NOTE: I've rewritten this story as an original story, changing many things, but I still have this piece of fanfiction I wrote between 2009 and 2012. I would like to upload it here as it was after my first rewrite in 2012. The first rewrite got rid of some continuation errors and fixed some pointless chapters. It is complete, so I expect to update it regularly. This does not reflect my current writing style, as I am about to completely rewrite the story again with original characters and characterization.

I hope you enjoy 13-year-old Sarah's only complete fanfiction, The Dark Secrets Within Us All (Part 1). It is a high school AU. (I don't know how many of those are still around... I don't read ATLA fanfiction these days.)

Arc 1: The New Student
Chapter 1: A School of Misfits

Aang took in a deep breath as his eyes took in the tall walls of Phoenix High; he had heard many rumors about the school and that every student that attended each had somewhat of a strange past. "I guess I'll fit in very well," he thought. After his parents disappeared when he was two years old, Aang had been switching from orphanage to foster home his whole life. He had been lucky enough to excel well enough at his last school to have been given a scholarship to this boarding school. "Luck loves working in strange ways," Aang chuckled to himself.

Aang glanced at his watch and looked both ways of the school to see if someone was coming. Other kids passed by him, but none seemed too interested in the freshman. He studied the page in his hand. "Katara Reibu," he read. Though the situation was not at all new to him (he had been left waiting numerous times), he had hoped that he would have a new beginning at this school. He pulled his orange baseball cap down over his face. He should have expected as much.

Suddenly, he was nearly knocked down by the force of someone bustling past him. He tried to catch a glance of this person, but the boy had gone by him in a flash. All Aang make of him was he was the possibility of him being a senior with messy brown hair apparently in a hurry. His running slowed to a stop, now noticing the boy. He turned to face Aang and made his way back. "What are you doing out here? It's dangerous, you know." He towered over the young boy, dark, piercing eyes staring sternly at him.

Aang raised an eyebrow, "Dangerous? There wasn't anything about danger in the brochure."

The dark haired boy stroked his chin, "Hmm. . . interesting. I thought I told Suki to put that in. I guess she forgot," he shrugged nonchalantly before continuing. "By the way, kid, the name's Jet. If you see any weird stuff happening around, come to me. But for now, watch your back; there are some real weirdoes around here."

"Uh huh, and I believe I've just met one of them," Aang thought as Jet bolted through a bush. The clickety-clack of a bike was what alerted Aang to narrowly miss the near-disaster. It skidded to a stop nearby and a dark-skinned girl rushed over to make sure he was alright. Once her inspection was complete, she began rambling on about how sorry she was for being late.

". . .and her snoring kept me up all night so I forgot about you because I wasn't even supposed to do this in the first place, but Toph's parents won't let her come to school alone so I had to do it and I'm so sorry!" Aang had to catch the girl before she collapsed from lack of breath.

"I think it would be fair to guess that you're Katara." Aang laughed.

Katara brushed herself off and fixed her hair as if she didn't just act like a complete idiot to the new student, "Yes, I am Katara Reibu, and I am pleased to meet you, Mr. Aang."

He shook hands with her and smiled, "Actually, my surname is Gyago." Katara blushed, realizing she had mistakenly said his first name instead of his last, "Well, let us begin, Mr. Gyago."

While they crossed the wide courtyard of the school to the dorms, they saw a pony-tailed boy who was showing his muscles to a small group of girls. He stopped when he saw the two walking by. "Hey Katara!" he called. Katara's eyes widened and she quickened her pace, careful to keep her face hidden behind a raised hand.

"Do you know him?" Aang inquired, his breath huffing as he readjusted his pace to match hers.

"Sadly, yes. He's my brother, Sokka. We found him in the street one day and adopted him," she replied.

"Really?"

"No, not really," she lowered her gaze and shrugged, "but if I say that enough times hopefully it'll come true."

Katara stopped and turned to Aang, "Here's where the tour stops, the boy's building is over there and I hope to see you at lunch. Goodbye, Aang."

As Katara hurried off, probably to her class, Aang looked at his schedule, "History with Lo and Li," he read to himself. He watched as she ran off, feeling an odd feeling forming in his stomach. There was something quite peculiar about that girl.

