Family

By Kruti Patel

Chapter 1

Art. The thing that makes me feel better. I stroke my paintbrush on the canvas gently. I dip it into the red paint can and mix the red paint with the navy blue paint. I apply my beautiful blended color onto the canvas as the sky and color in strokes of green to resemble the green grass on the meadows. 

When everyone finishes painting their pieces, Ms. Art, the art teacher, announces, “Alright, everyone! Now, we shall present our paintings that we did today!” Lexi sneers and says, “This time, Katsina, I shall win that art award for today!” I just shun her comment. Lexi does this ALL of the time, but the surprise is that she never wins it. At all. 

Ms. Art first calls on me to present. I grin with pride and proceed to the front of the art class to show everyone my artwork. “This,” I gesture to my painting’s meadow. “This is where my mom, Dad, and I used to go to have a relaxing picnic.” I sigh. I painted my mom to remind me of the fun we used to have,” I continue. Then I talk about the sunset and how it reminds me of my mom’s clothes she used to wear.

That day, I win the art award for most creativity, and Lexi gets-you guessed it-zip awards. None at all. 

When I come home from school by bike, I greet Sophie, my fun, humorous babysitter. She always finds ways to calm me down when I am angry, cheers me up when I am sad, and tells the best jokes in the world! Seriously, they are better than my dad, and his jokes are a hoot! 

Sophie says, “Hey! I fixed up some lunch for you!” Oh, and did I mention that Sophie makes the best food in the universe? Yep. Her food is so good, everyone who eats it always asks for more. When I take a bite of her salad she prepared for me, my eyes light up. “Wow, this is amazing!” I gobble her delicious salad in a few minutes. “Wow, either you were hungry as a bear or you couldn’t bear my food! Get it?” Sophie jokes, and I giggle.

When I go to bed that night, I dream about my mom walking toward me, hugging me, embracing me, and telling how well I’m doing in school. Then she disappears, and I cry in my dream. Don’t even get me started on what nightmares I’ve had about my mother. 

The next day, I wake up, eat my breakfast, brush my teeth, wash myself, and comb my hair. I go outside the door and say goodbye to Dad and Sophie. “Bye, pumpkin!” Dad exclaims after me. I rush to school by foot. I do this usually because school is very close by, like it’s actually next door to me! Like the school is my neighbor! Well, it technically is, because when I walk out of my house, I literally see it. 

In art class, my teacher says, “Today, we shall paint an underwater scene!” I glance at Lexi, who is sneering. Again. I give her the Are-You-Serious-? look. “Hey, paint-girl, just wanted to let you know, just because you won that dumb award yesterday doesn’t mean you’ll win it today!” Lexi laughs. My face turning red, I grab a canvas from the shelf and start painting a beautiful ocean with people on a cruise ship. 

Those people weren’t anonymous. They were my family and me. I love to give my paintings a little touch of expressiveness and style in a loving way. It’s just how I do things. I peek over at Lexi’s painting. I hate to admit it, but the fact that her painting is definitely beautiful and elegant is too obvious to notice. Her shining coral looks so bright, not even the sun could beat them in a glitter race! 

I look at my painting before she notices me glimpsing at her painting. When everyone is finished, I stare at my work. I could have done better, but I haven’t seen the ocean often. I still remember when my mom and dad were prohibiting me from going near the water. The only times I went near water were when taking showers, going on picnics with Mom and Dad, and on cruises, which we only went on, oh right, zero times. So never mind cruises!!! 

I grumble at the end of the day, because guess what? Ms. Perfect-at-Painting-Oceans, A.K.A Lexi, receives the Creativity Award, which is the only one. I can’t believe it! My whole head is filled with negative thoughts, like “You’re bad at drawing oceans.” When I come home, Sophie is there. She says, “What’s up? You look like you had a bad day.” “Well,” I sigh, sitting on the sofa. “That’s exactly what happened! Lexi beat me in art and got the award!” Sophie plops down on the couch with me. “And you didn’t?” I shake my head.

“Listen, I’ll get you ice cream today, ‘kay?” Sophie offers.

I grin a wide smile. “Okay! Oh, and, um, can we please go to Applegate?” 

“Hmmm….”

“Pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaase?” I plead eagerly. 

“Hmmm….” Sophie jokes.

“Come on, Sophie!!!” I exclaim.

“Okay, kiddo! Let’s go, then!” Sophie finally shouts. 

“Yay!!!” 

……………….

“Beep! Beep!” My alarm sings.  Another new day. I push a button, but it still doesn’t turn off. I sit up in bed and then push the correct button to shut it down. I rush downstairs and quickly eat my breakfast, which is cereal with cold milk. “Slow down!” Sophie, my babysitter, exclaims. “I can’t!” I exclaim. “I have school today!” 

“You’re soooooooo early! How could you want to go to school right now??” 

“Because I do.” And with that, I take another big gulp of my cereal and swallow it down. I finish much earlier than I usually do and walk to school. (Not that I have to do much walking!) I open the door and go inside for reading class.

……….

