The sunlight shone through the semi-circle window straight into the eyes of the sleeping girls. Coco and April shared a small room in their small house. Not that it felt small to them. The walls were a soft baby pink and had stencils of flowers in the corners. Their room was separated by a small half wall which a normal sized person could look over. Right now both girls had their beds against the wall and their side of the wall was decorated with what they were interested at the current moment. For Coco, pictures of small animals like baby dolphins, kittens, and puppies. For April, pictures of the hottest celebrities right now.
   The night before, Coco had won a game of rock, paper, scissors and decided that the girl would sleep on her side. So, when they woke up they were surprised to see she was not there. On either side of the wall. Both sisters bolted out of bed and ran downstairs just in time to see the strange girl sitting down in Aprils spot at the table. “Why is she sitting there? That’s my spot.” 
Her mom looked over at where the girl was sitting and said, “Oh, I guess she is. You can just sit somewhere else today.” 
The girl looked up, “Oh, no need. I’ll just move.” the girl got up and moved to a different spot.
“See how nice she is April. You could be that way.” 
April looked at the clock and a look of disgust appeared on her face. “I got up this early for this?” she continued to grumble but stayed for the sake of her sister. 
“Good,” said her mother as if she had been holding her breath, “We are having pancakes – who wants?” As her mom started the morning routine of making breakfast Coco said, “We should give you a name. How about something to do with the ocean because we found you there?”
Mommy said, “That sounds great sugar. How about Oceana? Or Sandy?” Quietly she started singing songs from the movie Grease.
April said under her breath, “How about Coral?”
The girl jumped up, “It is perfect! I love it!”
“Order up- some double blueberry pancakes.”
April sighed, “No thanks- not hungry.” and walked back upstairs. Her shoulders hunched.

__________________________

“Hey. You ok?” said Coco to April.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” April said into her pillow. She had wrapped herself up in her blankets making her bed even messier than before. “You don’t look ok. I have an idea. Let’s go down to the boardwalk!” A smile lit up April's face. “Of course we would have to take Coral, but that will be fun.”
The smile disappeared. “Oh, come on. It will be fun. I bet that Taylor will be there.”  The smile came back. “Fine, but not for you. Or Coral.” She said the last name with disgust.
  About an hour later all three girls walked out the door and started to the boardwalk. Coral now wore one of Aprils jean jackets over top of her bathing suit. Coco wore a hot pink swimsuit and black shorts on top of it. April wore a green t-shirt tucked into shorts. On her head she wore her rainbow sunglasses. As they approached the carnival part of the boardwalk Coral looked around as if she had never been to one before in her entire life. They got in line for cotton candy and each got one. “What is this? It is delicious!” Both sisters looked up in unison.
“You don’t know what cotton candy is?” said Coco
“No, but I like it. A lot!”
  They went on several rides like Poseidon’s Rage and Flight of the Ostrich which goes up and down- Coco’s favorite. After riding on those many times they stopped and sat down. April was looking around and found who she was looking for. Taylor. He was tall and strong with light brown hair and soft blue eyes. As she was admiring his gorgeousness, he looked at her. He smiled and so she smiled. he started to walk over to April. April, who had dreamed about this day for three whole years was nervous. Hadn’t she practiced this in her room? Oh well, here goes. He walked past her and to Coral. “Hi, I’m Taylor, and who are you?”
   “Um, I am Coral. Nice to meet you Taylor.” Coco sensing what was going on said to Coral, “How about you and me get you another cotton candy?” Taylor seeing his opportunity said, “I will take-”
     “No. You cannot. It has to be me and Coral. No one else. No one. You too,” She pointed to April and Taylor, “should chat while we're gone.” And with that, they disappeared into the mass.
    “So, you’re April right? I’ve seen you ‘round school before.” OMG! He knows my name. He has seen me at school!  Thought April. She had so many thoughts in her head that all she could say was, “Yep, I am April.” What are you doing, you are making a fool of yourself! 
    “Um, so that Coral chick. She's cool.” April could feel the anger and heat in her face rising up.
   Trying to keep the conversation going she said briskly, “Yeah. She’s okay.” 
   Taylor looked at the ground and said, “Hey, um I was wondering if you um,” He took a breath, “would uh ask Coral if um she maybe likes me? Will you?” 
   April was shocked, angrily she replied, “No. She doesn’t like you. She hates boys like you.” And she stormed off into the crowd.

April had ran home after Taylor had said that. She didn’t even care that Coco and Coral were still at the boardwalk. She had just ran, not looking back. She darted up to her shared room and ran straight to her closet. 

_________________________
 
When her mom was looking at the house with them she told April that there was a secret room in her closet. She looked and found that behind a row of hangers there was a small door, through it, a staircase that led to a loft. That was where she was now.
   It was small, about the size of a car. Over the years she had decorated and redecorated to fit the space. Now it had pictures of Taylor ripped out of yearbooks. April tore them down, sobbing as she went. Her face was blotchy and mascara was running down her cheeks. "Why couldn't I be like Coral. Stupid Coral, she is stupid, so stupid." That was the last thing she said before she cried herself to sleep.

Water. Water everywhere. The sea, a blue mass that could easily capture you in its depths. Becoming intrepid she went down further into the dangerous ocean. The light dissipated the father down she went, becoming more eerie as more strange creatures appeared. Finally, a light was seen. A whimsical sight came into view, a castle of gold with spires and huge coral doors. The magnificence of the structure made her wonder who or what could've made it. As she swam towards it she sensed a strange feeling around the castle. She knew what the feeling was- recognition. She had been there before.
   As she swam towards she realized she wasn’t moving her feet. She was being pulled down and towards a door at the end of the long passageway. It had tall doors of coral and handles of black shells the size of softballs. As she struggled to get out of its grasp the doors opened and a man swam through. She looked down in shock as she saw he had a tail where his legs should be. It was long, about four feet. The tail was dark blue almost black. He had short black hair and he swam with a vigor like he was on a mission. He swam by, not seeming to notice a teenage girl struggling to comprehend what was going on. They went through the doors and they shut with a quiet wush as the water struggled to get out. A man with a white tail sat at the end of the hall along with what seemed like his daughter next to him. Next to the daughter were three empty chairs, the first completely bare but the others adorned with flowers swaying with the current. His daughter sat, preening her hair; braiding flowers into it and looking at the beads on her copper tail. 
"I know it was wrong but I had to." The man with the white tail said.
"Sir, it is understandable. Anyone of us would have done it if our daughter had done what yours did." said the man with the black tail bowing his head.
"Sir, watch your manners." Said an orange-tailed man with a snobby face to the black-tailed man.
"Sorry- your highness."