Kataang Waltz

Katara's POV

I heard the cheers and the thumping of feet hitting the wooden floor. I heard the loud music and the loud shouting of a small little man holding a microphone in one hand and a card in the other. He shouted at the group to the rhythm of the music.

"Swing your partner!"

The group did as they were told, they swung around with their loved ones or friends as the song kept playing. I watched the fiddle player, his bow struck the strings as he rolled out the notes. He was smiling as he took a glance at the banjo player, the banjo player played the same notes but hammered on his strings. The fiddler kept on playing as he stomped his foot and gave a few shouts. The guitar player to the far left kept strumming on the strings and played out chords keeping the rhythm going as the fiddler kept the melody and the banjo kept up with both the rhythm and the melody. To the far right of the fiddler was the mandolin player, he was like the guitar and banjo player, keeping the rhythm going as he also played the melody. The caller turned the band, telling them something.

The fiddler gave a shout.

"One more boys!" I heard him say. I smiled.

"Bow to your partner and thank the band, sadly that is the end" the caller last called. The fiddler put a finish to the song with much enthusiasm and joy. The last note rang out in his microphone and everyone erupted in claps. I found myself clapping, he was a natural fiddle player. The caller made an announcement that the dance will soon keep going but they would switch bands. The fiddler came towards me with his fiddle and bow in one hand, he gave me his signature smile which made me smile back. He was really handsome with the stormy grey eyes that he had gotten from his father and his black hair that he gotten from his mother, he also was beginning to show muscle under his shirt that said 'Missori Fiddle Gathering' he got when he went down to a festival in St. Louis. Although he was handsome, he was also sweet, joyful, funny, caring, strong and courageous, he had the ability to overcome the major obstacles with much joy still in his heart. He finds his strength in his music every time he plays, when some banjo or mandolin player throws out a song at him that he doesn't know, he just catches on as the banjo and mandolin player play him the tune. I really like it when I see him in the middle of a jam session with several other musicians far older than him and when he hears the name of the song he says he knows it, but can't remember how to play it or when he doesn't know the name of the song, or knows it by a different name, and then when the others play it for him he feels like he mentally slapped himself and soon joins in on the song.

I enjoyed it a lot, but I also enjoyed his life and his personality, no he wasn't my lover, but he was a friend. My best friend, and some day I hope we could be more. But for right now, just best friends. He invited me to come to this event which was about 3 hours away from home, it was just him and his two older brothers who were mature enough to watch over him. My father allowed me to come because he liked my best friend and knew he couldn't or wouldn't do anything that I or he wouldn't like.

"Hey Katara" he greeted.

"Hey Aang" I say back."Good job"

"Thanks" he said.

"What was the name of the last song?" I asked.

"Last of Harris" he told me. "One of the tunes pa taught me years back"

I also forgot to mention, I love the way he speaks. It is different, it was like a whole different language. Instead of saying father or mother he says Ma or Pa, I don't know why but I really like it. The banjo player came over to him, the banjo was strapped to his well built body and was held up by his right hand.

"George wants to play another set later on" the banjo player said. "Around 11-ish"

"Damn that late?" Aang asks.

"Hey the dance will still be going" the banjo player said. "Believe me, these people square dance nonstop."

I heard Aang laugh, his laugh was very musical to my ears. I loved everything about him. The banjo player gives him a pat on the back and says a good-bye and walks out of the picture. We looked at each other and we were silent.

"Thanks for bringing me here" I thanked. "I'm really enjoying it"

"Not a problem" he said. "Glad you're having fun"

It was the first night of the event that would stretch until Sunday morning when we would have to pack up and go home. It was around 9:30pm on a Friday night and the Open Band Square Dance which Aang always told me was a tradition that fiddlers, guitarists, banjoists and mandolin players would sign up for a time slot and play for the dance for about an hour.

The dance would continue until everyone leaves the floor and starts going to their places where they were staying and go to bed.

Soon enough, the caller was back and the dance started up again. The caller went through the dance calls without the music, it was like a walkthrough. Aang and I were seated on a bench, overlooking the room. Aang leaned back on the bench and had his fiddle and bow on his lap as he had both his hands on the bench, leaning on them. I was silent but Aang was talking to some gorwn-up friends of his who told he did a very good job, Aang would usually get into a conversation with his greeters and talk for minutes about music and home. Someone came up to him.

"Hey Aang" he greeted.

"Hey Frank" Aang greeted back.

"Mighty fine fiddlin'" the middle-sized man said. "Just as good as your father, may be a bit better"

"No one is better than my Pa" Aang said. The man chimed in with a hearty laugh. A girl walked up to the two. I looked in that direction.