“Okayyyyy, class! Today, your novel study was due. Sooooooooo…let’s go over that,” the teacher announces. Someone asks, “Are we doing it on From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler?” “Right-oh!” the teacher confirms. “Now, who would like to tell us the characters?”

My hand shoots up, but then I see her: Lexi. She is looking so beautiful in her fine dress. Ugh. Such a show-off! She’s still not over that winning-the-art-trophy-thingie?! Lexi’s hand raises as well, but luckily, my teacher, Mr. Beningwell, calls on me. 

I say, “The characters in this story are Claudia, Jaimie, Herbert, Mr. and Mrs. Kincaid, Steve, and Kevin. Here is my plot summary.” And I tell them all about Claudia’s plans to go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and all the other stuff that happened in the first two chapters. “Very good!” Mr. Beningwell compliments. “Now, we will have a test on these two chapters, okay? So, study, study, study!!!” Everyone groans, including me. Okay, I like reading, but art is my favorite subject of all time. And when I say all, I mean all all. 

When all of us get out of the classroom, it’s music. I grab my instrument case with a violin inside from my locker. I rush to music class immediately and sit next to my bestest best friend, Zaira. “Want to have a sleepover at my house tonight, Kat-Kat?” she asks when I sit down next to her.

“Sure! I’d love to come!” I whisper. “Class! Pay attention! Please shush and stop talking!” the music teacher, Ms. Concerto says. “Katsina, would you like to play some violin pieces that you learned?” “Of course!” I exclaim. I like music as well as art and reading. 

I grab my violin and bow and walk to the front of the class. So many people. It’s like I’m on a stage, with a spotlight on me. I close my eyes and start playing. Before I know it, my fingers and bow start moving rapidly on the violin, and I am playing a festive song. When I open my eyes again, I see everyone clapping and cheering. I blush. 

Chapter 2

After all of my other classes, lunch, and rude notes from Lexi, it’s art class. “Today,” Ms. Art says. “Today is the day that we’re going to paint the scenery of the land!” Lexi looks nervous. I wonder why…

I start right away and paint some grass, an elegant sunset, birds chirping and tweeting their songs, and tall trees with their leafy branches. 

When I look over at Lexi’s, however, I see she is drawing…people on boats catching mermaids with nets?? I continue with my painting anyways. When Ms. Art says it’s time to present our paintings, Lexi gets a I-hope-I’ll-get-the-best-painting! look on her face. 

When Lexi presents her painting, everyone stares at it, a bit confused. Even Ms. Art, who says everyone’s art is unique in its own way, looks skeptical about its magic. Her face says, “No, that is the worst painting. Get it out of my face!” 

“Uhhh…” Lexi stammers. Her face is as red as a tomato, but not out of anger. Out of embarrassment. That’s the first time Lexi Larrington is embarrassed. I shall never forget this moment. “Umm, sooooo….this is the painting I drew…” She stares down at her feet, looking nervous. Finally, after what feels like forever, Lexi clears her throat and says meekly, “Umm…so, I, um, painted this, uh, picture, and I, like, used my brush.” She uses a pretend paintbrush and pretends to paint with it. She dips it in imaginary paint. No one speaks. (Insert cricket sounds.)

Then Ms. Art speaks. “Excuse me, Ms. Larrington, but please don’t waste time. It’s almost time for you to be dismissed from class and picked up by your parents.” That just makes ole Lexi more anxious and worried about what she was going to say about her painting. So she blurts out something even I don’t understand, and I’m used to nonsense! Lexi blabs, “Reeeeeeeeeeeee!!!” Ms. Art says that it’s time our parents pick us up from school, and so Lexi’s speech is over. 

Everyone, including me, rushes out of the art room. Ms. Art calls for Lexi. Lexi stops and goes into the art room, forgetting to close the door. I hide so I can’t be seen and press my ear against the wall. This is what I hear:

“Lexi, what is the matter today? First you write mean notes to Katsina, and now…” Ms. Art sighs. “I just don’t get it! Am I going to have to call your parents, Lexi Larrington?!” 

“No, no! You can’t!”

“Why not? Is there something wrong that you’d wish to tell me?” 

“Uhhh…nope! Everything’s fine!” 

“Really?” Ms. Art asks, being skeptical. 

“Yep!” Lexi gives a thumbs-up and a super duper fake smile. 

“Okay…” Ms. Art sighs in defeat. 

I hear Lexi walking out, so I quickly hide where the door is going to close. Lexi closes the door, and I decide to spy on her to see what’s going on with her. I follow her secretly and find hiding spots to watch her. Lexi goes out of the school building, and I follow her. 

And she leads me to a…pond? I hide behind a thick tree. Lexi looks around to see if anyone is eavesdropping or spying on her, but she possibly approves that no one’s here. (Well, except for me, but she doesn’t know! Probably…)

Lexi dives into the pond. Wait, what?! I try to restrain myself from shouting, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING? Are you CRAZY?!!!” Then, trying to hold in a gasp, I look and catch sight of a sparkly mermaid tail. So, I think inside my head. Either Lexi’s a mermaid, or that’s my Millie the Mermaid. 

