Chapter 12: Chapter 11

Hiiiiiii! Here is chapter 11! We are almost at 100 pages! \^-^/ Thank you all the votes and supports! This was a long chapter (almost eleven pages) But I couldn't just cut it. So Enjoy!

Fun Fact about me! Skip if you don't care about me or read on if you do! :P

I have taken an abnormal amount of science classes in college–especially marine biology–and I can finally put it to use. WEEE! I changed my major so many times. *cries* and I actually just graduated with a graphic design degree this spring. SO YAY FOR THAT! Now I'm majored in business. *Sigh* I know, I'm glutton for college. ANWAY, I'm just happy I get to nerd out in this chapter.

*WARNING* ~ This chapter includes girl talk and by girl talk–I mean mer sex and period talk. So toughen up, readers (sorry to the male readers). Don't say I didn't warn ya!

Reminder: I update every monday night!

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Meredith

"HI!" Bodhi held out her hand to my parents. "My name is Bodhi and I am a foreign exchange student." Bodhi gave a full-watt smile. My mom smiled back at her with equal energy. My dad raised a blonde brow at Bodhi's zest.

I plastered a smile and gestured to her. "This is the foreign exchange student, Bodhi." I wiped my clammy hands on my jeans. "I had signed up for this new summer program at school and she just arrived today."

My dad shook Bodhi's outstretched hand. "I wasn't aware you signed up for the program, Meredith." My dad frowned at me then turned to politely smile at Bodhi. "Welcome, Bodhi."

"Bodhi! What a beautiful name!" My mom threw out her arms out and hugged Bodhi who squealed in delight. Bodhi returned the hug as well. "And welcome home!"

My dad asked. "Why didn't you tell your mom and I?"

"Really? I had mentioned it a few weeks ago." I feigned surprise.

My mom pulled away from Bodhi and chided my dad. "We must've been too exhausted to remember." She reached up and brushed a curl aside. "I had all those papers to grade and you were busy as well."

My dad nodded, tugging his golden laced with silver hair behind his ear. "I had all those graduate photoshoots to do." He sighed. "Alright." He patted my shoulder. "Sorry. We must've forgotten." He smiled at Bodhi. "Well Bodhi, welcome to the Pierce household." He gestured around. "Please make yourself at home and don't hesitate to ask if you need something." He winked at her. "Red here will take care of you."

"So where are you from, Bodhi?" My mom asked.

Bodhi perked. "I'm from Italy."

My mom paused, putt off by her seemingly oriental ethnicity. "Really? You're italian?"

I crossed my arms with a smirk at Bodhi, curious to see where this was going.

Bodhi nodded eagerly. "Yeah, so I might mess my english up here and there."

"Da dove vieni da italia?" My dad asked Bodhi in italian, wondering which part of italy she was from.

Answer that, Bodhi. My father who is half italian and fluent in the language. I know somewhat of italian as well.

Bodhi raised her chin with a glint in her eyes. "Vengo dal sud italia."

My chin dropped. She said that correctly. That she lived in the south of italy and she said it flawlessly.

Bodhi paused and began to sniff. "What is that wonderful smell?"

"Oh, I'm cooking some chicken." My dad face lit at the mentioned of his food. He was italian alright, proud of his skill as a cook. "I'm sure you're starving from all the traveling." My dad waved Bodhi over to the kitchen as he walked past the open living room. "I'll get you a plate."

My mom just shook her head. "Looks like your father likes her."

I chortled. "Just say he's an amazing cook and he's devoted to you." I turned to my mom. "How was your day today?"

My mom scoffed. "Maddening. I can't wait to go back to college."

I laughed. My mom is a history college professor and a restless one, always eager to teach. Now that I remembered... "Mom?"

"Yes, baby?"

Bodhi head peeked out from the kitchen. "Red!" She waved. "Your dad made some food!" Her head disappeared.

I shook my head at her with a smile and made my way to the kitchen.

My mom followed. "Glad you girls got along." My mom smiled. "What did you want to ask?"

I smiled nonchalantly. "Uh, just had some history questions for you."

Mom's face instantly brightened. "Really?" Then mom paused thoughtfully. "Is this about the mers?"

I paused just outside the kitchen and turned. Man.. how do moms just know? I tucked a curl behind my ear. "Yeah, how did you guess?"

