1 18th birthday

My body hit the water and I could taste its saltiness as it gushes through my mouth. Struggling to float back up to the surface, I see it from a distance, coming closer to me.

"TRISTAN!!!"

He gasped for air and opens his eyes, breathing heavily.

"Why do I keep having this same dream?" he thought and let out a deep sigh as he tried to remember the image he had seen and his name being called in the dream.

"That is new!" he whispered and tried figuring out what he had seen but after a while, he gave up.

The young man sat up and groaned out.

Trees were creaking and the birds wouldn't stop chirping, he stood up and could feel the morning cool breeze hitting his naked chest from his window.

Shutting the window, he walked towards his mirror and smirked at his appearance.

"I...I am not bad" he said in a deep voice.

The date was May 1st, 2021. "My 18th birthday but who cares about some dumb birthday".

Footsteps slowly creaked on every step of the stairs, the bedroom door handle turned slowly.

Without looking at the door he smiled, "Good morning Isabella" he said.

The little girl sighed and folded her arms in disappointment, her eyebrow was brought together and her forehead was wrinkled.

"How?....."

Before she could finish her statements, he lifted her and sighed softly.

"You come up to my room every morning to wake me up... I could tell it is my beautiful sister" he said and could still see her displeasure expression. "Wow!...even with your angry face you still look so adorable to me princess".

Finally, there was a huge smile on the girl's face.

She stared at him with her blue big eyeballs and said, "Tristan?...." holding his face, she continues "It is your birthday today isn't it?"

The young man put her down gently and walked to his closet.

It is a big closet with a lot of expensive clothing.

He switched on the light and grabbed a shirt, "Yea... I guess, so tell me...Dad and his wife are planning a surprise for me downstairs am I right?" he said as he put on his shirt.

"Uuhh huh! And I think Dad is also getting you a big gift for your birthday...he said something about you turning 18 and it's about time", The little girl said and immediately her eyes caught frosty crunchy munchers on Tristan's table.

She remembered asking her brother to give her but he wouldn't.

Tristan left his closet and got to his room.

"Isabella!!!" he said out in surprise.

The little girl got startled, holding the snacks firmly in her hands. She looked back at her brother and giggled nervously.

"What? I am 8", she responded and ran out of his room with the snacks still in her hands.

"That has so much sugar in it...she wouldn't listen" he grumbled.

"Tristan!"

The young man heard his name and could recognize the voice, he turned back and saw his dad.

They look so much alike that anyone could tell they are blood-related.

"Dad....good morning," he said not excited to see him.

"Come on, outside," The man said as he walked out of his son's room.

Tristan sighed and walked out of his room.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!"

They all chorused on seeing him walked out, the young man walked down the stairs and could see the "Happy birthday Tristan" banner hung on the wall.

Tristan's eyes caught a stare from afar, a young man of his age. Smiling at him as he walked down the stairs.

Tristan scoffs and turned his stare, "a lot of fake smiles this morning" he whispered and suddenly felt his dad's strong arm around his neck.

"You are now a big man Tristan, I am so proud of you," the man said, ignoring his son's mood. He doesn't seem too surprised to see him that way, the only person he smiled at in the house is Isabella.

"Happy birthday Tristan!"

The young man looked up at the woman carrying a cake with her.

"I made this especially for you today, try it...I am sure you would love it" the woman said smiling at him.

While everyone's eyes were on him, waiting to have a taste.

Tristan rolled his eyes and turned to his dad.

"Thank you for the surprise dad! I am glad you remember my birthday this year!" The young man said and walked out of the house.

On getting outside, he grabbed his head and shut his eyes.

"I miss you...mom," he said as tears rolled down his face.

Suddenly he heard a footstep approaching him.

"Why did you do that to my mom?...she was trying to be nice to you because it's your dumb birthday and all you could do is ignore her....." the young man yelled and stared at Tristan.

He scoffs and moves closer to him, "you know I can't blame you...because you don't have a mom...you don't know how it feels to have one that cares"

Tristan looked at him sharply, "what did you just say?" His eyes shot blood red, grabbing the young man's shirt furiously. "Take back what you just said" he added.

There was a silence between both of them as they stared vehemently at each other.

"JAMES!.....

Tristan, what are you doing to my son?"

