(Minch Island, 9:00 pm)
Everyone was in the Prince big white house built on the island, music was going on while the food was being served to people, and some couples were dancing at the stage.
The Charlie family gathered around a table filled with food and drinks, Tristan wouldn't stop thinking about what the man had told him earlier.
He wanted to leave so bad but no one is leaving the Island till the next day.
"We will party all night", the prince had said.
"Tristan can you help me cut the meat.. It is too hard".
Isabella said not looking up at his brother but there was no response, she looked at her brother and poked him hard.
"Tristan"
He blinked and realized he has been lost in thought, the young man saw his sister's eyes on him.
"Hey... I am sorry" he said and looked down at her plate, "what were you saying?" he asked.
She stared at her brother worriedly, "are you okay Tristan? What is wrong?"
He smiled and picked up the knife and fork, "Is it too hard for you?" Tristan asked and helped her with the meat.
Mr. Charlie has been staring at his children for a while, he cleared his throat and sipped the glass of wine right in front of him, he sighed and looked up at Tristan.
"When we return home, you will start following me to work... Since you are done with high school now, you will need to learn some things".
Everyone looked at the man surprisingly, no one expected he was going to say it soon.
James looked at his mother and then at Mr. Charlie. "Dad what about me? I am in my finals... I should...."
"I will tell you when it is the right time... We talked about this" The man replied interruptedly.
Mrs. Charlie gave her husband a fake smile and looked at Tristan with so much disgust, "I see this coming, I really do see this coming..." she thought and kept eating.
Tristan gave no response to his conclusions, his troubled mind returned Isabella's dish back to her, he let out a deep sigh and looked up at his father, "Okay Dad... That would be amazing" he answered. "I just want to leave here as soon as possible" he thought as he stared down his food.
James scoffed and clenched his fist, he stopped eating and stood up.
Everyone's eyes were on him, he looked away and said "I... I would like to use the washroom" he said and walked away.
There was a silence among them, the father knew James was not happy about his conclusion, but he doesn't seem to care much about it, he made his decision and that is final. When it is time for James to start, he would also, the man smiled to Isabella "are you enjoying your meal baby?" he asked.
Isabella nodded, "Yes daddy," she said excitedly.
The man smiled and kept eating, shortly he was called by his friends.
He excused himself and joined his friends at their table, Tristan was enjoying his meal and for a moment he forgot about the tale.
Mrs. Charlie sipped her wine and looked at Tristan, "are you happy about this decision?" she asked, "are you not supposed to tell your dad to take you and James to work? I am sure James would say the same if it was him? And aren't you two best friends" she said.
Tristan was not surprised to hear this from his stepmother, he looked at Isabella and smiled at her, "Why don't you look for your best friend? I am sure she is close by" he said.
Isabella knew what was happening, she stood up and nodded, "see you soon or maybe later", she said and walked away.
Tristan sighed and turned to the woman, "What is your deal? I have never crossed your path ever since dad got married to you, why are you crossing mine? You should have opposed to dad's decision instead of talking behind him" he said calmly.
The woman looked at him and laughed softly, "I see you miss your mother" she muttered and sipped more wine, "Right?" she asked.
"I know your purpose with my family... And the truth is you can not do anything, I know dad is not seeing it but I see it, you cannot achieve anything...so you better stop misleading James, he is better than you are" Tristan said and stood up, "I am done with this conversation" he added and sipped his wine while staring at the woman.
He left the table and walked out of the apartment, the cold breeze hit his body.
The sound of seagulls and the wave rhyme, he put his hands in his hoodie and sighed deeply.
"She is a pretender... I wish dad could see it" he said and looked at the ocean from afar.
"Hey, you are Tristan right?"
The young man turned and noticed a figure sitting on a rock not far from him, he watched the person stepped out of the dark and walked towards him.
Tristan could not tell if the person was he or she, her figure tell she was a female but her male outfit was confusing.
"Do you know me?" he asked confused.
The girl smiled and stood next to him, "I know people.." she said and looked at him, "you are Tristan Charlie... We went to the same school" she added and looked at the ocean, "It is great here" she said.
"It is funny how I don't recognize people I went to the same school with... I remember only the teachers" said Tristan.
She laughed and replied, "that is because you have no choice but to look at the teachers, I know you well, you don't have friends... You go to school and go back alone," she said and sighed, "same... So you can never know me" she added.
Tristan nodded and gave no response.
There was a short time silence between them, for some strange reason he decided to share his trouble with her.
"Do you think there are people in that ocean? Like people in there right now?"
The girl shook her head, "it is cold.. No one in their right senses would be in there till now" she replied.
He knew she didn't understand his questions, he looked away and went straight to the point, "I mean creatures in there..like..."
"Mermaid?" they chorused and looked at each other.
She looked at the ocean for a while and looked at him, "maybe... No one can tell, but I don't think so... I have been staring at the water since we arrive and I don't think I have seen any movement or any strange thing... Why?" she asked.
