From a room in the Royal Fire Academy For Girls, All could be heard was wapping against bare skin.
"I didn't mean to..." Mai trailed off, looking down, tear ducts filling up with heated water, and looking at the painful looking blood-red marks on her arms. One more hit.
"Never speak without being spoken to. You just did it again!!" Mai's teacher shouted at her. Mai couldn't take it anymore, she broke out in tears, and fortunately, the bell rang. She got up and was about to pick up her bookbag and leave, but her teacher caught her by the arm.
"I am going to talk to your parents after school today." She said sternly. Mai was still crying, and to make it worse, she ran into Prince Zuko, coming to Pick up his sister, Mai's friend, Princess Azula.
"Hey... Aren't you one of Azula's friends? Mai is it? What's wrong?" He asked sweetly, looking down at the sobbing Mai.
"Nothing.." She looked up at him. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, but calmed down when seeing the soothing face of Zuko. He smiled, and reached in his pocket. He pulled out a tissue, and handed it to her.
"Here you go." Without thinking, Mai hugged him slightly. Azula walked out of the school. She was talking to Ty Lee, and when she saw them hugging, she cleared her throat, obviously faking it to get their attention. Mai jumped back, looked at Zuko, and started to walk away.
"What was that?" Azula asked, trying to look innocent.
"What was what??" Zuko asked back, faking that entire statement.
"What you and Mai were doing, dum-dum.."
"Azula, It's called a 'hug' .." He scolded.
"Ah- Yeah I know that, idiot." She said bitterly, "I meant, what was it for?"
"None of your business, Azula." He said, sticking out his upper lip, grumpily. Azula made a scornful face at Zuko.
"Tell me, or I'm gonna tell mom that you were keeping secrets... Or I'll just ask Mai.." Azula smiled, and turned around, skipping, before abruptly stopping and saying, "Zuzu... Hurry up already..." With that, she ran up. Zuko stood there, somewhat dumbfounded for a second, but began running after her, and after a little while, caught up to Azula. His legs were obviously longer, which allowed him to run faster.