Allay took in a deep breath, letting the salty sea air fill her nostrils and lungs. The sand was soft beneath her toes, and everything felt perfect.

It was beautiful outside, her favorite kind of day – sunny, cloudless sky, a warm, gentle breeze and a sparkling ocean. She had picked out her favorite white sundress and straw hat to wear, both adorned with big white ribbons, and grabbed her most well-read book before heading out the door to go down to her little cove.

Glancing down at the worn cover of her novel, she grazed her fingers over the frayed edges and dull gold lettering of the title – “THE LITTLE MERMAID”. It was a happier version of the tale, one that ended with the girl marrying her prince instead of turning into bubbles or sea foam or many of the other more unhappy endings that were so much more common. Allay preferred the modified story; it suited her hopeful and dreamy self better.

Stepping lightly across the sand, Allay made her way to the short wooden dock that extended out into the water. She stood at the edge for a moment, taking in the beautiful scene in front of her. She would never tire of the ocean. Every time she looked at it, her heart swelled with joy and wonder. Allay longed to explore the sea, to swim as deep as she could and befriend the mysterious creatures she found there, be it mermaids or selkies or prehistoric fish. She knew it was impossible, but she longed to have the fins that the heroine of her favorite story had given up so easily.

As Allay let herself be carried under the sea by her imagination, she heard a small splash off in the distance. Thinking it was just the sound of the waves against the shore, she didn’t pay much attention. The splash repeated, almost rhythmically, just like the waves, but it was quickly growing in loudness. Allay began to drift out of her daydream just as the loudest splash occurred right in front of her, sending water all over her dress and making her cry out in surprise. Wiping the stinging spray out of her eyes, Allay looked around for the source, glancing down into the ocean. She sucked in her breath at what was there.

Below her, in the water, was a mermaid—no, a merman.

He was young looking, maybe around her age. The shoulders that floated above the water looked shiny and muscular, and his hair was kind of shaggy, but straight and not too long. It stuck to his pale face in wet red-orange clumps, thick and bright in the summer sun. His tail, visible in the clear blue water, was a dark, beautiful red color with scales that seemed to burn in the light’s reflection.

Allay stared at him, her eyes wide. His expression mirrored her own; curiosity mingled with slight fear and shock. They stayed like that for a minute or two, unsure, and then Allay bit her lip and spoke.

“H-hello,” she said. Allay brushed back a lock of her hair and sat down slowly on the edge of the dock, resting her book upon her lap. The merman said nothing in return, merely watching her carefully. He slunk up to the dock and pulled himself upward, resting his chin on the wood next to her.

“Um…” Allay wondered if he could understand her. “Can you speak?” She stared into his eyes nervously for a moment, but he turned away from her gaze.

“I…I guess that’s a no,” she said quietly. She looked down at her lap, wondering what to do with her new situation, then smiled slightly. Allay picked up her novel and looked at it, then at the merman.

“I wonder if you know this story…” she mused aloud. Maybe he did, but maybe they told a different version to little mergirls and boys. She glanced at him again, then opened the book to the first page. Well, now he could hear the human’s version!

The merman shifted closer to look at the pages, his eyebrows furrowed. Allay began reading, her voice clear but soft. “Once upon a time…”

Her listener was very attentive, and seemed to understand perfectly every single word Allay said. She could hear the sharp intake of breath, or the splash of his tail in the water at all dramatic scenes. She had to hold back a laugh when she finished, because when she stole a glance at him, the blushing expression on his face was too unexpected. Allay wondered if it was common for mermen to be easily embarrassed by love stories.

Glancing up, she realized that the sky was a deep orange and the sun was close to setting. “Oh my gosh!” she exclaimed, leaping up. “How is it this late already?”

She looked down at the merman, who was staring at her with what seemed to be a pained expression. Allay was suddenly very hesitant to leave – what if she never saw him again? Or even worse, what if it was just a dream?

The merman hoisted himself out of the water and sat on the deck. His tail looked as if it was on fire in the red of the setting sun, and Allay was almost blinded by its brightness for moment. But then, a hand was holding hers, and she looked down to see her new friend smiling at her.

She couldn’t help but smile back. “See you tomorrow?” she asked, and his smile grew even wider. Letting go of her hand, he turned and pushed himself out into the water. Invisible for only a few seconds, the merman leapt out of the water with a grand flourish, sending a splash of bright, sparkling water everywhere. Diving back in again, he popped up for one last time to wave enthusiastically goodbye.

“I think he’s showing off,” she murmured with a little laugh, waving back. Though it wasn’t quite the same as her daydreams, Allay thought that this new addition to her life was easily a very close second.