Tristan figured she has not heard about the blue men of Minch tale as well, he smiled and shook his head, "I must have been overthinking... Nevermind" he said.
"What can you possibly be thinking about?" she asked and scoffed "you are a rich boy," she said.
He looked at her and scoffed, "rich my ass... If I could stop that and live a normal life where no one would disturb me... A peaceful place where I won't have to work or be the CEO of any company, I would love that... But then it is my responsibility" he said.
"Hmmm", the girl said as they both kept silent, enjoying the view and the cold breeze.
(The next day, 8:00 pm)
Tristan excitedly entered the cruise with others, he was the only excited person to leave the Minch.
He looked at the island from afar as the sailor drove the cruise away.
There was a wide smile on his face, he stretched his arms and for some reason felt relieved.
"That Island has been giving me a strange vibe... I don't like that" he said and went inside to meet others.
(10:56 pm)
Another party was going on in the cruise, the prince called the attention of everyone on the cruise, he cleared his throat and grabbed the microphone.
"I appreciate everyone for coming with me on this beautiful journey and for the opening of my Island... With the power I have and by the grace of the land, It would turn to be a big place and in the next future... Our children and ones coming would go there and be proud of us" he said as everyone cheered for him.
Tristan saw the girl he has spoken to standing with her family from afar, he smiled at her and she waved at him.
"So dine and enjoy the party...sometimes we need fun after the stress at work" the prince added and heard people laughed at his Joke.
The young man saw his dad talking with friends, his eyes searched around for Isabella and found her laughing with her best friend, He sighed and smiled.
As usual, Tristan got tired of the crowds, he walked away from the party and got out to the front deck, his hands in his pocket as he looked around.
He walked around and nodded his head to the sound of the music, he got to the aft of the cruise. It was a little bit darker and the only light there was faint, he turned to leave and got startled by James' presence.
"Oh my you scared me, what are you doing here?" Tristan asked.
James who was holding two glasses of wine offered Triatan a glass. He sighed walked forward, looking out on sea ocean "I am just not feeling too good" he said and looked back at Tristan.
Tristan knew he was not too comfortable at the aft because of the unstable bulb, but James's presence had made him stay.
He looked at the wine and sipped it, "Is that why you left the table? How are you feeling?" Tristan asked.
James watched him sip the wine, he looked away and saw a figure coming towards them, he saw him clearly and frowned "what are you doing here?" he asked angrily.
Tristan saw the man and recognized him from the front deck, "the weird man" he thought and looked at James, "you know him?" he asked surprisingly.
The man smiled and walked towards James, "are you not happy to see me?" he asked and put his hands on James' shoulder.
"No why would I? Get lost" James said angrily.
Suddenly, Tristan noticed his vision started getting blurry, at first he thought it was the bulb.
He rubbed his eyes and heard James and the man having an argument, he was about to speak when he figured he couldn't.
Tristan knew something was not right, his words were not coming out, his vision got blurry, he stretched his hand trying to reach James but for a reason, he moved out of reach. "there is something in this wine" he thought as the glass fell from him.
"I think it is working... Enough of the drama", the man said and turned to Tristan, "how do you feel pretty boy" he asked and laughed softly as he lighted his cigarette.
Tristan did not understand what was going on, he tried to talk but his tongue seemed twisted and he couldn't, the only sound he was making was not clear.
James collected a cigarette from the man and lighted it, Tristan saw the cigarettes light faintly, he gasped and took a step back.
"Are you surprised? Don't be..." James said and blew the smoke out. "Thank you dad" he said.
Tristan breathed heavily as he heard, "the man is his father? What is happening? They lied he was dead... I need to find a way out of here... I need to warn dad" he thought and faintly saw the man coming towards him, he took a step back and his back hit the end.
The cold breeze blew on his skin, he threw his fist but the man caught them and laughed softly, "James told me you are a good fighter... You even hit my son" he said and scoffed.
"Dad... Wait" James said and looked at Tristan, he moved near him and slapped his face gently, "do you think I would really be friends with you? Are you that dumb?" he asked and laughed, "thanks for telling me about your friends... I would make sure I help you say hi to them... And will take care of Isabella for you" he whispered to Tristan.
Tristan struggled to get away from the man's grasp but he was too strong, tears filled his eyes as his vision got worst, "what did you do to me" he screamed out in his mind.
"The great Tristan and the heir of Mr. Charlie got lost in the cruise... Where is he?" the man said and leaned forward, "in the shark belly..." he whispered and heard the unclear sound from Tristan again, he grabbed his neck hard, "shut up," he said angrily.
"See you in the next life, Tristan... I will take care of dad's company... Me, my mom and my dad" James said and turned to leave.
The man smiled at Tristan and finally let him go, he smiled and turned to leave. All of a sudden he turned back and hit Tristan hard on the face, he stumbled and in a blink of an eye.
Tristan fell into the ocean.