It has been three months since school reopened—three months since she confessed to her crush and got flat-out rejected, and three months since a new exchange student appeared out of nowhere.
A sunny day like this on South Kraal Island shouldn't be spent in school. It should be spent eating ice cream, beating up bullies, and helping Dad catch more fish.
Not sitting in a boring lecture about marine life.
"Sigh."
A girl with dark red hair and green eyes sighed as she stared out the window, watching birds glide high in the sky.
"Some people even believe they've seen mythical creatures in the waters—"
"Sigh."
"But as science learners, we don't believe in such—"
"Sigh—"
"Is something wrong, Miss Serenity?" Mr. Hemlington asked, his patience finally running out. "If this class bores you, you're more than welcome to leave." His eyes were sharp.
"Uh… no, sir. It's just that this talk about mythical creatures in the water rubs me the wrong way," Serenity replied.
"Well, if it makes you uncomfortable, we won't talk about it. But please pay attention. This will be on your test this term." He cleared his throat and resumed the lesson.
Serenity slouched in her chair and let her green eyes wander around the classroom.
In the far corner, opposite her, the exchange student—Keal, or whatever his name was—was staring at her.
Not just looking.
Staring.
With so much intensity it felt like he could burn a hole straight through her.
"What a weirdo," Serenity muttered, turning back to the window.
The day passed quickly, and soon Serenity found herself walking alone through the loud yet strangely quiet streets of South Kraal Island.
She had asked Lyla to walk home together after school, but Lyla brushed her off. As always.
They had been best friends since primary school, but after Serenity confessed to Haylen—her crush—Lyla had started acting distant.
Avoidant.
Actually… all of her friends had.
And she didn't know why.
But like her dad always said, friends never truly last. People should learn to be content with their own space.
And even though it hurt—hurt so much to feel lonely—it wasn't something new to her.
Serenity suddenly stopped walking halfway down the street.
Slowly, she turned around.
There he was again.
The same guy who liked staring at her during class.
Serenity sighed, honestly annoyed.
"Really? Now you're following me home?" she asked.
He didn't answer.
He just stood there, watching her. As if he were trying to read her. Understand her.
"You're being creepy, man. And stop staring at me. It's rude and… weird." She turned away and began walking again.
"You're Serenity, right?"
Serenity stopped.
"So you do talk," she said, suddenly curious.
"You're seventeen years old," he continued. "Born in January '09. On the night of a full moon that turned the waters blue."
He stepped closer to her until he was only a foot away.
Now Keal was very good-looking.
As much as he was weird, quiet, and always serious, he was undeniably handsome—with white-ish hair and blue eyes that looked like the ocean on a clear day.
And no…
Serenity was definitely not immune to handsomeness.
Right now, Serenity didn't know whether to be creeped out by how much information he knew about her, or flustered by how close he was.
Well… he wasn't that close.
But close enough for her to smell the faint scent of the ocean on him.
"Wha—How do you know so much about me?!" she asked. "Are you stalking me? Are you a stalker?!"
"I'm not a stalker… I'm…" Keal hesitated. "It doesn't matter right now." He paused before asking, a little unsure, "Would you… like to get ice cream with me?"
Serenity was shocked and fully prepared to say no.
But her mouth moved on its own.
"Yes! No! I mean—yes…?" she said, mentally slapping herself.
"Good. Let's go," he said, walking past her.
Weird.
They got ice cream and sat on a bench that had a full view of the ocean.
Serenity loved this place.
She used to come here with her dad almost all the time, and every time she did, she couldn't help but feel as if she were seeing the view for the very first time.
"So… you don't like the ocean?" Keal asked.
"What do you mean? Do I look like a person who doesn't?" Serenity asked, slightly offended by the question.
"No! I didn't mean that," he said quickly. "I meant… you don't like these stories about mythical creatures found in the ocean?"
Serenity paused before answering.
"When I was a kid… I don't really know whether it was a dream or if it was real, but I remember walking by the shore at night. My parents were… I don't even remember where they were. But they were there somewhere."
