We gaze around looking for the boys.

I can do this, I repeat in my head. Tonight isn't going to be that bad. I'll have Marissa to help me. She'll help me through it all if I get nervous and start to panic. All I need to do is try to have fun. Everything should come smoothly after that.

I love Marissa. She is the one person I can count on. She knows how to calm me down and get my mind off of things. Marissa is a great friend. I'm so lucky to have her. I wouldn't want anyone else as a friend. I'm glad I met her when I was four. I'm glad she stuck by me and all my crap through thick and thin.

"Looking for us?" I hear a guy say. We turn around to see a smirking Nick and a nervous looking Alex next to him. Why is he nervous? He's the one that asked me, and of course, Nick would be smirking.

"Well, duh," Marissa says, smirking back.

"Ready to know what to do?" Nick asks. I nod nervously.

"Yeah. So, where do you live Alex?" Marissa asks him. He opens his mouth, but Nick quickly interrupts him.

"We were thinking I could meet you guys somewhere, and we could swim to his house together. You know, so you don't get lost?" Nick says.

"Oh, okay. Where do you want to meet?" Marissa asks.

"Where do you two want to meet? I'm fine with wherever. It really doesn't matter," Nick says nicely.

Wow, he's really being sweet and all. I wonder why.

"How about right here in front of the school? Is that fine?" Marissa asks. I'm glad it's only Marissa and Nick talking. I would probably crack or choke if I had to speak. Marissa probably realizes this since she's doing all the talking. But, why is Nick talking? Why won't he allow Alex to talk? Every time Alex opens his mouth, Nick interrupts him.

"Sure, that's cool with me."

"Okay, we have to go now. We haven't asked our parents if we can go, yet."

"Oh, okay. Meet you here around five, then?"

"We'll be here," Marissa says as we start swimming away. I can see Nick smiling as we do so, but Alex looks worried. He looks as if he is shaking a little. "Wave," Marissa whispers.

Confused, I ask, "What?"

"Wave to them, and don't forget to smile. Trust me," she says as she begins waving their way. I decide to wave towards them, too. Nick sees us and waves, while Alex stares at us, stunned. Nick notices and nudges him. He whispers something to Alex, making Alex realize he isn't moving. Suddenly, he begins to wave, too.

"See you at five girls!" Nick screams loud enough for us to hear. We turn around and start heading to my place.

"Now, lets go ask our parents!" Marissa says excitedly.

Marissa and I swim to her house first. She quickly swims inside while I wait outside for her. I don't like her stepmother; therefore, I don't want to swim inside only to see her I-hate-everyone face. I mean, she doesn't hate all mer-people. She just hates most of them. The only way she would like you is if you had "I'm rich" tattooed on your forehead. Marissa obviously doesn't like her either. We both can't understand why her father would marry her she-devil of a stepmother. I mean, come on! She's cruel, bossy, conceited, and twenty-five for Christ's sake! Her father is nearly the same age as Marissa's father! The only thing I can come up with for him marrying Angela is that he is going through some mid-life crisis. It's the only reason I can think of.

"Marissa! You forgot to shut the door! Oh, hi, Stacie. I didn't realize you were here," Angela says snobbishly. She obviously didn't. She was too busy thinking of all the ways she could spend her husband's money.

"Hi, Angela. I'm just waiting for Marissa." She practically glares at me as I talk. You know, a normal, nice mother would have asked why I didn't come inside. Even a polite person would have asked why. Of course, Angela is not that kind of a mother, and obviously, she is not polite at all.

"Stacie, why don't you come inside and help me?" Marissa says, annoyed, as she pulls me inside. I gladly follow her to her bedroom as we escape her stepmother's glares.

As soon as we are in her room, Marissa quickly slams her door. She plops down on her bed and groans.

"Ugh! I hate her!" she screams, but not loud enough for Angela to hear. I can't help but chuckle.

"I know how you feel. I'm shocked she doesn't have razor sharp teeth along with those beady, little eyes and that cold stare of hers. Did you know she can make the biggest criminal cry if she really wanted to? All we need to do is throw a broomstick under her, and she'd be perfect!" I laugh. Marissa glares in my direction before bursting out in laughter. "I'm glad I cheered you up, but now, we have to stop. We have to hurry if we want to pick up Brittany and Blythe soon." Marissa nods understandingly and races to her closet.