"Hey, Aang," Avin shouted, running back towards the campsite, "I got a proposition for you!"
"Since you're already running, I'm guessing it involves a race?" Aang shouted back, as he ran after his friend.
"Yeah, check it out," Avin said as the Avatar caught up to him, "First one back to the campsite gets to spend the day with Toph, get it?"
"Why would I take that? What do I get from it?" Aang asked nervously, "Me and Toph are just friends."
"Hahahaha," Avin grinned at Aang and nudged him in the arm, "Come on, man, I've totally seen you watching me every time I talk to Toph."
"Get rejected by Toph, more like," Aang muttered.
"She'll warm up to me eventually! In any case, I can totally tell you have a thing for Toph…and," Avin nudged him again, "I'm pretty sure she feels the same way…or WOULD, if she wasn't totally into me."
"You're delusional," Aang rolled his eyes, "But okay, first one to the campsite gets to spend the day with Toph."
"Sweet. By the way, the race started twenty seconds ago!" Avin shouted as he started sprinting.
"Hey! No fair!" Aang shouted, as he ran after Avin, "That's cheating!"
"All's fair in love and bending, Aang!" Avin shouted, as he barreled into the campsite, seconds before Aang.
"Winner: Avin!!" Avin yelled, pumping a fist into the air, as Aang huffed and puffed behind him.
"No…fair…"
"What are you two up to now?" Toph asked, eating some peanuts.
"What the…?! Hey, Toph, those are mine!" Aang said.
"Sweet, let me get some too, Toph," Avin exclaimed, sitting down next to the earthbender as she passed him some.
Haha! Better luck next time, buddy…Avin thought to himself as Aang walked over to the other side of the campsite.
"Grr…" Aang mumbled under his breath as he watched Avin and Toph talking from across the clearing. Whatever Avin was saying, it was making her laugh a lot, and every time she did it sent a swooping feeling in Aang's stomach.
"Hey, Aang…" Katara greeted her friend, sitting down next to him, "Why aren't you with Zuko? Shouldn't you be training?"
"I already trained," Aang said, gaze never leaving Avin and Toph.
Katara followed Aang's gaze, and asked, "What are we staring at?"
"Huh? Oh, nothing!" Aang replied, coming out of his reverie, "Just…Avin and Toph sure became friends fast, huh?"
"I guess," Katara muttered, "But I don't trust him, or his intentions. They're definitely looking like more than friends to me…" Suddenly, realization hit Katara, and she looked over at Aang.
"Aang, you're not…jealous, are you?"
"What? No way!" Aang said, laughing nervously, "Of course not!"
"Really?" Katara asked skeptically, "Because it seems like…"
"Katara, please," Aang said, grinning widely, "The monks always taught me to never feel things like envy or lust, so I couldn't possibly be jealous of Avin."
Katara raised an eyebrow, but decided not to press the issue.
"Well, I'm going to go get some waterbending training in," she said, stretching her arms, "You want to come?"
"No thanks," Aang said, going back to his watchful vigil.
"Okay…" Katara waved a hand and left the clearing.
Aang put a hand to his head.
I hate when Avin gets the jump on me…