Jake was laying on the beach on top of a red towel. Unlike other beaches, this one was rather empty save for himself and his upcoming visitor. Jake had every reason to be relaxed yet wasn’t at the same time.
Jake was the star football captain at his local college. His was known for his strong muscles, swift speed, and the signature red letterman that would come to identify him.
His athletic career got him many rewards, one of which was a full-ride scholarship that made the university of his state free. Yet, the one prize he truly treasured among all else was his girlfriend.
Nicole was the top cheerleader of the entire school. She was attractive, intelligent, and athletic. When Jake proved himself as the star quarterback, she soon fell for him and the two have been going steady ever since.
However, something was troubling him. Recently, a new student started attending the college named Kyle. He seemed unassuming at first back in freshman year but soon he would come to become one of the best football players in the school, to the point where Kyle was just second to Jake as the top quarterback in the university.
This made Jake worried, especially since he had been hearing rumors of Nicole eyeing at Kyle's muscular body from time to time. He’s had the discipline and strength to rise to the top of the sports hierarchy since he was a kid and now this new guy was catching up to him fast, to the point Kyle just might take Jake's crown as quarterback King and Nicole his possible new Queen.
Jake's heart beat in anxiety. The only way he could ever win at keeping his girlfriend might not be football, for Nicole had another interest that she loved more than cheerleading, Disney.
Nicole loved Disney movies, and The Little Mermaid was her favorite by a long shot. Every other movie night, Jake would sit through a screening of the movie with her. Since meeting Nicole, Jake has been able to memorize essentially every single song from the movie.
Alongside that, Nicole loved The Little Mermaid so much that she even had a special place for her heart the less critically beloved Little Mermaid 2.
During one night, while under the influence of one too many cans of beer, Nicole confessed to Jake that she would often fantasize of being a mermaid like Melody, Ariel's daughter, and that she recently indulged in imagining Jake as a merman. She said if that was weird to him but he merely shrugged at the time and now that memory was coming back to him.
"If there is one thing Kyle could never be is to be a merman. If I could just have fins instead of feet, I'd have her for good… Too bad that will never happen." Jake sighed.
"I wouldn't say never, dear." Alora said, coming out of the water.
"Ahhh!" Jake cried out, staring at the tentacles that were in the place of her legs. "Wh-who are you?" He demanded to know.
"Calm down, human. My name is Alora. I'm here to help."
“How can someone like you help me?" Jake inquired.
Alora giggled as she waved her arms and a crystal ball formed in her hands. Jake watched as an image of him as a merman appeared to him, gasping in awe. "I'll make you a deal that will turn you into a merman. Here what it entails"
The image changed as an image of Nicole as a mermaid swam up to the merman Jake. "If you can get Nicole to kiss you a merman while she's a human, you will become a merman forever and Nicole will join you as a mermaid. Easy, right?"
Jake gave a small nod of his head. "I guess so."
Alora smirked. "Well, here's the challenge. If she rejects you due to your merman body, all her previous feelings for you will disappear and you will have to get another girl to kiss you by the end of three days. If you fail that as well…" The image changed again as the mermaid Nicole vanished and chains came up and shackled the image of Jake in the crystal ball, pulling him down. Alora pulled him in close and wrapped an arm around his waist. "You belong to me as a polyp."
Jake widened his eyes as he heard this. Belong to her? This... this creature? And it all depended on whether or not his girlfriend could love him as a fish freak? "I don't know... I'm not sure I could get Nicole to kiss me."
Alora snickered. "Aww… What's the matter? I thought Nicole loved merfolk. Oh well, I guess you could continue your boring life as a human." She said, sliding a tentacle under Jake's red swimming trunks. "But if you won't take the risk, Kyle certainly will."
Jake froze at her words and growled. "You take that back!" He snapped, smacking the sea witch's tentacle and pushing her body away.
"Okay then, human. I guess I'll take my leave then. Enjoy your crown while you can. Kyle certainly will." Alora shrugged mockingly as she turned around to face the sea.
Jake watched as a tentacle gave him a bit of wave of goodbye to her.
He gulped.
“Whoa wait, wait, wait!” Jake said jumping out his towel and rushing to the sea witch, “Maybe I was too quick to judge you. Please, I'll do anything to keep Nicole by my side."
Alora stopped her leave. "Anything, huh? Just so you know… Once you become a merman, you can never be a star quarterback again. Your football career will be gone for good and you'll be tied to the sea for the rest of your life with Nicole." The sea witch warned. "Do you accept the terms and conditions, human?"
Jake looked back at his backpack, containing the red letterman jacket and football that brought him fame and fortune. Once he becomes a merman, it will all be gone. He tearfully looked back at the items and sniffed as he turned to face Alora.
"Yes. I do." He wiped his eyes. "Make me a merman."
"Excellent." Alora said with a grin she took out a contract and a pen. "Just sign here, please."
Jake looked at the contract and the blank space where his name will be. Once he signs it, there will be no going back. Either Nicole becomes his one true love under the sea or he'll be a polyp.
The boy sighed and began to sign the contract. "Kyle can take my football career all he wants but he'll never have my girlfriend." He said as he finished the last stroke of his name.