Moonchild | Neteyam

32

CHAPTER 32

       "How did the talk with your dad go?" Erìhe asked. It was now the next day - it had been too late for a conversation last night when Neteyam had come back from apologizing to Ao'nung.

It would have been a lot messier had Ao'nung's parents not been there. Neteyam knew that the boy did not forgive him, but he'd said he did - so he did not care.

Neteyam turned to look at Erìhe. "What?"

Erìhe raised a brow at him, "Did you not get told off?"

"Oh - that," Neteyam said. He had been paranoid and scared that she'd known of what they talked about, "Yeah, I'm grounded."

"Well, it was to be expected," Erìhe shrugged her shoulders. She tried to seem nonchalant, but her eyes lifted up to meet his. Neteyam could see the look of concern on her face, "He didn't - yell a lot, did he?" She asked carefully.

Erìhe and Neteyam may have not liked each other for a long time, but she knew how the scoldings from his father affected Neteyam. He would always be sad after getting yelled at, as all he wanted to do was live up to his father's expectations.

Neteyam offered a small smile. "He yelled a little," he said. Maybe it was awful, but he loved seeing the way her eyebrows furrowed in concern for him.

It showed him that she cared.

"It'll be fine," Erìhe assured him.

Neteyam nodded and smiled.

It had been an exceptionally gray morning and everyone could tell it would start raining any time soon. In fact it started pouring the minute that Erìhe looked up at the sky.

Laughing and covering their heads from the raindrops, the teenagers ran along the slippery path - giggling whenever one almost slipped. It happened quite often, so the two had resulted to holding hands so that they could steady each other if need be.

On one occasion, Erìhe almost skidded right into the water and Neteyam had to pull her harshly toward him. She crashed right into his chest.

Laughing, she had pulled away and saw as he looked down at her with a matching smile. In that moment Erìhe had liked to believe that he liked her. Just the way his eyes bore into hers were enough to make her think of these delusional thoughts.

In truth Neteyam had not tried to conceal that he did have feelings for her.

After speaking with his father he decided to be bolder - make it more obvious that he liked her. He hoped she'd get the hint.

He looked at her with all the feeling he held for her - wishing for her to just know. Then he would not need to man up and tell her himself.

He knew he was being a coward - but that was what he was. He was scared of rejection.

Erìhe chuckled as she pushed herself away from his chest - her hand was still holding onto his and she pulled him along with her as she started down the path again. "We should go," she smiled as she glanced back at him from over her shoulder.

Neteyam's eyes were watching their interlaced fingers and he smiled, "Yes," he agreed, "Let's go."

Upon arriving by the hut, their spirits were destroyed when they heard voices from the other side.

Erìhe held a finger to her lips, telling Neteyam to be silent as she pulled him after herself. The two of them hid behind the wall of the pod, listening in on the conversation happening on the other side.

Tonowari and Jake stood just outside the marui, far off enough that they could not see Erìhe and Neteyam hidden on the other side.

"What's wrong?" Jake asked the chief. Him and Neytiri had been heard laughing just moments earlier, but now his voice sounded serious and concerned.