"Aang this is my niece, Jenny" Frank introduced. The girl was about our age with long blond hair in a ponytail and piercing green eyes. I felt something in my chest as Aang said hi and shook her hand.

"You are a very good fiddler Aang" Jenny squecked. Was this feeling in me was anger? Jealousy?

"Thank you Jenny" Aang greeted. Frank walked away, leaving us alone with Jenny. Aang cleared his throat. "Jenny this is my friend Katara"

Jenny stared at me, it was more like a killing glare but Aang didn't see this.

"Is she your girlfriend?" she asked towards Aang. I felt more anger in my heart.

"No" Aang said, clueless of my feelings.

"Oh" Jenny said somewhat embarrassed. The dance had ended with a huge shout of cheers and laughter.

"Square your sets" came the caller's voice.

"Hey Aang, you want to dance with me?" Jenny asked Aang.

Say no Aang I thought say no.

"Sure" Aang said as he got up. He turned to me. "You don't mind do you?"

I shook my head trapped in a lie.

"Go ahead" I said, but he didn't hear the sadness in my voice. I managed to give a small smile but then it formed into a frown. As the walkthrough of the dance began, Aang and Jenny were really getting to know each other as they danced. I noticed them swinging each other like they were girlfriend and boyfriend, not feeling any awkwardness at all.

"You alright?" came a voice. I looked that way and saw the banjo player.

"Hey Tyler," I greeted, much sorrow in my voice.

"Mind if I take a seat?" he asked. I shook my head, he sat down next to me. "Something wrong?"

"It's nothing" I tell him. I looked into Tyler's blue eyes.

"Don't seem like nothing" he told me.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I hear it in yer voice and see it in yer eyes"

He was good.

"Tell me what's wrong" he asks me again. I drew in a small breath.

"Did you ever see someone you really liked do something with another person of the same gender?" I asked.

"Huh?" Tyler asked. "Is this some girl language I should know about?"

I nailed him in the shoulder with my fist. He yelped n pain and rubbed where I hit him.

"Ow!" he said to me. I glared at him, his eyes fully realized. "Oh"

I looked back at the dance, Aang was in a circle with eight others holding hands with Jenny and another girl. I felt a hand on mine. I looked up and saw Tyler.

"This is about my brother ain't it?" he asked. For a boy who doesn't fall in love, he was smart. I could only nod. "You must really like him a lot"

That only confused me. I looked at him.

"Girls and boys who ain't a couple just dance for fun" Tyler cleared up. He cleared his throat. "And I know for a sheer fact he don't fall in love with that girl, he falls for ya"

Tyler was a pretty smart boy, I loved him a lot like another brother. Second to Aang, he always made me smile and made me feel good about myself.

"Think it's time you told him" he tells me soon afterwards.

"I can't do that Tyler" I replied.

"How come?" he asked me. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, ready to say it.

"What if he doesn't like me back?" I asked him. I was expecting for Tyler's face to stiffen a bit in realization, but his face was still the same. His face was filled with confusion and gave me an 'are-you-kidding' look, which I was confused by,

"By God!" he exclaimed. "How in the hell do you think he don't love you back?"

"Oh I don't know," I tell him in a sarcastic tone. "May be if I told he would just say "I don't like you that way back"

"Then yer stupid" he said. I looked at him, more of a glare. He glared at me back. "Of course he loves you back!"

"How do you know?" I asked.

"Because I've seen it!" Tyler shouts. "Every time you two hug, he blushes, every time you say something rather flirty with him, he blushes look at the bloody facts. He. Likes. You"

I looked at him.

"It is obvious" he added.

"So you think I should tell him?"

"Aye"

I gave him a smile then a hug.

"Thanks Tyler" I said.

"Aye, no problem" he replied as he hugged me back. I heard the song end and Aang bowed to Jenny, they both departed, Aang coming towards me, Tyler and I let go of each other by this time. Tyler got up and said something to him, so I wouldn't hear.

Aang's POV

"Grab your sweetheart," said the caller. "We're going to have a waltz, time to slow things down a bit"

Tyler was whispering something in my ear.

"Ask her to waltz" he tells me.

"What?" I asked him. I glared at him. "Are you crazy? Or drunk?"

"Well good things happen to waltzin' couples" he told me.

"Uh Tyler," I said. "What if she doesn't want to waltz with me?"

He punched me in the shoulder as hard as he could.

"Ow!" I exclaimed. "What was that for?"

