Shooting Stars | Lo'ak¹

Chapter 09: Sea Shells, Sea Tells

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

Bold - sign language 

"Breathe in," Tsireya instructed, and the Omatikaya children did their best to follow her lead. "And breathe out," She said.

The Omatikaya children and the Metkayina children had been up since dawn working on their breathing exercises, and worked on better themselves at riding an ilu. Out of everyone, Ja'lia, Kiri, and Tuk were all accelerating at the exercises Tsireya and Rotxo were having them do.

Ja'lia had been excelling so much that Tsireya asked her to help teach Lo'ak and Neteyam. Neteyam was doing decent at catching on, however, there were still areas where he could improve. Lo'ak was the one Tsireya was the most concerned about, and she made it a point of having Ja'lia specifically help him.

"This is so stupid," Lo'ak whined, blowing out air. Ja'lia looked at her best friend and rolled her eyes with a smile on her face.

"You only think it's stupid because you haven't learned how to do it yet," Ja'lia laughed.

"I've been trying since this morning," He grumbled.

"That's what you get for being dumb," Tuk sassed, and Lo'ak's jaw dropped at his little sister's statement.

Ja'lia glanced at the little girl to see her sticking out her tongue at Lo'ak, "Tuktirey, that's not nice," Ja'lia scolded, and Tuk flushed in embarrassment. "Sorry, Lia," Tuk apologized.

"Don't apologize to me. Apologize to your brother," Ja'lia said, nudging her head in Lo'ak's direction.

Lo'ak had a small smirk on his face as he watched Ja'lia scold his younger sister, who had just called him dumb. "I'm sorry, Lo'ak," Tuk grimaced, and Lo'ak's smirk widened when it looked like Tuk's apology was causing her physical pain.

"It's okay, Tuk. It must suck being Ja'lia's second favorite," Lo'ak teased, and Tuk shot him a glare.

"If Tuk's her second favorite, then who's her favorite?" Kiri asked with a bored look on her face.

"I'm her favorite, right Lia?" He said proudly, and Ja'lia raised her eyebrows at him.

"No," She deadpanned, and everyone in the circle cackled at her response. Lo'ak had a shocked look on her face, and Ja'lia tried to keep any expression off her features so that Lo'ak wouldn't know that she was messing with him.

"You're my least favorite," Ja'lia continued to tease.

Everyone had finally stopped laughing, but when they saw Lo'ak scowl, they all howled with laughter once more. He did not look happy about supposedly being Ja'lia's least favorite, at all. In fact, he looked extremely pissed off, and Ja'lia knew that it was time to stop joking around with him.

"I'm kidding, Lo'ak," Ja'lia sighed and Lo'ak visibly relaxed at her words before smiling in victory.

"In your face, Tuk!" He yelled childishly.

The youngest child had a sad expression on her face, and Ja'lia felt bad, "Tuk, you're also my favorite," She revealed, and Tuk's face immediately brightened.

"What about me?" Neteyam asked, and Ja'lia snorted.

"Or me?" Kiri added on.

Ja'lia looked around the group, "You're all my favorite. I don't prefer one of you over the other," She said, and Neteyam gave her an 'I know that's not true,' look. To which, Ja'lia gave him a 'Shut up, you're annoying' look.