"Well, you have been spending quite some time at the aquarium."

I shrugged indifferently. "I was just curious about something so I started during some independent research." And maybe I can find something that can help me free the mers.

But I don't say that aloud.

"Sure, baby." She brushed the curls–curls that are identical to hers–from my face. "We can have a sit and chat in my office whenever." My mom grinned. "Anything to do with history, I'm sold."

I just shook my head with a smile and went in the kitchen.

"–and then two year old Red just took of her dress to run naked around the park."

Bodhi laughed. "Red sounded wild back in the days."

My face heat. "Dad!"

Mom snickered as she caught the drift of the story. "She said it was because she was sweaty and needed to cool off." Mom went to the stove and my dad kissed her nose.

Bodhi went on her toes and whispered. "That was easy." She looked pointly at my parents who were fussing over the food on the stove. "They're nice."

I nodded and narrowed my eyes with suspicions. "Too easy." I sighed in defeat. "Oh I'm definitely getting punished."

My dad served Bodhi and I a plate of food. I sat at the kitchen counter stool, salivating at the rice and pineapple chicken. My dad said cheerfully. "As a punishment for springing this on us last minute, your mom and I decided that you are to clean out the guest house for Bodhi to stay." Dad looked to Bodhi. "Don't think we don't want you here. You are more than welcome here but we are a bit unprepared for a guest."

Bodhi jumped off from the stool and hugged my dad. "Thank you, Mr. Pierce!" Bodhi turned to my mom was giggling at my dad stiffened stance. "Thank you, Mrs. Pierce!"

"Thanks." I said dryly at my parents. I guess that's a fair punishment.

Mom waved her hand away at Bodhi. "Nonsense and please call me Vida."

Dad stepped back. "You can call me Michael."

Bodhi hopped back on the stool and took a big scoop of food from her plate, she shoved the entire portion into her mouth. My parents looked at her agaped. Mom went and pet her head. "Poor thing! You must've been starving!"

I snorted. Starving my butt. If they had only seen how she ate at the diner earlier.

Dad gave Bodhi another scope of chicken. "Here."

Bodhi stared at dad. "You, sir, is an amazing cook."

"I'm so glad you think so!" My dad's chest puffed up proudly. "And there's more where that came from."

My mom rolled her eyes. "You just gave Micheal an excuse to cook more."

"What?" My dad raised his brows. "You like my cooking and I can't help that Bodhi has excellent taste."

I whispered to Bodhi. "You just made my dad's head grow."

Bodhi leaned around me. "His head looks the same." She resumed eating.

"No–that's not what I mean–"

"So how long are you staying, Bodhi?" My mom asked.

I piped in. "Ah, we don't know for sure since we weren't informed from the student exchange program yet."

"Oh, I see." My mom stood up and went over to me to kiss my forehead. "Don't forget to clean out the guest house then."

"I didn't forget." I moaned. "That's gonna take forever!"

My mom bopped her ebony finger on my nose. "Then you better get started, Red."

"So any more embarrassing story about Red?" Bodhi grinned mischievously.

Dad's face lit up. "Yes, one time she followed this woman around at a store thinking it was her mom 'cause Red was on that phone and she never looked up."

They all laughed while I hid my face behind my hands. "In my defense, she had curly hair like mom."

Mom wheezed. "This poor woman thought Red was a stalker."

It was going to be a long dinner.

Bodhi and I quickly washed our plates after we finished eating. Bodhi walked out to my living room and I followed. "Your home is sooooo pretty." Bodhi twirled in the center of the living room.

"Thank you." I grabbed her suitcase by the entrance while Bodhi grabbed the other. "Come'on, you'll be sleeping in my room for now while I clean out the guest house tomorrow."

We went upstairs and I tugged the suitcase down the hall.

"Is that the guest house?" Bodhi paused in front of a window at the stair landing, overlooking my backyard. The squat little guest house stood beyond the pool.

I came up behind her. "Yeah that's it. It used to be a garage, then my dad converted to a small photography studio and now, it's just a guest house slash storage place." I pulled her suitcase. "Come'on, I'll give you a tour around."