"Knockin' some sense into you boy" he tells me. "She would love to waltz with you"

I glanced over at Katara who still sat the bench about ten feet away from us.

"Well," I said.

"I know you like her lad" Tyler told me. "Time you told her, and waltzin' a good time to do it"

I looked at him, giving him a glare.

"I must be out of my mind" I say to myself. Tyler patted me on the shoulder and the tune began. I walked over to Katara. I offered my hand, she just looked at me, she looked…nervous. When she spoke her voice had that sound of nervousness.

"I don't know, Aang. These shoes aren't really right for dancing, and I'm not sure
that I know how to-"

I cut her off.

"Take my hand" I replied rather confidently. She nodded and took my hand. I take her over to the dance floor. I put my arm around her waist and she put her's around my back. We take each other by the hand and begin to step to the music, the slow dancing made my heart pound and my blood rush to my cheeks.

One…Two…Three…one…two…three. We waltz to the tune Ookapin Waltz.

I led as my right foot would back up behind me and then step to the side as we turned. I looked at her, staring into those blue eyes. God, they were beautiful, Katara was amazing. I loved her a lot and hopefully I wanted to be more than just best friends.

"You're an amazing dancer" Katara told me, I felt my cheeks flush, my heart sped up. I took a step.

"Yer not bad yourself" I tell her. I see her blush. I cleared my throat. "Katara,"

She looked at me.

"Yeah Aang?" she asked. I begin to stutter.

"You're amazing" I begin as I chose my words carefully. "I mean, your beautiful, kind, smart, funny and just God damn amazing. That's what I l-love about you. Katara, I wanted to tell you this for a long time, but I-"

She cut me off.

"I love you too"

I just looked at her.

"Really?" I asked rather dumbly. She nodded. Then the tune ended, every one clapped for the band and I bowed to Katara in thanks, she pressed her lips to mine for a brief second and she pulled away within a second. No one saw us but Tyler, George and Tommy. Tyler gave me the thumbs up with his left hand while his arms were hugged against his chest.

The dance continued on.

The night was my favorite night, I ended up with my dream girl and played a lot of tunes. I played till three in the morning an hour after the second set and two hours engaged in a jam session. Katara, however, went to bed and I walked over to the lodge where I was staying at. I walked into the four bunk bed room which Tyler, George, Tommy, Katara and I shared. However, with George and Tyler claiming the top bunk and Tommy taking the other, I was stuck on the floor. I saw Katara sleeping soundly, I gave her a kiss on her forehead and whispered a good night. As I unrolled my sleeping bag, I heard someone softly speaking to me. I looked up. Katara, half-awake, looked at me.

"What are you doing on the floor?" she asked.

"I have to sleep here" I told her.

"I'm not letting you sleep on the floor" Katara told me. She motioned me to sleep next to her. I blushed.

"Are you s-sure?" I stuttered.

"Aang," she told me. "It looks uncomfortable."

I shrugged.

"Eh," I tell her. "I'm used to it"

"Aang I don't have a problem with it" Katara told me. I shrugged. Alright. What the Hell? I wasn't going to-well you get what I was about to say. I climbed into the bed next to her. She tossed a blanket over me and I turned to face her, her head was snuggled against my chest and I slowly put my arm around her waist, pulling her close. I breathed in her scent, and drifted off to a well, short good enough sleep to get me going tomorrow.

This was the best trip to Breaking Up Thanksgiving ever.

Alright I wrote out a story involving what my life is really about. Breaking Up Thanksgiving is real, it is one of my favorite times of the year when I go to this gathering and end up playing several sets of square dances and play in several jam sessions till 4 in the morning. Yeah, that's my life. Last Breaking Up, I went on my own with a friend of my family's and stayed the whole weekend without my family there to bother me, I end up going to be at like 4 in the morning even though my parents tried to make me go to bed at 10:30pm. Ha! That was fun! I also couldn't avoid one of the famous Kataang lines in Avatar. I hope you spotted it!

Ookapin Waltz, I think that's the name, it was my family friend Duncan's favorite waltz tune and in early December he walked into God's Kingdom, he was taken by a brain tumor and he fought it for a long time in the hospital. He was my first dance partner besides my dad, he was the only one I would square dance/contra dance with but when he passed on, I found myself dancing with a lot more people.I really miss him when I go to dances, but I have the memories of him dancing. I honor him with this waltz added to a Kataang Story. He was a swell guy.

RIP Duncan

BTW Last of Harris is one of my favorite fiddle tunes! It's a very good tune, look it up along with other old-time tunes, they are great!

Tell me what you think! Review!

Thanks,

Maddy (Soldier78)