Rotxo felt Lo'ak's angry stare the entire car ride, but pretended like he was entirely unaware. Neteyam's music was playing, and Kiri was humming along to it. Tsireya sat angled away from him, with her knees facing the door. Rotxo sighed with relief as they pulled into the Sully's driveway. Their house was at the end of a long tree-lined gravel road. It was two stories, with lots of windows. A woman wearing a long, patterned orange dress was out front in the garden. She stood up as Neteyam pulled in, shading her eyes from the sun with her hand. "That's my mom. Be very respectful," Kiri warned, before opening the door and running inside. Neteyam smiled weakly at the backseat passengers. "Please," he begged, looking Rotxo dead in the eyes. "Hey man, why me? You saw me with Ao'nung's mom, right?" Tsireya snorted, unbuckling. Lo'ak climbed out after her. "Here," Neteyam whispered, handing Rotxo a small bottle. "Eye drops?" he asked, looking at Neteyam in confusion. He was smirking slightly, a knowing gleam in his eyes. "No..." Rotxo breathed, grinning. "Aha! I knew it, bro, I literally knew it." "Hush. Keep that shit on the low around my mom," he warned, eyes narrowing. "No, man, of course," Rotxo answered, nodding. He used the drops and handed the bottle back to Neteyam, blinking. "Okay. Let's go," Neteyam called, already standing outside the car.
The Sully house was completely devoid of artificial light. Every window was open, letting in a slight cool breeze. Tsireya was with Kiri in her room. Rotxo sat in the living room by himself, waiting for Neteyam and Lo'ak to return. He heard a screen door slam behind him. A woman cleared her throat. Rotxo looked up, feeling his breath catch in his throat. The woman before him was most certainly Neteyam's mother - they shared the exact same eye shape and size, the same nose and mouth.He grinned, getting to his feet. "Hello, Mrs. Sully," he began, putting his hand palm-down over his chest. "My name is Rotxo Waiti, I'm in Neteyam's grade." She eyed him carefully, arms folded. "Hmm. Who are your parents, Rotxo?" Her accent was thick and musical. Rotxo blinked at her. "I, uh, I live with my grandparents," he offered, gaze shifting to the floor. "Oh! You know of the Kogoya's, Neteyam mentioned. My dad was Tonowari's cousin!" The woman arched an eyebrow. "Was?" "Yes, ma'am." Her expression softened. "Well, Rotxo," she said, smiling gently. "Welcome to our household."
Mrs. Sully had insisted he call her Neytiri, and he did so. She had led him to the garden, putting him to work while her children were occupied. "Ommi!" Lo'ak called, running out the backdoor and looking around. He was wearing a pair of brown shorts and a green t-shirt. Rotxo knew instantly that Neteyam had helped him pick his outfit. Neytiri whistled loudly, causing Rotxo to flinch. Lo'ak instantly headed towards her sound, grinning widely. He spoke rapidly in a foreign language, gesturing back inside the house. Rotxo blinked at him, getting to his feet. Lo'ak did a double take. "There you are," he exclaimed. "Kiri! Found him!" he shouted over his shoulder. "Rotxo, why are you in the cabbage?" Rotxo grinned, shrugging. Neytiri led the two of them inside the house, wiping the dirt from her hands on her skirt as she went.
Neytiri gently grabbed her oldest son by the back of the neck and kissed his forehead, murmuring softly to him. He responded, laughing slightly. It seemed both Sully boys spoke Arabic with their mother. Rotxo wondered if Kiri did, too. He checked his phone as Lo'ak introduced a wide-eyed Tsireya to his mother.
the group🌺🏊🎸🎨🏄🏽♂️🥍:
(Lo'ak) Just saw Rotxo digging in the cabbages with my mother
(Rotxo) got that way bout me 🧑🌾
(Ao) can u guys hurry up pls (Ao) oh bring sunscreen for kiri
Neteyam gently interrupted his mother, looking at her with apologetic eyes. He must have said something about their rush to leave, because she waved her hands dismissively. "Go," she exclaimed, smiling softly. "And tell your brother that he is wanted at dinner some time," she murmured to Tsireya. Reya nodded gratefully, clasping her hands together in front of her. Tsireya sat in the front seat on their way to the beach. Lo'ak was wedged in between Rotxo and Kiri in the backseat, long legs sprawled uncomfortably. "Not so funny now, is it?" he hissed jokingly. Rotxo rolled his eyes. "Bring sunscreen for Kiri," Lo'ak read aloud from the chat. "Did anyone bring sunscreen for Kiri?" he asked, looking around with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "No? No one brought sunscreen for the..." he craned his neck around to be face to face with his sister. "For the whitey?" "The whitey?" Kiri exclaimed incredulously. Rotxo burst out laughing, trying his best to stifle himself. "Don't pick on her," Neteyam sighed. "I have some, Kiri," Tsireya called. "Thank you, Reya," Kiri exclaimed, slapping Lo'ak on the forehead with the back of her hand. "Ow!" Lo'ak screamed, rearing back into Rotxo's lap, eyes shut in mock agony. Rotxo shoved him off. "Ow! Neteyam," Lo'ak complained, sitting up straight. "What do you want me to do, bro?" Neteyam laughed, looking at his brother in the rear view mirror.
They arrived at the beach shortly after. Tsireya and Rotxo scrambled out of the car instantly, jogging to where Ao'nung had tossed his stuff. "Cmon, guys!" Tsireya called behind them. "Coming!" Neteyam shouted, cursing quietly at his brother. Tsireya had a large knit tote bag with her, containing sunscreen (for Kiri), a hammock, water bottles, and a towel. With Rotxo's help, they strung up the hammock, facing the ocean. He could make out Ao'nung a distance away, sitting on his board with his legs dangling into the water. Rotxo jogged to the water's edge, submerging himself up to the inseam of his shorts. He placed both hands around his mouth. "AO!" he shouted, as loud as he could. He heard Neteyam let out a shout of laughter as Ao'nung flinched, looking rapidly to the shore. Rotxo waved his arm over his head. Ao'nung returned the gesture, grinning so broadly that he could see his teeth from where he stood.
Rotxo turned to head back to his friends. "Oh, he's doing it, Tey, look!" Kiri shouted, pointing over Rotxo's head. He spun around as Ao'nung pushed himself into a crouching position, the current moving the board underneath him. Rotxo scrambled out of the water, knowing that Ao'nung was coming to shore. He dropped to the sand a few yards in, watching him with a grin on his face. In all of the years he had known Ao'nung, Rotxo never saw his friend look quite as happy as he did when he was on that board. Ao'nung's face squinted as he got to his feet, shifting his weight from his ankles to his knees. "Cmon," Rotxo whispered, watching his friend make the bottom turn. "What's that? What's he doing?" Kiri asked, voice breathy. "That's called clidro," Tsireya explained. "See how he's going up and down?" "Uh huh," she murmured. Rotxo leapt to his feet as Ao'nung slipped through the small hole on the end of the barrel, very nearly avoiding wipeout. "Ahi, bro!" Rotxo yelled, clapping loudly. Ao'nung clapped his hands together in celebration before dropping to his belly and beginning to paddle into shore.
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Sully fam 💖💖
——————— Ahi = fire in hawaiian Clidro = The process where a surfer turns up and down the face of the wave while surfing down the line. Bottom turn = This is the turn made at the base of the wave when coming down off the face. It's often the first move made after dropping in. Get it right for great positioning for your next manoeuver.
