Chapter 1

"Wake up, you're going to be late for school." "Penelope, did you hear me?" "I am going to be late for work at the rate you're moving."

"Yes mother, I am awake and I will be right down."

My mother can be a little bit uptight when it comes to things like work and school. We have plenty of time but that's how she is.

"I am ready."

"Finally please get yourself into the car and I will be right there."

"I will wait but don't be too long otherwise we might be late for real."

We like joking around with each other and it helps make us laugh.

"Very funny."

I put the car in drive. How am I going to tell her that she is adopted? I should've told her years ago she deserves to know but I am just too scared to tell her.

"Mother are you alright?"

Why does she look so sad?

"Yes I am alright." "Look where you have a great day my love."

She is growing up so fast.

"I will and I want you to be happy to be a mother so I hope you have an amazing day." "I love you."

I closed the car door to be tackled with a hug by my friend Mia.

"You're here?" "I thought I was going to be here at school alone today."

We walked into the school to put our things in the lockers.

"Yes I am here."

I can see tears welling up in her eyes.

"Hey what's wrong?"

"My mother and father kicked me out of the house for two weeks."

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" "You are welcome to stay at my place." "It will be so much fun we could stay up late and watch movies and do other fun stuff."

I pulled her in for a hug.

Everything is going to be fine.

"Thank you so much for everything."

I hugged her back wipping the tears from my eyes.

"We are going to have so much fun."

"Yes it will."

I know my mother won't mind because she loves her just like she does me. She is going to be thrilled.

"Ding dong."

"I will see you after school." "We will meet up by the office."

"That sounds good to me to see you after school is over with."

I gave her one last hug before rushing off to my first class. Looking up at the clock this is going to be a long day. I Hope Mia is doing alright.

"Ding dong."

I wait for Penelope to come into view.

"Penelope over here."

"Her girly, how's school going?"

She already looks so tired.

"Are you doing alright?" "You seem to be zoning out."

"Huh?" "Yes I am fine, school is just dragging by so slowly."

What am I saying that's not the reason why I am zoning out? Why would I say that?

"Ding dong."

"See you soon Penelope."

I dashed off to my next class.

"Sounds good."

How something is off with Mia today. I mean she just ran off without another word or walked with me for a little bit. I sat down in my seat. I looked at the time Mia was right and school is going by so slowly. Bell please just ring already.

***

I am so glad that Penelope is letting me stay over at her place for a while. My parents have been fighting again. I just can't take it any more, all the fighting, yelling, and screaming I have been losing sleep and it just makes me sad to see them like that.

***

"Ding dong."

Finally school is finally over because Mondays are so slow.

"Mia you're here let's get going my mother is parked in front."

I really wish I knew why she is not being herself but I will let her come to me when she is ready.

"Are you sure that it's alright that I come over?"

I just don't want to listen anymore fighting or yelling.

"Yes, I already talked to my mother." "She is so excited that you are coming over." "We are going to make cookies tonight, we're going to have such a blast."

"That does sound like fun." "Penelope, I have something I want to tell you." "The reason why I asked if I could stay over is because." "Well I mean I do want to hangout with you but also because my parents are fighting they never kicked me out I just don't want to go back."

I can feel tears running down my face.

"It's alright Mia you can stay as long as you want."

I hugged her tight.

"Let's get going so we can make some yummy cookies."

***

"Everyone wash their hands before touching anything." "I am going to t some tunes on." "Let's get to cooking." "Mia, could you pass me the sugar."

"Yes, here you go."

This is so much fun. If I could, I would stay here forever.

"Thanks for letting us help cook."

"No thank you both for helping me and having so much fun making these amazing cookies." "We should watch a movie after we are done we will call it a movie night." "This is the last batch of cookies, why don't you both go get cleaned up and get into your comfortable P.J.s and we will watch horror movies."

"Really?" "Sweet."

I grabbed Mia's hand and led her up the stairs.

(Singing)

Our loving daughters, we are awaiting your return home. We all miss you so much.

I stopped Penelope.

"Did you hear that?"

"Yes, it sounds like someone is calling us.

Why would they say our daughters? Is Mia my sister? No can't be.

"Well I will go take a shower first and make yourself at home while you wait."

"I will just not go down the drain." "Haha."

"Hahaha." "I will try not to."

"Sounds good." "Haha."

I sat down on the bed. I still remember the first time I came here my parents wanted me out of their sight for a week or more. I don't remember too much about what my parents said but I remember all the fun we had.

***

The shower feels so good. I dried myself off and got ready.

"Mia your turn." "I will wait for you."

Can't wait for movie night. This is going to be so much fun, especially the scary parts that make us jump.

***

"So what are we going to watch?"

I usually don't watch scary movies well and my parents won't let me.

"We're going to watch." "Who killed who?"

This is going to really scare the girls.

***

"What do you two think of the movie?" "Scary right?"

I turned to see both girls are as white as ghosts. The movie wasn't that bad was it?

