Chapter Text
“And I think that’s it! The last of our stuff!”
Sera was the last one inside, rolling her suitcase into their family’s beach house. Leilah looked around the bright and spacious living room, warm sunlight filtering through the windows, with a soft smile.
“It’s like I can finally relax.” Leilah sighed, running her hand through her purple hair. “And I know that goes double for you, Sera.”
A break from college, and a break from nagging parents. Sera had been counting down the days until they could return here. “Absolutely. But aren’t you still working, though? You can’t really relax.”
Leilah shrugged, patting her shoulder bag that held her laptop. “Sure, I can! Yeah, I’m still doing research, but they’re letting me set my own pace out here.”
“If you say so,” Sera said, for Leilah knew her job as a marine biologist better than she did. And well, their current location did make her research easier.
“I’ll make sure that I don’t stress myself out, trust me.” Leilah then glanced over at a man who had said nothing yet, his arms filled with bags. “First impressions on the house, Darren?”
Darren, aka Leilah’s boyfriend for the past year from her most recent job. Sera didn’t mind him. He was a grouch, but he treated Leilah nicely and it was funny to get under his skin sometimes. Also, he was someone who didn’t reach their parents’ high standards, so that earned him more points in Sera’s book.
The man in question grumbled out a, “It’s nice.” However, his attention wasn’t even on the house itself. He was focused on one of Sera’s friends who had come over to help, dressed in only a ragged pair of swim trunks. “You know, when I asked if you were friends with them, I really underestimated the yes you told me.”
The friend laughed, high-pitched whistles woven within, as he placed a container of food and snacks on the nearby couch. Sera shrugged. “We told you we’ve known them for three years now.” Ever since the discovery they made during one of their visits, down by the closest bay.
“Well, excuse me. They aren’t exactly known for being friendly.” Darren eyed him, particularly his lower half. “Or having damn legs.”
Leilah patted Darren’s shoulder. “It’s common knowledge now that mammalians have the ability to grow them-
“-I know, but with how rare they are, you can’t blame me for being surprised when he comes up asking to help unpack.”
Another wind-chime laugh, followed by a raspy, lilted voice. “Your mate is funny, Leilah.”
“Her what-?!”
Sera hid an amused smile behind a hand as a blush spanned across Darren’s cheeks. Leilah didn’t look any better as she mended, “Boyfriend, Isen. Boyfriend.”
“Strange human terms.” Isen waved her off and then leaned against the couch, flashing a Daren a grin. The sharper canines he had was the only hint of him being something other than human. “Blame dolphin blood. Born to please.”
When Darren’s gaze turned speculative, Sera took a step forward, starting in the direction of her room. “Speaking of, Isen, help me carry my stuff to my room.”
“Alrighty.”
Isen took some bags from Darren and followed Sera as she rolled her suitcase across the house. Leilah and Darren started a conversation that she didn’t pay attention to. When she reached her room, it was as pristine as she left it last year.
Sera tossed her suitcase onto her bed, Isen following suit with her bags, whistling a soft melody as he did so. Sera felt even more at ease now, it settling in that she was here. Somewhere she would forget about reality, frolicking with fantasy instead. Or rather, what had used to be fantasy until a handful of years ago.
She would never forget her first sighting of a mer, right off the shore of this very house.
Isen had been the one she’d seen.
Sera opened her suitcase and took out her clothes as Isen raked his hands through his hair, still slightly wet. Even so, Sera glanced at him and asked, “How long have you been out of the water? You’re okay?"
“Yep!” Isen plopped down on the bed, bouncing a bit. He smiled and kept bouncing. Sera rolled her eyes at his antics, but she couldn’t be surprised. There weren’t exactly mattresses underwater. “Takes a while before I get too dry, you know that.”
Around six hours, if Sera remembered Leilah’s research correctly. Six hours before they dry out and risk rashes, along with other skin related issues.
“Just wanted to make sure.” She took out a pair of shoes. “How are the others?”
Isen finally stopped bouncing, playing with the zipper on the suitcase instead. “Same, same. Oh!” He perked up, an excited chitter escaping him. “Got new pod members few full moons ago.” He then produced a cacophony of chirps and whistles that had Sera deadpanning at him, understanding none of it. Isen blinked at her before seeming a little sheepish. “Uhhh, Evie, Dylan, and Roland in your tongue. I think. Rough translation. Very nice mers.”