I showed her my purple bedroom where she ooh'd and ahh's over my easels of uncompleted artwork. I showed her the bathroom that's joined to my room. She played with my sunflowered shower curtains while squealing at how cute it was. I think I spent more time chasing her around then giving a tour. I followed her around, chiding her. 'Stop doing somersaults on the bed', 'That pencil is not a weapon and no, you can't stab people with it.' and 'No, you can't jump out of the window from the second floor to cannonball into the pool.'

I threw myself on my queen size bed, drained. Bodhi bounced on her knees besides me. "Are you sleepy already?"

"I'm freaking exhausted." I glared. "It has been a long day." I ran a hand over my face. "And possibly hungover." My temple throbbed faintly.

"Hungover?" Mom was leaning against the frame of my open bedroom door.

I sat up and played off a laugh. "Off of chocolate milkshakes." I elbowed Bodhi.

She snorted quietly enough for me to hear. "Don't drag me into this."

I ignored her. "I took her to that diner you used to take me."

Mom smiled. "Ah yes. Best milkshakes ever." She came over. "Your dad and I are about to go to sleep." She kissed my forehead. "Goodnight, baby." She gave a hug to Bodhi. "Welcome and good night, Bodhi." She gave us one last warning glance. "Behave girls." She closed the door behind her.

I bashed Bodhi with my pillows. "Don't drag me into this." I mocked her. "You were the one who insisted that I should drink." I hissed.

Bodhi giggled while she raised her hands in surrender. "Not my fault you succumb to peer pressure." She touched her chest in mock gasp. "Honestly, I am appalled that you would listen to me. You should know better."

I whacked her with my pillow once again.

"Red?"

"Hm?" I answered and turned in my bed to face Bodhi. The streetlight from my window cast a glow across Bodhi's face, washing out the color of her skin and making her dark eyes more stark.

She grinned. "Tell me about your visits with Tristen."

I chuckled. "Okay, well..." And I tell her about the first time I saw him and how sad he looked. I even told her how we say our goodbyes by pressing our palms against the glass. That's when I realized, that Tristen had approached me first. He hadn't known that I was immune then. He had noticed me first.

"And you went to the top of the... dome?"

"Yeah and that was when he spoke to me for the first time, revealing that mers–you guys– could talk." I laughed. "Shock would be an understatement."

Bodhi laughed. "Oh man, I would've like to see that."

I continued to tell her bits of conversation we had and how he told me what sirens were and the language of Thalassa's hands. And how I touched his tail–

"You touched his tail?" Bodhi screeched as she abruptly sat up.

"Shush!" I sat up and hissed. "My parents are asleep."

Bodhi lowered her voice. "You touched his tail?"

I asked hesitantly. "Is that bad?"

Bodhi gwuaffed. "You naughty, little urchin!" She poked my shoulder.

"What?" The blood drained from my face. "What do you mean by that?"

Bodhi laughed even more.

"Hush!" I desperately shook Bodhi's shoulders. "Stop it and tell me!"

"Oh, Meredith." She wiped her teary eyes, but she laughed even harder.

"What is it?" I hissed. My hand twitched, urging me to slap her, but I restrained myself. Why did I have to be so reasonable?

Bodhi hiccupped, attempting to maintain her laughter, but she was still shaking. "Red." She raised her hand and gave one last laugh. "I'm just gonna say it."

I waited.

"Touching a mer's tail is the same as one touching human's no-no area."

My stomach lurched. "No..."

"And by no-no area, like the men's pen–"

I jumped out of bed and began pacing. "No, no, no, no..." I raked both my hands through my curls. "Please tell me you're joking." I recalled how Tristen just upright said no when I asked to touch his tail.

Oh god...

I just molested a guy.

A handsome guy.

A merman.

Someone that I was beginning to like.

Now any chance of getting to know him is gone.

"Oh I wish, but you, dirty uchin, just touched Tristen's no-no area." Bodhi collapsed back in my bed, laughing while holding her belly.

I went to my bed and grabbed my pillow. I calmly laid down on my bed, placing the pillow over my face and I asked Bodhi, muffled. "Push this pillow down as hard as you can and suffocate me."

Bodhi guffawed as she tugged the pillow off my face. "I'm sure it wasn't that bad."

I moaned as I thrashed around. "No... I ran my hands... and touched his fins."

Bodhi inhaled and fell off the bed with a thump. I looked over, she was wheezing on the floor.

Once I got over my major case of the cringe disease and Bodhi got all her laughs out of her system.

