Stefanie was so close that Melissa could feel her hot breath on her neck. Melissa gave her all to resist, but she knew her body would betray both herself and Emily’s trust any second now. She practically begged the powers that be for anything to interrupt them; and fortunately, she was in luck.
“Excuse me;” called a voice startling both mermaids and drawing their attention. It was a young woman; older than Stefanie, but younger than Melissa; with red hair and a one-piece pink bathing suit that hugged her body well, “you don’t mind if I take a swim here, do you? I wanted to get a couple of quick laps in before it started raining again.”
Melissa recognized her as one of Emily’s neighbors usually giving her a casual greeting when she visits her friend, but today, she was happier than ever to see her. “Not at all,” Melissa said, “we were just heading back inside right now, weren’t we, Stef?” She said to Stefanie with a subtle sternness in her voice.”
Stefanie sighed heavily. “Fine.”
As the two mermaids swam over to the edge of the pool, the redhead dove in. Melissa and Stefanie climbed out of the pool and sat on the edge and, whispering to Stefanie, Melissa said, “We are never to speak about what almost happened, got it?”
“I was the one who first said that, remember?” Stefanie answered.
“I mean EVER!”
“Okay, okay; jeeze!”
“Oh, cool; are you mermaids?” The redhead asked.
The question made Melissa’s heart skip a beat. “They’re costumes!” Melissa practically shouted.
“Well, duh; I meant are you playing mermaids?” The girl said.
“You could say that.” Stefanie answered with a sly smirk.
The girl swam over to the mermaids and Melissa pulled her tail out of the pool and shifted her body as to lay on her belly, as did Stefanie, but she laid her tail alongside the pool instead.
“They look so realistic.” She said. “I mean, I’ve seen plenty of mermaid costumes on the Internet, but these pretty much blow them out of the water, so to speak.”
“I doubt you’ll find one any more realistic than this.” Stefanie said. By the way, I’m Stefanie, Emily’s sister, room 104.
“I’m Jillian, 210.” She answered. “How long did it take you to make?”
“Not long at all.” Stefanie answered.
“Can you make me a tail like that?” Jillian asked. “I’ve loved mermaids since I was little, and, to be honest, I’ve secretly wished I could be one.”
”If you really want one it’d be my pleasure to give you a tail like this.” Stefanie said as she shifted herself onto her belly, as well.
Melissa didn’t like where this could end up; especially since she could see the same look in Stefanie’s eyes that she had just before she kissed her. “Maybe we should leave her alone and go back inside.” Melissa said. “She doesn’t have much time to enjoy the pool before the rain starts back up, you know.”
“Now, now; she said it herself, she’s always wanted to be a mermaid.” Stefanie said. “Who am I to deny her the experience?”
”Stefanie, do I have to remind you what these tails ‘cost us’?” Melissa said, trying to hint at the curse without outright mentioning it. “Not to mention how hard it is to ‘remove them’?”
“If the materials are expensive, I’ll give you whatever you need to buy them.”
”That won’t be necessary, I have everything I need to give you a tail right here.” Melissa wanted this to stop, but she had a hard time thinking about how without revealing that they were real mermaids. “But first, I have something I’d like to share with you, too.” Melissa remembered that Serenity used their mermaid bond to stop her from hitting her, She wondered if she could use that to stop Stefanie, but she didn’t know how to utilize it.
Jillian and Stefanie leaned closer together. It was now or never.