One of These Days
by Unwritten Bliss

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. There, I said it.

Chapter 1:

"Katara!"

"Suki!"

The two girls rushed to each other and hugged happily. "How was your summer break?" Katara asked as they pulled away. She held her friend at arm's length and studied her. "You aren't wearing that make-up anymore," she said and she grinned, "It's about damn time!" They laughed.

"My break was just fine, actually. How about yours?"

Katara shrugged. It had gone by for her. Suki nodded in understanding and that's when something caught her attention. Sokka cleared his throat casually. "Hey Sokka," Suki said, a small blush lighting her cheeks.

Sokka rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, "Hey Suki."

Katara blinked and rolled her eyes. "You guys are too literate for me, using such big words." Suki and Sokka blushed further, looking away from each other.

"Hey, Katara!" She turned to see a brown headed young man coming toward her, another young man trailing behind.

"Hey, Haru..." she paused and glared at the other young man, "Jet."

Haru hugged Katara, to the despair of Sokka. He had kept an eye on both boys since Katara had befriended them; no way were they going to get too close. Nope, never. "You look good, Katara," commented Haru nervously.

Katara looked down at her silver top and blue jeans, she shrugged and grinned at him. "So do you! I swear you grew since last time I saw you!"

He shrugged, but a blush of embarrassment was embedded in his cheeks. Sokka growled low in his throat and Suki looked at him in surprise. Haru was Katara's age, but Jet…Jet was someone Sokka always worried over. Katara had dated Jet for a few months last year, her freshman year. Jet's sophomore year. Sokka hadn't been happy about it; he had never liked Jet. But then Jet had done something that had broken Katara's heart, and she never forgave him. What it had been, Sokka didn't know. Katara would never tell him.

Jet stepped up, and smiled his crooked smile. "Hey, Ka-"

"Hey, Jet…" Sokka snapped the greeting before he could greet his sister. Sokka now stood protectively behind his little sister, his hand gripping her shoulder so tightly Katara winced slightly. Jet frowned and looked away.

"What's up, Sokka?" Jet's hair hadn't grown an inch, and still dangled in front of his face. He wore a brown shirt and torn-up blue jeans, with all-stars. He was looking away for a reason, and unconsciously rubbed the back of his head. The moment he and Katara had had a spitting fight that ended their relationship, Sokka had attacked Jet with full force. He would never forget the day Sokka actually threw a boomerang from his father's study at Jet's head. That kid had good aim.

"How's Aang doing?" Haru asked.

"He's fine, settling into his new classes, I think," Katara smiled, "its still amazing to me that a thirteen-year-old is able to get into high-school classes!"

"It doesn't mean much when you go to public school," grumbled Sokka, "he'll probably go to some crack-pot college." Katara slammed her hand into the back of his head and Sokka stumbled forward with the force.

"Shut it, Sokka. He's going to be a great man one day with a bright future ahead of him! He's doing this because he promised his family that they could be proud of him, and he'll do it! He'll make them proud!"

Sokka rubbed the back of his head with tightly shut eyes. "Defensive, defensive," he growled.

"I am not being defensive!" she snarled angrily.

"Defensive," sang Sokka.

Katara was about to pounce on her brother but just then the bell rang for the first class to begin and everyone separated. Everyone. In only a few seconds, the halls were empty except for Katara, who was still steaming from her brother's comment. "I'm not defensive," she growled angrily before stalking off to her next class, blue backpack swung over her shoulder.

-O-

Sokka leaned back in his desk, eyes narrowed, looking at the back of the young man in front of him. I got my eye on you, he thought icily. How had that loser gotten into their school? Sokka had thought he'd never see him again, after their last interaction during the summer. Hahn. He looked away in annoyance, completely ignoring the teacher. It was Sokka's junior year, and he wasn't going to let anything get him down.

Sokka had been forced to promise Katara that he would do well this year, and try to make good grades. She wanted him to go to college and get a degree. A degree in what, though? Sokka supposed he could be a good food critic…but then again, all food was good to him. Sokka leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes in thought.

