Chapter 5

Chapter FIVE We all swam back to the house, and Emerald's dad led us into the kitchen. Emerald and I sat down on stools while he made us some shrimp sandwiches with the crusts cut off and two seaberry smoothie drinks. Emerald looked the happiest I had seen her all night as she chatted with her dad and ate the midnight mermaid snacks.

She seemed completely different to how she had been earlier. Now I understood why Marina had invited her to the party. She could be really fun and friendly. I felt much less afraid of her now. 'Here's starfish plushie!' said Sirena, swimming into the room. She tossed it at Emerald and it floated through the water towards her. Emerald reached out her hands and grabbed it, hugging it to her chest.

'Thanks, Sirena,' she said, only a tiny bit grudgingly. 'I'm so sorry I forgot to put it in your bag,' said Emerald's dad. 'Sirena and I have been a bit distracted these past few days with... something.' 'I know,' replied Emerald, her face falling. 'Something for you,' said Emerald's dad. 'Me?!' said Emerald, her eyes lighting up again. 'I thought you had forgotten all about me!' 'Don't be silly!' said her dad. 'How could I ever forget about you?' 'Yes,' said Sirena. 'You've been the

only thing on our minds lately! We were planning a surprise for you to come home to tomorrow. But as you're here now, I wonder if...' '...We ought to give it to you now instead!' finished Emerald's dad. 'We had to swim a long way to get it. That's why we're back so late tonight.' 'What is it?' asked Emerald. Her eyes narrowed, ever so slightly suspiciously. I could tell she still didn't trust her dad's new girlfriend. 'I'll go and get it, said Sirena with a smile, and she disappeared from the kitchen for a moment, coming back with the box she had been carrying before in

her arms. 'Here,' she said, putting it on the table. Emerald stared at the box in wonder. It had lots of air holes or waterholes on the sides of it. 'Ooh!' I said, excited to see what was inside. 'What could it be, Emerald? Go on, open it!' Emerald lifted the lid and peered inside. Her face broke into a smile SO big that I thought she might burst from happiness.

'Is it really for me?' she asked, staring at her dad as though she couldn't believe it. 'Of course it is!' said her dad. 'I know how much you've wanted a pet. I thought now might be the perfect time to get you one!' Emerald put her hands into the box and lifted out something small and wriggly. It was an inky black octopus with little green fins on either side of its head, just like Emerald's! 'It's a girl octopus,' said Sirena. 'She's a very special rare sort. That's why we had to go so far to get her!' The little octopus wriggled her