Chapter 98 - Ocean - What Does It All Mean? Part 1

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Ocean

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After the embarrassment started to fade, we all went back into the house. I had still been in my Siren form and the shorts I had been wearing were ripped off just like the last time so I needed to go up the stairs to the bedroom so that I could get dressed. Makai stayed downstairs with his parents this time, which was good. I didn't need the added embarrassment and distraction of having him in there with me right now.

I was moving slower than usual as I got dressed again. I put on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt plus my socks. Makai's family, like mine, didn't wear shoes in the house so I wasn't putting those on, but I also didn't want to walk around barefoot. For some reason that just seemed wrong to do with his parents around.

Trying to delay my return to the living room with them all, I even stepped into the bathroom to brush my teeth and comb my hair. I was just trying to stay away for a little more time, get a little more peace before I had to go and find out what all of this stuff meant about me and my life.

Soon though, I had taken all the time that I thought I could. I needed to get back down there before Makai thought that I had jumped out the window and ran away. He was still nervous since I said I was going to leave earlier.

The moment I opened the door to the hall I jumped back and screamed.

"Ahh!" Once I saw what was in the hall, or rather who, I yelled at them. "Dammit Makai, what the hell you ass hat?"

"Is that your new favorite word?" He was grinning at me.

"It's two words actually, ass and hat. And that's what you are." I glared at him.

"And you like me so much that it's your new favorite. Ah, you're so sweet."

"Oh, shut up." I snapped at him as I pulled his door shut. "What are you doing up here anyway?"

"You were taking so long that I thought you climbed out the window and ran away from here." He looked away from me with an embarrassed expression. "I..I was worried about you."

"Did you think that I was going to leave you?" I felt the sorrow hit me. I was going to leave, earlier today before we had everything worked out.

"Kind of." His eyes looked sad when he turned back to look at me. "I don't want you to leave me. I don't want to feel that type of pain."

The emotions he was feeling made their way to me. I know what he would feel if we were to break up and not be able to spend time together. We haven't been together that long, but the time that we have been together has been intense and amazing. I don't want to lose it either. And when I was preparing to leave him, I felt that ache that he is feeling right now.

"Makai." I grabbed his shirt and pulled him toward me until I could press my forehead against him. "I'm not leaving. I don't want to leave you."

"I..I don't want you to leave me either." He was still nervous. I don't think he could get that image of me trying to run away out of his head.

"Look at me." I cupped his cheek to make him look at me instead of at the wall next to me. "Look me in the eyes while I say this." Finally he met my eyes, and I could see that broken piece of him, that piece that I broke because of my stupidity. "I am not leaving. Now that I know that I don't have to leave you, I won't. I don't want to be without you anymore than you want to be without me."

"Ocean?" I saw the shock and awe in his eyes when he heard the words that I had to say.

"Makai I..-" I hesitated for a moment then tried again. "I..I uhm, I think that I might l..l..lo..love you." That was the hardest thing that I had ever said in my life. I didn't know what he was going to do in response to that.

That shock turned into happiness as Makai wrapped his arms around my waist.

"Ocean?" He pressed his lips to mine then, slipping his tongue into my mouth when I gasped. He pressed me against the wall and deepened the kiss for just a moment. It didn't last long though. He pulled away and pressed our heads together again just like I had done. "I love you too, Ocean. Oh God, I love you so much."

Neither of us said anything for a moment. We just stood there staring at each other before we realized how much time had passed since I had come out of the room.

"Come on, let's go before your parents get the wrong idea."

"Yeah, you're right. Let's go." Makai took my hand and started walking down the hall. I watched in shock as he brought my hand to his lips and kissed the back of my knuckles. He truly was a sentimental man.

By the time that we made it back down to the living room, it was getting closer to dinner time. I had been eating a pathetic lunch when all of this started, but that felt like it was years ago now. I was fucking starving now. And thankfully, there was someone in the kitchen cooking. It wasn't Makai's parents, instead, it was their personal chef.

"I thought I would call in for dinner to be made. It will be ready before long. Probably just in time for your parents to get here." Makai's mom smiled at me.

"I'm sorry, did you say my parents?" I was shocked by her words.

"Yes, I sure did. Our son happened to have their number so he called them up for us. I talked to your mom, and they are on their way." Mrs. Rivers was smiling happily as she spoke like this wasn't something major.

"Yup, we will be able to explain it all to them as soon as they get here." Mr. Rivers continued the conversation. "This will help to move things forward for you. Whether they accept you or not, you will find out tonight." For once, Mr. Rivers didn't sound like he was joking. Oh, great.

I groaned and buried my head in my hands as I slumped forward in my seat on the couch.

"Hey, don't worry." Mr. Rivers kept on talking after seeing my panicked expression. "If they don't accept you, we can have their memories wiped, or you could just live with us."

"You can wipe people's memories?" I lifted my head and tilted my head in curiosity.

"Goddess no." Mr. River's laughed. "That was a joke. But the living here part was true. You don't have to worry at all."

"Ugh!" I groaned and covered my face again.

"The table is set, Mr. and Mrs. Rivers. If there is anything else, please just call." The slightly older and more than slightly plump woman nodded her head with a smile before she left the house through a side door.

Not two minutes after she left, the doorbell rang. I already knew who it was before Makai got to his feet and pulled me along with him, his hand still holding onto mine. He dragged me behind him until we got to the door, and he pulled it open to reveal my parents.

"Ocean." Mom reached inside and pulled me to her in an awkward hug.

"Hi Mom." I tried to sound happy to see her.

"Is something wrong?" Dad asked me as he looked at Makai.

"As you know, my parents are home, and they've come back specifically to help us figure out the mystery of Ocean."

"And?" Mom was impatient as she urged him to continue.

"Please, come in and join us for dinner. We can talk about it all then." Makai stepped aside so that we were no longer blocking my parents from coming inside. Mom eyed our hands with a slight smile, and my dad just grinned like he thought it was funny, or cool or whatever.

Makai's mom had grabbed a bottle of wine and some bottles of juice and water for us all to have at dinner. By the time that we were all seated, it was all set for us to enjoy a nice meal together. The only problem was that I was too nervous to even taste the food.

Mostly, I was just pushing the food around my plate while the awkward introductions started. I was too scared about what people were going to say, and how my parents were going to react. I was frightened beyond belief. All I wanted to do was bury myself alive and never have to be embarrassed again.