22 Chapter Twenty-One

After a few hours of getting to know my little sister, I look over at my mother who seems to be lost in her own world. I glance over at Aiden who is napping on the couch and sigh. I guess now is a good a time as any.

"Mother?"

She snaps out of her thoughts and looks over at me. She smiles, encouraging me to go on.

"I was actually wondering.. Do you have any idea on how I could break this curse?" I ask, getting straight to the point.

She sighs. "Well, as all fairytales end, true loves kiss will break the curse." She takes a glance over at Aiden before looking back at me. "I thought the curse was broken when you first appeared at my door for two reasons. One being, how are you on land?"

I shrugged. "It happened a year ago. I was able to come out of the water with legs and no tail. I'm not sure why it happened but, it did."

She nods, taking this in. "So you and Aiden...?"

"We're just friends. He's helping me find a way to break the curse." I tell her the truth.

She nods again. "I always wondered how you would be able to find true love if you were a mermaid. It never made sense to me. I thought I had lost you forever. But, what I do know, is that you have until your eighteenth birthday or the curse will be irreversible."

My eyes widen in shock. My eighteenth birthday is only three months away. How in the world am I supposed to fall in love in that little bit of time? I don't even talk to anyone other than Aiden and occasionally Kelsie.

I guess its time to change that if I'm serious about breaking the curse.

Which I most definitely am.

But, I voice my concerns anyway.

"How am I supposed to fall in love in three months?"

My mother sighs and shakes her head. "I don't know, my sweet Bambina. But, its possible and I encourage you to try. But it is completely up to you. Remember 'The Little Mermaid'?"

I nod, remembering that being my favorite movie as a child. I used to wish I could be a mermaid because my little self thought it would be amazing.

If I knew then what I knew now...

"Then you must remember, her and prince Eric fell in love in only three days." She says with a small smile.

I sigh, sitting back in my chair. There was only one problem with that.

"It was just a cartoon fairytale." I say sadly.

She nods slightly as she rubs my shoulder. She seems upset and I know why. She just got her daughter back after seven years and she doesn't know if she'll ever be able to see me again afternoon these next three months. I feel the exact same way.

I look up at the clock on her wall and sit up straighter. I still have a few more hours before I have to leave and I don't know what else to say. I don't want to lose my mother, or my sister now that I know I have one, but how am I supposed to find someone to fall in love with?

How would I even know if I did love someone? Its not like I've ever loved someone before. How would I know how it feels?

I don't even know what it feels like to like someone.

In the books I've read, when the characters like each other, their hearts speed up and electricity spikes when they touch. I think the authors have no idea what they are talking about because the only person that has ever made my heart speed up is Aiden.

And, we're only friends.

I'd like to say that he's my best friend. He listens to me and understands that I'm unhappy being a mermaid. He is even helping me to break the curse when he doesn't even have to.

So, anyway, the authors have to be wrong because Aiden likes Darcy and I like Aiden.

Wait.... What?

I DON'T like Aiden. I don't.

In fact, even if I thought I did, its just because he's the only guy I know aside from Aquarius and I know that I don't like him that way.

Ugh, I'm giving myself a headache.

I don't like Aiden in that way. End of discussion.

"Bambina?"

I look up at the voice that called me and clear my throat.

"Yes?"

"You spaced out for a minute there. Are you tired? You and Aiden can share the guestroom if you would like." My mother offers with a smile.

I feel my cheeks heat up and I quickly try to hide my face with my hair.

Why did I have to have those stupid thoughts?!

I shake my head quicklyas I stand up. "No, actually, if you're getting tired then we can leave.."

She stands up and grabs my wrist. "Nonsense. You and Aiden should stay here for the night."

I look over at Aiden, who has just woken up from his nap. I watch as he stretches and glances up at me. When his eyes land on mine, he sends me a wink and a smirk appears on his face.

I blush deeply before looking back at my mother. "I can't. I have to be in water by dawn."

She grins before looking at Aiden. "I have an inside pool. Its huge and really deep."

I look at Aiden as well and he just shrugs. I guess he doesn't care what we do. I smile before looking back at my mother.

"Okay, sure."

After I told my little sister goodnight, I offered for her to come swim with me in the morning. Honestly, every little girl wants to swim with a mermaid. She was more than excited of course.

My mother tells us to follow her and she takes us to a glass door and I peek inside.

"This is the pool room and through this door," She says pointing at the door across from the pool room. "is where you'll be sleeping."

We both think her and walk into the room. It was a nice sized room with a queen sized bed. It looked comfortable enough. Then instantly remembering that we would have to share a bed, I begin to blush.

We've shared a bed before. I tell myself. And, just a friendly reminder...

I DO NOT LIKE AIDEN!!!