Chapter 5.

As the captain of the ship started the engine, Simon panicked. He quickly swam back under the water to get nearby help. The friends closest to him were dolphins, mermaids, mermen, and other sea horses. Together, they tried to stop the heavy ship. The dolphins jump over the ship numerous times, until they got tired. The sea horses swam circles around the ship until they got dizzy. The mermaids tried using the golden powers and alarming singing voices to put the captain in a trance and to get the ship to turn around. Merman tirelessly pushed on the ship, causing it to rock back and forth. Startled, the captain left his station and walked outside. He walked along the back deck, approached the railing, and looked down. The dolphins, seahorses, and mermaids were staring back up at him. Confused, the captain froze, and fainted.

Mesmerized by the beauty and the elegance of the ballroom, Esperanza roamed around. The interior finishings were captivating, and a great display of wealth. Esperanza smiled as she saw the children playing with their toys, elders trading their knick knacks, painters painting the scenery, and couples dancing. It was a grand evening. 

After a few more steps, Esperanza and a handsome young man had accidentally bumped into each other, due to the ship being rocked back and forth.

The man said, “Oh excuse me, miss. I didn't mean for that to happen.”

“That's alright,” Esperanza replied. Her eyes twinkle into his eyes, and she continued looking around, admiring the scenery. However, she did not notice that the man was looking at her. The man walked back towards Esperanza.

“Would you like to dance?” He asked in a polite manner.

“Sure,” Esperanza replied.

The man stared into Esperanza's eyes, took Esperanza’s hand, and they began dancing. Caught up in each other's charm, they twirled the evening away. Upon their last spin, Esperanza had notice a hanging portrait of a smiling family. It was same molded painting that she saw aging under the waters of the ocean. However, this time, she was dancing with the young man from the family portrait. Surprised, she looked at the man, and back at the painting. She looked at him again, and then the painting again, flipping her head uncontrollably back and forth. 

“Something has your beautiful eyes,” the man said.

“You're the young man from the painting,” Esperanza replied.

“Oh, on the wall. Yes, unfortunately my parents like to flaunt their wealth. I asked them not to hang that painting on the wall… Who are you?”

“I am Esperanza. Who are you?”

“I'm Danny, Danny Roosevelt… Uh, my family owns the ship. It's not really important.”

Seconds later, Esperanza's stomach growled.

“You're hungry,” Danny said.

Esperanza said, “I could eat a huge bowl of seaweed meal.”

“Fantastic!” Danny giggled at Esperanza's remarks.

He lifted his left arm, Esperanza took a hold of it, and he escorted her to a large room with glistening chandeliers, romantic violinists, and laughing people at a nearby table. Danny pulled out Esperanza's chair, she sat down, and took his place in the opposite direction. Esperanza glanced at the people, and noticed that some of them were the rest of the family from the painting. Moments later, servers brought out plates filled with veggie Alfredo pastas, mashed potatoes, and garden salads. The people began to eat. Unsure if she should eat it or not, Esperanza just glanced at her plate.

Danny looked into Esperanza's captivating eyes and held her right hand across the table as he spoke. “Mother, Father, mean little sister, and annoying friends, this is Esperanza. We danced all evening.”

His father replied, “that sounds nice. She doesn't look like she's from our part of the world.”

His mother replied, “I have yet to see someone with pink hair and sparkling skin. Where did you find her?”

“Umm,” Danny stalled. “Uhhh, uhh.” Danny glanced back into Esperanza’s eyes. 

“The ocean,” Esperanza said to his mother and father.

Danny's family and friends wore confused faces. 

“How?” The mother said in a confused, but curious manner.

“I swam to the surface.”

“In the middle of nowhere?” The father asked, continuing everyone's interests in Esperanza.

“Yes,” Esperanza replied.

Danny's little sister stepped into the conversation and said, “so, you're a mermaid?”

Esperanza replied, “Yes, a singing mermaid.”

Danny's little sister's eyes lit up like bright stars.

Danny spoke humoursly, “She says the darkest things.”

Everyone at the table laughed.

Danny continued speaking, “Earlier, she said something about she eats seaweed.”

Everyone at the table laughed, again.

Danny's mother reassuringly patted Esperanza on the should and left remarks. “You're not just a pretty face. You're a pretty girl too!” Esperanza and Danny's mother smiled at each other.

For the rest of the dinner, Esperanza, Danny, his family, and his friends told stories and laughed until their plates were spotless. Esperanza was pleased to make more friends. 

Once the dinner was over, Danny's family and friends excused themselves to their rooms onboard. Danny was frozen and staring in Esperanza's eyes, still captivated by her beauty, as if in a trance. It was a bit awkward for Esperanza, because she thought he would have already warmed up to her by now, but she was used to sea creatures being mesmerized by her. So, his behavior was nothing new.

“Would you like to go stargazing?” Danny asked charmingly.”

“Yes,” Esperanza said. 

Danny walked Esperanza to the back deck, and quickly walked back inside and shouted, “I will be back. I need to find something.” Esperanza strolled along the deck, until she tripped on the fainted captain. She panicked and let out a small scream. The sea creatures, still on the surface, heard her. Simon shouted, “Esperanza!”

Esperanza walked to the railing and looked down. She saw her sea creature friends staring up at her. She replied, “Simon, what you doing here? What are you all doing here?”

“You need to come back into the ocean, Esperanza,” Simon said. “We need to fix things, before it's too late. Ahlecco is not who you think she is. She is evil!”

“I will you what the problem is, you all coming up here and trying to convince me to go back down there to live a boring life that I was never destined for.”

“Please, Esperanza. We love you, and we need you! We need to fix things!”

“Go away! I'm enjoying myself. There is divine music, elegant dancing, and delicious food…”

Simon shrieked in fear and said, “food?”

Esperanza continued speaking, “For the first time in my life, I get to try something new and something different. I am going to live my better life, filled with laughing and no care in the world. I am happy!”

Esperanza stormed off towards the opposite direction.

“ESPERANZA!”

“GO AWAY!” Esperanza shouted as tears fell down her gloomy eyes.

Shocked by Esperanza's remarks, Simon and the other sea creatures dived back under the ocean and grouped up. They were unsure of what to do.