One more year, and he'd have to leave the school for college. He'd leave home, he'd leave his grandmother, and he'd leave his friends. Most importantly, he'd leave Katara. He didn't like the thought of his sister alone in a school with a bunch of hormone-driven guys. Katara has Suki and Aang, a voice said in the back of his head. Another voice spoke up, this one more angry, Exactly, Aang. Sokka hadn't missed the glances the young teenager had sent his sister.

Katara's strong, the first voice spoke up determinedly, She can take care of herself. Besides, that's all two years away.

The classroom's door swung open and a figure clad in black stalked in. It wasn't until he turned to show the left side of his face did Sokka realize who it was. It had been the mysterious man from the parking lot! He was speaking to the teacher, his eyes narrowed. Did he always have that scowl on his face?

The teacher nodded and turned to the class. "Class, we have a new student this year," she was saying. The new guy stood beside her, back straight, his face narrowed in a scowl. "His name is Makoto Zuko. Why don't you sit behind Kurasawa Sokka, Mr. Makoto? Right over there…" She pointed to the seat behind Sokka.

Zuko glanced that way and walked toward the seat. He paused when someone purposefully stuck out their foot as if to trip him. He shot the teenager a glare that froze him to his seat, and then slowly the foot was placed under the desk in its rightful place. The young man mumbled a 'sorry' before Zuko passed.

Sokka kept his head down, eyes wide. The guy was beastly! Zuko sat without a sound behind him, and Sokka let out a breath he hadn't even realized he had held in. So his name was Zuko? And he was Sokka's age? Sokka didn't think he looked seventeen…more like eighteen! Maybe older.

"Hi, I'm Amarante!" A girl whispered to Zuko from his left. She had a bright smile and dark black hair that fell to her shoulders in light waves. Her smile was bright, her eyes a green color. Zuko nodded and looked away, and the girl frowned. She sat back up in her seat.

Sokka pulled around in his seat and gave her a flirtatious smile. "Hey, what's up?" he asked coolly, "Kurasawa Sokka."

She returned the smile by giving him a light frown. "I know who you are, Sokka. You did the same thing last year." She turned her head away, sticking her nose in the air.

"Mr. Kurasawa, flirting with the girls again, I see?" the teacher called to him from the front of the class.

Sokka swiftly stood in his chair. "No, ma'am, not at all!"

"Then mind telling us what I just said?"

Sokka paused and then gave a sheepish smile. The teacher moaned, "Excellent start to the school year, Mr. Kurasawa. Please take your seat." Sokka sighed and sat back in his chair, ignoring the giggling of the girls around him.

-O-

Katara leaned back in her chair, her fingernails rapping gently against the wooden table. Science class, oh how she'd always disliked it. She sighed and leaned forward in her chair, her chin in her hand as she placed her elbow on the wooden desk. "Bored already?" asked Suki to her right.

Katara shook her head, glancing at her friend. "Just hungry," she grumbled. First day of school, and already she was bored out of her mind and starving. She sighed and moved her arms to cross over the desk and she rested her chin on them.

"The bell's about to ring, don't worry. Lunch is next."

Katara nodded and gazed out the window at the cool summer day. The trees would turn in a month, and that was always her favorite day. The day the leaves turned color. Then winter, and the first snow fall was her favorite out of favorites. She felt more at home in the cold then in the heat. It was by nature. She shut her eyes and listened to the teacher ramble on about what they would start the first semester.

"It's always the same thing," Suki said in a hushed whisper, leaning her chin in a cupped hand.

"Hmm?" Katara turned her face away from the window to gaze at Suki.

"It's always the same thing," Suki repeated, "the first week is the most boring. Then it's easy the first few months. And then everything slams into you, corners you and you have nowhere else to go." Now Suki was glancing down at Katara with a sad smile, "They act like your friend for a while, and then the semester finals come around and then BAM!...No more friendship."

