Title: The New Kid
Word Count: 1,078
Prompt: None; Requested.
Warnings: AU, Slight OOC (?)
Summary: An overused plot device. She wondered how her life compared to one.
Disclaimer: I don't even watch the show, I'm sorry. Don't eat me, Andrea!
Katara found herself in a bit of a bind. First things first, she hated the new kid. Second, she was in love with her best friend. And finally, the one she hated and the one she loved just happened to be one-week old new best friends. If that wasn't cliché then it must've been Sokka playing an extremely elaborate joke.
With a sigh she took to the swings, leaving the guys to their own devices. No matter how much Sokka insisted he was the most mature - wait, was that word in his dictionary? Make it 'oldest' - he simply could not resist the slides. Oh, look, he just landed on his face. Katara stifled a laugh.
"Hey, listen. About yesterday, I shouldn't have said those things." She didn't have to look up to know who was apologizing. Katara knew Aang's voice by heart. Call it love or call it obsession. Her eyes flitted towards the boy. And there he was. "Zuko, you're not going to hold a grudge against Katara, right?" Of course, side with him.
Katara ignored the pounding in her chest and sighed. With a roll of the eyes she kicked at the sand beneath her. There was dense and then there was just plain stupid. Katara would never call Aang stupid, though. Since it was Aang she was talking about, the whole 'dense or stupid' thing made him all the more loveable. She found it undeniably cute.
The right decision would be to let this all go. Fine. She'd put up with Zuko just so Aang wouldn't avoid her. Katara mumbled, "I'm sorry I accused you of all those terrible things. It's just that they make pretty plausible rumors these days."
Zuko said nothing. He merely scowled and walked away. Aang glanced over his shoulder, glancing between Katara and Zuko. The young boy smiled, hoping to placate whatever anger Zuko's aloofness might've instigated. Katara released the fist she'd unconsciously made.
If a smile could do that much alone, she could only imagine… A blush spread across her caramel-toned skin. Her age meant nothing; imagining about kissing Aang always magnified the situation beyond thought.
She shook her head and ignored the faint pleas of help coming from brother dearest. In order to get anywhere, Zuko had to be out of the picture. How dare that haughty new kid steal away Aang. "No, I shouldn't think like that," she scolded herself.
Katara rubbed her temples, exhaustion evident in her eyes.
"Aang, why do you have to be so… so you!" She smacked her forehead. She couldn't even form words properly. Oh, he had gotten to her good! She grimaced.
It wasn't like her cheesy romance novel life would have a happy ending. Ever. Happily ever after. The way it rolled off the tongue felt like an overdose on Splenda. Extremely fake.
How had it come to this? Comparing classic phrases to artificial sweeteners. Pray tell, the world may never know. She couldn't help but giggle. That over reactive imagination of Aang's quickly caught on, almost like his infectious laughter. Bother, she could find no flaw in that boy. It took her two years to realize her feelings after all.
She halted by the playground entrance, eyes fixated upon the fading horizon. Time certainly flew. It was fun being in love. Yet at the same time, it caused a lot of grief and anxiety. She concluded, "I should tell him."
"Tell who what?"
She gasped in surprise. "Aang! I, uh, didn't see you there." Katara felt her cheeks redden, and she was sure the whole world could see her.
Aang opened his mouth to respond but paused. He took a moment to reconsider. "I guess not…" That was strange. He sounded almost dejected. Katara frowned, wondering what happened and where Zuko was.
Katara asked, "Okay, something's wrong. I can tell. Spill it."
He looked up at her with those wide innocent eyes. They narrowed and reflected Aang's sullen mood, drooping. The boy inclined his head forward, content with staring at his feet. Katara never did understand that trend.
"He's upset that you didn't notice him. You 'didn't see him there'." Katara nearly leapt. Zuko really did pick the worse times to show up.
Katara didn't have time to ponder because Aang was whining, "Zuko, what was that for? I thought we made an agreement."
"You see, Katara, Aang here--" he was cut off abruptly.
"I told you not to tell her anything!" Aang shouted. The words had an impact. Her pupils dilated. Katara stared at him in disbelief.
So that's how it was. Aang trusted the new kid more than he trusted her, his best friend of… the years really didn't matter anymore, now did they? She hid behind her sleeve. Quietly she began to walk away. From everything.
"Katara, I didn't mean it like that!" Aang protested in the most sincere voice he could muster.
"How else could you have meant it, Aang…?" She moved her arm so that she could speak, "No, forget it. I don't want to know!"
"Does it have to be like this? Zuko's not that bad. Katara, I really like you!"
"Oh yeah? Well, I love you!" And she ran…
…till they met up at the park the following week. Figures she could only last that long without seeing the real thing. Dreams were so cruel to her. Katara didn't bother to reply to her brother's insensitive comments about how she and Aang were drifting apart, ever since the new kid showed up. He didn't know about her feelings.
Aang of course did.
In the distance, Katara saw him on the swings. With no Zuko.
"I hope you enjoyed the little stunt you pulled last week."
Katara yelped and tripped. She took a moment to collect herself. That irritatingly calm voice belonged to none other than, surprise!: Zuko.
"What are you, his messenger?"
"No. I'm his best friend. And unless I'm mistaken, you are, too."
"Just leave me alone." Katara turned to leave. She didn't need salt to be rubbed in the wound.
Zuko stepped in front of her and glared. "I won't. Not until you start acting like his best friend." She avoided his eyes; she knew he was right. "Go talk to him. Now," he demanded.
Katara obeyed to the best of her abilities which led to Aang saying something like such as, "I love you, too!"
She discovered a newfound respect for the new kid that day.