I woke up when the stars were beginning to appear in the dimming sky. I had slept longer than I wanted to, but I hadn’t missed anything. Now I have to get ready, eat, and head off to work. Fuck yeah. No point in staying on my ass any longer. With that, I got up and got ready for the evening.

On the street, I passed families and Naiads returning home to turn in for the evening. No one paid me any mind as I pulled my hair up into a tail as I walked towards the lake. I was too tired to really pay attention to my surroundings; all I wanted to do was finish work as soon as possible and do whatever I wanted to do afterward.

I reached a pier overlooking the lake. I saw the one on the opposite shore, the pier I had simply sunk from the previous night. I was not going to waste all that time walking along the bottom, so I’m doing this the fast way. I took a step off the pier and, like earlier today, dropped into the water. Unlike earlier, my head was clear. I closed my eyes and let the water crash over me.

It’s never the same for different Naiads; each one describes the feeling like something a little different. Some feel like moving it from one place to another as if they were simply using a tool. Others described it as a sixth sense that they do as easily as seeing or hearing. For me, it's like a piece of me clicked back into place. Whenever I called upon my ability, it was as if my world expanded. I felt the waves, the ripples, every drop as if it were attached to my body. I could move it just like my arm or leg or any of my fingers.

Ugh, this is getting too mushy. You get the idea.

I closed my hand into a fist, the water starting to condense around me. I took a second to form an image of the pier and the path I would take to get there. I opened my eyes and willed the water to propel me forward. I shot like an arrow from a bowstring. The darkening water whirled in a vortex of crashing waves and bubbles. Even as my vision became obscured, I could feel the departing fish and tips of aquatic forests as I passed them. In about twenty seconds, I made it to the other side of the lake. I threw my hand upward and exploded from the lake in a blast of droplets. My feet touched down on the wood of the pier. I flicked my wrist backward. The droplets were thrown back into the lack, and the water drained from my clothes and body.

That sounded a little more extravagant than I meant, but whatever.

Now dry, I continued down the road like nothing out of the ordinary had happened (which it didn’t). As I got closer to the Deep Crawler, the buildings became shabbier. Wake is one of the nicest Naiad cities, but it still has a shadier area. It may not be a shithole like others, but it still holds its fair share of lower lives: beggars, drunks, thieves, the likes. I don’t really have an opinion about them; I’ve seen those people on the side of the roads more than a few times and have been in their shoes at times. Still, I can’t say that I feel sorry for all of them. There are some people that seek thrills on the sides of streets or in crappy bars. I can’t stand someone like that! They’re so… I’m riling myself up, so I’m stopping now.

I passed the spot where the four dumbasses from earlier got the crap beaten out of them. After another minute, I reached the Deep Crawler. It’s a stereotypical run-down tavern: faded sign above the door with its name, cracked and dirty windows, mismatched tables and chairs, a bar along the back wall, a door leading into the kitchen next to it, blah blah blah. I walked past the crowd and into the kitchen. There, I grabbed an apron bearing the tavern’s name and threw it onto my shoulders. I checked my hair tail one more time, grabbed some menus from a pile on a table next to the door, and started my shift.

My job itself was relatively simple: act like a competent waitress. As long as I placed faces to orders, didn’t cause any accidents, or punch a fucker’s face if I got catcalled, then I got through the job rather easily. Besides that, I helped clean up before the next shift started and helped in the kitchen if we were short staffed. Tonight was not one of our busy nights, so the fake smile on my face was much easier to keep plastered on my face.

One of the perks was working together with Cobalt. She was in her early twenties, Naiad streaks an unusual dark green and rich blue, with salt and pepper speckled hair. She was the bartender and a damn flamboyant one. Cobalt could flip, shake, spin, twirl (and all the other synonyms) any bottle to make whatever crazy drink you wanted. I don’t know if what she did was professional or not, but the fun she had was so infectious that the customers couldn’t help but get drawn in. That was just her: a ball of positive energy that lifts up everyone around her.