She looked down at her melting ice cream.
"But something attacked me. I don't know what it was. It was hideous… and it came from the water."
When Keal didn't respond, Serenity suddenly felt embarrassed.
"I don't even know why I just told you that," she said quickly. "Sorry! That's just… weird."
"Is that why you don't like being around the shore?" he asked quietly.
"Yeah…" Serenity admitted. "But I still love the ocean, despite that nightmare."
Keal's face was unreadable.
"I should get going," Serenity said, standing up.
But before she could leave, Keal stood up too. He grabbed her arm and pulled her closer.
"Go out with me," he said.
Serenity blushed so hard she could feel her face burning.
Instead of answering, she simply nodded.
"Let's meet here at seven," Keal said, letting go of her and stepping back. "I'll see you later."
"Ah… huh," she replied, still blushing.
When Keal finally disappeared from sight, Serenity let out a long breath.
"What just happened?" she whispered to herself.
Serenity went home, kissed her father on the cheek, and went straight to her room to get ready for her date.
She searched through her wardrobe for a dress.
After a few minutes of digging, she finally found the perfect one—a white dress with blue jellyfish-like flowers printed across it, paired with a black jersey.
Serenity waited until it was 6:30.
She was crazy.
She had just met him and was already agreeing to go out with him. And he was a creep.
What if he's trying to kidnap her or something?
But this was also her one chance to not be lonely again.
If she risked it… this might change her life.
Either for the worst or the best.
And she would take her chances.
"And where are you going?"
Her dad—a square-built man with a fish hat and graying hair—looked at her suspiciously as Serenity tried to tiptoe out of the house.
"Dad! You're still awake?" she said nervously. "Umm… so I have this project with Lyla, and I promised her we'd finish it tonight if possible."
"In that outfit? Doesn't fit the occasion," he said, crossing his arms.
"Oh, right! It's also her birthday today," Serenity quickly added. "So she said we'd have a mini party after we finish the project. That's why I'm dressed like this and that's why I really have to go, Daddy. Please!"
Her dad gave her a questioning look before sighing.
"I want you home strictly by ten. You got that?" he said firmly.
"Yep, you got it, Captain!" Serenity said, giving him a quick salute.
She opened the front door and sighed.
She didn't like lying to her dad… but he wouldn't have let her go if she had told him the truth.
After waiting for an hour for Kael, Serenity wished she had told her dad the truth and never come out at all.
Kael stood her up.
And she felt more sad than angry.
She couldn't believe it.
But then again… why was she so surprised?
Every guy she had ever liked had eventually disappointed her.
Serenity dropped onto the bench and felt tears running down her face.
She wasn't crying for Kael.
She was crying because she felt humiliated… and alone.
But suddenly, the ocean caught her eye. It's clear blue water currency moving in soft waves. And a strang melody coming from it.
She slowly stood up and walked toward it.
She wasn't being controlled, exactly… but something was pulling her toward the water.
It looked strangely mesmerizing tonight.
Then again… it was a full moon.
Before she realized it, her shoes were gone, and her bare feet touched the cold ocean water as the waves crashed softly against them.
She didn't know why she was standing there.
She felt called, somehow.
And as if she had gone completely mad, she started walking further into the ocean.
Her dress slowly became soaked as the water rose higher and higher around her.
And strangely… a powerful sense of peace filled her chest.
For a moment, she closed her eyes.
After a short while of silence, the feeling of peace inside Serenity slowly faded, replaced by something horrible.
The once-calm waters suddenly began to rise around her in wild tides, and Serenity finally realized just how far she had wandered from the shore.
She looked around.
Far out in the dark water, she saw a face.
Its skin looked greasy green and distorted, and its eye sockets were empty—no eyes inside them at all.
And it was smiling at her.
In that moment, Serenity's heart rate shot through the roof.
Her vision blurred then cleared, and she realized with pure horror that she was looking at the same face from her childhood nightmare.