8.4: Beckoning

   Cool water gushed from the shower head, onto my somewhat muscular chest as I stood in the shower, lathering shampoo into my hair. Ever since I had passed out on the beach, with the last thing I remembered being a shark's razor teeth puncturing my oxygen canister, I'd felt off. Not sickly off; in fact I'd went to the doctor's and my health was even better then went I went for my physical fitness exam to be a lifeguard, I had a peculiar feeling. I wasn't sure what had cured me- maybe my body was stronger then I realized?

   I rinsed the shampoo out of my hair, as my thoughts turned from my scuba accident to the mermaid. I had been diving frequently, yet was not any closer to finding a mermaid. She, I naturally assumed it was a lady, had a tail that was violet. I knew that much, the rest was based off of urban legends and stories told by those who frequented the bar. Mermaids were said to be beautiful... I wonder if the one I'd seen would be. I, unsure of whether or not I should feel embarrassed, glanced down to see that my attraction to the mermaid wasn't just out of curiosity. I was a somewhat horny nineteen year old virgin; who could blame for what I was going to do?
   After a bit, I switched off the water and stepped out of the shower. I quickly wrapped a white towel around my waist. Should I shave? I glanced at my appearance in the mirror, instantly deciding against it. My stubble wasn't bad, besides maybe I would look better with a beard. I opened the bathroom door, stepping into my lobby slash living room slash dining room slash kitchen. The unfortunate thing about houseboats was they were rather small, unless you had enough cash to shell out and buy a gigantic boat.

   A shell sat on my surfboard turned coffee table. I had found it lying next to me when I woke up after the accident. It wasn't anything special; just a normal shell you could find after a day of leisurely strolling long the beach. I picked it up, glancing at it. It didn't look different, yet I felt different ever since the accident, could the shell be the cause? Slowly, I brought it to my lips and blew a small gust of air into it. A high pitched noise came from it, but other than that nothing occurred. I sighed, opening the front door and dropping it by the old newspaper, so the garbageman would know to take it.

   I walked back inside, bored to death. I didn't work today, I didn't feel like going diving or to the gym, I had nothing to do. I wasn't that hungry and there were no decent films at the cinema to see. Whatever I decided to do, I probably would just go up to the roof and read or play on my phone, I needed to get dressed like a proper person first.

Maya Bayolet's Point of View...

   I swam towards the houseboat, anticipation filling me. I was not allowed to meet with humans intentionally, however if they summoned for me with the conch shell, I was allowed to meet them. I had one shell and I gave it to the man on the beach; I didn't know his name or who he was, but I knew I wanted to learn.

   I climbed aboard the boat, wondering if this was some form of breaking and entering. He had summoned me, but did he now what he was doing? My family had been here for centuries, yet I'd never heard anything about his lineage. Newcomers were a rare occurrence and I'd heard of one a few months ago. Perhaps he was the newcomer? The boat felt familiar, like I'd seen if before...
   I glanced at the white front door, then up at the ladder. It seemed rude to barge into someone's home, however it didn't seem any more polite to climb onto their roof and wait for them to come up. I wish I understood the human customs better, mother and father hardly ever let me see people or learn about them.

   I decided to climb up the ladder; at least that wasn't technically locked like the front door was. He was on a beach chair, just laying their, oblivious! Should I wake him? It seemed like I shouldn't, but then what could I do? The shell had a one time usage; if I left now I wouldn't be allowed to come and see again. What if I ended up punished for trying to see again? I couldn't leave. I had to stay.

   A beach towel was nicely folded, sitting on top of the coolers. Unsure of what the social protocol was for mermaid who wanted to meet human who was sleeping was, I took the towel and spread it out of the wooden planks of the roof. I suppose I could rest as well, maybe tan a tad... I gently lowered myself onto the ground, rest my head against the fluffy pink and white fabric.

Harbor's POV...

   I groggily stood up from the beach chair, after my nap. I quickly glanced at my cell phone; my nap had lasted the majority of the afternoon. I glanced up at the sun- there was a woman resting on my roof, tanning herself on a bunny beach towel that I had gotten from a cheesy tourist trap gift shop.
   "Excuse me?" I said, unsure of who the lady was. Who just shows up to a stranger's home in their bikini and whatever the hell was on her legs and decides that this is a great place for a nap and tanning session? "Look, I don't know who the hell you are, but could you please explain what's going on?"

   "Hmm?" She moaned, standing up from the towel. "You're him! You're the man." A smile spread across her face, as I walked over to help her up.
   "The man? What are you talking about? Who are you?"
   "I'm Maya. Maya Bayolet."
   "Nice to meet you, Maya?" I said, unsure of if it was actually nice or not. "Care to explain what's going on?"
    "Oh, oh yeah. Sorry. See, you summoned me and I technically can only visit humans if they blow the shell and I saved you and gave you it and I wanted to meet you."
    "Saved me?"
    "I healed you after the shark attack."

   "Thank you. You said you can only visit humans are you-" My brain began piecing things together, summoning her, her legs- she had to be what I was searching for.
   "A mermaid? Yes, I'm sorry for this, I just... I had to meet you, what's you name?"
   "Harbor Janes."
   "Harbor." She smiled, as she repeated my name several times. "It seems like it fits you well."
   "It does." I agreed. "Maya... When I first moved here, I saw a mermaid and I was determined to find the mermaid who matched the tail. I researched at the library, went to a bar and heard the legends, hell I got a job just so I could earn money for scuba lessons so I could find the tail and fins. I did all this work, to find a mermaid and now, out of chance, out of luck, I find one."
    "I think you found the right one, though."
    "I'm glad." We stood in silence for a few minutes, unsure of what we could talk about. I had dreamed about this moment for so long, I felt like it should have been bigger. Like it shouldn't have come about by accident. I suppose you can't plan life, though.

   "I have strict parents." She finally broke the silence, with a statement I didn't expect.
   "You do?"
    "Yeah... there's rules about mermaids visiting humans."
    "Are you breaking them?"
    "Not breaking, as much as finding a loophole."
    "Loopholes are nice. Oh, and I like you ring." The conversation flowed as awkwardly as possible.
    "It lets me walk on land Every month, I have to go to my family's crest stone and press the ring against it." She shrugged, as if was average. "Without it my gills couldn't turn into lungs and vice versa." We continued chatting for a bit, before night fall came and she stated that she had to go.
   "Goodbye." I simply said.
   "Goodbye." She replied, kissing me lightly on the cheek, then turning to climb down the ladder. We may have been awkward, but it was the start of something. Now I could only hope that the something would go someplace. As I watched her swim away, with the tail I'd spotted so long ago I couldn't help but wonder when I'd see her again.