The reef was calm today, the sky was clear of clouds and the waves were as soft as caresses on the skin. Lo'ak was riding his ilu, it was something that had become natural to him over the past few months. He was sitting on the back of the animal, his feet dragging wearily through the water as he observed the five fingers on each of his hands.
He really didn't want to do this.
Why was his father never on his side ? Those idiots were insulting Kiri. They called her a freak. A fucking freak. Lo'ak couldn't sit idly by seeing his sister being bullied like this. It was impossible. Couldn't he at least understand that ?
His father had said to keep a low profile and stay out of trouble so they could be accepted by the metkayinas. He understood, he really did, but to him that didn't mean being pushed around and doing nothing about it. He had been silent for too long since they had arrived on this island and his growing anger must have come out at some point. Too bad it was on Chief Tonowari's son, now he had to apologize to him and his gang.
He hated his father sometimes, but most of all he hated having to listen to him.
Lo'ak sped his ilu faster when he spotted the group of boys fishing a little further into the reef. He could see the dark bruises on their faces and scratches all over their blue skin. The corner of his lips twitched slightly seeing a rather painful bruise on Aonung's cheek. He really hadn't missed him. Lo'ak almost laughed as he remembered the fight. He still couldn't believe he had fallen for the punch, anyone could have seen it coming.
But unfortunately, he hadn't come to brag about the fight from earlier.
"Well, who came to join us ?" Rotxo sneered to his friends.
Lo'ak ignored him as he slowly approached them, especially toward Aonung. He stared into the boy's blue eyes without paying attention to the others, he only wanted to speak to him.
"I'm sorry I hit you, so many times," he utters the words with a serious look as satisfaction blooms in his stomach despite himself.
His father had told him to apologize not to be sincere. They deserved it after all.
Without anger or sneers, the teenagers looked at each other for a moment. It was as if each of them knew exactly what the others were thinking as they nodded without saying anything. Then, Aonung turns to him.
"We're going fishing beyond the reef. You should come with us," the chief's son offers, suited more friendly than he usually was.
Lo'ak looked over the coral reef that surrounded and protected the village. He had never swum in the open sea during his training. Tsireya had told him that the current was too strong and the waves too high for simple beginners. She said he wasn't ready yet and might drown or hurt himself when he asked her why. His parents had also ordered him not to go there and to listen to the advice of his guardians.
He trusted Tsireya and, moreover, he had already done enough. If he disobeyed his father again, he would definitely kill him with his own hands if his mother wasn't there to restrain him.
"I can't. I'm not allowed to leave the reef," Lo'ak said, shaking his head in refusal.
The other teenagers laughed mockingly and looked at him as if they weren't even surprised by the answer.
"Looks like we got the wrong brother," Aonung sneered, making his friends laugh even more as he defiantly lifted his chin in his direction.
Lo'ak gritted his teeth and his knuckles grew paler on the ilu's saddle. Neteyam was better than him, he had understood that for years now. He was the one with great responsibilities, he was the strongest, the smartest, the wisest. Compared to the golden child, he was nothing. Everyone thought that and his father more than anyone else.
Lo'ak had had enough of being constantly compared to him.
The young boy looked at the coral reef again. He had been training for months now, he could certainly do it. And the other teenagers were experienced, they knew what they were doing. Anyway, his dad was the one who said to apologize and to be friends with them, if it was going to be that way, then let it be.
"Let's do it," Lo'ak proclaimed without wasting time. His ears were pressed against his skull and his yellow eyes were shining with determination.
He wasn't his brother, and he was going to show them.