Title: Thirty Ways in Thirty Days (to Fall in Love with Your Best Friend)
Pairing(s): Tokka, Maiko and Kataang hints
Rating: PG-13 for language, innuendo and sexuality
Summary: "I just need you to pretend to be my girlfriend for a month, that's all. Y'know, so Suki and Yue will back off. No strings attached. Right?" Yeah. Right. AU Tokka.
A/N: I'm nervous about this chapter, since it's really gonna dictate where the stories gonna go. If it isn't well-recieved, I might just take it down and post it again, which is why I really, really need feedback. If you like it, tell me, please! If you hate it...well, that's okay, too. I just want to know what I can do better.
Edit: (2.16.08) Wow! There was some major OOCness in there, wasn't it? I think I've basically fixed it. Tell me if I missed anything...
Chapter 2: Please God Kill Me Now
No, seriously, after this I am so becoming an atheist
"Can I carry those books for you?" Sokka asked the moment I stepped out of geometry, already snatching for my math textbook. Yanking it away from him, I continued walking as Sokka matched me stride for stride.
"We have to make this convincing," he told me matter-of-factly. "So, what better place to make our relationship public than right now?"
"Oh, I don't know, Snoozles—maybe never?" I retorted, scowling and, to my disgust, unable to keep a slight blush from my cheeks.
Sokka looked at me imploringly. "Please, Toph. You already agreed to it, anyway," he reasoned. "Remember our deal? You help me, and I write you a—"
"Yes, I remember," I hissed, desperate the no one hear that Toph Bei Fong was taking payment in the form of a song, "But I need to get to class." I fought back a cringe, and silently dubbed myself the worst excuse-maker ever. 'Get to class?' Since when had I cared about that?
"Good, then—I'll come with you," Sokka answered, gaze flitting around the hallway. Drawing himself up and clearing his throat, he began in a ridiculously loud and deep voice, "Toph! Let me carry those books for you, seeing as the manly, masculine person the I am."
"Sokka!" I choked out, face burning as his announcement drew curious stares. "What the hell are you doing, idiot?!?"
He stared at me, bemused. "Offering to carry those books for you, of course!" A few others in the hall chuckled at his outburst, shaking their heads in amusement, but my mortification and anger only increased at their mirth.
"Moron!" I fumed, turning on him. "In case you haven't I don't need your help!" I gnashed my teeth. "Gawd, Sokka, how in hell am I gonna live this down?"
He looked affronted. "I was trying to be chivilrous," Sokka pointed out, his offended expression disappearing and replaced with one of befuddlement, "Remember?" He puffed out his chest and glanced around the hallway once more before adding loudly, "Like the manly man that I am! Why aren't you overjoyed that those heavy, straining books can be taken away by someone who can handle them easily?"
I stiffened. "Because I'm not a--sissy--pathetic--loser--wanna-be chick that relies on her boyfriend for everything!"
Sokka looked at me, shocked. "Are you saying I'm not manly enough for you?"
I smacked myself on the forehead. "I didn't want you to be manly!"
"But I where the pants! I'm the male!" Sokka protested.
"Look, if we're gonna be in a relationship, then I am gonna be the only one in charge," I told him stoutly.
He raised an eyebrow skeptically. "You mean our friendship, right? Don't you remember the deal--"
"Just get on with it," I muttered, scowling.
"Toph," Sokka began, once again in that obnoxiously loud voice, "Would you like to go out with me tomorrow night?" He looked at me seriously, and the world seemed to compress into that sole moment when I was consumed by the depths of his deep, blue eyes. Talk about cliché, but you gotta admit that every once in a while those romance novel chicks actually know what they're talking about.
Sokka's plan, however, seemed to be working perfectly. He'd somehow led me along the path Suki took to gym every day, and there the red-head herself was, managing to pull off seriously pissed and heartbroken both at once. I was unable to keep a smug smiled off my face. Take that, bitch! I thought vehemently.
Despite the fact that it was all a complete act, I was unable to quell my racing heartbeat. At last, I muttered, "Whatever, Snoozles," and began to speed off to my next class, English—and then, finally, blissful freedom.
Sokka, however, was determined to follow. "Whew...glad that's over," he told me, whiping a hand across his forehead. Sokka looked at me reproachfully for a moment. "I didn't even get onto the part where I told you how manly I was!"
I stared at him, irked. "Have you ever considered that might be a good thing?"
"Of course it's a good thing! Manliness is always a good thing!" Sokka explained smartly.
"Just go to your class," I mumbled. Sokka raced off with a hasty goodbye, still in that ridiculously deep, so called manly voice.
Continuing down the route to my classroom, I imagined stabbing Sokka with a dull spoon, all while downing an entire meat-lover's pizza right in front of him.
Hey, just 'cause I was in love with him didn't mean I wouldn't gladly accept the chance to cause him pain.
Once again, I found Sokka doggedly by my side as I took the first blissful step out of English. Rolling my eyes, I sped up and tried to lose him, but, unfortunately, Sokka stuck with me. It was like having a second shadow.
He followed me to my locker, back to the English room for a forgotten textbook, once again to my locker, in order to snatch a Twinkie, and finally out to the parking lot.
Worst of all, Sokka seemed caught up on something. He would try to strike up a conversation, then lapse back into silence, then attempt to talk with me once more. The process repeated itself through the entire journey.