"Mother, can we sleep in your room tonight?"

I didn't expect my mother to put in a really scary movie in the DVD player. I thought it was going to be more like Hocus Pocus.

"Yes please can we have a sleepover in your room for the night."

I remember the reason why my parents never let me watch movies like this because I won't be able to sleep at night.

"Yes you both can." "I didn't think you two would be that scared but I also thought girls your age watched scary movies like that all the time at parties without parents around."

Wow I guess I was wrong about these two girls being like a lot of other girls their age. Should have asked about that before playing the movie.

"Let's go to bed and get some sleep.

(Singing)

Come home it's time to come home.

"Hey Penelope did you hear that?"

"Yes, where is it coming from?"

(Singing)

Hurry now we need you to come home into our arms. We miss you both so much we can't risk anyone seeing you so hurry home.

"Let's follow that voice."

"Mia, wait I am coming with you."

The voices lead us to the ocean.

"This is not making any sense."

"Mia?" "Penelope?" "Is that you?"

"Yes it is Penelope and myself." "Who are you?" "What are you?"

Why is she in the water?

"You both are finally home, look how much you both have grown." "My beautiful baby girls."

"Wait what?" "That can't be right or true, my mother is asleep at home and Mia is not my sister."

"Yes you two are sisters and my daughters."

"I think I speak for both Penelope and myself." "What are you supposed to be?"

"I am a mermaid and it's time for you two to come home to your father and me."

"Wait so if you are a mermaid that means we are too?"

"Haha." "Yes."

"I have something else to add onto Mia's question." "How come were humans?"

"Oh that well there was a war when I gave birth to you two so we sent all the babies to live with humans you're the only two left that we have to bring home." "That's if you both want to come home."

"Yes I will come home."

I looked over to see Penelope afraid.

"I don't know." "You and father left us without a note or anything explaining why you left not just that but you separated us."

It hurts me to have to say these things to my real mother but she wasn't there for me she let someone do all her work.

"I know and I am so sorry but we had no other choice, we had to protect you all and it had to be fast." "Not one family had time to say goodbye to their babies."

"I forgive you."

That sounds like it would be very hard to do.

"Are you both ready to go?"

"Yep." "Come on Penelope, they are family."

"Yes I know." "Fine, I am ready to come home."

Looking back I hope the human mother will be alright.

"Come in the water."

(Singing)

Return these mermaid legs back into tails, return them to their true forms.

"Wow Penelope, your tail is so beautiful."

Wow my tail is so amazing too.

"They are amazing." "Mother, thank you for coming back for us." "I understand why you did what you did and I am sorry for being so rude to you about it."

"No worries, I understand why you would be upset about it." "Now let's get you both home."

I am so excited to see what is under the water and what the water world looks like. Penelope is not quite sure what to think about all that has happened. I don't think she fully understands why she was abandoned. When she was younger five different mothers didn't want her. She might not know about her past. I might have looked through her files at school. It's not her fault for being the way she is about things like this.

"Here we are home sweet home."

"Wow, it's so beautiful."

There are a lot of mermaids and merman.

"You like it here don't you Mia?" "How about you Penelope?"

"It's alright can I go look around?"

"Yes, go ahead." Mia, what's wrong with Penelope?"

"When you sent us up there we were fighting our own battles." "My foster parents fought a lot and Penelope well she was abandoned several different times if it takes some time." "By the way don't tell her about her past because I don't think she knows at all it's just the trauma that she has."

"Oh like I said earlier it was way more dangerous down here than up there on land but I will wait for her to come around." "She really trusts you."

"Yes it's because I am always there for her like she is always there for me."

***

How can Mia suddenly want to come home?" "It's a wonderful place but I don't trust my blood mother not quite yet not just that but it makes no sense.

"Smack."

"I am so sorry I was thinking too much." "Let me help you."

"Thanks." "Wait, Penelope or Mia?" "I can't believe you are finally home."

"Penelope is my name and my sister is Mia but I thought all kids our age are just getting home today?"

"What are you talking about?" "You and your sister are the only two that were sent to land life because your parents wanted to keep you from harm, that's what they told us."

She lied to us. I knew something like this would happen.

"Oh she told me something completely different she said that all kids our age went to land and were coming home today and that my sister and I are the last ones."

"Well no one did except for you and your sister from what I know anyway my name is Danny."

"It's nice to meet you Danny." "Sorry again for bumping into you." "I was just looking around." "This is my first time here so I thought I would take a look around this town."

"Well how about I show you around?"

Penelope is really beautiful. Why did she have to go when she was born? We would have been great friends.

"Sounds like a plan, would you be able to show me around tomorrow?" "So my sister can come with me?"

"Sure thing." "What time?"

"How does six o'clock in the morning sound?"

"Sounds good to me." "See you tomorrow, meet me here." "Bye."

"Bye."

I don't trust him yet but something tells me that he will do no harm to me but I still don't know.