Chapter 137: Meeting Mara, Part 3

"My feet hurt." Ba Nee griped.

"Well then, allow me to break out the world's smallest violin." Laura began.

Permission to slap Holloway in the back of the head? Sandra signed.

"Not in public." Kimber replied.

Mara fidgeted with her shirt's neck as she looked at the sea life.

And to think I used to swim with th-

"I think Ba Nee's getting overtired. Maybe we should go back." Ashley piped up.

"Seconded. I'm not f-"

As if on cue, Mara tripped on one of her loose shoelaces and hit the floor face-first, her shirt's neck snagging on a railing.

"Ow."

Just then, she realized that her neck wasn't covered up, and that everyone else was staring at her.

"Don't look!" she begged.

"Okay, girls. Now may be a good time to go home…" Kimber nervously announced.

A FEW HOURS LATER:

"Mara? Are you in there?" one of the younger girls asked from in front of Mara's door.

"Go away!"

"It's me- Ba Nee."

"What do you want?"

"I saw those things on your neck-"

"Are you here to tell me I'm a freak?"

"No. I just think they're kind of cool, I guess."

In her mind, Mara did a double-take.

"What?"

"Those things on your neck- they're kind of cool. What are they anyways?"

"Gills. It's a long story. But you say you don't m-"

"That's right!"

Mara began to weep in joy.

"Acceptance? Is this the real life?"

"Mara, we don't care if you've got gills on your neck. You've still got a place at Starlight." Jessica added.