Angelica--Chapter 1

The merciless waves of the ocean glinted silver in the moonlight, spilling over the entire sea. It was untamed by trees or clouds, and hit the water with full force. I let myself drown in the pale light as I lay across the ebonite rocks, jutting out from the see. Their surface was rough and jagged, though I only faintly felt it against my soft, pale back. My attention was entirely attuned to the soft whoosh of the waves, crashing against my rock and it's brothers. It almost sounded like hushing, the ocean trying to lull me to sleep.

Sleep? Sleep, what a funny idea. Sleeping only came to me very lightly, and even then, when I awoke I felt more or less the same as I had when I dozed off. This being so, I rarely slept, only when my body ached with absolute exhaustion and my head began to spin. But besides that, I spent my nights up here, with the moon for company.

The moon was my friend. She listened to me, she felt for me. I could not say so for others of my kind. I had always been quite odd amongst other merfolk. My tail, scaly and shining, did snake down into a delicate fin like everyone else's, but it's color was off. Rather than the brilliant emerald color of most merfolk's, mine was a deep, cobalt blue hue, now silvery in the moon. Though no one exactly teased me for it, it set a feeling of awkwardness and unease between myself and everyone else. But that was not the real reason for my being so secluded.

If I were socially beautiful and witty, my tail probably wouldn't matter. However, I could never find it in me to make an honest effort to befriend others of my kind, to build relationships. It was just something I wasn't capable of. Sure, I could bumble on about something unimportant to try and strike up a conversation, and my target could smile and nod politely, but I never clicked with anyone. Eventually I gave up trying.

And so here I lay, completely alone. Alone. Just because I was socially inept didn't mean I couldn't be lonely. I pursed my lips at my own self pity. Pathetic.

I inhaled deeply, pushing thoughts of being alone to the back of my mind. I lay back on the rock, closing my eyes. I struggled to focus on my breathing, hoping to let sleep engulf me. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Normally I would be fine with staying awake throughout the night, but tonight I could feel the constant hole in my chest beginning to build. I wanted to escape reality, even if for a few short hours. Because reality was being alone.

I didn't want to be lonely.

----

I was almost shocked when my eyelids flew open to morning. The sun was bright and strong, and the water that had been silver was now the most stunning of blues in reflection of the sky. Multiple seagulls were now perched on my rock, or at least they had been, until I sat up and scared them away.

However, it was not the light that awoke me. It was the sound of my name, being called over and over again.

"Angelica! Angelica!"

I blinked the sleep from my eyes, searching the water. It wasn't difficult; my green gaze quickly zeroed in on the source of the sound. I waved an arm at the fair haired beauty that was my sister, swimming towards me. Her tail-green, like it was supposed to be-was visible through the clear water. Another reason why I was so solitary-my sister was heart-breakingly beautiful, with her sandy tresses, golden skin, and warm brown eyes.

I was more or less the opposite. Long, fine mahogany hair, and dark green eyes were plain enough, but my skin was the cherry on top. Impossibly pale and milky my complexion was, which only added to my averageness.

"I'm here, Jaslene."

As my sister neared, she rose farther out of the water, enough for me to see her chest remained uncovered. I rolled my eyes despite myself. Covering up one's bust was only required for special occasions in our tribe of merfolk, but most did so all the time in the spirit of tastefulness and modesty. My sister seemed to feel no need for this, and often pranced around in her nudity, oblivious to the stares she obtained from her male peers.

I made no comment as she came up to my rock and propped herself up on her elbows, her chest glaring at me head on.

"Oh Angelica, where have you been?" she exclaimed, breathless after her long swim. "Father has been worried sick since he realized you went off on your own last night! I've been looking for you since dawn!"

I huffed. "Jaslene, I'm 18. Wouldn't both you and Father think I'm capable of taking care of myself?" I snapped in annoyance.

My sister, only 16 herself, scowled at me. "Well that doesn't mean you can go off without telling anyone!" she retorted childishly. "You could at least be grateful I went out of my way to find you."