Chapter 3

I figure that I wouldn’t possibly have imaginary friends at age 10, so the logic shows right there: Lexi’s a mermaid. I just cannot admit the fact that mean old snobby Lexi would actually be a mermaid. Not thinking twice, I jump into the pond. (Yeah, maybe I should’ve thought more about that move.) 

I don’t know how I’m not dead…because it’s not logically possible for me to be breathing underwater!!! Unless I’m a mermaid…which I am not. Oh, hold on, I stand corrected! I try to flip my legs, which aren’t limbs anymore, but they’re in the form of a tail. A mermaid tail, to be exact. 

Okay! I know I’m a mermaid, who can happen to run into anything, I think inside my head. But if I’m a mermaid…can I have special zappy powers?

I wave my hands. Nothing happens. POURQUOIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII???? “I just need to find Lexi,” I say. I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, but I am concerned about Lexi right now. I swim around for a short time, and then I notice a little cottage. Huh? I knock on the door, and Lexi comes out…as a mermaid. She looks very surprised when she sees my mermaid tail and me. “Katsina?”

“It’s me!” I exclaim. “How. Are. You. A. Mermaid?” Lexi’s mouth hangs open wide. I dunno. I guess I’m just related to a mermai-“ “Listen, I didn’t tell you this before, but…” Lexi pauses. “Your mom is a mermaid, and she’s still alive. In fact, she’s ruler of the sea!” Now it’s my turn for my jaw to drop. My mind is literally blown. “How could that be?? Didn’t she…pass away or something?” 

Lexi gives me an obvious look that that’s not the case. “Well,” I respond. “Let’s go find her!!”

Chapter 4

“Well, I can lead the way,” Lexi then blushes and blurts out quickly, “I’m-sorry-for-teasing-you-all-these-years-it’s-so-hard-to-keep-a-secret-about-being-a-mermaid!!!” “It is okay. I know you’re envious and jealous of me because my mom, apparently, is the queen of the sea,” I reply. “So, can we become besties again?”

“Yeahhhhh…”

“…what did you do?”

“Look…don’t be mad….but I, um, when you played that piece on the violin, I kinda…sorta….cut the strings.” She takes a violin out of her bag with broken strings. “Oh no…” I cry. “This…THIS WAS MY FAVORITE INSTRUMENT!!! My mom owned this and then passed it down to me!!!!!” I perch on a nearby rock and flip my tail rapidly, causing a lot of bubbles floating around us.

“Wait! You didn’t hear me out!” She gets another violin from her bag. “I got this…for you,” she says sweetly. I immediately hug her and grasp the violin and bow. “Thank you,” I reply. “Now, shall we proceed?” Lexi nods.

We swim as fast as we can, Lexi leading the way. Surprisingly, now I’m a bit fond of Lexi as a friend. It doesn’t feel weird or strange. At all!!!! 

………..

We reach Mom’s castle. “Oh my gosh, it really is fancy and fit for a queen!” I exclaim. “But…no security.” “Excuse me?” a voice asks, causing me to think that there is security. “Oh, welcome Lexi! And who is thi-“ he pauses. “Oh, are you the queen’s daughter?” “Yesssss…” I reply. “Come with me!” the guard answers. 

We swim with the guard, and he leads us to a room with my mom sitting on a throne. “Mom!!” I cry. “Katsina? Is that you?” she asks, getting up from her throne. “Hiiiiii!!!” I hug my mom. I finally am reunited with my mom!!!! “How did you find me?” Mom asks. “With the help of a friend of mine,” I answer and pull Lexi into the conversation. “Hi!” Lexi waves. “Wait, you two know each other?” I ask, confused. “Of course!” Lexi explains to me that her father knows the queen since they work together in a jewelry shop called “Mermaid Magic”. 

“That explains soooo much,” I say. Mom says that we should devour lunch in her private room, and we do. We feast on cakes, milk, and seaweed sandwiches. I ask, “Why did you leave home, Mom? I mean, didn’t you enjoy life there?” “Well, Katsina, I wanted to leave home on land because I was getting homesick. I was missing my family in the sea,” Mom replies. 

“Oh.”

“But don’t worry,” Mom assures me. “I can, and will be, there for you.” “I have one more question before I go, though,” I say. “Who said anything about going?” Mom asks. “Anyway, I wanted to ask: why is my name Katsina?” I question. 

“Ohhhh, that? It’s just…you are named after the kraken!

“But wh-”

“We can’t go into discussion about it. But anyway, Katsina, I wanted to ask if you and your dad would like to live with me. You could go to a mermaid school!!!” 

I suddenly feel so happy! Mermaid school?? A dream come true, that is! “Yes, I’d love to!” I exclaim. “Great, I will enroll you at the greatest school in the sea: Mermaid Miracles Academy!” I grin.

……………..

When I get back to land, I sit on the ground and think about life, family, and art. In some way, art is like love. It gives a spark to you, and it allows you to connect with others and share interests. “Mermaid school will be awesome,” I say to myself. And I am positive about that.