Bodhi grinned. "So how did it feel when he touched your legs?"

Well, sort of out of her system.

I asked, choosing not to answer that. "What does it mean? Touching the tail?"

Bodhi crossed her arms. "Do I need to give you the birds and the beetles talk?"

"I think you mean birds and the bees and no!" I huffed. "I'm familiar how sex works." I paused. "But only of humans." I turned to her hesitant. "How does it work with mers?"

Bodhi waggled her brows. "Why you wanna know, ya perv?"

My face burned. "Never mind."

Bodhi laughed. "I am just pulling your tail."

I shouldered. "You mean legs."

"Oh, right."

I laughed.

"You ready for the surf perches and zooplankton talk?

"The what and zooplankton?"

"Surf perches, they're fish that carries the egg in their belly till it hatches." Bodhi rolled her eyes at my awed face. "They're the same of birds and bees but in mer terms."

Oh boy, here comes so many questions.

"Our tails is considered a–" Bodhi snapped her fingers in search of a word. "Trait that we seek in a mate." Bodhi's eyes fluttered. "Gale's tail is so strong and lon–"

I cringed. "I got it."

Bodhi giggled. "It's different for shi'amare mates. Our tail tells us that they're ours."

I drew my brows. "How?"

"Well, when Gale and I–"

"Can you speak in scientist mode?" I twisted my lips. "I don't wanna imagine you and Gale doing the dirty."

Bodhi threw back her head and laughed. "Understandable."

I sighed in relief.

"When merman and merwoman make love, they would wrap their tails around each other and if they are shi'amares–their tails would glow."

"But how do you guys–uhm... get pregnant?"

Bodhi blinked innocently. "Same way humans do."

I sighed and tried again. "But where's is the–ah..." I don't wanna say it.

"Where is the what?"

"The uh... you know."

"Red, just say it." Bodhi smirked. She knew exactly what I'm trying to ask and she just enjoying. That mermaid.

"No!" I hissed as I wacked Bodhi's shoulder which shook with mirth. "You know exactly what I'm trying to ask." I pointed my fingers at her. "Now answer me."

Bodhi wiped a tear from her eye. "Oh Neptune, I never had so much fun torturing someone." She cackled. "You're just too easy."

I rolled my eyes. I am not as open as Bodhi was about sex. I'm an only child, it's not like I had an older sister I could talk to and my mom is a teacher, for goodness sake. So her version of "the talk" was all clinically and scientifically explained. My dad took no part in "the talk"–thank goodness for that–so I didn't really grow up in an open-minded household.

Bodhi continued. "We have a flap that we can lift when in the mood." She gestured to her legs, where her tail used to be. "We have the same make-up, mermen has the," She looked to me when I stiffened. She rolled her eyes. "–the sword and merwomen has the sheath and the makeup works the same as human as far as I know." Bodhi shrugged. "But of course with our tail, they're—" Indicating the sword and the sheath. "—a bit different in sizes to ensure the success rate of reproduction."

"Got it." I shifted. Sizes... meaning it was longer... I shook my head of such a thought. I paused while I processed. "Oh!" I thought of another question I had been wondering since my conversation with Tristen. "Do you have uh... a menstrual cycle?"

"Oh yeah. That's the other thing that we have that is different. No, I don't. Merwomen experinces an estrous cycle instead."

"Uh... What's that?"

"Menstrual is very different from ours. Did you know that you humans, apes and some monkeys are the only ones that experiences menstrual cycles?"

Whoa... "Really?" I sat back. "I didn't know that."

Bodhi nodded. "Almost all living female creatures on earth have an estrous cycle. Unlike riding the blood, we absorb it."

My face blanched at that. "Oh wow, got it." I paused. Geez, imagined all the money saved from buy women products. Now I'm somewhat irritated. I remembered something. "But now that you have legs..."

Bodhi frowned. "Oh crap."

I sighed. "Alright, my turn to educate you."

We pretty much stayed up all night chatting and giggling. We didn't go to sleep till the sky began to lighten. I put my head on the pillow to get some shut eye and next thing I know, Bodhi was bouncing on the bed with her knees. "Come'on, Red! Rise and shine. Time to go to aquarium."

I realized that I was going to be facing Tristen after knowing the true meaning of touching his tail...

And I just remembered my forgotten sketchbook.

I had the sudden urge to vomit.

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