Surface| Neteyam

20.

"Father.." I rubbed my hands together anxiously as he got up slowly. I had never felt so afraid of an individual in my life, let alone my own dad. I knew I messed up, Neteyam was just a giant distraction in the end.

As he got up he stared at the small flame, not turning around or acknowledging me at all. He tossed the rest of his coconut water in the fire and it hissed as the last bit of light drained away.

"Dad, listen, I didn't mean-"

He raised up his hand and I quickly fell silent,

"Clearly, this didn't mean anything to you" He tied his hair back into a loose bun before walking right past me.

I trudged after him, feeling my throat clamp up with fear and regret. He didn't even want to look at me.

"Dad please" I pulled him back, finally he turned and I saw his face, there were no recent tears but I could see his face was stained with the wet outline of one.

"Please father I just-"

"Just what, Sira?" He cut me off coldly; I realized even if I made up the most believable excuse it would never fix what I had broken.

I shuffled my legs wearily, waiting for him to yell at me, hit me, anything.

"You know what I think, you are just this selfish pxasìk, Sira, how can I even call you my daughter when you treat me no less than the sand beneath your feet!" His words sunk into my heart and clouded my lungs as I felt myself stop breathing.

"How could you say that?" My voice trembled but I needed to keep my ground, strong Sira, strong.

"Don't call me your daughter when you treat me like a worthless tool!" I thumbed my tail hard onto the ground, probably bruised it but I didn't care.

"This bonfire, you showing off my progress, no it didn't matter to me! I just want to be your daughter but you aren't letting me." I couldn't hold it anymore, I had tried to act like everything was okay but ever since Feui's death everything was going downhill, it felt like my meaning was dropped into a pit and lost forever.

I clasped my hand tightly around my necklace.

"Mom wouldn't treat me like this.." I whispered, tears forming in my eyes.

"What did you just say?" He frowned, watching as I fiddled with my mothers necklace.

"You heard me." I spat, his saddened expression turned enraged within seconds.

"Eywa ngatu ke kameie! It must have been a mistake by the great mother to leave me with such an ill mannered child!"

Really? Ill mannered?

"I wish it was you who disappeared that night. I wish you would just disappear and never come back!" The words flooded out my mouth and for a second I almost wanted to take it back.

I watched his facial expression remain the same but I saw his eyes. They widened ever so slightly, it was almost like they were telling me I had crossed the line. The eerie silence made me know I messed up, but it wasn't like he could be anymore mad at me now.

"Get out of my face." His tone was serious and dark.

"Didn't want to see it anyways" I retorted, I had nothing left to lose at this point so I made sure I had the last laugh.

"Get out of here, you can drown for all I care!"

I had already turned and began to walk away, I didn't want him to know the last words actually stung me.

I walked in the opposite direction of my pod, not daring to step a foot in my own house. Maybe it would be best if we had some space but I didn't help the fact I had nowhere to go.

On any other occasion I would have loved to spend a night at the beach under the stars but right now I wanted to be anywhere but the beach. The sadness it brought me when it once brought joy was too hard to face.
The sea takes but the sea certainly does not give.

I thought about spending the night at Reya's but recently things have been too awkward with Aonung.

It was like everything was going south, my life was simple, it was perfect before the Sully's came to the reef.

I decided to suck up the humiliation and stay at the beach. As I sat down it was then I heard someone call out my name.

"Sira"

I knew who it was, I knew that voice, that sweet sweet voice that drew me in even when the tide pulled me back. Even if I was trapped under the sea I could make my way back to the surface at that sound.

Neteyam

A/N
Hello everyone I want to just say that this chapter was quite short and I apologize.

I made it this way because I wanted to save the romance for the next chapter because it will be a long night 🤭