TOUCH ME

"Aren't you sleepy?"

"No. I don't feel like sleeping, who knows if this water..... I'm just hungry.'

On hearing that she was hungry, Trion immediately left to go find her something to eat.

"It's like he sounded hurt when I mocked his cave. Why did he leave without saying anything. I told him I'm hungry but he just left.., should I follow him up? Who knows what he's up to."she thought.

Wandering her eyes around, she saw white papers on something that looked just like a stool though it wasn't.

All she wished to know was finding something about that man. She quickly stood up before she reached for those papers.

Surprisingly for her it was Aurora and Sarah's handwriting.

What shocked her to the core was that they had sent those letters on her behalf.

"So this is that man!", she breathed.

"I can't believe they have been lying to me. They said they would help me teach him a lesson when actually they were encouraging him like this.

"Everything makes sense now... It means Aurora pushed me on purpose. How could she do that to me for the stranger's sake. What if I fell.... What if something happened to me." She was connecting every possible dot to get to the truth.

"Look what I've brought for you." Before she knew it Trion was back but again he couldn't come out of water.

"Why can't I see the whole of you. I mean why do you always hide your lower part in the water."

"First eat. We'll talk about it later because we still have time as you'll be spending a night with me here. "

Araxie's look widened on hearing what the man just said.

"You seem scared. What's the problem."he added.

"It's nothing."she lied when deep down she wished she could fly away. Who knows what the night with this stranger would be like, especially when they're under the sea.

"Wow .. that means you don't have a problem with spending a night with me here, right?"he was teasing her since he already knew what she was thinking.

"Take your food back. My appetite is ruined."

"Punishing yourself like this isn't good for your health. You have to eat something Araxie."

Araxie could feel butterflies roaming around her whole body, on hearing how romantically that man pronounced her name.

"I know you're afraid that we'd sleep together, right? I'm not like that but I can be stubborn when given permission." Was he trying to get her heart out of her? " I only meant that you'll stay here until tomorrow and that's all. You didn't say it but I'm good at reading other's minds... that's why. I've also seen that you've read through my letters and you're still shocked. I can see you need to know about me, am I right?"he was talking with a cold tone which got Araxie worried. "I know everything. Your friends replied to my letters because they knew you would ruin everything if they let you do it yourself. You're so lucky that you've got such sweet and loving friends, who know what's best for you and they're trying their best to keep it close to you even without your knowledge.

You're angry with them right now because they've given you a shock of your life and you aren't ready to think because of that. You believe that you're right and they're wrong but that's not true. You should try to think like them, put yourself in their shoes before you judge them. How will they benefit from all this. The sooner you learn that they won't be gaining anything from this but only you will, the earlier you would support and appreciate them. They only wish to rejoice in your happiness. That's my take though. The rest is up to you."

All this left Araxie confused. She couldn't understand a thing anymore. She couldn't think what was right or wrong at the moment.

"H-he.. knows it all! So... I was right! He's not a human but something else. What is he?"she wondered in shock.

"You're right about that. I'm not a human but a merman. And that's why I've been hiding my true self from you. I didn't want to scare you by showing you my tail."

"So he was doing it intentionally!"Araxie breathed.

"I don't have to hide it from you anymore since you know everything now." Before she could digest his words, she realized that Trion had already stood on his fish-like tail.

"No! Nooo.."she shouted. She couldn't believe it. It was really beyond her! "I .. it's really true. Y-o-u... you're a mermaid!"

"Yes Araxie. Mermaids do exist. I'm sorry if I've scared you because I can see you're about to faint. I knew that one day you'll learn this Truth about me but I didn't realize that it would be this soon. I'm afraid our love is going to end before it starts."he said as tears rolled down his cheeks.

"I never thought I'd ever see a living mermaid. I always thought I would stop at reading about them in novels but now... he's standing in front of me. It's so unbelievable. I wished my friends were here too."she thought with her hands on her mouth as she stood astonished but on the other hand, worried.

"May I touch you."she was shocked by her own words. She struggled to explain herself, "I just want..."

Cutting in, Trion spoke, "it would be greatest pleasure of mine."

Knowing that mermaids can't step out of water completely, Araxie took few steps forward to get closer to him. She knew he wouldn't make it to where she stood because it was dry there.

Looking seemingly lost in thoughts, Araxie didn't realize she was one step closer to Trion. She tried stretching her arm but it didn't work- she was scared of him that's why.

