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Lena decided to make her way home quickly. She didn't think he would bother her, but the idea that he had been lurking nearby without her knowledge was unsettling. Just before she descended the steep rocks, she glanced back again. Denny was standing on the spot where Lena had written I AM FINE, staring down at the words in the sand.

***

The mermaid felt the lure of humans.

She swam closer to shore, knowing that the sun had nearly risen and she must not be seen. It wasn't fair to the humans. Most of them went mad with the knowledge of mer-folk. They lingered by the sea, wasting away in the desire of seeing them again.

The mermaid surfaced. This stretch of beach seemed familiar, although it was far from her village. Ah, there was a human!

She watched him for a moment as he trudged through the wet sand, shoulders bent, long coat flapping around his knees. He had the look of one who had Seen.

Not wishing to cause him further unrest, the mermaid slipped beneath the surface and swam away.

CHAPTER 5

After breakfast, Lena dragged her backpack over to the kitchen table and started pulling books and folders from it. She frowned down at the pile of homework. Something was missing. Spanish, Algebra II, History, English... Where was the—? Lena opened her backpack and peered inside at the empty space. She looked at her books again. Everything seemed to be on the table already. She'd left her Biology book at school, but that was because she didn't have any Bio homework. Hmm. She shrugged and tossed her backpack to the floor.

Lena's cell phone chimed with a text from Pem:

Want to go to the mall?

Lena hit Reply and texted: Yeah call u later.

She plodded through a half hour's worth of homework before Cole came into the family room—which adjoined the kitchen—and turned on the TV, locating a football game. The sound of cheering crowds and sports announcers filled the room.

I need a break, anyway, thought Lena, and she gathered up her books and papers to put in her backpack. Where's the—? She shuffled through her papers a few times, then shook her head. Where was what?! It was driving her crazy, the feeling that something was missing.

"Is it okay if I go to the mall with Pem?" she asked her mom.

"Did you finish your homework?"

"Mostly. I have some reading to do."

"Okay. Is Kai going to be there?"

Lena tried not to roll her eyes. "Mom, Kai isn't with me twenty-four/seven."

"I'm just asking."

"He's not going to be there. Can you take us, or should I ask Dad?"

"Ask your father. He's upstairs in his office."

Her dad was tapping away on his laptop at the big oak desk. Lena went to stand behind him. She admired the Chinese dragon tattoo on his left forearm, with its intricate green scales, and the yin-yang symbol on his right shoulder. Although she couldn't see them, she knew her name and Cole's name were inked above his heart.

"Hi, hon," he said.

"Hi. Could you take Pem and me to the mall?"

"Sure. I have to go out pretty soon to run some errands, anyway."

"Thanks." Lena went to stand by the window. She stared in the direction of the ocean, even though only a tiny slice of it was visible from here.

"You've been remarkably quiet about your birthday this year. I thought the Sweet Sixteen was supposed to be a big deal."

She didn't answer for a moment. Sweet sixteen and never been kissed, she thought. That was almost me. "We don't have to do a big deal," she said.

"I take it you'll be wanting sushi from Miso on Main for your birthday dinner, as usual."

"Yes, please." Lena loved sushi anytime, but especially on her birthday.

"How many people should we order for?"

"I don't know. Eight? Ten?"

"How about sixteen?"

She smiled at him. "No, I don't want a big crowd."

Her dad made an expansive gesture. "You only turn sixteen once. Now, what about presents? I know you said gift cards are fine, but I want to get you something special."

She gazed at the distant glimmer of the ocean. I couldn't ask for a better opening. "Actually, Dad—"

"Yes?"

"There is one thing."