Sera tossed those names around in her mind. “Can’t wait to meet them.”
Isen stood back up. “I should tell everyone you're here. Unless you need more help?”
She shook her head. “Nah, I’m good. And I’m sure Leilah’s fine because she has Darren.”
“Okay!” Isen waved back at her as he jogged out of her room. “See you in a bit!”
“See you.“
Sera continued to unpack, making her room look more lived in, preparing herself for the next three summer months.
When she finished, she eyed her multitude of swimsuits. She debated it for a moment before changing into a modest two-piece. After slathering on a good amount of sunscreen to fight the evening sun’s rays, she grabbed a towel and left her room.
Leilah and Darren weren’t in sight, as expected. “Going down to the bay!” Sera called out, reaching the front door.
“Alright!” Leilah responded from her room across the way, voice barely heard through the cracked door. “We’ll meet you down there!”
With that, Sera left the beach house.
In the distance, she was met with sandy shores and calm waves, bluer than the clear skies above. She could see hints of footprints leading up to the shifting tide before disappearing, left behind by Isen.
Sera breathed in the sea breeze before walking across her yard, green grass morphing into shifting sands beneath her sandals.
The walk to the bay was a short and familiar path, for their house was sitting just beyond the edge of it. Swaying palm trees obscured the view, but once Sera maneuvered past them, pushing away some leaves, all was revealed.
The bay, with even bluer waters, whiter sands, and an overall atmosphere that Sera hated to leave at the end of every summer.
She already spotted ripples and splashes in the water, along with a familiar face resting along the rocks close to the shore.
Sera made her way over, shifting through the sands, and greeting when she was close enough, “Hey, Arlo.”
Her voice was loud enough to be heard over the bubbling waves. Arlo raised his head, blinking his eyes open. He stretched a bit on the rock he was sunbathing on before locating her. He let out a low and lazy whistle in response, lifting his glittering blue tail in greeting.
Arlo, with his vibrant blue scales and vivid blonde hair and fins, was the second mer she’d seen. Drastically different from Isen, most likely a species of Blue tang, Leilah had guessed.
Arlo relaxed once more, tucking his chin in his crossed arms, and Sera decided not to bother him further. This time.
Instead, she headed toward the dock that jutted out far enough into the water. She shed her sandals at the beginning of it and dropped her towel, feet meeting warm wood as she traveled the length of the dock, watching as the splashes got close, then-
“S’phina!” There was a happy trill, and a head full of pink hair popped out of the water. A bright smile was aimed her way. “Welcome back!”
“Good to be back, Remi.” At the end of the dock, Sera carefully sat down, her calves sinking into the water. Remi circled her in joy, her tail grazing Sera’s heels and felt a harmless buzzing, a reminder of the damage she could possibly do as an electric eel. “Didn’t miss me too much?”
“Gone too long!” There was a chirp before Remi lifted herself out of the water and onto the dock, scooting to Sera’s side with a small pout. “You have to learn?”
Sera took a moment to understand what she meant, though Remi was getting better at speaking her language. Isen had always been decent at it, having been curious about humans long before Sera had met him, so he became the pod’s tutor of sorts. With Sera helping out whoever she could, of course.
“Yeah, sorry about that. Got to go to school.” Sera thought about something to lift her spirits. “But, if I don’t leave, then I can’t bring back sweets.”
Remi paused in readjusting the thick seaweed tied around her chest. Her eyes widened, and she chirruped. “Sweets?! I forgive you.”
“Sweets?”
Another head popped out of the water belonging to the resident thresher shark. Blyke stared up at Sera inquisitively, and she waved at him. She had met him and Remi, along with the rest of the pod, after Arlo had scrutinized her up and down, deeming her safe.
Before Sera could answer, another voice did so for her. “Yes, sweets! Lots and lots of sweets.” She glanced over to see Isen swimming over on his back, a sleek tail propelling him through the water. “I saw them! They had them!”
Isen trilled before purposely running into Blyke, who scowled, shoving him away with a weak glare. He let loose a raspy hiss that Isen answered with clicks and whistles, looking a little too innocent.
Not for the first time, Sera wished to know what they were saying.
“Anyway, sweets.” Isen then propped his elbows up on the dock. “Annnnnd Leilah’s got a mate.”
