The New Kid

Ch.1: The Foreign Student

Aang's POV

As the car pulled up to the front of what would be my new school, I opened the door. I looked at my friend, Kuzon.

"Thanks Kuzon" I thanked.

"No need to thank me" he said.

"Can you pick up Little Jason after school today?" I asked. "I have to go pick up groceries for Ms. Brekkat."

"Sure thing" he said. "I'll see you later"

"Alright by, thanks again Kuzon" I said as I waved him off. He drove away after I slammed the door shut. I turned around and saw the sign on the building across the lawn from me.

"Four Nations High"

I walked towards the main entrance, I opened the door to the building and headed inside. I saw the halls filled with kids eager to get to find ones they know before the bell rings and some who were just treading along the floor, unhappy about their day.

I, however, I was trying to find the main office. I asked some bypassers.

"Excuse me," I said but before I could finish the sentence they glare at me then walk off without a word. As another group came by, I asked again. "Where is the main office?"

Again, no one replied. I ran my hand through my black, shaggy hair.

"Oi" I said.

"I can help you" said a voice. I turned around startled, only colliding into the one who answered me. Papers scattered everywhere as long with text books. I bent down to help the person grab their items. When I grabbed the book, I looked at the person. It was a girl, with tanned skin, long brown hair and dark blue eyes. I stared at her. We slowly rose, eyes staring. I rose to my feet and broke the trance.

"Um-sorry," I said as I handed her the book. She took it.

"It's alright" she said. "You seem new here"

"Is it that obvious?" I asked, feeling heat run up to my cheeks.

"Well you were looking for the office" she said. I rubbed the back of my head, blushing in embarrassment.

"Oh" I said.

"My name's Katara" the girl said. I extended my hand.

"Me name's Aang" I said. She took my hand and shook it.

"What accent is that?" she asked.

"My accent?" I asked. She nodded. "Irish"

"It is a very strong accent" she replied.

"If you live most of yer life in Eire, you end up with the accent that will never go away" I said.

"Eire?" she asked.

"Oh," I said. "That's what we call Ireland"

"You're from Ireland?" she asked. I nodded.

"Where?" she asked.

"Cobh, Ireland" I said. "I was born in Belfast however"

She nodded.

"Well let me take you to the main office" she said. I smiled and nodded. We both walked through the halls and to the main office. I entered the main office, after giving my thanks to Katara….Katara, wow that sure is something pretty.

I looked at the old woman at the desk, she wore big, thick glasses attached to a gold chain like a librarian. She looked at me, gazing over the rim of her glasses.

"May I help you?" she asked.

"Hi," I greeted. "Me name's Aang James, I'm the new kid"

"Oh the one from Ireland" she said. I nodded.

"Yes ma'am," I said. "I came for my locker number and schedule"

She nodded and walked over the file cabinet. She searched the cabinet and then stopped, pulling out a folder. She handed it to me.

"In here is your schedule, your locker number and combination. There is also a security form for you to write up. We also took the liberty to put the school's lunch menu in there."

I nodded.

"Thank you ma'am" I said. She nodded.

"Get to your first period Mr. James"

I nodded. I walked out of the office and looked for my first period.

"History and Culture" I said to myself. "Room 108"

I looked around, looking for the room number. I found it eventually. I saw the teacher teaching the class, he paused when he noticed me in the door.

"May I help you?" he asked.

"I…um…I'm in this class" I said. "As my schedule puts it"

"Ah," the man said. "You must be the new student"

I gave a slight nod.

"Come in, come in" he beckoned me. I walked in. "Okay, take a seat next to Katara over there"

I looked at the familiar girl as she smiled. I nodded to the teacher and walked over to the empty desk. I took my seat as I whispered hi to her. She said hi back to me. The teacher began teaching, he was talking about Great Britain and Ireland.

"Who can name the language of Ireland?" the teacher asked. I was the only one who raised my hand.

"Yes" he said to me.

"Gaeilge or also known as Gaelic to Americans" I said.

"Very good..." the teacher paused.

"Aang" I finished.

"Aang" he said. "That's actually a pretty strong accent you got there, where are you from?"

"Cobh, Ireland" I replied.

"Oh wow," the teacher said with a lot of enthusiasm. "A real Irishman"

I nodded.

"Lived in Eire my whole life," I said.

"Why did you decided to come here?" the teacher asked. I felt my heart sink.

"I can't-I can't say" I stuttered. The teacher nodded and he continued on with the lesson. I was lost in my thoughts by the time the bell rang. I was about walk out of the class until I heard a voice.

"Aang," the teacher asked. I turned around, looking at him. "I know why you came here"

"You do?" I asked.

"Yes," he said. "You lost your family"

"The only one I have left is my younger brother Jason, and he's only five." I said. The teacher put his hand on my shoulder.

"If you need anything Mr. James, come to me any time" the teacher said. I nodded about to walk out, when I stopped and turned to him.

"Sir?" I asked. He looked up. "I never caught your name"

"You can call me Iroh." The man said. "I rather be called by my first name, not my formal"

I nodded. I walked out of the room and headed to my next class. The morning soon turned into the afternoon, I found the lunchroom. 200 kids sat at the tables, eating and talking loudly. I paid for my lunch and looked for somewhere to sit, I saw someone waving to me and I walked over.

"Hey Aang" Katara greeted. I slid my tray on the table, took off my backpack and sat down.

"Hey Katara" I said.

"Guys," Katara said. "This is Aang"

A few hellos were given to me. She pointed to everyone at the table, telling me there names.

"So I heard you're the one from Ireland" asked a girl who sat across from me. I caught that her name was Suki. I nodded as I took a bite of my food. "Cool"

"Yeah," I said.

"Why did you move here?" asked another girl who was pretty energetic, her name was Meng.

"Well," I said sadly. "It's a long story, that I really don't wish to share"

"Oh" Meng said. I took a bite of my salad.

"So where in Ireland are you from?" asked Toph, a poor lass who was blind.

"A small little town by the name of Cobh, it's in the Republic" I said. "However, I was born in Belfast."

"Where are you staying?" asked Katara.

"My lad named Kuzon is allowing me and my younger brother Jason to stay with him until he moves to Virginia? Yeah Virginia in the Winter." I said.

"Then where will you go?" asked Katara.

"I don't really know yet," I said after I took a sip of my milk. "I hope to find a place soon, I can't go back to Eire"

"Eire?" questioned Suki.

"Ireland" I said. She nodded.

"Well, you could probably stay with us" Katara told me. I noticed a boy choke on his milk. It was her brother, Sokka. He coughed a bit.

"Aye you alright lad?" I asked after he finished his coughing fit. He nodded.

"Katara," Sokka began. "We can't just take him in"

"Yeah I don't want to be a burden" I said. "Nor does my brother"

"You won't be" Katara said.

"Well for right now," I said. "I'm just worried about finding my way around this bloody school. But I'll take your word under consideration"

Katara giggled along with others.

To be continued.