Finally the hour of my 'softball practice' with coach Yu is over, unfortunately for me he is now sitting across from me at the dinner table. Why? Because my stupid parents think he's some sort of amazing teacher, sometimes I wonder who is really the blind one around here. "Your keeping her at rules and stretches right?" my overly dramatic father nervously asks couch Yu, he has no idea. "Of course" coach Yu boasts "wouldn't want Toph to get injured", he has no idea. I listen to their conversation until my mom clears her throat, her signal for be more lady like, then my mind checks for the rules until I come upon my mom's favorite; "no elbows on the table". I slide them off, what a pain, and continue listening intently for any signs they might be onto me.
After a whole dinner without any signs of trouble, I go up to my room and put my softball uniform on and slip out the window. I easily feel my way through our estate's garden and over the fence. Yes, freedom! I run the rest of the way to the old softball field , where I meet up with some local kids, my team, sort of they aren't very good but I am. Even though I'm blind my sense of feel is so good, I've memorized this place, not to mention I can hear anyone running towards me. My blindness takes one part in the cause of my nick name "the blind bandit", the other part is the fact that my specialty is 'stealing' bases. Although, I wouldn't call it stealing, these dunderheads practically hand me bases. After an amazing night bringing down some big batter who calls himself 'the boulder', I hurry back to my room to get some shuteye before morning.
The next day starts out normal, me having to pretend to need help getting to school, classes go without the teachers letting me do anything, sitting alone at lunch, then more classes, and finally the trip home. After supper my parent's decide to go to my softball game and watch me warm the bench. Great, now not only do I have to not play but my parents are going to make a fuss the whole time.
Coach Yu is shouting useless advice at my teammates on field when I hear a tell tale thump, some one is injured. This is bad, the crowd is gasping, it must be bad. What if they can't play? I'm the only one on the bench, we'll be disqualified if I don't play, but if I do my parents will flip! What do I do? This is bad, this is really bad! I can't let my team down they've tried so hard, I can't let them fail because I was afraid, besides, Toph Bei Fong has nothing to fear.
I step up to plate gripping the bat in my hand, coach Yu is busy handling my injured teammate to notice, but the other team does notice. The pitcher throws a fast ball and I hit into the home run zone, or so someone said, I can't really tell. Running is even easier then hitting the ball, even with members of the other team chasing me, I run all the bases and score the winning point. At that moment I feel so happy I am light headed. I can hear the home crowd cheering and the visitor crowd jeering. My teammates give me high fives and handshakes. I feel so free and liked.
Unfortunately that feeling of accomplishment doesn't last long. Soon I am home waiting for my parents to scold me; I don't have to wait for long. Soon my dad speaks "we have let you have far too much freedom. From now on, no more softball". "and your grounded" my mother pipes in. I can't believe they're taking away what I love to do most, and what does she mean grounded? I can't go anywhere anyway! This so frustrating, I can't believe they would do this to me.
It's gotten worse I'm going to a boarding school in the fire school district, my parent's got me in using the name Bei Fong and the seal of the flying boar. So long earth district, and any chance of having friends, hello prison like boarding school. They made me pack spouting none sense like "it's for your own good" and "if you hadn't disobeyed me". So here I am on my way to one of the fanciest, uptight schools on the planet!