Chris

Water has always been my element. The silence of the deep and the dance of sunlight on scales have fascinated me since childhood, so working as a mermaid freediver in a huge aquarium was a dream come true. I was used to relying only on myself, honing my solo routines to perfection. But life intervened in the form of Chris, a charismatic twenty-seven-year-old man who also worked there as a "merman."

When his regular partner suddenly fell ill, management decided to pair us. At first, I was hesitant: working as a duo requires tremendous trust and synchronicity, which we didn't have. However, after overcoming my nerves, I agreed. For a whole week, we were one underwater, sharing a single breath and catching the admiring glances of spectators. But all good things come to an end. Chris's partner recovered, and I returned to my solo swims, feeling a strange emptiness.

After another workday, when the last customers had left the halls, I changed and left the locker room. In the dim hallway, I saw Chris. He hadn't gone home, but was leaning against the wall. Noticing me, he strode resolutely toward me. He came very close, and I smelled a faint scent of salt and chlorine. "Listen, maybe we should go to a cafe?" Chris asked, looking straight at you.