<div style="text-align: justify;">Her usual wide smile spread across Alannah's face. He did know. She clapped her hands with joy, before doing a dramatic leap all the way above the waves. It was impossible to resist showing off. Now that she was almost certain that he was somehow linked to the ocean like her, the usual pride of belonging to this predatory race returned. As she swam closer to the beach, concern suddenly returned. What if she'd scare him? Depictions of friendly sharks weren't exactly common; shark mermaids even less. Her hands turned to fists and she clenched her teeth and willed herself not to turn away. She remembered the familiar feeling she'd had when they first met. Maybe this was why? That she had somehow known that something was - not off, more <span style="font-style: italic">on</span> - about him?<br/><br/>Despite her resolution, the lashes of her tail gradually slowed the closer she came to shore. Soon, the two fins on her underside were scraping over the sandy bottom. Alannah poked her head up, her black hair draped glistening across her shoulders. It was too wet for the wind to lift. Even though she was technically naked, she never felt the cold in her mermaid form. She laid her arms in front of her, resting on her elbows. She smiled at Dimitri. It was a sweet smile. Awkward, intrigued, and exhilarated. <span style="color: #4080FF">"Uh - hey. Come here often?"</span></div>