sorry we didn’t have a birthday celebration for you.”

  “It’s okay, Dad. I had a great birthday. And I’d love a piece of cake,” I said. Then I forced myself to eat a big piece even though I was already full.

  * * *

  The week flew by with lots of rehearsals and fun. Finally the night of the concert arrived. I was excited to sing, but I couldn’t stop thinking about Owen and his party.

  Shyanna had invited Cora and me to her house on Friday afternoon. Shyanna’s mom made snacks while we got ready. I’d offered to help Shyanna braid her hair. She stared at my necklace as I braided the front of her hair.

  “Hey! That’s beautiful. Is that new? Where did you get it?” Shyanna asked.

  “Um … I got it from a friend,” I told her, and glanced at Cora.

  Cora’s hair was curled in beautiful waves, and she was glossing up her purple tail with fish oil. She wasn’t paying attention to us.

  “An old friend,” I added quietly.

  Shyanna’s eyes opened as wide as sand dollars. “Owen?” she whispered, but she wasn’t quiet enough.

  Cora swam closer and stuck her face right up to mine. “Who’s Owen? Is he your boyfriend?”

  “No,” I said, but my cheeks reddened like a lobster in boiling water. “I mean, he’s a boy, and he’s a friend. But he’s not a boyfriend.”

  “Why did he buy you a necklace, then?” Cora asked, putting her hands on her hips.

  “It was for my birthday,” I said quietly. I moved behind Shyanna to admire my work.

  Shyanna spun around. “Your birthday? When is your birthday?”

  “It was last Friday,” I admitted and patted her braided head. “Your hair is done,” I told her. “It looks beautiful. It’s your best look yet.”

  “You just had your birthday and you didn’t tell us?” Shyanna said. She looked surprised, mad, hurt, and sad all at the same time. She knew my secret, so I was surprised by her reaction.

  Cora flipped in semicircles. “You had your thirteenth birthday? You had a leg ceremony without us?” Her mouth hung open, and she looked hurt too.

  Shyanna and I exchanged a look. “We’ll make it up to her later,” Shyanna said with fake enthusiasm. “Right now, we should practice our song!” She was trying to distract Cora. She belted out the first line of the song. I joined in, thankful when Cora stopped frowning and sang along with us.

  “We’re all ready to go!” Shyanna announced when we finished the song. She hurried us off to have snacks, and luckily, kept up the conversation about things other than my birthday until we left for the big concert.

  When we arrived at the Royal Gardens, we all took a deep breath. It was transformed with a stage that looked like the inside of an oyster shell. Shiny colors and pearls were strung together and hung from a peach coral reef dripping with sea flowers. It was beautiful!

  Other mermaids who’d been picked to sing with the Queen were fussing around behind the stage. Workers roamed around them, some carrying huge stage props. Somehow I got separated from Cora and Shyanna and was shoved into a tight space with a group of other mergirls from Neptunia. I recognized one mermaid named Regina. Shyanna had said she was the most popular girl in school.

  Regina noticed me right away. “You’re Mr. Marlin’s daughter, aren’t you? The Queen’s new singing instructor?”

  I nodded.

  “I saw you sing in the twelve-year-old category at the Melody Pageant. You were really good,” said one of the other mermaids.

  “Thanks,” I said and smiled at her.

  Regina glared back at me. “When do you turn thirteen?” she asked, putting her hands on her hips.

  “Um. I already did?” I said, wondering why she seemed mad at me. “Last Friday.”

  “But you never had a party?” asked Regina. “At least I never heard about it. And I hear about all the important parties in Neptunia.”

  “I had a party,” I said right away. “It just wasn’t in Neptunia.”

  “But how could you have your leg ceremony without Shyanna and Cora?” Regina asked. “I saw them at Walrus Waterpark last Friday. I thought they were your best friends. That seems … fishy.”

  My cheeks burned. I couldn’t think of anything to say. I glanced around, wishing the workers would hurry up so I could get away. I wished Shyanna and Cora would appear to defend me and get Regina to go away. She was acting as if I’d done something wrong. I didn’t even know her! I didn’t know what her problem was.

  Then Regina narrowed her eyes. “You know … my mom heard a rumor. A rumor about your mom,” she said with a smug look on her face.

  I sucked in a deep breath. Oh no. Was she going to start teasing me because my mom was human and I was half-human? Some mermaids didn’t approve of humans who became a mermaid by magic.

  “My mom was amazing,” I said, swallowing a lump in my throat.

  “Regina,” the nice mermaid said. “Her mom died. Don’t be mean.”

