New Beginnings

Chapter Fourteen

Laiena woke up in her marui. She must've fallen asleep on Neteyam and he carried her back.

She sat up and looked around, it was dark outside.

"Shit." She mumbled sitting up, remembering Ao'nung would be there to pick her up.

She stood up frantically and walked over to her things not seeing everyone awake and talking, besides Tuk of course. She was fast asleep.

"You okay Lia?" Jake asked seeing her pacing around the marui.

She stopped and looked at everyone just staring at her.

"Uhm, yeah, I'm fine. Just forgot me and Ao'nung had plans for tonight." She said hurriedly as she tried to find a different breast holder and loincloth.

"Where exactly are you two going?" Lo'ak asked as he watched her.

She let out a sigh and gave up on trying to change. "I don't know, he said it was a surprise."
She replied, sounding annoyed.

"Lo'ak don't pester your sister." Neytiri said as she watched her daughter.

Laiena stopped pacing and put her hands on her head trying to think, feeling an overwhelming sense of anxiety.

She didn't know what was happening to her, she'd never felt this worked up about anything before.

She started taking heavy breaths and felt her fingers start to tremble.

"Lia?" Neteyam asked standing up and walking over to her. "Lia hey, hey it's alright. Just relax."

She nodded and Jake and Neytiri walked over to her to see if she was okay.

"Lia, look at me." Neytiri said calmly as she cupped her daughters face. "Just breathe it's okay."

Laiena nodded, not being able to get words out as she tried to take a deep breath but her breathing felt hitched and rushed.

"Lia. Calm down it's okay." Jake said as she stroked her hair. "We're right here babygirl, we're right here."

Kiri and Lo'ak stood up and made their way over to their sister, worried looked plastered all over their faces.

Everyone standing so close to her was making her nervous and made her feel like she couldn't breathe.

"Can you guys please- just back up." She whispered is a hushed voice.

"Back up give her some space." Jake said and everyone listened, except Lo'ak.

He understood how she was feeling. He was her twin after all. He felt a connection to her and he was able to sense how she was feeling.

"Dad, let me try and help her." He said calmly and Jake nodded and he and Neytiri backed up.

Lo'ak stood in front of her and placed his hands on her shoulders trying to get her to focus on him.

"Lia, listen to me." He said softly. "I need you to close your eyes. Try and relax."

She nodded and closed her eyes.
"Take a deep breath, Lia." Lo'ak said and she took a deep breath in and released it.

"Good. Now again." Lo'ak said calmly.
Laiena repeated this process about six or seven times before she felt relaxed.

She opened her eyes and looked around the marui. She let out a nervous laugh and put her hand on her head.

"That was stupid. I don't know why that happened to me." Laiena said.

"You were stressing yourself out over something so little. You basically sent yourself into a panic." Lo'ak said calmly and Laiena smiled.

"Thank you, Lo'ak." She said hugging him and he smiled.
"Of course Lia."

They pulled away just as Ao'nung knocked on the marui.

Jake let him in and he saw everyone standing around Laiena on edge.

"Is everything okay?" He asked as he saw Laiena standing there awkwardly.

"Yeah everything's fine." She said as she walked over to Ao'nung. "We can go now."

He nodded and Jake stopped them.
"Hold on, not so fast." Laiena and Ao'nung both turned to look at him. "Where are you guys going."

Ao'nung looked at Laiena then back at Jake, he wanted it to be a surprise for Laiena so he walked over to Jake and whispered it in his ear.

Jake nodded then looked back at Laiena.
"Be home before the sun comes back up." He said and Laiena nodded.

"We will." She said softly.
"You better be." Jake responded and he motioned for them to leave. "Have fun, and stay out of trouble. And no touching either."

Ao'nung laughed as he follow Laiena.
"I mean it!" Jake yelled out the marui at them as he watched them walk away.

As they climbed onto Ao'nungs ilu she held onto him as they dove underwater.

They were swimming for about thirty minutes when they came to a little island.

Ao'nung got off the ilu first and helped Laiena off after him.

"Where are we?" She asked and he grabbed her hand.
"Somewhere special. I only come here when it's nighttime." Ao'nung said as he led her further up shore over to a cave.

Laiena stopped before entering the cave and took a step back.

Ao'nung turned around and looked at her confused. "Everything okay?" He asked.

She looked embarrassed almost to say what she was thinking so she just looked at the ground.

"Lia what is it?" He asked and she looked up at him.
"Im afraid of the dark." She mumbled and he laughed.
"Lia it's not dark in there for long, just trust me."

She nodded. "Okay."
He smiled and led her into the cave.

He was right, about twenty steps in and the cave was lit up.

"Wow." She whispered letting go of his hand and looking around. "It's beautiful."

"Yeah, it is beautiful." He replied, but he wasn't looking at the cave. He was looking right at her.

The way her glowing freckles shined and the way the cave reflected stars off her eyes.

She smiled and turned around to look at Ao'nung. "Why'd you bring me here?" She asked walking over to him.

He smiled before holding her hand. "To give you this." He let go of her hand to reach into his ouch and pulled out an armband.

"Ao'nung this is beautiful." Laiena said as he helped her put it on.
"Tsireya picked out all the shells, I just helped make it." Ao'nung admitted as he watched her admire it.

"Well, it's beautiful." She smiled up at him and he smiled back.
"I brought you here at this specific time so you could celebrate. Happy birthday, Lia."

"You remembered." She said smiling at him.
"Of course I did." He bent down and kissed the top of her forehead. "How could I forget."

She smiled but it soon faded as the realization hit her. "Shit!" She said hurriedly as she ran out of the cave and Ao'nung followed her.

"Lia what's wrong?" He yelled as he followed close behind her.
"Ao'nung we need to get back." She said as she stopped running.
"Why what's wrong?" He asked again.

She caught her breath and looked at Ao'nung. "I can't explain right now just please we need to get back."

He nodded and called for his ilu. He got on then helped Laiena and they swam back to the village as fast as they could.

Laiena had completly forgotten about the one person she shouldn't have.

They had a routine, and they did it every year.

Stay up til midnight so they could spend the whole day together.

Because it wasn't just her birthday after all.

It was Lo'aks too.
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