Lydia's mind raced as she desperately sought a way to escape her predicament. Then she heard the locker room door open and footsteps. It sounded like just one person. Could her boyfriend be coming to check on her? She felt hope for a brief moment then realized he would have called out for her. It must be another girl, probably from the swim team. Lydia tried to drag herself across the shower stall to grab the shower curtain and close it. She couldn't make it in time.
Lydia's face went pale. Monica stood there, staring at her rival sprawled out in the shower, red mermaid tail unmistakable. Monica's mouth had opened her mouth as if to offer up a snide remark at Lydia's misfortunate, but then it hung open in disbelief at what she was seeing.
Lydia curled up and began to cry. She didn't know what Monica was going to do to her, but she was sure it could only be something mean. So she was caught off-guard when Monica finally, wordlessly closed her mouth reached out to turn off the shower. Then she sat down next to Lydia and put a hand on her shoulder.
"How long?" Monica asked.
"What?" asked a confused Lydia.
"How long have you been turning into a mermaid?"
Lydia was confused. "Not long. This is only my second transformation."
"And it doesn't look like you're naturally a mermaid? Otherwise you wouldn't have a swimsuit tail."
"Long story" muttered Lydia, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Stupid genie." She looked at Monica with a quizzical expression. "Why are you asking? Why have you suddenly stopped acting like a bitch?"
"Acting like a bitch keeps humans from getting to close," Monica explained, "except for the occasional guy who wants to fuck me and forget about me."
"I don't understand."
Monica sighed. "You're not the first mermaid on this swim team." Monica's shapely legs began to develop teal scales as a mermaid tail spread out from under her pink skirt.
Lydia was flabbergasted. "I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it with my own eyes." Then she turned to the more pressing issue. "I can't transform at voluntarily like you can. Will you help me get out of here?"
"Sure," said Monica, "but you owe me big."
"Anything you want," begged Lydia. "So long as you keep my secret forever."
Monica had a devilish grin.