“Wait, sweets-“
“A mate?” Remi perked up, interrupting Blyke, who simply blew bubbles into the water before sinking out of sight. He’d probably come back. Especially when Sera brought the promised sweets. “Tell! Who?”
“His name’s Darren. Tall, grumpy but nice. Leilah likes him a lot.”
“And he’s funny,” Isen added with a grin.
“Can’t wait to meet!” Remi then nudged Sera with her shoulder, curious. “You? Meet a mate?”
Sera remembered the countless confessions she’s had over the years, over this past year even. The few dates she had allowed didn’t amount to much. “No, not yet. Still searching.” To turn the attention off her, Sera mirrored the question. “What about you? I’ve noticed you and Blyke-“
Remi went red as a tomato before pointing out in the distance, loudly chittering. “Friends! Over here, friends!”
Sera smiled at how flustered she got while Isen chuckled, “Hopeless.”
Remi glared at him. Sera was distracted by the approaching ripples in the water. They stopped a good distance away, though, hesitant heads revealing themselves. There were three of them: a redhead, a blonde, and a bluette.
Isen pointed them out. “Evie, Dylan, and Roland.” He then gestured them over with a wide smile. “Come on! She’s friendly! Nice!”
Sera waved to them, not wanting to be intimidating. Mers were skiddish around humans in general; Sera was lucky that she had found some that were open to her and Leilah. It helped that she wasn't hurting, capturing, or hunting them. Or harming their environment in any way, being a good distance from any littering neighbors.
“Nice!” Dylan repeated, jovial with no hint of hesitation. Sera didn’t expect him to dart forward, lifting himself onto the dock and basically nuzzling her shoulder. “Nice!” he repeated after a series of happy chirps and whistles. His tail was wagging in the water.
“Whoa, hold on, you’re getting me all wet-“
“Nice!” Evie followed suit on Sera’s other side, affectionately headbutting her arm.
“I guess this is my life now.”
“So…Sorryyy.” Roland, thankfully, was still in the water. He was closer though, seeming guilty. “They…” He trailed off in thought before looking at Isen. The sounds that came out of his mouth was something Sera couldn’t hope to comprehend.
Isen chuckled again, facing Sera. “He apologizes about them. They a little too friendly. And impulsive.”
“It’s fine, I don’t mind,” Sera honestly said while Isen translated her words. They were curious. They had every right to be. And Sera was curious about what species they were, for she couldn’t identify them off the top of her head. “I’m Seraphina, by the way.”
Dylan pulled back, tilting his head in confusion. “S…”
Evie looked like she didn’t even know where to begin.
Roland didn’t try.
“You’ll get it soon,” Isen reassured them. “Remi hasn’t gotten it right yet.”
“I’m trying!” Remi huffed, narrowing her eyes. “Se’phina,” she tried, dismissing Isen’s smirk. “Welcome back lap?”
Sera would never say no to that. Getting a taste of the speed, the gracefulness they had in the water. It was a feeling that could never be replicated with something else.
“Yeah, sure.”
Sera slid down fully into the welcoming water, relishing in its coolness. She opened her eyes, ignoring the slight sting, and saw mers all around her, moving around naturally in the open sea. Free to go anywhere they wanted.
There was movement from below, and Sera reached out to grab Remi’s shoulders when she was properly under her. Sera barely managed to nod to confirm her hold before Remi took off like a rocket.
Sera closed her eyes against the rush of water as adrenaline pumped into her ears. She clamped down on Remi’s shoulders, holding her breath, until she felt herself breach the surface. Sera took a deep breath and shook her head, blinking her eyes open.
She couldn’t help but to smile at the breeze whipping across her face, at the rush in her bones. Remi was moving along the edge of the bay, distant trees moving in a blur.
Seeing movement in her periphery, Sera glanced over to see Isen underwater to her right; Blyke to her left. In a blink, they both leapt out of the blue, aiming to jump over her, but they just ended up crashing into each other mid-air.
Sera heard surprised squeaks, and she grinned as they plummeted back into the water, knowing that they would be alright.
Remi must’ve sensed what happened too, for her melodic giggles rose above the splashes.
Sera continued hanging on, letting all her stress and worries float away in the wind. She could let everything go right now. No obligations to worry about.
A loud and boisterous whistle gained her attention after a moment, and Sera gazed over to the center of the bay when Remi returned the whistle wholeheartedly.
