“We’re over, asshole!” Miguel shouts at his back. “¡Vete a la verga!”

When he turns around and sulks toward the pool, I can see the hurt in his eyes. When Ross and I first made this plan, I pictured Dominic declaring his love for me so many times. But I never pictured a fight. I never pictured turning him down or Miguel’s hurt or Kavya’s angry scowl, or realizing Ross is the one I wanted and having them walk away thinking I changed my mind. This was not how this swim meet was supposed to go. I’ve been such an idiot thinking my life could be like those perfectly crafted rom-coms, if only I directed it just right.

How is it, in this plan to have a happy ending, nobody gets one?

     Ross     

I can’t breathe. My chest is tight and no matter how hard I try to suck in air, my lungs feel as deflated as ever. I think I finally know what drowning feels like.

Why was I stupid enough to ever think I could stay up here? Why did I waste one second setting my heart on a future with Sean? I’m not human. He’s not mer. We’re not supposed to be together.

And he must have realized that in that moment of hesitation. Dominic declared his love for Sean, just like Sean originally wanted, and he stopped. Not looking my way. Then I was picturing Dominic running into Sean’s perfect arms, and I had to race out of there before I saw it in action. It’s hard enough to take the tsunami of emotion just thinking about it.

This has to mean one thing, the last thing that any of us ever saw coming when the Elders prepared us for the Journey.

I’ve fallen in love.

Like a flicking idiot.

I glance down to the Journey Mark etched on my wrist, welcoming me back to the Blue, ready to become an Elder. I need to go back. I wish I could go back now and not long for some stupid human with dimples that pop up on both inordinately kissable cheeks. Not lust after some guy who’s so thoughtful his job is literally about guarding lives. Not obsess over some boy who used those life-guarding skills to scoop me up in his huge arms and rush me out of danger on a packed Hollywood street. Who used those same arms to create the perfect bubble around me while he kissed me, touched me, was inside me, creating an ocean of feeling in my entire body.

I shake my head, trying to clear it. None of this is real. I let this human body get away from me; I got so into the Journey and helping Sean that I forgot that. This isn’t who I am.

“Hey.”

The soft voice pulls me out of my thoughts faster than a riptide. I know that voice.