006,  guilt

XANA SAT alone on the sand, her mind and eyes lost in the ocean. She rested her head on top of her knees that were tucked up to her chest. It had been a few days since Kiri's seizure and her older sister was still yet to wake up. Xana hadn't spoken much to anyone and neither had she been around anyone.

Her family was beginning to become worried about Xana knowing that if Kiri didn't wake up, they wasn't sure if Xana would ever recover from it.

Xana always felt guilt for situation that wasn't her fault. She knew it wasn't her fault, but her brain didn't. Another problem was that Xana had trouble expression emotions. It was clear the girl was often out of touch with her feelings and as much as she tried to stay in touch with them, she couldn't help but let herself drift away.

Xana didn't realise someone had sat beside her until she heard a deep breath. "Can I help you?" She spoke, lifting her head from her knees, looking towards Aonung, who had a neutral face but his eyes were full of concern. Something Xana picked up on Aonung was that he said a lot but nothing ever came out of his mouth, it was always shown in his eyes.

"Are you okay?" He questioned as she broke eye contact, averting her eyes up to the sky. "Yes." Aonung sighed. She knew the girl didn't like him, but it didn't mean he didn't like her. He didn't like seeing her isolating herself away from everyone. "Don't lie Xana." Xana rested her head back onto her arms, contemplating whether to tell him how she felt or not.

She didn't know why she felt the urge to tell him, maybe it was because she thought she could trust him. So she did. "I know Kiri's seizure was not my fault, but I will carry the guilt of it because my mind forces me to. I isolate myself away from people so I don't put a downer on their moods just because I am upset or angry with something. If Kiri doesn't wake up, I don't know what I will do with myself."

Aonung sighed, not knowing what to say. He was never very good with his words, but comforting people? His worst skill. Aonung pulled a teary eyed Xana into his side, gliding his thumb across her shoulder as she rested her head on his shoulder, a quiet sob racking through her body.

Xana would never admit how at peace she was in Aonung arms. She would also never admit that she had began to grow feelings for the boy she claimed to dislike. But she now couldn't say she didn't like him in at least friend way when she was sat sobbing in his arms.

✧˖*°࿐

Xana and Aonung spent the rest of the day with one another, Rotxo joining them after a few hours. The trio spent their time speaking about Xana's home and of the festival that was taking place tonight. Though every time Xana turned her back, Rotox would tease Aonung over the girl.

"Xana!" Tuk ran over to her older sister, the girl holding onto Xana's arm as she regained her breath.

"Yes?" Xana asked, the girl slightly worried. "Kiri is awake." Tuk breathed out as Xana's eyes widened. She wasted no time as she ran towards their mauri, almost falling into it as she made eye contact with Kiri.

Xana immediately dropped down beside her sister, pulling her in for a hug. Xana wiped the lone tear that fell from her eye. "You are never going near the spirit tree ever again." Kiri laughed at her younger sister, pulling away from the hug. "Agreed." Norm chimed in before pulling Jake and Neytiri out of the hut so he could speak to them.

"You woke up just in time, come. We have to get ready for Nas'vatlu!" Xana carefully pulled her older sister up from the floor as Kiri became confused.

"Nas'vatlu?"

"The annual festival here in Awa'atlu, Aonung was telling me about it." Kiri raised her eyebrows knowingly earning a dismissing eye roll in response form Xana. "You and Aonung?" Kiri smirked as Xana chuckled, ignoring her sister. Xana picked up the face paints, holding them in front of Kiri with a smile on her face, "Silver or gold?"

M speaks !

should i be awake at 3am
on a school night updating
this book? no. that's why
it's a short ass chapter