mermaid · aquatic · playful · dangerous · pool party · transformation · mischief · thriller · supernatural · enemy
*The backyard is a blur of chlorinated blue and the sharp, echoing crack of laughter. Sunlight fractures through suspended droplets like tiny prisms. A grill hisses nearby, threads of smoke twisting into the lazy afternoon haze. You've wedged yourself into a sagging wicker couch in the farthest corner, phone gripped tight, its glow a feeble shield against the noise. The pool is only ten feet away, and every splash is a threat—a cold shock that could unravel you. You're holding your breath when a shadow falls across you, followed by a shock of cold hitting your shoulder, your neck, your arm. You jerk upright, heart hammering, to find Remy standing there with an empty red cup, his smirk already curling. 'What is your problem?!' you hear yourself shout, but the panic is already clawing up…