Rei, Kuyo, and Kayden were in the center, just arriving from who-knows-where, and they all waved at Sera. Sera waved back, knowing that they’d be happy when Leilah eventually showed up.
The lap finished up within the next minute or so. When Remi reapproached the dock, Sera noticed Leilah and Darren finally entering the bay area.
“They’re here!” Remi chirped as Sera climbed back onto the dock.
“Go easy on Darren, okay?”
Remi barely heard her, zipping toward the shore along with all the other mers, sans Arlo. Arlo remained perched on the rocks, silently eyeing Darren as he and her sister waded into the shallow waters.
“He’s harmless,” Sera told him, picking up her towel at the beginning of the dock. She walked in Arlo’s direction and hopped on some rocks until she found one even enough to tan on. Laying her puffy towel down and settling on her stomach, she said, “Rei doesn’t look worried.”
“Rei’s too nice.”
“You could go over and meet him too, you know.” Arlo didn’t move, and Sera raised brow, adding, “Unless you're scared of him?”
Arlo glared at her then, huffing with a hint of a growl on his voice. However, he heeded her advice, slinking off the rock and sinking into the water below. He didn’t leave before hitting Sera with a well-aimed splash to her face. She sputtered and rolled her eyes as the offending tail disappeared into the blue.
“Drama Queen,” Sera muttered under her breath as she got comfortable under the warm sun.
However, she couldn’t keep the small smile off her face because she had missed this.
“From my observation, I want to say that Evie and Roland are both angelfish, but I could be wrong. And Dylan probably is a yellow tang…? Again, not a hundred percent on that. He is adorable though, unlike our other grumpy blonde.”
“Hm, Arlo? I’d rather take grumpy over rambunctious. I got trapped in a whirlpool created by that dolphin and that shark! And they were laughing about it!”
“Aw, they were just having fun-“
“And that damn swordfish was standing by doing nothing-“
“Kuyo was having fun too.”
Sera failed to stifle a laugh.
“It wasn’t funny, Sera.”
“But it was, though.”
Darren threw Sera a glare that she pointedly ignored, instead, she stood from the recliner and stretched a bit. “I’m going on a little walk.”
Leilah, who was snuggled up against Darren under a blanket on the couch, blinked up at her. She neglected her search for a movie to watch on their mounted flatscreen. “What about the movie?”
“Won’t be long. Just wanna stretch my legs a bit,” Sera reassured her. “Plus, I really don’t think you’ll find a movie before I come back.” Leilah was notorious for being a picky watcher.
“What? I don’t take that long to pick movies.”
“Darren, your opinion?”
Darren stayed silent, to Leilah’s astonishment.
“Well, I’m going to prove both of you wrong then.” She sat up straighter on the couch, eyes laser focused on the tv as her thumb basically abused the remote control. “Just watch me.”
“Right…” Sera had no faith in her whatsoever. But maybe, maybe, the spite would get her to pick up the pace. “I’ll be back in a bit. Pop some popcorn while I’m out.”
Then, Sera slipped on her shoes and headed out into the night. The sun had set long ago, the full moon above illuminating everything in a faint glow. The sea was ever more calm now, white light casting over dark blues.
Her feet instinctively moved in the direction of the bay. Her footsteps disrupted the quiet night, for there were no sounds other than rustling leaves and breaking waves.
Pushing past some foliage, Sera made it back to the massive cove. Unlike earlier when the sun shone above, the area was empty, void of splashes, whistles, and laughter.
The mers slept somewhere else farther out at sea, in deep caves, Arlo had told her once. Out of sight while they were the most defenseless. It was fair, Sera believed, because she’d rather sleep in a room than out in the middle of a park.
She made her way down to the dock, crossing it and taking in the view. It was almost an entirely different world out here. No honking horns, bright lights, or deadlines to worry about.
A breeze weaved its way through her short curls, and she breathed it in. It felt nice.
Sera made it to the edge of the dock, taking in the still waters, unable to see below the surface. Only reflections of the moon and sparkling stars greeted her back.
Wanting to capture the still moment, Sera pulled her phone out of her shorts pocket. She had many pictures of their vacation spot stored, but she would forever take more. So memories never fade.
She raised her phone to get the mouth of the bay inside the frame, the shining moon sitting on the upper left corner. Stars overhead, rocks, sands, and rocking waves below. Perfect.
