*Almost forgot the important disclaimer! I don't own any of the characters mentioned. Whether their from the show, or the real world. I did this for fun. It's actually the first story I've had the nerve to post. Characters a mostly OC, a bit of my alter ego's might slip in here and there. I ask that any reviews be clean. I hate it when people just send stuff on how stupid it is or was. I often ask "How is that helpful?" Also flames on the pairings or how Emotional Aang might be will be totally ignored. This is a Zutara story, I never cared for KatAang even when the show was going on. Aang will grow up I promise so please bare with me. Any helpful suggestions are appreciated. All haters and flamers please take your mean reviews and use them to thaw your cold hearts.*
August 3rd,
Well here I am again after another "awkward session" with Aang. I'm not sure if it's me, but sex with him just doesn't do it for me anymore. Ever since he found out I'm attending Ba Sing Se University alone instead of Ohmashu with him, Aang's been extra clingy. "We only have a few days left together Kat; we need to treasure them…." He acts like I'm leaving forever or something! Sokka and Dad are no better. Dad wants me to either go to Omashu U. with Aang or just take online courses at home. Sokka just picks on me, usually right in front of Aang about college boys. Gran gran is the only person who is really supporting me lately... I don't know what I'm going to do about Aang; I've got school to worry about now….
Katara sighed as she closed her laptop. She'd managed to convince Aang to leave about fifteen minutes ago. Her family would drop her off at the airport in about an hour. She stood from her bed and stared at her almost bare room. Katara had packed everything she would need at school and sent it ahead of her. She turned off the light and walked out into the hall. 'I'll miss everyone, Dad, Sokka, Gran Gran, Aang… but there comes a time for a girl to go out and find herself….' Katara was pulled from her musings by the sound of her brother attempting one last "SNEAK ATTACK!" Graceful and precise Katara pulled the water from a vase just ahead of her, which she used to freeze her brother's feet to the floor in on swift motion. Sokka flew forward face first onto the hallway rug. Katara laughed at her brother, "Sokka it would work a lot better if you didn't shout out your sneak attacks." He gurgled something and Katara laughed again before making her way down stairs.
The ride to the airport was long but tolerable. Even unloading Katara's bag was pleasant. Gran-gran and her father hugged her tightly. When Katara turned to hug Sokka she was confronted with the top of her boyfriends' shaved/tattooed head. Before she could react his smaller arms wrapped around her waist tightly. "I'm going to miss you so much Kat," Aang said dejectedly. Katara felt her eyebrow twitch at the nickname Aang gave her when they started dating.
"I'll miss you too Aang… I thought I was going to call you once I got settled…" she replied as Katara attempted to reign in her irritation. 'We agreed that the airport would just be me and my family…'
Aang nodded vigorously, "I know I know but I had to see you off today, I'm going to miss you so much Kat you have no idea…."
'You've only told me this all summer Aang…' Katara thought to herself as she hugged him back and went to kiss his cheek. But at the last second he tilted his head so she kissed his lips, another irritating tendency Aang had. After the awkward kiss in front of her father Katara detached herself from Aang and picked up her bag. Sokka placed his arm around her shoulders and walked her over to the check in counter.
"Listen little sister I know I've been giving you a hard time about going away to college but believe me it'll be the most fun you've ever had. And…" Sokka said but at the end he seemed to falter before building his courage up again. "And don't shy away from new people and new experiences. College changes you in some ways, look at me. I was a slacker in high school but I graduated with a business degree in less than two years."
Katara smiled and hugged her brother, "Thanks a lot Sokka. It means a lot to me that you support me. Take care of Dad while I'm gone." Sokka nodded and made his way back to where Gran-gran, Aang and their dad were standing. With a smile and a final wave Katara boarded the plane to her new school and new life.
The room was a large square with two desks and two beds parallel to each other. The walls were pale beige. As she glanced around the room Katara noticed that her half of the room was neat {even though everything was still in boxes} and her roommates side looked like their suitcase exploded all over. Clothes littered the bed and floor. They were even draped over a drum set. Katara sighed slightly, 'it's like sharing a room with Sokka all over again…' she barely remembered those days.
Back when her mother was alive and they hardly had a penny to their names. Katara, Sokka, her parents and Gran-gran all shared a two bedroom loft apartment. Her father's business had yet to pick up off the ground; the economy wasn't too good after the wars. All she really could remember was that her mother and father fought a lot. They were never about money or Sokka. The arguments were always about her. Katara was so young, she never understood what she had done wrong, before she could ever find out Gran-gran would find her listening at the door and take her outside for a walk. Whenever they returned her mother would hug her so tight Katara thought she would explode. But it was alright, she loved her mother more than anything.
"Um can I help you?" asked a girl's soft voice out of nowhere. Katara jumped and turned towards the door. There stood a girl about her height with short auburn hair. Her blue green eyes regarded Katara warily. Katara quickly shook herself out and held out her hand, "um no, Hi. I am Katara Keanu. Are you my new roommate?"
The girl seemed to relax slightly and shook her head no. "No, no I am Suki Charles. I live down the hall, um I know Toph so I had to ask who you were…." Katara nodded but before she could say anything else a smaller girl came in and stood in front of her. She looked to be just barely five foot two and very young, about seventeen. But it was her milky white eyes hid behind tufts of bangs that caught Katara's attention. 'Is she blind?' The girl's gruff voice caught Katara's attention for the second time today.
"So you must be my new roommate, I'm Toph Be Fong. As you can see I've already claimed my half of the room, don't like it oh well." Katara did not start off poorly with the person she'd be sharing a room with for the rest of the year, but she could not help her retort.
"Well that's fine I didn't really care, it's not like I could move you anyways your shit is exploded over half the room." There was a pregnant pause. Katara was afraid she'd pissed off her roommate thus ruining the rest of her year. But Toph only laughed and punched Katara's arm, "I like you. What'd you say your name was?" Katara sighed with relief before she introduced herself again. And from that day on Toph, Katara and Suki were inseparable. Suki was at Ba Sing Se University for culinary arts. Toph seemed to be going for a degree in massage therapy, with a minor in musical studies. Katara was going for medical science to become a doctor or something useful like her father wished with a few art classes to mix it up. Katara could tell she was going to have a few "admirers".
There was a fellow water tribesmen named Hahn for one, he seemed a Casanova with only one thing on the brain. Haru was in her herbalist class, he was more of the "admire from afar type of guy" so Katara didn't see too much problem there. And a few other boys in between seemed to not understand she had a boyfriend back home. Toph was a big help in keeping most of them out of Katara's way most of the time. Suki suggested learning some self defense or martial arts for times when Katara wasn't around water (she's been a black belt since she was ten}. But other than those trivial issues Katara's first few weeks seemed to fly by.
