It was Saturday mid-morning, and Luke had just finished his house chores. Being the only child meant all the work usually landed on his shoulders. His mom and dad were preparing to leave for a party somewhere in town.
Luke pleaded, "Can't I come with you this time? Please?"
His mom, busy applying makeup, shook her head. "Not until you finish your chores first."
"I already did them all," Luke replied quickly.
His mom raised an eyebrow, suspicious. Luke smirked knowingly and said, "What next, Mom? Want me to scrub the ceiling and mop the roof too?"
She stopped mid-brush and gave him a look. "No, stop kidding. How about you sit down, do your homework, and later go play with your friends."
Luke sighed dramatically. "Looks like I'm indirectly grounded here. Dad, some help here, please?"
His dad peeked over the edge of the newspaper he'd been glued to all morning, sunglasses perched lazily on his nose.
"What was that again, Luke? Need pocket money?"
Luke slapped his forehead. "Of course you weren't listening to our conversation! Typical. Never mind."
His dad looked genuinely confused. "What conversation?"
Luke smirked and slightly raised his voice. "Nothing, Dad. I was just wondering if you'd seen my green skirt anywhere. It disappeared while I was wearing it."
Both his parents burst into laughter, while Luke folded his arms, pretending to pout.
Before the teasing could continue, a knock came at the door.
"Luke, can you get that, please?" his mom called.
"Yeah, sure," he replied, dragging himself over.
The moment he cracked the door open, his heart skipped. Standing there was Celestine.
She wore a pink flowery blouse, a white short skirt that barely reached her knees, and black net-like tights underneath. Sneakers on her feet, hair tied into a neat ponytail—she looked effortlessly stunning.
Luke stood frozen, staring at her like she'd descended straight from the heavens.
Celestine smiled shyly. "Should I… go back and change into something more decent?"
"No, of course not!" Luke blurted, finally waking from his trance and opening the door wider. "Please, come in."
Celestine stepped inside, equal parts nervous and curious. Luke couldn't help noticing the butterfly-shaped hair clip at the back of her head—it looked so real it could fly off at any moment.
"So, Mom, Dad… meet my friend Celestine," Luke announced proudly. "From the United… States." His voice trailed off as he realized they were staring at her just as he had done.
"Yeah," Luke muttered, rolling his eyes. "She's that beautiful."
His mom gasped. "Oh my gosh, Luke! Who's this cutie?"
"She's my schoolmate and friend," Luke said quickly, trying not to blush.
"Oh, Luke, I can't believe it!" His mom rushed over, eyes shining. "Hello, cutie!"
Celestine waved nervously. "Hiii."
"I'm Lilly Tyson, Luke's mom. Welcome to our home!" she said, shaking Celestine's hand warmly.
"Thanks. I'm Celestine," she replied with a polite smile.
"Sweet name! Please, sit here and make yourself comfortable." His mom ushered her onto the big couch.
Then she turned sharply to Luke. "Come on, son, don't just stare like a freak. Serve her a drink!"
"I know, Mom," Luke muttered. "But maybe you forgot to introduce the old man over there, who's been married to his newspaper since morning." He said pointing at his dad.
For the first time since morning, his dad looked up, blinking. "Oh! Hi there, everyone?" he said awkwardly, waving.
Celestine giggled softly as Luke and his mom just facepalmed.
"When did our guest arrive?" his dad asked. Before anyone could answer, his phone buzzed loudly on the table. He picked it up, glanced at the caller ID, and his face lit up.
"Wife, come here—you'll want to hear this!" he called.
Luke's mom shot him a sharp look.
"Got it mom," Luke whispered, then rushed to Celestine's side. "Hey. Should I serve you tea, coffee, or juice?"
"Juice," she said with a small smile and Luke dashed into the kitchen.
While waiting, Celestine took in the beauty of the home—the smooth painted walls adorned with artwork, the massive flatscreen, the polished mahogany tables, the soft carpet beneath her feet. Everything felt warm, alive and lived-in.
When Luke returned with juice and sandwiches, he placed them before her and sat beside her with his own glass.
"Help yourself. Want to wash your hands first?"
She shook her head. "No, I'll just use the knife and fork."
"Cool," Luke said, grinning. "Meanwhile, I'll just sit here and admire you all I can." He winked, making her giggle.
Just then, his parents approached with wide smiles.
"Our prayers have been answered, son," his mom said, almost dancing.
Luke blinked. "What's going on?"
"We're relocating to Los Angeles!" his dad announced proudly. "This is our last weekend in San Diego."
Luke stared. "Wait—what? A new school again?"
"Yes," his mom confirmed. "You better start packing."
"But I just started making friends here!" Luke protested. "I can't leave them just like that."
"You'll make new ones in Los Angeles," his dad said cheerfully, grabbing his car keys.
Luke groaned, slumping on the couch. Celestine forced a polite smile, but her stomach sank.
His mom kissed him on the forehead. "Take care of our guest, and Celestine ...," she said turning to her. "Ddon't let this small boy bully you," she told her with a wink.
"Okay," Celestine replied softly.
"Bye now!" his parents chorused as they swept out the door, leaving the house in silence.
Celestine glanced at Luke. He sat stiffly, eyes fixed on the wall, juice glass trembling slightly in his hand.
"Hey," she nudged him softly with her elbow. "You okay?"
"Yeah," he said quickly, but his voice cracked.
Celestine tilted her head. "I don't think so. What would you do if I just kept visiting you like this? Even wearing outfits like this one?"
Luke looked at her, a thousand thoughts whirling before settling on one truth: She's here. With me. And maybe this is the last time.
He smiled faintly. "How about some outdoor bicycle racing after those sandwiches?"
"Sounds nice. Actually, let's burn some tires," she said with a playful grin.
"Cool. Lemme grab my stuff," Luke said, rushing to his room.
Outside, as the two wheeled their bikes onto the street, a pair of watchful eyes followed them from a rooftop.
Rockie nudged his sister. "Should we… do something?"
"Not yet," Ruksy replied. "We don't know what this mermaid is really after here on land."
Rockie's stomach rumbled. "Then how about we find some late breakfast? Or early lunch?"
Ruksy sighed. "Let's go."
The two rose, clasped hands, and disappeared into thin air.
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