Page 46 of Mermaid's Song (Dark Sea Academy 1)

“Hurry up! Your boyfriend has a brilliant idea about how we can get back at Earwyn, Cove, and Vanya.”

I sit up. “My boyfriend?”

She plops down next to me. “I saw the way you were looking at him.”

My face burns. “I wasn’t looking at him like anything.”

“Liar.” She whacks me with the pillow. “Change out of that uniform. We need to meet him.”

I glance down at my shirt. It has about a hundred wrinkles from sleeping in it. “Bash isn’t my boyfriend.” Then I pull a different uniform from my closet.

“It’s the weekend. You don’t have to wear that.”

“I don’t?”

She takes it from me and hangs it back up. Then she grabs a shimmery teal shirt. “Wear this. It’ll bring out your eyes.”

I hold it up to me. “And I want to bring out my eyes, why?”

Halen throws me an exasperated glance. “Because we’re meeting your boyfriend.”

“Stop calling him that.”

“Okay. We’re meeting your future boyfriend.”

“Don’t call him that either.”

She kisses my cheek. “I’m only speaking the truth. Hurry up.” She goes over to her vanity and fusses with her hair.

I pull off the uniform and replace it with the teal shirt. It’s tighter and lower cut than I’m used to. I look in the mirror and frown. People are definitely going to notice me in this. I dig through the closet, looking for a hoodie I can cover it with. No such luck. Everything is shimmery and tailored to my fit. Ugh.

“Let’s see.” Halen taps my shoulder.

I spin around and frown. “I’m not sure this is the right choice.”

She covers her mouth. “It’s perfect! Look at you!”

“That’s the problem.”

“We just need to do something with your hair.” She pulls it back with her fingers. “Just like this.”

I groan. “Really, I’m not trying to impress anyone. Not that I could with all these wounds.”

“Oh, please.” She releases my hair and drags me over to my vanity. “Sit.”

“I thought we had to hurry.”

“We have time for this.” In a blur of activity, she pulls my hair back and secures it with sparkling clips before using makeup to cover my scratches and bruises. “There. Not only are you beautiful, but you’ll infuriate Earwyn. Act like last night doesn’t bother you and you’ll be golden.”

“Gladly, if it’ll piss her off.”

Halen glances at the clock and drags me out of the room. “We better hurry.”

“What did Bash come up with?”

“The best plan ever.” She beams. “I seriously take back anything bad I’ve ever said about him. The merman is brilliant.”

“What is it?”

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