The woman said out loud as she ran up to them and separated them, standing in front of James...she turned to Tristan.

"What is your problem Tristan...huh? What is it you want?...nobody is the cause of your problem, you are! And listen!!!! there is nothing you can do about me being your dad's wife...nothing! I am here to stay and I don't care if you hate me forever, I will always be here...replacing your dead mother!!!"

Tristan's heart hurt on hearing this, he responded with pain in his voice.

"How dare you talk about my mom! How dare you talk about her in that way...woman" he growled.

James walked towards him and answered sharply. "What are you going to do about it, pretty boy? Admit the truth and live with it...my mom owns the house and everything that belong to dad belongs to her so you better respect her or I will put you in your place".

In a blink of an eye, a hard punch hit James on his face. The woman gasped as she watched her son fell hard on the ground.

"TRISTAN! STOP IT"

His Dad hurried to them and angrily turned to his first son.

"Why did you do that to your brother? It is your birthday and even after my tight schedule and important meetings, I still created time for you rascal!!! You're ought to be inside celebrating with your family" he scolded.

"Oh my God! James your mouth is bleeding, are you okay?" the woman asked worriedly.

The man helped James up to his feet.

"He was just trying to make Tristan happy and persuading him to enter the house...my poor son!" the woman said sadly.

Tristan scoffs and looked away, "Pathetic liar"

His dad in a fit of rage gave him a resounding slap across the cheek, "how dare you to call her that..."

Tristan looked at his dad with teary eyes.

"I'd rather spend my day with homeless kids than spending any more second here with y'all", he said and looked at them all before sped off in his car.

"Tristan!!! Tristan!!!" the woman called out as she watched him roared away.

"Why did you hit him, honey? It's his birthday" she said.

The man looked away and walked in.

"Serves him right" James muttered and watched his mom followed his dad inside.

Suddenly he saw her standing a few distances from him, his heart skipped a beat as he walked towards her.

"Lily? Hi! I didn't know you are here" James said smiling nervously.

Lily. The beautiful neighbor, James's crush.

She rolled her eyes and frowned at James, "I heard all you said to Tristan! You let your dad hit him for nothing! You were at fault! Why would you do that?....you get more annoying every day" Lily responded and walked away hurriedly.

"Come on Lily! He started it...yo...you didn't just hear all he said to me first". James said out loud, watching Lily get into the next apartment.

"Oh shit!" the young man whispered to himself.

Tristan drove to the tavern and stopped the car, he stepped out and walked into the tavern.

He immediately saw his two older friends drinking and laughing.

The young man had known them ever since he got rescued from some kids trying to bully him in 8th grade.

"Hey yo! Look who it is! It's our man...Tristan" the black guy said excitedly.

The other Italian friend stood up and welcome Tristan with a hug.

"Happy birthday man! Look who is getting old..." he said and looked at Tristan sharply, "arent you supposed to be home with the fam? let me guess...something happened at home again right?"

Tristan grabbed a seat and also grabbed the beer on the table. He noticed their eyes on him as he poured himself some beer.

"What? I am 18 now, I can drink" he said and drank a full glass of beer.

"Are you okay man?" the black guy asked as he watched Tristan poured himself another glass of beer.

The young man coughed and sighed softly, "I had the same dream again!" he said.

The Italian guy turned to the barman.

"Bring more beers, today is our boy's birthday," he said and looked at Tristan who seemed drunk.

"The ocean dream? Again?...this is getting weird! Don't you think it is Nick...." he asked the black man.

Nick nodded.

"Yes! And this time... I saw something strange and it was calling out to me in the water...I Don't know what it is but talking about it is giving me goosebumps right now" Tristan said.

Nick hit the table suddenly, "Yea! I read about dreaming about the ocean and it says you may have hidden feelings you haven't yet faced" he said.

Tristan stared at him for a while and let out a chuckle.

"Hidden feelings?...like what?...that ain't related to my dream Is it?" the young man said.

"The voice calling for you in the ocean...Is it a female or a male voice?" The Italian guy asked.

"Female"

"A mermaid? It could be a mermaid"

They all turned and could see a drunk man staring at them.

"What are y'all staring at? It could be...only a mermaid can talk in an ocean" he said and laughed before staggering out.

"What?...." Tristan said out loud, "A...a what now? A MERMAID...?"