17.Alin #2
“Take me to the nearest mall, please,” I ask with a fake smile. He sends me an understanding look, almost pitying. He doesn’t understand. I am sure he doesn’t understand.
He doesn’t understand my need to escape. He doesn’t understand how much my heart hurts. He doesn’t understand the immense clash between our worlds, making me want to crawl into a small, quiet shelter and calm the war threatening to erupt inside me.
A creature like me should never fall in love on land. I’m not supposed to integrate into human society. I am not supposed to draw attention to myself, at any cost.
I broke all the rules set for me at home and the rules I set for myself. I didn’t just run away from my world; I also risked exposure.
“We’re here, Miss Grey,” Abert’s voice pulls me from my thoughts. I look around and recognize the big luxurious entrance to the mall ahead as he parks in a side lot.
I turn back to Abert. “Call me Alin, please.” My adoptive parents’ surname keeps falling from his mouth, and I don’t like it.
That surname only reminds me of my constant escape from home. I need to change it. Abert nods and corrects himself immediately, “We’re here, Alin.”
I smile at his correction, surprised when he places his hand on my shoulder.
“You’ll be fine, figliola,” he says in a fatherly tone that doesn’t match his appearance, which looks no older than 35.
I laugh internally, realizing he’s just trying to comfort me.
The muscular gorilla before me, with his tough, stubbly features, trying to play a fatherly role.
I understand the word he added in Italian, “little girl.”
Underwater, our education system was more about survival in the world, preparing for any situation we might face in the future, rather than gaining knowledge for a financial gain like it is here on land.
Therefore, we learned many languages, whether they were marine languages or human languages.
I would sit with my friends on rock ridges in the middle of the ocean, and we would sing songs in different languages, trying to mimic the Hunters’ pod that hunts sailors and drowns them.
“ Lo so * ,” I immediately reply in Italian.
“You know Italian?” Abert asks, raising an eyebrow in surprise, and I nod.
“It seems you really will be okay after all,” he says quietly, more to himself than to me.
He opens the car door on his side after parking, and I do the same on mine. It looks like I won’t have to suffer through Abert’s company too much. He can act like a human sometimes, not just a robot.
We enter the mall, and I glance around at all the stores, trying to formulate a good escape plan.
Back at Cora and Mariano’s apartment, I decided that in order to forget about Luca and survive this nightmare, I need to get away for a while, at least until everything calms down and I can see Cora again.
In the mall, I can blend in with the crowd and hopefully get lost, without Abert following me.
I just need a small window to escape. Now I just need a quick and effective plan.
I encourage myself as I look around. An idea comes to mind when my eyes land on a display mannequin wearing a one-piece swimsuit with a large round straw hat on its head.
I walk into the store, and as expected, Abert follows me like a shadow.
I take my time, trying on a few summer dresses and deciding to buy them for the act.
I pay at the counter and ask the saleswoman to add a beach bag that’s on sale, along with the big hat.
Glancing over at Abert, I notice his eyes scanning the area around us.
I quickly push one of the scanned dresses into the beach bag, along with the hat, while the saleswoman packs the rest into bags.
Taking a deep breath, I sling the beach bag over my shoulder and hold the three shopping bags in my hands. Leaving the store, I know it’s now or never. “Abert, I need to use the bathroom,” I say, pointing to the mall restroom sign.
Pushing open the door, I hand Abert the shopping bags, praying he doesn’t suspect anything.
Maybe I’ve underestimated him; after all, he is one of Luca’s most trusted men.
Stepping inside, the heavy door closes behind me.
I breathe a sigh of relief when I realize I’m alone.
Quickly entering a stall, I lock the door and change into the dress I had stashed in my bag.
Shoving my old clothes back into the bag, I walk over to the mirror to put on the hat.
My heart stops when I hear the restroom door open. A very familiar scent fills my nose, and it hits me. I turn around quickly and I’m not mistaken; I would never forget her scent—a sweet aroma mixed with sea breeze. Mom .
