"The mermaid is performing today." She said, the excitement on her face growing somehow impossibly greater.
"A mermaid?"
"Yeah. How could you not hear about it Ms. Mckillop? It was on the news and everything."
Billy was now working very hard to avoid being seen. Guilty, guilty, guilty. But then, could this mermaid somehow be connected to Alex?
"So you guys want to get tickets for this mermaid thing then?" She asked innocently.
"Yesssssss." Rose shouted, bouncing up and down in her seat.
"I guess only Rose wants to go?" She teased.
"No! Umm. I kind of want to go. You know. Since Rose wants to." Billy stammered.
Mary smiled. She had successfully manipulated a fifteen year old boy into admitting he liked mermaids. Quite an accomplishment.
The line was long but moved quickly. It was only about ten minutes before they were able to get in and park the car, for a hideous fee. Thankfully the school would reimburse any expenses.
Inside the line was just as long. There were the usual gaggle of small impatient children pulling at their parents hands. Then there were a large number of older, overweight men with comic book characters on their shirts, and a decent contingent of teenage girls wearing Little Mermaid shirts and squealing continuously. Rose looked like she would happily join in that crowd, although she was wearing a plain blue shirt with some mysterious stains.
Then, just as they were about to get to the ticket counter, a man in a grey suit appeared at the front of the line.
"Hey! Everyone. Listen." He shouted. The crazy buzzing excitement of the line dimmed just a little. "I'm afraid the mermaid attraction is sold out. You can still buy tickets for the aquarium itself. We have lots of other attractions I think you will-"
The man was cut off by extremely loud booing. Several of the teenage girls burst into tears. Mary glanced over at Billy who looked like someone had just killed his parents, his girlfriend and his dog all in the same day.
"Ah. Sorry kids. I guess we'll just have to see the regular fish." Mary stepped up to the counter and said crisply, "Three tickets for the aquarium."
After that, Billy moved as if he were made of lead. Rose was only momentarily fazed, and then immediately ran over to a display of brightly colored tropical fish.
"A mermaid?"
"Yeah. How could you not hear about it Ms. Mckillop? It was on the news and everything."
Billy was now working very hard to avoid being seen. Guilty, guilty, guilty. But then, could this mermaid somehow be connected to Alex?
"So you guys want to get tickets for this mermaid thing then?" She asked innocently.
"Yesssssss." Rose shouted, bouncing up and down in her seat.
"I guess only Rose wants to go?" She teased.
"No! Umm. I kind of want to go. You know. Since Rose wants to." Billy stammered.
Mary smiled. She had successfully manipulated a fifteen year old boy into admitting he liked mermaids. Quite an accomplishment.
The line was long but moved quickly. It was only about ten minutes before they were able to get in and park the car, for a hideous fee. Thankfully the school would reimburse any expenses.
Inside the line was just as long. There were the usual gaggle of small impatient children pulling at their parents hands. Then there were a large number of older, overweight men with comic book characters on their shirts, and a decent contingent of teenage girls wearing Little Mermaid shirts and squealing continuously. Rose looked like she would happily join in that crowd, although she was wearing a plain blue shirt with some mysterious stains.
Then, just as they were about to get to the ticket counter, a man in a grey suit appeared at the front of the line.
"Hey! Everyone. Listen." He shouted. The crazy buzzing excitement of the line dimmed just a little. "I'm afraid the mermaid attraction is sold out. You can still buy tickets for the aquarium itself. We have lots of other attractions I think you will-"
The man was cut off by extremely loud booing. Several of the teenage girls burst into tears. Mary glanced over at Billy who looked like someone had just killed his parents, his girlfriend and his dog all in the same day.
"Ah. Sorry kids. I guess we'll just have to see the regular fish." Mary stepped up to the counter and said crisply, "Three tickets for the aquarium."
After that, Billy moved as if he were made of lead. Rose was only momentarily fazed, and then immediately ran over to a display of brightly colored tropical fish.
