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When the hour was over, I sat on the edge of the pool, waiting for my tail to dry enough for me to get my legs back. My failure made me anxious to leave, and the damn salt water wasn’t evaporating nearly fast enough.

“Hey, how’s it going?”

I gritted my teeth at the other reason I didn’t want to stick around.

Kendall sat next to me on the glossy tile floor, apparently unphased by the lack of enthusiasm on my face when I glanced up at him.

“As if you didn’t see the train wreck that was me learning to be a mermaid,” I deadpanned.

“It wasn’t that bad,” he said with a shrug. “We all struggled at one point. You’re just a little behind, that’s all. You’ll catch up in no time. And then you’ll be bored in this class like the rest of us.”

“Even if that does happen, I’ll still be the outcast nobody wants to swim with.” I didn’t mean for that to come out. I was actively trying not to care what they thought, but in the wake of my failure to control my shift, my resentment was flaring up like an old wound.

“That’s not true. I’ll swim with you any time. So hurry up and learn this stuff so we can kick back and float.” He chuckled encouragingly, but I didn’t join him. “You know that was a joke, right?”

“Yeah, I’m just not really in a laughing mood,” I said, looking down at my slowly drying pink fins.

“Well, why don’t you let me cheer you up,” he said. “Sneak out with me tonight and we’ll see a movie in town.”

I pursed my lips. Apparently, he couldn’t see the giant “fuck off” sign I had stamped on my forehead. And maybe that wasn’t fair. I wasn’t even mad at him anymore for what he’d said yesterday.

He couldn’t help the prejudices he’d grown up with, especially when everyone else in his world shared them. And he had grown above most of them, which said a lot about his character. So it wasn’t exactly fair of me to hold his values against him. Besides, did I really want to shun one of my friends in this place?

“I can’t, not tonight,” I said, lowering my hostility level. “I have some more studying to do for my Shifter Bio essay.”

“Okay. Well, would you like a study partner? I tested out of that class.” His chivalry was working its charm on me, but I was determined to establish some boundaries.

“I already have plans to study with Ashlyn today, but maybe some other time?” It wasn’t a complete lie. I really did have plans to see Ashlyn later. We just probably weren’t going to spend much of that time studying.

“Alright,” he said with a curt nod.

He started to get to his feet, then paused and hovered in a kneeling position. “Look, that stuff I said about Ashlyn, please just totally forget about it. She’s a cool girl, and I’m glad that she’s a good friend to you. I overstepped yesterday, and I’m sorry.”

He smiled a smile that could melt panties clean off, and I forced myself to look away so I wouldn’t get drawn in by it any further. Kendall was going to stay in the friend zone, at least until I figured my shit out.

“Thanks,” I said. “Maybe the three of us can go see a movie this weekend.”

“Sure, sounds fun. And in the meantime, if you need more help studying, you know where to find me.”

I climbed up to stand and he waved at me before disappearing into the locker room.

Finally, my tail dried enough for me to retract my scales and begin the shift back to legs. The bones adjusted, drifted and separated, peachy skin replacing the shimmering pink scales until I had my pale legs back.

I got to my feet and went into the locker room to finish drying off and get dressed in my uniform.

Before I could open my locker, an aggressive hand shoved me into the blue-painted metal.

“Stay away from Kendall.” I knew that voice. The self-absorbed tone of elitism, and with only half the venom of Cora. It was Letti.

I turned around to face the raven-haired mermaid. Letti was glaring at me so fiercely that I almost feared I might burst into flames. Luckily, only phoenixes and dragons had that power.

“Not that it’s any of your business, but Kendall and I are just friends,” I said in a voice that was just as assertive. “What do you care, anyway? You two aren’t dating anymore. Wait, did he dump you?” I gave her a mocking pout.

“That’s none of your business,” Letti snapped.

Clearly, I struck a chord.

“Yeah? And what your ex and I do is none of yours. So back off. I’m not in the mood to humor you today.” I turned my back on the privileged mermaid, almost daring her to come after me.