Or, it would’ve been if a wayward gull hadn’t decided to mistake her phone for food.
It swooped down, and Sera couldn't react fast enough before it attempted to bite her phone. It failed at that; however, it did make Sera lose her grip. She gasped when it plopped into the water below.
Sinking to her knees, Sera shot her arm into the darkness to attempt to grab it, but it was futile. The phone had sunk too quickly.
“Are you serious?” Sera wisely had a water-proof case on her phone, but that didn’t exactly help things if she couldn’t get it back. She looked up to find the bird; it was flying away. A damn hit and run.
“My high score…” Sera mourned, for her beloved Angry Pigs app was on that phone, and the thought of earning that back already made her exhausted. Her pics were backed up, but her hard work and dedication was gone.
Sera heavily sighed. “Just great. I’m sure Darren will never let me live this down.” Neither would Leilah, but she was sure Darren was just waiting to retaliate after all the times Sera had teased him in the past.
She should’ve just stayed inside.
Sera made a move to get up, but an arm rising out of the dark waters below made her stiffen in surprise. It was holding her dripping phone.
A mer retrieved it? Sera didn’t even know that any were around here. Surely they would’ve made themselves known as soon as Sera showed up.
Something in the back of her mind was telling her to be cautious, and she listened. “Remi? Arlo?” she called, getting no response. “Blyke? Isen?”
Still nothing. The disembodied hand was still being held up, phone still being offered.
Sera was even more hesitant now. One of her friends would have spoken up at this point. She opened her mouth again but no words came out when there was movement.
She watched as black hair revealed itself, along with piercing amber eyes that never drifted from her face.
Definitely not someone she knew.
But…they seemed friendly, at least. Friendly enough to catch her phone. Where did they come from, though? She didn’t see any ripples in the water, no sounds of their approach. And to get her phone so quickly…had they been watching her this whole time?
Sera felt a shiver run down her back, not liking that one bit.
Mers could be very dangerous. Arrogant humans and ill-tempered mers were a horrible mix. Drownings due to underestimating them wasn’t exactly a rare thing any more.
Maybe she was jumping the gun here, though. She was being helped. It was a possibility that they were simply shy. Waiting for her to take the phone so they could move on.
Making a decision, Sera gave a small smile. “Thanks. I really appreciate it.” There was a high chance that she wasn’t understood, but the smile alone should say plenty.
She reached out to grab her phone, getting a good grip on it, before a second hand shot out of the water and clamped down on her arm.
Sera didn’t get the opportunity to yell when her world was suddenly underwater. She immediately held her breath, heart thundering against her chest as dread sank in. She thrashed in the water to regain her bearings, to get air, but the hand in her arm held tighter.
She was forced to still, and her panicked eyes locked on to those bright ambers right in front of her. Despite the dark waters, her captor was close enough to make out black scales that contrasted tanned skin. Black scales, black hair, black fins, a massive black tail…
Sera’s heart nearly stopped when she realized.
She was staring into the eyes of a shark.
Eyes that were looking Sera up and down. A head tilting his head like he was…like he was curious? And not about to hurt her? But that could just be wishful thinking. Because that was all she could do right now. Wish.
The mer lifted his other hand to do something, but what, she’d never know, for suddenly something fast and hard slammed into her captor’s side.
Bubbles instantly obscured her vision, the hand on her arm loosened, and she was snatched in the opposite direction. An arm was secured around her stomach, and she would’ve panicked again if she didn’t recognize the one holding onto her.
Kayden. He wasn’t even looking at her, but in the direction rage-filled screeching and hissing started to come from. Sera’s world was still dark, but she saw flashes of light in the water. Static, jumping from fin to fin of one of her rescuers. Rei, if she had to guess from the green tint of his scales.
Kuyo was at his side, not too close. They were both hissing and growling, blocking the other mer’s path to get to her. And the stranger was upset, if the snarls were anything to go by.
Her lungs started to hurt.
Sera nudged Kayden to finally get him to focus on her. She nodded up, and he chirped in understanding. They rocketed up to breach the surface, and Sera appreciated his sailfish speed as she heaved, relaxing in Kayden’s tight hold.
“Sorry, sorry,” he apologized over her harsh coughs. “You alright? Hurt?”
“No, I…” Sera coughed again as water streamed down her face. More light pulsed from below. “He didn’t hurt me. What…?”
