Free Deep Blue (The Mermaid Chronicles Book 1) by J Turbett Page A

He was laughing at her with those dark eyes of his, and the color in Alice’s cheeks became hot.
                  "I don't need this you, little twerp," she said fiercely. She couldn't contain her nursed anger anymore; it was bursting to escape. It was making her crazy. She felt like a cornered cat, hating so many intrusions into her previously quiet existence. 
    The boy sneered at her. “Yesterday I was in Okinawa when I heard a tantalizingly strange tale from home. Accounts differed, but everyone whispered the word transform. I just had to see it myself. Imagine my surprise to hear my brother was involved.” He smiled that crooked smile again, “I heard the tale late last night and flipped my fin back here as quick as I could. Population counts mean nothing to a new transform.”
    “I don’t care about your stupid story. I don’t care where you were. I just want you to leave.” His expression mirrored his manner.
    “Finn said you were annoying. I shoulda known he only woulda said that ‘cuz you were as much of a bitch as he is an ass." Alice's eyes and nostrils flared again. Anger was painful with gills. He laughed, sardonically. There wasn't a serious bone in this boy's entire body, which was not what Alice needed right now. Alice didn’t know what she truly needed, but she knew it wasn’t this. As her brain surged into motion, rebelling at these new facts, Alice had some semblance of life.
                  "There is something behind the clouds," he said, cryptically. He smiled as she shook. “Well, I can see that you want to be left alone. I just wanted to see the truth of the matter myself. Have a great day, Alice.” He smirked at her and got up to leave as quickly as he had come. He continued smirking as he walked away, everyone staring until the diner door closed behind him.
    Alice looked down at the remainder of her meal and pushed it away. She sat for a moment staring at it before sliding out of the booth and paying the check.
    She moved out of the diner quickly. Escaping, she entertained the thought of running again, but it disappeared as quickly as the boy. She was headed… actually, she wasn't sure where she was headed. She just needed to get out of that diner before someone else came to harass her about one thing or another.
                  Walking down the sidewalk she discovered that she couldn't contain her emotions anymore; perhaps it was because she was so out of practice. She ran straight into Finn before she even knew there was someone coming toward her.
                  "You!" she yelled. She shoved him, shocking him full-force. Finn stumbled backwards, shock plain on his face, watching those green eyes shine through her long, long hair. He hadn't really been watching where he was going, either. He was on an important mission of his own. He stared at her violent eyes and flaring nostrils. "Keep your goddamn fan club away from me!" she shouted, shocking him again as she sped past, leaving him gaping in the road.
                  She was moving swiftly, and before she knew it she had broken into a run. The ocean was in front of her; it was swirling around her legs and she was screaming for all she was worth. Two people on the beach stared at her. They had been sunbathing, or picnicking; it didn't matter. She hadn't met those people yet, she didn't know if they knew her; it didn't matter. She screamed at them as they gathered their things, leaving her alone on the beach. Alice turned her screams toward the ocean, tears pouring from her eyes.
                  "Why?" she screamed, "Why me?" She let in a breath as she fell to her knees. The water swirled around her knees and legs, her pants were soaked. She didn't care. "Why me?" she pleaded, softly this time, as her shoulders and head slumped in exhaustion.
                  Out to sea and out of sight, Tommy surfaced to laugh. He could hear her scream. Unknown to her,