"Or I couldn't, seeing as I didn't need finding." I said sharply.

We glowered at each other. My sister and I didn't exactly get along that well, which was probably a result of how different we were. Jaslene was bright, outgoing and naive, while I was quiet, solitary, and, when I did speak up, stubborn and sarcastic.

Even so, I couldn't deny the fact we were bound by blood, and still loved each other. With this in mind, I forced my expression to be more gentle.

"Okay, thanks for going out to look for me." I finally said, my tone softer. "Really."

She still pouted, though the anger was gone from her eyes. "You're welcome." She eyed me for a moment, before hastily adding, "Though it would be nice if you told me where you were going off to once and a while."

"Of course." I grinned, not meaning it at all. "Now let's go."

Without waiting for an answer, I plunged headfirst into the waves, bolting forward easily. "Hey! Hey, wait up!" I heard Jaslene call frantically, racing after me. I chuckled to myself at how easy it was to overtake her, and kept swimming.

Finally she caught up with me, and managed to keep pace as we flew through the water. I easily evaded bits of wood and rocks, before charging deeper towards the ocean floor. It was not long before the golden bed of sand was in sight as I weaved onwards.

Eventually I let my pace slow, as the exteriors of my home began to reveal themselves. We had soared over many little coral reefs on the way, but nothing of the magnitude of what lay before us. Coral and seaweed of a thousand different types stretched out endlessly before us. Many of the growths towered well above my head, twisting into many different shapes. I could not see the end of the monumental reef. This was the Felichia Tribe's home.

Jaslene began to prattle on about how I was really in for it with Father as we glided down to the tribe. I managed to tune most of it out as we weaved through the homes and buildings that were shaped and fashioned out of coral, my sister waving to her friends half when she wasn't ranting on to me.

"Hello, Jaslene. Angelica."

This particular greeting threw me off, and it turned suspiciously. When my sister socialized in my presence, her companions very rarely acknowledged me. So the fact that my name was included in someone's greeting was quite a shock.

As I turned, I easily recognized the boy who had said my name. Eric...something. His last name I couldn't recall, but I recognized him all the same by his tousled, mousy brown hair and pale hazel eyes. Jaslene giggled a hello, and I snorted inwardly. It was so blatantly obvious that my sister fancied Eric, and it was almost shameful how she tried to openly flirt with him.

"Hello." I returned his greeting. "I suspect you and your family are well?"

"Yes, quite." Eric returned politely, smirking at the formality of my voice in comparison to Jaslene's easy carefree greeting. Not that I cared. Someone had to be the mature one when I was with my sister.

"Well, then. I suppose we'll be off." I finally said, my voice curt. "Good bye."

This is what comes of being anti-social.

I ignored to pout my sister gave me as I tugged her away from Eric as much as I ignored the boy's light 'bye'.

"Do you always have to be so rude?" Jaslene grumbled as I pulled her in the direction of our home. I didn't say anything, as my brow was furrowed with concentration as I tried to figure out what to say to my father. He would, no doubt, be furious, like he always was when I slipped away without a word in the night.

To my dismay, no reasonable explanation came to mind. That meant I would just have to face his fury and his lecture on being responsible-which had started to get old from overuse.

"You know, you really shouldn't panic Father like this." my sister commented pointedly, as though able to read my thoughts. "He could easily die of too many popped brain cells."

I rolled my eyes as she snickered at her own wit. We both knew it was not possible for our father to die. He was immortal, like all of us. All merfolk lived forever at a certain age, and as to what age depended solely on fate. At any random age that fate thinks best for one, one's aging will abruptly stop, never to grow again. I had yet to stop growing, though my father predicted I would freeze in my late 20's because of my maturity. Jaslene in her youth, due to her recklessness.

We soon approached the large residence that was our home. It was bright red coral, fashioned into a quaint little bungalo-like home. Two paneless windows adorned the front, from which low humming could be heard. I cringed. My father always hummed when he was stressed.

Bracing myself for the worst, I led the way to the house and pushed open the door.

Whoo! First chapter!