With much hesitation, she walked backwards. Maybe she wanted to give up. "I won't harm you please. Don't step back dear." Maybe she was charmed because she found it hard to ignore Trion's words.

Without hesitation this time, she stepped into the water before she slipped and fell on this merman's bare hairy chest.

For a moment she felt something unusual -something irresistible about him!

She tried to think but couldn't find good words to explain how she was feeling.

It was strange of her that she still wanted to be in his arms when he had let go of her waist.

"Go on dear.... touch me."Trion said calmly.

Feeling a little scared, Araxie moved her hand and slowly..... She put it back!

Trion who had closed his eyes as he wanted to feel the moment, waited for Araxie's soft hands to reach him but in vain.

The long wait seemed like forever since her hands couldn't reach him.

"You can do it dear. You'll love it I promise."

Managing the courage, Araxie eventually reached for Trion's tail, with her heart racing for faster and louder than ever before.

"Do you feel my touch?"she asked while her both eyes fixed on this man's tail.

"I do. "that was all he replied since he was still feeling the moment.

For some strange reason Araxie didn't want to stop moving her hand on Trion's tail. Perhaps she liked it as he had mentioned.

"Will you still be scared of me hereafter?" It was like asking her if she still wanted to be in love with him.

"No. Why should I be scared of you. You're not dangerous, are you?"

"Really! I thought you'd hate me after learning about this bitter truth of mine."

"Bitter truth! You've mentioned this word for more than three times. Why do you call it 'bitter truth'. May I know why?

"It's a long story. You might cry yet I don't ever want to see a drop of your tears."he paused. "You should go to sleep. It's very late, you might catch a cough."he said.

He was right though, Araxie had started coughing but she wasn't ready to stop caressing that man's tail!

"Won't you sleep?"she asked before stepping out of water.

"I won't sleep. I will stay awake for you."

"For me! What do you mean?"

"I will be watching over you till morning."

"Don't you feel cold too?"

"Absolutely not. I'm aquatic, that's why."

When Araxie stood in the dry corner of the cave, old memories of her and her friends summoned in her mind. She recalled everything they told her about relationships, especially Aurora's words, "sometimes love doesn't happen at first sight. One can realize her feelings after spending time with her loved one."

"Aurora was right... I'm starting to feel like there's a connection between us. I'm liking him. Oh God, please don't make me fall in love with him yet... I'm afraid my mom would kill me."she thought.

Laying down on the dry sand, she remembered her comfortable bed at home. Although she wasn't enjoying it all here, at least she was happy and relaxed.

The pain she was feeling right then was nothing compared to the one she used to feel after being scolded and beaten by Marina - it was really peaceful!

As her eyes wandered around looking for something to cover herself with, they got locked with Trion's - who had found it hard to take his eyes off of this beautiful damsel.

She immediately shied and looked away.

"Do you want anything?"he asked though he was sure she wasn't going to say anything.

Silence reigned between them until a gorgeous mermaid showed up with a small metallic case.

"Here are your things your highness."she said, bending down for him.

"Highness! I...is he a prince or something?"she mumbled.

When the lady was gone, Trion moved his eyes and looked in Araxie's direction. He expected to find her staring at him because of what the other lady said. Araxie who had been staring at him quickly looked away to dodge his gaze.

"I'm sure you'll need this."he placed the case on the dry rock at the entrance of the cave.

Now Araxie was fighting the urge to go and check what was inside the case but her ego wasn't letting her to.

"You're free to open it. It's not locked."Trion said but she never said a word back. She kept looking away.

There was silence for some time as Araxie tried to bear the coldness till it became unbearable for her that she slowly and quietly reached for the case hoping to find in something to cover herself with.

To her surprise, there were some female clothes that seemed to be of her size, a woolen blanket and white sheets.

"Are...t-these for me?"she finally asked.

"Who else is here. Of course they're yours." He said as he came closer.

Araxie felt like her heart has been taken from her chest. "Where are you go..ing?"

Maybe Trion found unnecessary to reply because he just paused and glared at her.

"Oh God. I hope he's not coming to trouble me!"she swallowed a breath.

Without saying anything, Trion laid on the dry floor leaving his tail in the water.

"I appreciate that you've brought me dry clothes. But how am I going to change in ...in your presence."

Her clothes were all wet. Thank God that lady remembered to bring her some.