  Regina wrinkled up her nose and moved away from me as if I smelled like three-day-old fish fries. “I only hope the rumors about your mom aren’t true.” And with that, she turned her back on me.

  The nice mermaid smiled weakly at me, but turned back to the group. “Remember my leg ceremony? Everyone said it was the best one ever!” Regina said to her friends as she flipped her hair and batted her long eyelashes.

  The other mermaids looked guilty, but they nodded. Finally the workers cleared out of the way, and the group swam off, Regina in the lead.

  Just then,
Shyanna and Cora swam over.

  “There you are!” Shyanna cried. “We’ve been looking everywhere for you. We’re on in five minutes! Can you believe it?”

  “Are you okay?” Cora asked, looking closer at me.

  “I’m fine.” I faked a smile.

  “I saw Regina,” Cora said. “Was she being mean?”

  “No, I’m fine,” I told them again.

  They looked like they didn’t believe me, but it was too complicated to explain since Cora didn’t know the truth yet. I knew I had to tell her soon, but I was waiting for the right moment.

  An event worker came along and hurried us to the stage, and then, before I knew it, we were performing our song. It sounded pretty great. I felt like I was in a dream the entire time we were singing. And before I knew it, we were done.

  It went by so fast! All of our hard work and practice had paid off. It was amazing how much music could still make me feel better.

  After we finished, Cora and Shyanna hurried out to the audience to watch the rest of the show and help with Cora’s sisters.

  “Want to come along?” Cora asked.

  I shook my head. “I’m going to stay here in case my dad needs help.”

  That was partly true. But I also had a plan.

  Regina swam by to go on stage and looked right at me. “She’s not even a real mermaid,” she whispered to a friend, and both girls turned away from me.

  I glanced at my dad behind the curtains. He was beyond happy directing the show and was totally in his element. I looked at my phone.

  I wanted to see Owen so badly! If I left right away, I could make it to his party and be back before anyone missed me.

  My dad had told me a hundred times that I needed to tell him when I was going to land, but he was too busy to bother right then. Plus, he didn’t even have to know. I would be back before he even noticed I was gone.

  I swam out of the Royal Gardens, and then out of the kingdom and toward the shore. When I got to land and grew legs, I hurried up the beach toward Owen’s house.

  Before I even reached Owen’s backyard, I could hear the party. Owen’s house was lit up with glowing party lights. Happy noises floated through the air. I went to the front of the house and was about to ring the doorbell to join the party when I heard noises and shouts.

  “Last one in is a rotten egg!” someone yelled.

  The thundering army of kids sounded louder than a sea storm. Everyone was running out through the backyard toward the beach, all of them wearing bathing suits. Owen led the pack, laughing, with Justin, Morgan, and Mitchel at his side as they raced to the water. My heart sank. I went to watch them, knowing I couldn’t go see Owen now. It was too risky being so close to the water. If I got any salt water on me, my tail would reappear.

  Instead, I went as close to the shore as I could and watched from the shadows.

  Owen and his friends were having so much fun. Owen looked so happy. He didn’t look like he missed me at all.

  I went back to his house to leave him his present. I’d braided seaweed into a necklace and attached a real shark tooth. I left his gift at the front door and then headed down the street to a quiet beach. I leaped back in the water, feeling like I didn’t belong in either one of my worlds.

  Chapter Five

  In the morning, I was tired from all my sneaking around. Dad had to go see the Queen early to review her performances, and he’d told me to sleep in. I stayed in bed all morning, but before lunch, the doorbell started ringing and didn’t stop.

  “Hey, Rachel, I know you’re in there,” a voice shouted from outside. “Let me in, lazy bones!”

  With a big sigh, I got up and swam to the front door. When I opened it, my jaw dropped.

  Shyanna floated on the front porch, holding a giant bouquet of balloons shaped like sea creatures in one hand and a starfish-shaped gift bag in the other hand.

  “Happy belated birthday, sleepyhead!” she cried. “Cora and I got these for you. She wanted to come too, but her sisters are sick and her mom wouldn’t let her leave.”

  My heart filled with happiness. “You look like a one-mermaid party pack!”

  Shyanna laughed. “Are you going to let me in?’

  “Oh!” I opened the door, and she handed me the balloons and gift as we went inside. “Thank you so much!” I said. I tied the balloons to a chair in the living room and put the gift down on the table.

  “I still can’t believe we missed your birthday!” Shyanna said.

  “It’s okay. I mean, turning thirteen is not as big as a deal for me, because I already have legs.” I sat in the chair with the balloons and grinned. Shyanna sat across from me.

  “Still … it was your birthday! Everyone deserves to feel extra special on her birthday,” she said, clearly making a valid point.

