Lover of Atlantis: Chapter 1

 

Chapter 1: The invite

 
When I was little, my parents took me to an ocean. I was little and I had fun swimming in the ocean. I pretended to be a mermaid. When I surfaced, I swam to far from the shore. I started to panic, and I cried for mom and dad. "Mommy? Daddy?" I cried. 

 "Why are you crying?" a voiced replied, from behind me.
 I looked around and saw a boy swimming toward me.
 I sniffed. "I swim to far from my mommy, and daddy."
 The boy smiled. He had Blond hair and blue eyes. He was beautiful.
 "Don't worry. I'm here. I'll help you!" The boy said grabbing my hand.
 I swam along with him. He swam me to a big rock that was on the shore. I couldn't hardly get on it. He picked me up onto the rock like I was weightless.
 "Your mommy and daddy will find you soon." The boy said swimming backwards.
 "Wait! Where are you going!? You’re my friend right?!"
 "Yes!" The boy replied.
 "Stay and play with me!"
 The boy gave a smile.
 "Kaoru!!" Mom yelled, diverting my attention from the boy with blond hair.
 "Mommy! Daddy!" I yelled as they ran up to me, and hugged me.
 "So glad you’re alright." Mom said.
 "Mommy, daddy, this boy helped me." I said pointing to where the boy was.
 They looked. 
 "No one is there sugar." Dad said picking me up into his arms.

"What?!" I said, looking. The boy was gone. The water was rippling like a fish had gone under. "Where did he go?" I said looking around. 

 "Let's go." Dad said as he and mom walked away. I looked back at the rock. I saw a figure peeking over the rock. It was the boy. I smiled. The boy put his finger up to his mouth, shhing me. I mimicked him. The boy blushes smiling, then he dunks under the water, and I saw big tail fin from a fish splash the water. I was happy and excited. I saw a real mermaid, a mer-boy!

 Of course, I was little. I believed anything. No one believed me. My dad said I just saw a fish, there's no such thing as mer-people. And after awhile, as I grew up, I forgot about it.

14 years later, on my 21st birthday.

 'Congratulations!!!' Was written on a letter. 

 "Huh?" I said looking at the letter. I opened it and read: "You have won a trip to Atlantic Ocean Beach. You may bring someone of your choice, if you wish, to your very own private beach. Have a fun and relaxing week in your own private beach, for two weeks. Swim in your very own blue ocean, or just relax in a spa. Hope we see you soon! We have made arrangements with an airliner, and when you are ready, be sure to show your ticket, which is enclosed."

 "I never heard of this Atlantic Ocean Beach." I said to myself, taking the ticket out of the envelop.
 "Watcha got there, Kaoru?" My roommate, Katie said. "A letter?"
 "I guess. It says I won a trip to an ocean."
 "Wow! Are you gonna go?" She asked excited.
 "I don't know. I never heard of this." I said showing her the letter.
 "Mm." She said taking it reading it. "Atlantic Beach Ocean Resort? Didn't you go somewhere like that when you were younger?"
 "I guess. I can hardly remember. It's been so long since then." I said taking the letter back. "I do remember a little. I met someone, but I forgot what they looked like. I think it was a boy."
 "Oh, your first love?" She teased. Elbowing my ribs. "You never told me before about that."
 "I forgot about it, okay?" I laughed. Walking to the window. Reading the letter again.

Yes, I barely remember. It's been 14 years since then. The boy helped me. How could I forget that? And worst of it, I forgot what he looked like. I sighed, rubbing my head. I tried to remember, too force my memory to remember him, that day. But I only remember the color of his hair. Blond.

 "You should go, Kaoru." Katie said, beside me. "You might see him again."
 "I don't know. I can't remember what he looks like. Only that he had blond hair."
 "Well, maybe, he'll remember you."
 "I don't know, maybe."
 "I would go if I was you."
 "I'm not as brave as you, Kat."
 
Kat, Katie, is one of those girls who could do anything, without being shy like me. We have been friends since elementary school. We went to the same middle school, High school, and college. We both majored in business. We lived in the same dorm. I work at one business office, and she works in another downtown. We moved in together in an apartment and share the rent, after we graduate from college. All though school she had boyfriends, while I was too shy to talk to any guys.

 "You can bring someone right?" she asked. Taking the letter from me.
 "Yes."
 She grinned. "Then, I will go with you, and we will search for your mystery guy!"
 "But."
 "No, Buts!" She grabbed my arm and walking me to the closet.

She got out some travel cases. "Let’s go!" She said stuffing her clothes in one.
 I sighed, as I opened one. "But, what about our work?"
 "We'll just call in for some vacation time. I know you have lots of it., and I have a least a few weeks left of mine. So-" She closed her case, with some clothes hanging out of it. "Let’s take a vacation!"
 "O-Ok." I said reluctantly. I wasn't sure if I really wanted to go.

