Moonchild | Neteyam

34

CHAPTER 34

       "Erìhe, wait. Please."

Neteyam jogged to catch up to the girl. After the first few awkward minutes spent in that pod, Erìhe had been the first to get up and leave. Seeing his chance, Neteyam had hurried to follow her.

They stood along the shore - opposite of the direction that Erìhe had seen Lo'ak and Tsireya disappear off to.

She had sort of counted on the fact that Neteyam would follow her, and that was why she had chosen to walk toward the quietest place she could think of.

Erìhe did wait for him.

She missed talking to him - though she would never give him the satisfaction of knowing that fact. So instead she crossed her arms over her chest and waited for Neteyam to step in front of her.

Neteyam had smiled when he saw her stop walking, but now that he saw her scowl that smile slipped. "Erìhe," he said cautiously.

"Neteyam," Erìhe responded. She studied his face - quietly and secretly admiring his features as he stepped closer to her.

Just her saying his name was enough to jumpstart his heart and make his heartbeat accelerate. "How are you?" He breathed.

Erìhe looked down at her hands, which fumbled with the bracelets she wore. Neteyam also glanced down at her bracelets and noticed Aluva's one hanging loosely from her left wrist.

"I am alright," Erìhe finally replied to him, her eyes glued to her hands.

The atmosphere was tense - awkward. Though the view was gorgeous.

Neteyam looked around briefly, admiring the purple hue of the sky and the light sparkle of stars. But the prettiest view was stood right before him.

That day Erìhe wore one of her old tops which had rows of beads falling vertically over her chest. Neteyam's favorite detail about the clothing were the claws which had been sown into it. He strongly believed that they were the ones that she had found back in the forest as a child - when they had been friends.

Neteyam especially liked her clothes because they reminded him of home.

In actuality - she reminded him of home.

He had heard her saying that she was alright, but he also knew it was a lie. Stepping even closer - so that there was barely any space left between them - Neteyam placed a hand on her upper arm.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered.

If it were anyone but Neteyam, Erìhe would have tried to make him feel as horrible as she could. She would want to hurt them for having made her cry.

She had cried in front of Neteyam before, but just like him - she did not want to seem vulnerable. She was determined to not cry today, so she decided to not get into it.

After thing for a minute, Erìhe realized that she had many things to be apologetic for as well.

"I am sorry too," she told him.

The smallest frown made its way on Neteyam's face, "What for?" He placed his other hand on her shoulder as well - so that the two now stood excruciatingly close.

Their breaths mixed together as Erìhe looked up at Neteyam. She noticed that he was tilting his head the smallest bit to better look into her eyes.

As she felt her heartbeat accelerate, she cleared her throat and moved half a step back. She was getting too flustered being so close to him.