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baevitar · 4 months ago

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ART DONALDSON

୨ৎ ˚｡ 🪼 . ˚ 𐙚

Inspired by @iz-belljolie !!

Art Donaldson and his best friend Patrick had been looking forward to their beach day for weeks. The sun glimmered over the waves, casting a golden hue on the world around them. Patrick, always the outgoing one, had brought a stack of tennis autographs to sign, hoping to attract fans along the lively beachfront.

While Patrick was busy chatting with his admirers, Art decided to take a dip in the cool ocean. The salty water felt refreshing as he dove beneath the surface, losing himself in the rhythm of the waves. Time slipped away, and before he knew it, he had ventured farther than he intended.

In a moment of realization, Art turned to swim back, but something unexpected caught his eye—a flash of shimmering scales beneath the water. He squinted, and to his astonishment, he noticed a girl with a shimmering tail, gliding effortlessly through the liquid. Her long hair floated around her like seaweed, and she seemed both curious and shy.

His brow furrowed as he surfaced, water dripping from his face. To his surprise, she surfaced too, her cheeks flushed as she met his gaze. “What… I thought mermaids weren’t real…” he stammered, disbelief and wonder mingling in his voice.

Before she could respond, Patrick’s voice boomed from the shore, “Art! Come back!” The moment shattered like glass, and the girl’s expression shifted from curiosity to alarm. With a quick flick of her magnificent tail, she dove beneath the waves, gone in an instant.

A knot formed in Art’s stomach as he watched the ocean swallow her whole. He returned to the shore, a whirlwind of emotions swirling within him.

︵‿︵‿୨🐚୧‿︵‿︵

Days turned into weeks, and that magical encounter haunted Art. He couldn't shake the image of the mermaid—her ethereal beauty, her shy smile. It was as if she had left a piece of herself with him. One night, the moon hung high and bright, bathing the beach in a silvery light. Restless and curious, Art decided to go back to the beach, hoping against hope to find her once more.

With a scuba diving mask in hand, he slipped into the water, feeling the familiar embrace of the sea. The nighttime ocean was a different world, shimmering with bioluminescent creatures that twinkled like stars.

He swam deeper, searching the depths, his heart pounding with anticipation. Time seemed to stand still as he explored, the water cool against his skin. Suddenly, a flicker of movement caught his eye—a familiar flash of iridescent scales darting through the darkness.

He swam closer, and there she was. The mermaid glided near him, her long hair flowing like silk in the current. Ethereal and enchanting, she didn’t shy away this time; instead, she observed him with wide, curious eyes. Her eyes caught onto the stare and they both surface.

“Why are you here?” she asked, her voice melodic, echoing like the sound of gentle waves.

“I had to find you,” Art replied, his words spilling out in a rush. “I thought I was dreaming.”

“And yet, here you are,” she smiled, her cheeks still tinged with a hint of pink. “The world above is strange to me.”

“It is,” he agreed, captivated by her presence. “But it’s also beautiful—just like you.”

She seemed to glow at his compliment, causing Art's heart to race. “My name is Neri,” she introduced, shyly brushing a lock of hair behind her ear.

“I’m Art,” he responded, trying to quell the nervous excitement bubbling within him. They exchanged stories of their worlds, laughter echoing in the sea, bonding over their shared sense of wonder.

As the night deepened, the stars above reflected in the water, creating a magical ambiance. Art learned of the secrets the ocean held, of the creatures that danced beneath the waves, and Neri shared her dreams of exploring the human world.

Yet time was fleeting, and soon he knew he had to return to the shore. “Will I ever see you again?” Art asked, a hint of sadness in his voice.

“I didn’t know you were leaving..” Neri whispered.

“I kinda have to, my fingers and feet are pruning and it’s cold.” He sighs. Dripping in water and reluctance, he starts swimming, only to be caught by Neri’s gentle hand.

“Wait- I wanna show you something.” She leads him back under the water, they come to a stop at a small coral reef - filled with vivid colours and fishes. Neri then pulls out a pendent, Art furrows his brows and signals for them to resurface.

“What’s that?”

“My father’s pendent.”

“But why are you showing me? I don’t even know you, I can’t even believe your real.”

“Cause I feel emotions deeper then humans, and I know we’re meant to be.” She swims a little closer to him. Water droplets cascading from her skin like diamonds. They lock eyes, and in that fleeting moment, the world around them fades. Art feels drawn to her, not just by her ethereal beauty, but by an indescribable connection that pulsed between them like a heartbeat. She swims even closer, and instinctively, Art's hands reach out to caress her soft cheeks, their warmth igniting the air between them. Time stops as Neri pulls him under the water. Under the water, they close the gap, lips meeting in a gentle, soaring kiss that echos through the tides.

The kiss is a beautiful collision of worlds—saltwater and fresh air mingling as they loose themselves in each other. It was a moment of enchantment, a brief escape from reality, where magic seemed to weave through their veins. As they pull away, foreheads resting gently against one another, the connection lingers like a spell cast in the moonlight. Art feels like he’s on cloud nine as he goes up for a breath.

“Take the pendant…” Neri whispers, her voice like the soft rustling of leaves. She hands him delicate silver pendant shaped like a seashell, its shimmery surface hinting at the depths of the ocean.

Art nods, carefully accepting it in his hands, feeling the warmth of her touch imprinted on the cool metal. “I’ll come back for you, promise…”

Neri’s eyes sparkle with hope. “I know you will…” Her smile is gentle yet radiant, a beacon in the darkness, and with that, she dove back into the depths of the sea, leaving Art floating in the ocean cold and yearning, heart pounding and mind racing.

As he swam back to shore, Art found himself replaying their kiss in his mind—a moment so pure, so unexpected. He returned to his dorm room at Stanford, the reality of his life crashing down like a wave after the blissful encounter. Inside awaited Patrick, his best friend, sprawled on his bed, clearly waiting for him.

“Where’ve you been, man?” Patrick asked, his brow raising in curiosity.

“…uhh- strip club?…” Art replied casually, a hint of guilt creeping into his tone. He was grateful for the darkness; it shrouded the glitter on his hands—the remnants of Neri’s touch.

Patrick, ever the naive friend, shrugged. “A strip club? Really?” He smirked, teasingly nudging Art’s shoulder. Art chuckled, playing along, but his mind was elsewhere.

As Patrick drifted off to sleep beside him, Art remained wide awake, staring at the faint sparkle on his hand. He touched his lips, longing for the warmth of Neri’s, the ghost of her kiss lingering, filling him with a sense of longing he couldn't quite understand. It felt as if she had cast a spell, a bewitching charm that held him captive in a world unlike his own. The glitter on his hands was a reminder—a tangible piece of magic that transcended the ordinary.

Lying in bed, Art traced the outline of the seashell pendant, and then his lips which Neri’s soft lips had touched. He had never felt this way about a girl let alone a mermaid.. It was like she casted a spell on him.

What i listened to while writing this