The phone rang, as we packed more clothes in cases for two weeks of staying making sure we included our swimsuits, sun tan lotion, and some razors. We weren’t going to go bear at the beach, even if it was a private one.

 "Hello?" I answered the phone. 
 "Kaoru? It's mom."
 "Hi, mom! How's everything?"
 "Good. Your father wanted me to call you and say happy birthday!"
 "Thanks mom, tell dad also."
 "I will. We have a surprise for you."
 "What is it?"
 "Well, we sent you some money by western union yesterday. Have you got it?"
 "No. I haven't."
 "You will soon. It should be there any moment!"
 "Ok. Thanks you didn't have to bother."
 "You’re our only daughter, Kaoru. We want to."
 "Mom, I will be going to a resort soon. So if you call here, and no one answers I will at the Atlantic Ocean Beach Resort, just call there."
 "Atlantic? Oh, we went there when you were small. Remember?"
 "A little."
 "I remember. You went missing one time, but we found you on a rock. After that, we left, because your father didn't want to risk it again. You were going on about this boy that helped you, remember?"
 "Yeah, some."
 "You believe that boy was a mermaid, a merman, I believe that's what they call the males."
 "Ah, yeah." I replied. I couldn't remember.
 "Well, I hope you have fun. Is Katie going?"
 "Yes." More like making me go, I thought.
 "That's good. Bye!"
 "Bye, mom." I said as she hanged up.

Then there was a knock on the door. Katie opened it.

 "Is there a Ms. Kaoru Wells here?" A delivery man asked.
 "Yes. that's me!" I said as I went to the door.
 "Sign this." he said as he pointed to a western union sheet with a pen.

I sighed it, and gave back his pen. He gave me a letter. "Thank you." I said as he left. Katie closed the door.

 "Is that from your parents?" she asked as I opened it up.
 "Yes." I answer as I looked at the contents.
It was a traveler’s check worth a thousand dollars.
 "Wow, I wish my parents loved me that much to send me that much of cash!" Katie Joked.

Katie's parents divorced when she was in middle school. They never got along with each other, so when they fought she always stayed at my house.

Since the airfare to the resort was free. We headed to the airport, and boarded a plane. The flight was good. Everything was free on it. I wondered why. I asked a flight attendant, she said everything has been paid for. I asked who paid for this; she avoided the answer, and asked if I wanted a wet towel. Katie munched on peanuts, and watched the movie that was on a little TV in the back of the seat in front of her. She looked like she wasn't nervous, but I was.

As Katie and I left the plane. I notice a man in a suit holding up my name on a sign in front of him. He was an older man. He took us to a stretched black limo with tinted black out windows. As he loaded our baggage in the trunk I asked him about everything. He said the master wanted to meet you again.

Master? I thought as he drove us to the resort. The window of the limo was dark as I looked out. I could barely see the resort as we approached it. The limo slowed down, and stopped. The door opened. The light from the sun blinded me for a moment, where I had to cover my eyes. I saw a carpet lined up to the doors for the resort. It looked more like a mansion, and there was people lined up on both sides. Must be the workers here, I thought as Katie and I walked passed them. They were bent over some. They were lined by gender, boy then girl on each side. The men wore black butler suits, and the women wore long black and white maid’s dresses.
 "Wow." Katie whispered in my ear.
Then two men opened the double doors for us to enter. We walked into the lobby. Katie hanging on my arm. She was excited, and I felt her nails digging in some in my arm.
 "Do you believe this? Look at the place! This is no resort!" She said.
 "I know." I said as I looked around.
Everything was like a rich place. Everything was gold or silver. Paintings hang on the walls that should be in a museum. Big staircases lead up stair that had red carpet, and gold steps. This was not a resort, but of a wealthy family of some sort.
 "Hello." A man's deep voice said as he walked down the stairs. 
I looked, and saw a man with long wavy blond hair, that went to the middle of his back, and blue eyes. He looked about my age.
 "He's so hot!" Katie whispered in my ear.
I blushed. He was handsome. The man stepped in front of us. He was very tall, and he wore a black suit also, but it wasn't a butlers. He has to be at least six foot, three or four inches, I thought.
 "Welcome. I am glad you decided to come, Kaoru." He said looking at me.
 "I-I-"
 "Oh, she is glad also." Katie interrupted. "Who are you?"
 "I'm sorry, where are my manners? My name is Gage. Gage Trinten." He bowed taking my hand and kissing the back of it.

I blushed. I didn't know what to say. His lips were warm and soft. The sensation of his kiss was almost unbearable. It was like my heart stopped for a minute. I felt light headed, like I was drowning in water. He straightened up and smiled a beautiful smile. That jump started my heart into overdrive. I looked to the floor.
 "Kaoru?" I barely heard Katie. 
 "Kaoru, are you alright?" I heard Gage. His voice made me shiver.
My head was spinning, and my heart racing. I felt blood rushing to my head. I never felt like this, I thought. What is wrong with me?

Then I suddenly fell into him, with my head on his chest. I felt his arms move around me as I blacked out.