“How did you find me?” I ask, fear coursing through every cell in my body.
“Alianna, my dear. I’ve known where to find you for months. I gave you your time, hoping you would return, but I need you to come back,” she says in a warm, motherly tone. This time, it doesn’t sound like a command; it sounds like a plea.
“Mom, I miss all of you so much—home, Dad, friends. But I can’t marry him, Mom. I can’t!” All my defenses crumble, and tears sting my eyes.
My body knows exactly what it needs now, and I fall into her embrace in a tight hug. She holds me with her familiar warmth, and I inhale her scent that I’ve missed so much, as if it’s going to disappear soon and I’ll never smell it again.
“Alianna, this is what your father wants. You know how important this union is for us. You know that in our position, there is no choice. Especially not on land, my dear daughter,” she says in her gentle yet authoritative tone, stroking my hair.
Looks like there’s no escaping her, but I’m not about to marry that terror-pod merman—not for any price in the world.
“Mom, please. I know that even if your priorities are different from mine, my personal happiness still matters to you. Let me keep running, Mom, please.” I beg.
“I’m sorry, Alianna. You’ll have to come back with me,” she says apologetically.
I know she has no other choice; my father sent her. I realize that my only option now is to actually stay here with Luca. That’s where I’ll be most protected. She won’t risk exposure unless absolutely necessary, just like me, and the rest of the pod.
“I am sorry, Mom,” I say, tears choking my voice.
“For what, my daughter?” she asks, her brow furrowing in confusion, and I immediately start yelling for help, “Abert!”
Abert bursts into the restroom within a second, gun drawn and pointed at her. She panics and raises her hand defensively as if to use her powers, and I fear that I might have made a mistake and she’ll hurt him. But within a moment, it seems she understands. She lowers her hand and turns to me.
“My dear Alianna, you’re a survivor. You’re too good for both of our worlds. But I will come back. You know better than anyone that I have no other choice,” she announces and carefully steps out of the restroom, Abert’s gun tracking her every move.
He quickly realizes the connection between us—it’s hard to miss the resemblance. I’m a younger replica of her. Once we’re alone in the restroom, it hits me. I chose one prison to escape another.
“Was that your mom?” he asks, just as surprised as I am, though each of us is surprised by something different.
“Yes, that’s my mom,” I confirm with a sigh, understanding that there’s nowhere left to run.
“Take me back to the apartment,” I request, he nods and we go. The entire way to the car, I look around anxiously, searching for her, but in vain. She’s never left the water, at least not since I can remember. If she came all the way here, they must really need me back there.
I glance at Abert as he talks on his phone. I’m grateful that Abert isn’t nosy and doesn’t ask too many questions like his boss.
I pull out my phone from my pocket, surprised to find a message from Luca.
I’m sorry I left. But we need to continue our conversation.
11:02 AM
My heart starts pounding as I read his message, and I check the time. It’s now 11:30 AM. He sent the message half an hour ago.
I have to ignore him. I can’t keep getting drawn in. I close his message and see another one, older one, this time from Cora.
Alin, don’t try anything foolish. Please. I know you. Come back to me, and we’ll talk about everything.
9:50 AM
I get annoyed. Why does everyone want to talk now? They didn’t before. I’m not a porcelain doll. I can take care of myself just fine.
I get into the car, and Abert offers me a half-hearted, almost comforting smile — at least, he tries. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was just struggling to stay comfortable in the driver’s seat. He’s trying too hard for my sake.
Everyone around me thinks I’m a ticking time bomb. Do I look like one? Maybe I’m not as good at hiding my emotions as I think.
I glance back at him gratefully, as we leave the parking lot, going back to Luca’s apartment. I have to get used calling it home now, I guess.
Here we go, home.
* “ Lo so ,” meaning “I know” in Italian.