One It was easy to miss if you didn’t know it was there That’s the point Marnie said her mom Lady Sealia doesn’t want everyone to know there is a mermaid school in the middle of Mermaid Lagoon On the other side of the kitchen table Marnie’s aunt Christabel peered over the top of her Fishtales Monthly magazine All sorts of strange people could turn up Aunt Christabel said Like me Marnie laughed and took another mouthful of Coral Crunch with seaweed milk as she gazed out of the cave window at the large pink rock rising in the distance from the lagoon bed It was hard to tell where the water ended and the rock began Chapter
Today was Marnie’s first day at Lady Sealia Foam’s Mermaid School and she had so many questions she felt like she was going to burst Was Lady Sealia fierce What about her deputy Ms Mullet Would she have to ride a seahorse Would everyone be annoyed or impressed that Marnie’s aunt was Christabel Blue famous singer and radio personality And most important of all would she make any friends That was the part she was really worried about But what is the school like she asked Dreadful said Aunt Christabel Perfectly lovely said Marnie’s mom at the same time
Marnie felt anxious It can’t be both she said Lady Sealia’s is perfectly lovely Marnie’s mom repeated IF you are good and IF you stick to the rules Aunt Christabel lowered her sunglasses But Marnie isn’t going to do any of those things I hope she said So it’s going to be dreadful I will do those things said Marnie firmly I’ll be the perfect student Pity said Aunt Christabel You’re going to be fine Marnie told herself as she brushed her long silver-blonde hair after breakfast and polished her coral pink tail so it gleamed No one will care that Christabel Blue is your aunt and you will be NORMAL and FIT IN Oh she burst out But I do hope I make friends and don’t have to ride a seahorse 3
