CHAPTER SIX

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A.N.: Hello all! Sorry about the delay. But I plan on publishing three chapters today to make up for it. Enjoy the chapter!

Naawri  appreciates her family so much.  They rally around her, supporting her in her heartbreak.  Rayka cooks her a batch of berry flatcakes and makes her favorite tea.  Noney sticks to her like kxumpaysyar. Even Eyvir shows her sympathy without the expected ‘I told you so.’  She appreciates them, but she was fine.

“Nawri it’s okay to take a break, when you’re hurting,” Noney tries.

Naawri  finishes washing up and rises, using a soft cloth to dry off.  “Noni, I’m fine.” She dresses quickly, already on the cups of lateness.

“No you’re not,” she retorts.

She kisses her sister’s cheeks. “Shirking my duty is not going to solve anything.” She exits their home.  She smiles at those she passes by. Her day is uneventful, except for the sympathetic glances from Auntie. But, she finishes all her duties without a hitch, until she’s heading for home.

She adjusts the half-finished mat rolled in the crook of her arm, cursing when she nearly loses her grip on the baskets in her hands. She greets a group of younger Na’vi that jog past all laughing hysterically at something. What had those five gotten up to this time? A second later a sopping wet middle-aged Na’vi chases them.  When they pass she steps forward, but stops midstep.

Wiya, and here her day was going so well. Neteyam approaches her. She wants to go the other way, but she can’t because he’d already seen her. Sharp aching longing stabs her.  She tamps it down and puts on the best smile she can muster.  She gives a respectful greeting to him. 

He returns it. “How are you?”

She gives a small shrug.  “Great. You?”  The smile he gives doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Good.”

She remembers that she hadn’t congratulated him on his engagement, too busy running home to hide her face.  Yeah, she should probably do that.  “Oh, um congratulations.”

Another not quite bright smile.  “Thanks.”

She looks down at her feet then back up at him.  “Yeah.”  She looks to the side when someone shouts his name. Tsahey. It’s Sateya. She jogs up to them, a saccharine smile on her pretty face. Why? 

“Kaltxi,” she greets.

Naawri wants to look away when she all but loops her arm around Neteyam’s but she doesn’t.  She returns the greeting, forcing what she hopes is a smile and not a grimace. Seeing her so close to Neteyam, hurts. 

“I’m Sateya,” she introduces herself. And Naawri wishes she were snobby so she could at least be angry with her.

“Naawri.”

“She’s a good friend.” He finally speaks.

“Oh. Well, a friend of my promised one is a friend of mine.” She gives her a genuine smile and Naawri stomps down the urge to eyeroll.

“Yeah.” An air of awkwardness drapes over the air between them.  “Um” she swallows. Then she remembers the stuff in her arms.  “Okay, I’ve got to go.  Have to finish this mat in a few days.” She adjusts her load.  “Bye now.”

“Do you need any help?” He asks.

“No, I have it.” She gives a soft smile and all but scurries away.  Eywa, that was so awkward.  The image of Sateya arm in arm with Neteyam, something she would never have the chance to do, was like a knife to the gullet. She didn't want to endure that again.

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