Chapter 2: The Stranger

"Let's head over to Starbucks real quick, I'm dying of thirst," Katara suggested.

"Sure. Maybe Haru will be there today" Suki said.

The girls walked the crosswalk over to where the Kay Jeweler's store was on the corner. Walking into the Starbucks next to it, Suki spotted Haru making an order. He looked up, after handing the drink to the patient customer and smiled at the trio.

"Hey, what are you girls up to?" Haru asked.

"Just trying to escape the boredom of being at home in this heat", Katara responded. "How's work doing?"

"Business has been doing pretty good so far even with this weather. So what, are you just shopping?"

"Yeah, we just started. We were just waiting for sleepy head to wake up and get her butt over here," Suki said pointing at Katara.

"Hmm. Stayed up too late on the computer again, didn't you?"

"Yes," Katara sighed.

"Well, I got to get back to work before Casey comes out here and get's onto me. Y'all have fun, alright?"

"We will," smiled Yue.

Walking over to get into line, they looked up to see what they wanted. 'Hmm, I'm kinda in a chocolate mood today' thought Katara. As she looked up at the cash register, getting ready to order, something caught her eye outside the window. 'Red?' Katara looked over to see what it was, but sadly it disappeared through a crowd of people walking in the door. 'Hmm, what was that?'

"Katara? Hello? It's your turn," Suki poked her in the back to get her attention.

"Oh, thanks." She looked up at the girl at the register and ordered a double chocolate chip frappichino Grande.

As they waved Haru goodbye and walked out, Suki nudged Katara in the arm.

"Hey, what was with you in there?"

"Nothing. I thought I saw something walk by outside, but it disappeared before I could get a good look at what it was."

"Ok. Well, where do y'all want to go first?" Suki asked the two girls sipping their drinks.

"Not sure. It's been awhile since I was here last", Yue said.

"That's right, you just got back yesterday from...where was it that you went again?" Katara asked her.

"Alaska. I was visiting some of my family up there."

"How was it?" Suki asked, as they stopped and sat down in the shade on one of the benches.

"Well for starters, the weather was much better up there. I never did like the summer. But my cousins are doing alright. It's been two years since I last saw them."

"Didn't you move down here from Alaska?" Katara asked her.

"Yes, but that was a long time ago. I think was 'bout 3 or 4 when we moved. My dad found a job down here a few months after he got layed off."

"Hmm."

Suki stood up and stretched her arms in the air and looked around.

"Well, I want to check out Hot Topic and see if they have anything new," she said.

They got up from their comfy spots and started towards Hot Topic. As they walked, Katara glanced up at the tall buildings. The mall was new, it opened up last year and she was hoping to get a job at one of the stores eventually once she turned 16. But of course she would have to wait another year before that happened. The sad story of being a December baby.

A/N:((If you don't get it, she's going to be turning 15 this December.))

The sound of her two friends laughing caught her out of her quite trance. Katara grabbed the door knob to open it as she talked to them and walk in, but wasn't paying attention and ran into someone.

"Umph! Oh, I'm sorry I wasn't looking where I was going," she apologized.

She looked up at to see who she ran into and was shocked. 'RED!'

"Its fine," he said quietly.

Katara began to blush at the sight of him. He had pale skin and his long, jet black hair was put up into a ponytail. He was wearing a tight dark red T-shirt showing off his muscular body under it and black baggy-ish jeans. But his eyes is what really caught her attention. Golden yellow eyes. They were so mysterious and beautiful.

"Umm, Katara? You might want to move out of the way so he can get out," Suki pointed out.

Katara turned completely red all over her face, as she moved aside for him, still holding the door open.

"Thanks," he said in a low voice.

As he walked out and down the sidewalk, she couldn't help but stare at him, speechless. Though it didn't last very long since Yue and Suki grabbed her arms and dragged her inside. 'Wow...' She felt so embarrassed for standing there staring at him in the doorway. 'I wonder what his name is,' she thought for a moment.

Yue walked over to the back of the store to look at the tops they had hanging on the wall by the dressing room. Suki was on the other side of the display of underwear, behind Yue, looking at the leather boots. Katara walked over next to Yue, to see if she liked anything. 'Of course,' she thought. 'I wouldn't be allowed to wear any of this to school, thanks to their new dress code.'

"Hey, Katara, Yue, come here. What do you think of these?" Suki asked.

They walked over to see what she was talking 'bout. Suki was wearing a pair of leather boots that went to the bottom of her knee. They had buckled straps from top to bottom, with thick heels and a zipper going up on the side of it.

"Nice, but how much are they?" Yue said.

Suki looked at the price tag and her face brightened up.

"They're $20 off, so it'd be $25."

"Not bad, you should get them," suggested Katara.

Suki smiled, taking them off and putting her own shoes back on.

"I will," she said, as she walked over to the cash register.

After Suki paid for the boots, they walked out of the store and went over to Spencer's. It was on the other side of Hot Topic only more towards the Foley's at the end of the corner. They went inside, being greeted by one of the workers, and named Alex.

"Welcome to Spencer's, if you have any questions 'bout our sales don't be afraid to ask."

"Thanks. We're just looking around", Yue said.

Katara went over to the display of necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. Yue came to her side looking with her, as Suki talked to Alex. Nothing really caught eye that she wanted. Turning around, she saw the stack of pranks displayed. Smiling, Katara walked over and took a look at them. 'Sokka would like this stuff.' Just then, she noticed a pack of trick candles. Katara laughed inwardly. Sokka's birthday was coming up. 'These should help me get even with him for that prank he pulled off on me at the pool.' Katara picked up a pack to buy and walked over where Suki and Yue were. They were looking at the posters in the back.

"Hey, look what I found," Katara said to her friends holding up the pack of trick candles.

The girls got an evil look on their faces.

"Those for Sokka?" Suki asked, remembering what happened to Katara at the pool earlier that summer.

Katara just smiled evilly back. Walking around the corner where the sex toys were displayed. She was never interested in that stuff, but still found some of it funny at what they could come up with now a day. Suki laughed as she followed Katara.

"Katara, look. You should get your Gran gran one of these."

Katara turned around to find Suki pulling down one of the old people canes that had all sorts of things on it. A sign saying 'Over the Hill' with the number 50 on it, a right hand mirror on the side and a hot neon pink horn.

"That's not nice, Suki," Yue said. "She's not THAT old."

"Still, it would be funny," she answered back with a smile.

Suki put down the cane with the rest and followed the other two at the Fairy display. Katara knew that Yue was a December baby as well and that she loved fairies. She was hoping that she could find out which ones Yue liked so she could come back later and buy them.

"I'm going to go pay for these real quick," Katara said, holding up the candles in her left hand.

She walked over to cash register, when she noticed that guy from earlier at Hot Topic right across from her looking at the lighters. Katara began to blush a bit as she stare at him. Just then, he looked up at her. Katara, embarrassed at being caught staring at him again, immediately looked down, blushing even harder. She quickly finished paying for the candles and ran to her friends who were still looking at the fairies. Luckily, they didn't notice him in the store.

A few minutes later, Katara saw him buying the lighter he was looking at. He paid for it and left, without noticing her staring at him again.

After they were done looking around they walked out saying 'bye' to Alex. The trio spent the rest of the afternoon at Barnes and Noble. They grabbed a stack full of manga and went over to the comfy chairs the store had set up and read for 2 hours.