Not the End

11 - Lesson

That night I stayed in Tsahik's tent with Kata. She slept on the ground next to our mother, however, I could not sleep. I have been wandering around the tent silently, day dreaming about my mother waking up and everything going back to normal. 

I walk out onto the deck and sit in front of a bench, leaning my back and head on it. The stalactites far above me glimmer in the moonlight, I unfocus my eyes blurring them into stars, for a second I am home in the forest, watching the stars from my hammock.

A hand on my shoulder startles me back into reality, I gasp and jump in shock. "Sorry." A familiar low voice whispers, I turn to see Neteyam, my body immediately relaxes. "I did not mean to scare you." He puts his hand on my head and smiles down at me. He is so damn pretty.

"Why are you awake?" I whisper, he really should be resting, his injuries still haven't healed. 

"I couldn't sleep, I was thinking about you." He is so cute when he is bashful. 

"Sit." I whisper, patting next to me. He grunts quietly as he lowers himself next to me. "I am glad you are here." I reach up to his face, he grabs my wrist and caresses my hand, lowering it to his chest. 

"Me too." He slowly moves his other arm behind me, resting it on the bench. We look at each other for a moment, I am not sure what he is thinking, but I know what I need to tell him. 

"Remember earlier, when I said my family cannot know about us?" I lower my eyes to our hands, his stops moving after I speak. My fingers move slightly on his chest nervously. "Because they thought your parents would kill or outcast us if they found out we are also Tayrangi, we were supposed to stay away from you." He sighs and takes his hand off mine to push his hair back. 

"But you didn't." He whispers, my eyes move back up to his. 

"I know." I look away again but he moves my face towards him. I hate how that was like a strike of lightning through my soul. 

"You do not need to be afraid of me, you know that I love you. Nothing you tell me will ever change that." His voice is stern but gentle. In other words, he wants me to look him in the eyes when I speak to him. I move my hands to the ground between my thighs. I cannot let myself get distracted. I take a deep breath before I continue.

"My eldest brother believes you and your siblings are half breeds, and that Jake is not truly Omatikaya." He huffs and smiles, tilting his head to the side. "I know it is stupid. He is stupid." I sigh and shut my eyes. "I do not know if my mother agrees with this sentiment, but she would not like us together." I put my head in my hands. "Do you know Aada?" He thinks for a minute, then nods. 

"I tried not to look at him like you said, but he did seem familiar. Why?" He asks lightly.

"He causes a lot of trouble. Not like Lo'ak causes trouble, my brother is actually a bad person, I think." I take a deep breath. "He is always yelling at my mother, breaking things, throwing tantrums- like a baby. He is so full of anger and rage, he cannot control his emotions." I stare out of the cave at the night sky. Neteyam doesn't say anything, he waits for me to continue. "And I am pretty sure he killed my father. Or at least is the reason he is dead." 

Neither of us say anything for a few minutes. I don't expect him to say anything, what could he have to say? Nothing can change the fact that my father is dead, or how my brother has acted and affected my family.

"I am sorry it took me so long to tell you." I whisper, forcing myself to look at him.

"No, it is okay. That is a lot to carry. Thank you for telling me." He puts his hand on my leg. "I am sorry about your father, and brother." I shake my head.