“Lone shark. Dangerous.” Kayden quietly explained to her. “We saw you get pulled from distance. Not his territory.”
Sera slowly calmed back down, though her heart was still racing. “I’m sure…Rei and Kuyo will kindly tell him that.”
Kayden smiled a little then. “Yeah.”
Whatever was happening below the surface, disturbing the water, could’ve lasted a few seconds or a few minutes. Sera was too busy reeling from the encounter to really keep track.
However, the lights eventually stopped, along with warring voices. Kayden let out a chittering call after a moment. It was returned, and two heads popped out of the water.
Rei and Kuyo quickly swam their way; Sera was on the lookout for a third presence. There was none.
Clicks and chirps filled the air as the three reconvened, Sera left out of the loop until Rei circled around them, worry written all over his face. “Seraphina! You’re not hurt?"
“No, where’s…?”
“Left.” Kuyo answered her, his long hair flowing behind him. Sera caught a glimpse of red marks on his shoulder, and he shrugged. “Bit me when I hit him. M’fine.”
Rei poked and prodded at Sera's body like he didn’t exactly believe her. “What happened?”
“I dropped my phone in the water.” Mentioning it, Sera looked down to find her phone still in her hand, her fingers unconsciously locked tight around it. She held it up out of the water, hoping that it would even after this incident. “He got it for me, and then…pulled me in.” Amber eyes flashed in her mind, and she frowned in thought. “He didn’t…seem angry or murderous or anything.”
“Take no chance,” Kuyo advised before smirking. “Keep arms that way.”
Sera really didn’t need that visual.
Kayden elbowed Kuyo with a huff while Rei seemed contemplative.
“Not his territory,” Rei eventually echoed Kayden’s words from earlier. “Help you back?”
Sera nodded, not exactly in the right mindset for the most graceful of swims at the moment. Kayden let her go as Rei took her wrist, beginning to pull. He said something in mer tongue to Kayden and Kuyo; they curtly replied before ducking under and swimming out of sight.
“Sent them on patrol,” Rei told Sera, pulling her along. She barely had to kick her feet to help. “For others. Just in case.”
“Did the guy say anything?”
“Nothing to repeat. Just angry.”
Sera said nothing else, letting Rei guide her to the shallows. He released her once she could stand. Sera mourned the soggy state of her pajama shirt and shorts that clung to her skin.
“You sure you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m sure. Really.” Sera reassured him, his concerned gaze searching for any tells. “Thanks for saving me, Rei. Kayden and Kuyo too.”
Rei smiled with a quiet trill. “Of course! Any time for friend.” He circled around in the water, his back facing Sera. He waved over his shoulder. “Night, Seraphina!”
Sera waved back. “Goodnight.”
Then, with a flick of his tail, Rei disappeared into the night.
Sera stood there for a couple seconds, feeling water lap at her thighs, before thinking it was time to return to the house.
She shuffled out of the tide and frowned when she realized that she had lost both of her sandals in the scuffle. A lesser loss, but a loss nonetheless.
Carefully trekking back the way she came, Sera shook her phone as best as she could to rid it of water before trying it out. The screen lit up, to her relief, and she could unlock it easily. The Angry Pigs app was still there, as well as her high score.
Crisis averted.
When the beach house finally came into view, Sera put a little pep in her step, eager to get out of these wet clothes.
She expected the shocked voices when she stepped inside.
“What the hell-?”
“Sera, what happened?!”
Seeing Darren with a bucket of popcorn in hands and Leilah still holding the remote control, Sera made her voice as dry as possible. “You haven’t found a movie yet? It’s been like twenty minutes.”
“N-Nevermind that!” Leilah stood, taking a step towards her. “You’re soaking wet!”
Sera sighed. “Went down to the bay, and in unknown shark mer got pulled me in.” To say that Leilah and Darren were surprised was an understatement. Sera kept walking before they could respond, leaving a wet trail behind herself m. “Don’t worry, Rei had my back. I’m good.” She then pointed at her sister. “And you better have a movie by the time I’m out of the shower.”
“Sera, you can’t just say that and walk away-“
Sera narrowed her eyes. “Leilah. The movie.”
Leilah sighed in defeat before dropping back onto the couch. Darren still looked flabbergasted.
Sera would feed them the details later, and then hopefully she could forget all about her encounter tonight.
It wasn’t like she would see that shark again anyway.