Little Miss Perfect | Neteyam¹

Chapter 22: Party

Italicize - someone's thoughts or a story from the past

Bold - sign language

Jake and Neytiri had been working on dinner when their children loudly entered the pod. "Mom! Dad!" Tuk exclaimed as she ran over to her parents. Jake was stunned by his daughter's outburst and thought maybe something was wrong.

"What is it, baby?" Neytiri asked as she looked up at her daughter.

The youngest child turned around to look at the teenagers with a smile on her face.

"Tsireya invited us to a party tomorrow!" She cheered.

Both Neytiri and Jake stopped what they were doing to look up at the children. "A party?" Jake questioned, and Tuk eagerly nodded her head. "It's a celebration party for the tulkun returning," Marali explained.

"Yeah! Can we go? Please?" Tuk asked as she put on her best puppy dog eyes.

Both parents looked unsure of if they should go to the party. After all, they hadn't heard anything about the party from Ronal or Tonowari about the party. "I don't know, Tuk. We wouldn't want to intrude on their celebration." Neytiri said, unsure.

"Tsireya said that everyone's welcome! Please?" Tuk whined and walked over to hug her dad. Anytime Tuk gave Jake the puppy dog eyes while she hugged him, he would almost immediately give in to any request. Jake looked over at his mate, desperate for her help. "How long do you think until he cracks? Lo'ak whispered.

All of the teens placed their guesses on how long it would take, and Marali and Neteyam won the bet. It only took him 30 seconds to crack.

"Okay, as long as your mother's fine with it, you can go," Jake said.

"Yes! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Now I can hang out with people my age!" Tuk yelled.

Tuk realized what she said and saw the four teenagers looking at her with narrowed eyes. "I see how it is," Marali said as she took calculated steps toward the young girl. Tuk nervously laughed before she dashed behind her mother for protection.

"It's not that I don't love hanging out with you guys. I just want friends my age." Tuk defended.

Neteyam and Marali looked at each other before they both went to either side of Neytiri. The young girl's back was facing the side the Neteyam was approaching, and when she saw her older brother her eyes widened.

She quickly tried to get away from her brother but was stopped when Marali wrapped her arms around the girl and spun her around in the air.

Tuk giggled as Neteyam grabbed a hold of her legs. "What are you guys doing?" Tuk asked. Both teens walked to the edge of the pod, out towards the water, with Kiri and Lo'ak right behind them.

"No!" Tuk yelled as her eyes widened when she realized what was happening. Neteyam and Marali were going to throw her in the water. "Kiri, help!" Tuk said as she was still smiling in delight.

Kiri and Lo'ak watched as Neteyam and Marali prepared to throw the youngest girl in the water.

"I'm ready when you are," Neteyam said as he looked at Marali with a smirk.

The two teens looked at each other and silently agreed to toss Tuk in on the count of three. After they counted to three, they tossed Tuk in the water.

The hairs on the back of Marali's neck rose, and she could sense someone was behind her. She then felt hands on her back as she stepped to the side, grabbed their arm, and tossed them into the water.