Needless to say, by the end of it, I was pissed. And, to top it off, I was beginning to doubt that we really needed to go on a date to prove this whole thing. All I had to do was sit next to him at lunch (which I already did) and maybe get caught making out with him under the stairs a few times.
Gulp.
I really, really hoped Sokka didn't want to be that convincing.
Between the multiple trips back and forth to my locker, by the time we reached the parking lot, I'd missed my bus.
Swearing, I dumped my books on a bench. "Well, thanks, God," I snapped, glaring at the ridiculously blue sky, then muttering sourly, "You know, I am so totally gonna become an atheist after this."
Plopping down on the asphalt, I ripped open my Twinkie and devoured it in eight seconds flat; licking the creamy filling from my fingers once I was done. "Well," I asked bad naturedly, wiping away the flecks of white with the back of my hand, "Are you gonna sit down, too, Snoozles, or are you gonna stand there all day like the idiot you are?"
Sokka joined me on the ground. "Are you gonna call your parents?" he asked, withdrawing a tube of Skittles from his pocket and tossing them into his mouth.
I drew my knees to my chest. "Nope. They're handling a court case. Soonest they can get me will be, what—midnight?" I sunk into sulky silence.
It was Sokka who finally dispelled it. "I can drive you home," he offered. He seemed to be making an extra effort to be friendly, and if I hadn't been in such a bad mood, I might have been grateful.
"No," I grumbled. "I don't take charity."
I was touchy about that kind of stuff. Back when I was a kid, I'd gotten in a car accident and messed up my legs pretty badly. My parents, rich folk that they were, were able to cover it just fine, but I wouldn't let anyone give me sympathy. I could take care of myself perfectly well.
This time, however, I was hoping Sokka would see through my act. I really, really needed a ride.
But he didn't persist. Instead, he sat with me there, quiet, legs folded Indian style. I continued sulking, and he would toss in a few Skittles now and then—halfheartedly offering me one every once in a while—but we basically just sat there.
After about twenty minutes of this, I grew bored.
"Hey, Snoozles," I drawled, "Care to play a game of truth or dare?"
Sokka glanced at me, now as bored as I was. "Okay. Sure."
"Hm." I leaned back on thin air, hands behind my head. "Truth or dare?"
"Truth." Sokka turned away so I could no longer read his expression.
"Have you ever been in love?"
"Love?" Sokka repeated lazily, eyes drifting half closed. "Yeah."
"Oh?" I asked, trying to sound casual. "Who?"
Sokka blinked at me. "You don't know her," he told me, relaxing a little.
"Try me," I persisted.
Sokka yawned. "I dunno, Toph. It's private," he added knowingly.
I rolled my eyes and snorted. "Yeah, whatever." After a few minutes of silence, tedium overtook me once more.
"Fine," I finally said. Sokka started, and turned to me.
"What is it?"
"Fine," I repeated, annoyed. "Drive me home."
"Finally!" he exclaimed, obviously relieved. "I was give up and just gonna drag you there," Sokka added.
I followed as he led me to a dark blue pick up.
"It's a family car," Sokka explained as I slid in the passenger side. "It used to me my dad's, before he--" he swallowed, and stopped.
I looked at Sokka expectantly, but he didn't elaborate. Starting up the car, we drove out of the parking lot after nearly forty minutes of waiting.
The rest of the drive was uneventful. Stare at the window, ignore the driver—I'd learned the procedure from going driving with my parents. All I had to do was answer I few questions now and then about how to get to my house, and Sokka would remain as silent as I was.
But by the time I was exiting the car and he hadn't said I word, I was a little disappointed. Usually he would have tried something, at least, but Sokka hadn't said a thing. And now no goodbye? I agreed to pretend to be his freakin' girlfriend for a month, and he wouldn't even say one simple word as he dropped me off at my house!
I decided that no way would I ever, ever agree to something like this again.
As I walked around the car, Sokka seemed to hesitate. When I was nearly to the driveway, he rolled down the window and said quickly, but obviously reluctant--and still in that deep, loud voice-- "Goodbye, Toph!" With that, he drove away, leaving me standing there looking at a cloud of exhaust fumes like a total idiot. So now he said goodbye!
If Sokka hadn't already taken off, I would have cursed at him.
I stomped in the house and slammed the door. Why oh why had I agreed to this? It was getting worse by the second!
The first chance I got, I was gonna slaughter him.
There was no way out of this predicament. He'd trapped me in a cage; backed me against the wall—whatever you want to call it, Sokka had gotten me to agree to it without really telling me what I was getting into. What if it wasn't even a month? What if Sokka wanted Suki and Yue to believe he was in a relationship forever?
I didn't even want to think about that.
But, somehow or other, I knew I'd get so pissed off that I'd fall out of love with Sokka, and eventually the rest would come to an end. No strings attached—hell, I'd show him no strings attached.
So, all in all, I was pretty convinced that this was just gonna be a month of hell, and the perfect opportunity to squash my feelings for Sokka once and for all.
But let's face it: Destiny's a bitch, and since when do things turn out the way we expect them to?
You'll find out more about the car crash later. Was there any major OOCness? I fiddled around a lot with this chapter...and what do you guys feel like about having some sort of school dance later in the fic (yeah, cliche, I know, but come on--we all love cliches, deep, deep, down, don't we?). Tell me what you thinkk (about the chapter and the dance).