  “I went to see Owen,” I told her. “His mom made me a cake. And his friends came over.”

  Shyanna clapped her hands together. “I’m glad. He seems like a good friend. I wish I could have come! Will you introduce me to Owen when I get my legs? I’ve never met a human before!”

  Before I could answer, the doorbell rang. I got up and floated over to the door. When I opened it, Cora was flipping around in circles. She tackled me immediately, hugging me and giggling. “My mom let me come. My sisters are all sleeping!”

  Cora swam inside and pulled me along behind her. “Yay!” she said when she saw the table. “You didn’t open our present yet. Open it now! Open it!” she cried.

  The girls spun around while I opened the bag and pulled out matching bracelets made of black pearls and braided seaweed. “One for each of us!” Cora said. “Friendship bracelets for forever friends!”

  We all slipped them onto our wrists and held them out to admire them.

  “They’re beautiful,” I said. “Thank you.”

  “So,” Cora said. “I’ve been dying to know. Who’s this Owen that you’re so close with? You didn’t think I would forget to ask you about him, did you?”

  I glanced at Shyanna and then swam closer to Cora and took her hand. “I have a secret,” I said. “Shyanna already knows because she caught me in the act, but I made her promise not to tell anyone.”

  Cora looked at me and then at Shyanna and then back at me, blinking. Waiting.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier. It’s hard. I get teased,” I said. “And I loved my mom so much, it’s hard to talk about.”

  Cora grabbed my other hand. “What? What’s wrong, Rachel?” Cora asked.

  I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. “My mom was a human.”

  I waited for her to drop my hand or pull away in disgust or something.

  “So?” she said.

  I opened my eyes and started to laugh. “That’s all you have to say? It means I’m half-human.”

  She let my hands go. “Oh. That doesn’t matter at all.” She opened her eyes wide and her mouth wider. “Wait. Does that mean you have legs? And that you can use them all the time?”

  I nodded, and she stared at me without even blinking. “That is so cool,” she said, in total awe. “It must be a romantic story, your mom and dad. Wouldn’t it be amazing to fall in love with a human? How magical.”

  Shyanna cleared her throat, raised her eyebrows, and stared at me. I knew she was thinking about me and Owen.

  “Stop looking at me like that, Shy. Owen and I are not in love,” I told her. “We are just friends. Best friends — nothing more.”

  Cora looked back and forth between Shyanna and me. “Wait. What? Is this boyfriend of yours a human?” she asked me.

  I touched the shell necklace Owen had given me. “A friend who’s a boy. And yes. Owen is human. And he doesn’t know I’m a mermaid.”

  “Wow!” Cora went to the table and sat across from Shyanna. “How did you meet a human?” They both stared at me,
waiting for more information, I guess.

  “Some of the mermaids from Caspian found out I was half-human, and they used to tease me. I went to land a lot to escape, and that’s when I met Owen. At first, I was a little afraid of him, but he’s so nice and adventurous. We quickly became best friends. I didn’t have to worry about getting teased when I was with him. I used to visit him at least once a week, but I haven’t been visiting as often since we moved to Neptunia.”

  “What’s it like? To have a human as a friend?” Cora asked.

  “He’s great,” I said. “He makes me feel like I matter, you know? I mean, he’s like us. Only he doesn’t get to enjoy the ocean like we do. I feel sad about that.”

  Shyanna and Cora nodded. I could tell they were both thinking how awful it would be not to enjoy the ocean like we were able to.

  “The thing is, I’ve been away so much,” I said. “I’m worried he’s going to forget about me.”

  “He won’t forget about you,” Shyanna said, and Cora nodded in agreement.

  “How could he?” Cora said.

  “Thanks,” I said, smiling and looking down at my friendship bracelet. “I got teased a lot in Caspian. The other mermaids were really mean. And Owen was so important to me. He still is. And the thing is, I think my secret is out again. I think one of the mermaids here knows about my mom.”

  “Who cares? The mermaids here won’t tease you,” Shyanna said confidently.

  “I don’t know,” I said doubtfully. “The mermaid who hinted about it … she didn’t seem too happy. I don’t want everyone to look at me like I’m different. I hate being different.”

  “Who was it?” Cora asked, jumping up again. She had a hard time staying still.

  “Regina,” I said quietly.

  “Regina Merrick? She can be really mean,” Shyanna told me. “Was she being mean to you?”

  Cora was pace-swimming around the room. I shrugged and looked away. “It doesn’t matter. I’m tired of having to keep secrets from everyone,” I said. “I hate hiding the fact that I’m a mermaid from Owen. It is awful. He is my best friend, and he has no idea what my real life is like.”