"Dunno. Hers? Yours?"

"Why would it be my fault?"

"'Cause you're not as cool as me."

"You're like, fake mer."

"I'm better."

Zaneta shushes both of them. "You boys should maybe get to know each other better... you ever been swimming Charles?"

"...not really."

"Would you like to learn?"

Shrug. "Sure."

She looks back at Michael. "Mike, how about tomorrow morning you take Charles here fishing?"

"...I guess."

"Then I'll be even better than mer."

"So you'll learn how to breathe underwater?"

"Yeah!"

Michael laughs at this.

Before looking very stern again.

Charles grins.

Zaneta tries to hide her amusement. "Why don't you head home for the night Michael? Charles, you want dinner?"

"...yeah. But then I wanna go be a dragon again."

"Sure." She takes him by the hand. "Good night, Michael."

"Night, Zaneta," he says making his way towards the surf.

He waves.

As does he, half-heartedly.

And off he goes with Zaneta.

Zaneta does not force him to go out and meet Michael if he doesn't want the next morning.