𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐞 ⎮Neteyam x Aonung

eight

Neteyam exited the school building in full delight.

He couldn't remember the last time someone offered him an opportunity this beneficial, but he felt more than ecstatic for having the knowledge needed for it. Sometimes he caught himself being glad for the way his parents raised him and how they always put his education first.

Very rarely, but it did happen.

"Why does he look so overjoyed?" Lo'ak inquired sceptically after watching his brother jump to the car with a huge grin on his face. "Did he smoke anything?" he quietly asked Kiri, immediately regretting it when he saw Neteyam swiftly rotate his head in full force, his demeanor visibly less positive.
"You know I would never even touch that crap!" he complained before turning on his heels and stomping away to his beloved Jeep.

Kiri responded by looking at her younger brother from the corner of her eye, a sly smirk creeping up her lips. "Unlike you, he doesn't do such things.." slipped her mouth in a whisper, leaving Lo'ak stunned, unable to respond with anything other than bewilderment on his face.

His surprise rapidly evolved into shared laughing with her, because, though he was embarrassed to acknowledge it, it was true. Lo'ak would be unable to deny being a problem child if someone accused him of being one. His daily activities were mostly absurd, crazy, and idiotic which he sought to keep hidden from his parents. He'd be dead if they ever discovered what he's up to.

As the siblings got into the car, with Lo'ak in the front, they told each other about their day and if anything unusual had happened. The younger brother was overjoyed that he and Tsireya, along with a few others, had been assigned to the same group for a project.
His smile grew from one ear to the other, warming Neteyam's soft heart.

Just as he was about to drive off two boys, undoubtedly Ao'nung and Rotxo, appeared in front of his car, their eyes widening the moment they recognized the driver of the vehicle. Neteyam then noticed the taller boy continuing to walk deliberately slowly while peering right into his eyes.
As a result, a frustrated groan and a lengthy sigh escaped Neteyam's throat as he unwittingly pressed his fingers deeper into the steering wheel. He considered honking several times to wipe that stupid smirk from Ao'nung's face. "So childish.." he mumbled under his breath, his eyes narrowing.

Kiri's tolerance dwindled as the boy's steps became slower and smaller. She needed to get home as quickly as possible so she wouldn't miss the current episode of the new show she was watching. "Just run him over," the girl grunted, visibly bothered, before putting in her earphones to escape Lo'ak's horrible music blasting on AUX.
"No need to; that idiot's finally gone," Neteyam sighed, relieved to be free to leave this crowded parking lot. The sun was too intense for him to bear the searing on his skin any longer.

"What are you gonna' wear today, bro?" Lo'ak suddenly asked, despite knowing that his brother probably didn't even want to go. While they were waiting in front of a red light, he turned down the volume a bit, causing the girl in the back to sigh out in relief.
Neteyam, on the other hand, couldn't help but roll his eyes to the back of his head in response. He's told Lo'ak a thousand times by now that he does not want to go to that party and that it would be a waste of his time since he doesn't drink, do drugs, or wants to have "some fun." Aside from these issues, there's the reality that he doesn't even really know anyone other than Ao'nung and Rotxo, the two people he least wants to see.

"Don't do that!" Lo'ak whined, his expression now displaying utter bewilderment instead of his usual nonchalance. That eye roll hurt him deeply.
Neteyam sighed hopelessly as Lo'ak urged him once again to accompany him to the party, hoping to just forget about the whole thing. "Why can't you go alone?" he asked him before swerving violently to the right into another street. He promptly turned on the air conditioner due to the unbearable sunbeams heating up the car.

Lo'ak shrugged. "Am I not allowed to want to spend some time with my beloved brother? And also, you need to get out of the house at some point! You know, studying too much isn't good either," he exclaimed with crossed arms.

Now that Neteyam has given it some thought, the things his brother mentioned were true. He never went out much, especially not after they moved away this summer break. Often, the youngster would decline his friends' invitations in order to have more time to study, finish his schoolwork, and do every extra exercise. He felt bad, but since his parents had always told him that school and education were the most important things in his youth, he had no choice but to do so.

The boy was desperate to have some fun again. But parties? Not something he was ever a fan of.

"Come on! I'll be by your side the whole time if you want," the 17-year-old pleaded with all his might and the most determined sparkles reflecting on his iris. He would go to any length to persuade Neteyam of it.

After some further thought—and being unable to resist Lo'ak's eager gaze—the elder boy eventually caved. It was only for a few hours—nothing major, right?

He sighed at the dramatically loud cheering coming from his brother, tearing apart his eardrums and reducing the number of years he had left until he'd require a hearing aid.
"That's gonna' be awesome, bro!" Lo'ak exclaimed enthusiastically, turning up the volume and singing along to one of the songs on his playlist.

Neteyam wasn't sure if he'd made the correct decision, but he knew one thing for certain:

He wouldn't drink a drop of alcohol or do anything else that he himself considered was absurd at the party.
That was more than obvious.
.
.