Cobalt poured a round of shots for a group of laughing males. As I emerged, she flashed me a smile and hopped down the bar over to me. “Heya, little Lily~” She sang. “How’s your day been, cutie?”

If anyone else had talked to me like that, they would end up with my boot up their ass. Cobalt was the exception. Even I fell victim to her friendly atmosphere. At first, I thought she was intolerable. Slowly, over the last couple of months, Cobalt wore me down and became the closest thing I had to a friend in Wake. One thing I like about her was that she kept the small talk to a bare minimum. A ‘hey, how was your day?’ or ‘any trouble getting here?’ was about the gist of it. She wanted to hear about how you felt about things, not just skimming the surface. And she actually listened.

Shut up. I just think she’s a good person, okay?

I rolled my eyes. “Are you sure you should be saying that? You might make Arroyo jealous.”

She scoffed. “Please. I dumped that guy weeks ago and you know it.”

“What about Cali?”

“Now she was something,” Cobalt sighed. “But it didn’t work out.” She gave my shoulder a shove. “That was back when you started here. Now you’re just trying to mess with me.”

“Oh please, it’s too easy to fuck with you.”

Cobalt pouted. “While I appreciate the offer, you’re a little young for me, little Lily.”

“I hate you.”

“You love me.”

“I’m neutral about you.”

“You’re enthralled.”

“You’re a decent person.”

“I’ll settle for that,” she relented with a laugh.

I rolled my eyes again, but couldn’t help smiling for real. “You’re terrible.”

“I know.”

We talked back and forth as the night droned on. Customers laughed, argued, drank, sang, and managed not to start any fights. We didn’t sell much food, so Snapper started cleaning while Cobalt and I handled the floor. For the most part, the night rode on smoothly. That is until they stumbled back in.

Through the door walked three of the males from last night, lead by the ass-grabber. Bile rose in my throat and my anger swelled. I turned away and stormed into the kitchen before they could see me. My anger erupting, I punched the wall. All that did was make my knuckles hurt.

I heard the door swing open and close behind me. A voice from my left said, “Are you alright?” Cobalt. She didn’t press when I didn’t answer. She didn’t lay a hand on my shoulder. She just waited.

I took a breath, lightly pounding my knuckles against the wall. “Yeah. It’s just the guys that came in.”

“What happened?” She asked softly, not a note of curiosity to be found.

“Yesterday, when my shift ended, one of them made a pass at me.”

She didn’t say anything; Cobalt knew there was more to the story.

“When I said no, he grabbed me,” Her breathing changed, but she didn’t interrupt. “I yelled at him, told him off. I tried to walk away, but they came at me.”

“Did they hurt you?”

“No, I actually kicked their asses,” I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “I’m just… I was only… I don’t…” I didn’t know what to say.

“It’s okay, you’re okay,” Cobalt moved closer. She placed a hand on the back on my head and hugged me. Her other hand rubbed my back gently. That’s all for a while. Cobalt didn’t say anything else, just hugged me and comforted me.

A distant memory from a long time ago came into being, veiled in a fog crafted from years already gone. I saw a Naiad holding me, humming a tune I can’t remember. She was rocking me in that creaky chair that I used to curl up in sometimes. She caressed my hair, rocking back and forth until my eyelids grew heavy.

“I’ve got you,” Cobalt whispered. “It’s okay that you’re rattled. You’re tough, I know, but these things get to you. Although, not everyone would leave the other guy black and blue. You crazy little Lily.”

I chuckled despite myself, finally returning her hug. “Thanks, Cobalt.”

“Anytime,” She pulled away and winked. “Wait right here.” Cobalt disappeared through the door. I waited for a minute, when…

“AND GET OUT YOU ROTTEN PILES OF SHIT!” There was a crash, glass shattering, a woosh that I linked to crashing waves, a chorus of shouts, and then the front door slamming shut. A few seconds later, Cobalt stuck her head into the room, beaming. “Things got a little rowdy, so I had to escort them out.”

“You’re the best.”

“Tell me something I don’t know.”