Aang had not found it in him to ask Katara why the tour had been so short, and found himself wandering hopelessly lost through the halls of Phoenix High. He thought it a miracle that he had managed to find his class on time.

"Fire in the hole!" someone shouted. Aang looked around to see who had shouted, only to be met in the face with a spitball. "Ew. . ." he wiped his face in disgust.

A small girl with long, dark bangs angrily marched up to Aang. Despite their difference in height, he was immediately intimidated by her. She poked a small finger into his chest, "When someone says 'Fire in the hole' you're supposed to duck."

Aang scratched the back of his neck and muttered, "Sorry." He regretted it a second later. "Hey!" he interjected. "Why were you doing that in the first place?" he huffed.

The girl blankly stared at him with a puzzled expression on her face. She had been briefly taken aback by his refute, but a smug grin of realization began to form on her face. "You're new around here, aren't you?" she asked.

Aang nodded, "I'm Aang Gyago, nice to meet you." He extended his hand towards her.

She stood there for a moment before slapping her forehead, "Oh, you want me to shake it. Sorry, Aang, it's a little hard to know when you're blind. I am Lady Toph Bei Fong. But if you call me Lady, I promise you will be beaten senseless." She spat in her hand and shook Aang's hand; Aang held a brief look of disgust before managing a smile. "I don't doubt it," he replied slowly.

"You'll need to know the guidelines to survive this school, so stick with me, and you'll get along just fine."

The next two hours had gone by with no notable events. Aang discovered that the students tended to stare at new students. He found this especially true if one enrolls two months into the school year. During lunch, he caught the gaze of a number of students as Toph led him through the cafeteria. Katara and her brother were already seated at another table enjoying their lunches. The girl caught his attention with a wave and motioned him to sit with her. He watched as Toph continued on for a short distance and turned around. "What are you waiting for?" she inquired.

"Would you mind if I sat over there with Katara?" he sheepishly asked.

She shrugged and replied, "Why not? Sparks won't mind if it's just for today." She followed Aang and pushed Sokka off his seat before sitting down where Sokka was. The boy brushed his bottom before complaining, "Must you do that every time you eat with us?"

The blind girl shook her head, "You never seem to learn that's my seat."

Sokka's height reached its fullest. He began to protest against her actions while pointing an accusing finger at Aang, "But your seat is where the new kid is sitting, so you should've pushed him instead!"

Toph ignored him and proceeded to eat her lunch while Sokka continued to shout at her. Aang noted that Katara wasn't taking any notice of what was happening and he asked her, "Does this happen a lot?"

The blue-eyed girl sent a glance to the two and shrugged, "Pretty much every day if you ask me." Aang began to look around at the other students, remembering some from his previous classes. "You see that girl over there, she's Ty Lee Taiso, the vice-president of the student council," Katara extended her arm in front of Aang's shoulder to a girl who wore a pink version of the school uniform. "Even if she looks dumb, that's actually a false front she puts up. Last year I was paired up with her for our science project and she nearly blew me away with her knowledge of compounds and human anatomy."

Aang turned his head sideways to see if he and Katara were looking at the right girl. ". . .and sitting right next to her is Mai Kurai. Probably the only person on earth who can't smile, she can make you depressed within five minutes. I believe you have met Jet Seishoki, that guy's a real creep, and what's worse, we used to date. I found out he has an obsession with Zuko Ryishi, the number one guy on the weird scale. He's worn a top hat every day since he moved to Ba Sing Se."

"Why?"

"No one knows. The school was after him about it until they received a call from his father. They stopped after that. The dude must be quite important to be able to call in for his son."

"I guess. . ." He found himself staring at the top hat kid. He sat alone, but appeared unaffected by the lack of other humans. He noticed a girl staring at the boy as well and pointed this out to Katara. "Oh," she answered nonchalantly, "that's just Suki Meryu. She absolutely despises Ryishi."

"What did he do to her?"

"I strongly believe they used to date. Many people (notably my brother) disagree, but she changes her reason each time you ask.