Katara looked away from her friend out the window, not listening to anything anymore. She sighed. She remembered last year. Her finals last year had been terrible. It was the first time she had to take them, and they were harder than anything she had ever come across. Everything piled onto one page. Katara shuddered inwardly. It hadn't been a good experience. This year I'll be more prepared, she promised herself.

She nodded her head and unconsciously sat up from her desk, straightening in her chair and giving a determined glare to the front of the class. She would just sit in the front of the classroom, and pressure herself into learning more. She had already blackmailed— err, pressured —Sokka into promising he'd go to college. And in return he had forced her to promise in going to college as well. She wouldn't let her brother down.

Suki noticed the change in her friend's stature and smiled softly to herself. She's thinking of the promise, she said thoughtfully, She's got such a hard head. Suki also sat up from her position and leaned back in her chair, her arms behind her head in support. Katara could do good things, she knew it. Katara would become a famous marine biologist or something. Despite the hatred Katara had toward science, she couldn't deny the love she had for sea creatures.

Someone leaned back in their chair in front of them so that they were on the back two legs, and Katara immediately put her foot against their chair as to not allow them to fall over. Katara was like that; she didn't like people to fall over. She would always help them back up.

Suki smiled to herself once more and faced the teacher, who was now talking about dissecting a pig. Katara must've caught that part, as well, for both of their faces fell into a disgusted twist. Katara and Suki looked at each other in disgust. "I'm so getting a boy as a partner," Katara grumbled. Suki nodded in agreement and they both broke up into a fit of quiet giggles.

-O-

The bell rang. Aang stood from his chair and swung his backpack over his shoulder, scooting his chair under the desk. "Now remember to read those papers, class!" the teacher called to the students as the exited the room, heading toward lunch. No one was listening to her, though, everyone was hungry.

"Aang!" He turned to see a girl his age running after him, her pink backpack swinging side to side as she slowed beside him.

"Hey Meng, how was your summer?" Aang continued walking, knowing that the young girl would follow.

"Boring, actually," the girl said, keeping up with his pace. "How about you?"

"It was a blast! Me, Katara, and her brother went hiking up in the mountains and camped out for a week." He waved his hands in the air for emphasis, "We hit it out nature-like, you know? It was awesome!"

Meng's bright smile faltered, but then she grinned once more. Her short braids, which went out to the sides instead of hanging down, bounced as she walked. "How's Appa? And Momo?"

Aang thought of his large, white fluffy dog and then his pale-white monkey. He shrugged and rubbed the back of his beanie that covered his bald head. "Okay, I guess. They're normal?" He glanced at the girl beside him and sighed and looked away. "How's your Aunt Wu?"

"Oh, she's perfectly fine. She says that you should come by anytime you want!" Aang nodded, putting his hand down to grip his book bag.

"That's good." They came to the cafeteria. He let out a sigh. Lunch time, the worst time of day. Last year he had been bullied multiple times for his lunch money, because he had been younger than the rest. Someone shoved past him and he growled. "Hey, watch it!"

The face that looked back at him scowled, red scar wrinkling over a golden eyes. "You watch it, pipsqueak!" snarled Zuko as he entered the line to get food. Someone beside him laughed at Aang.

"Nice arrow, arrow-kid!" Aang flushed and grabbed his beanie and removed it from his head. The blue arrow knitted into the black beanie looked back at him. He sighed and shoved it into his coat pocket.

"What punks," Meng said with a snort. She noticed Aang's bald head and panicked. "Aang, where's your beanie?"

Aang took it out of his pocket and waved it a moment before stuffing it back in his pocket. He walked into the cafeteria without another word, following the line through the cafeteria, gathering food. He waited for Meng after paying for his lunch, and then they began walking around to get their utensils.

"Aang!" Someone was waving to him. He looked up and saw Katara. Removing one hand from the red tray, he waved back. He turned to Meng.

"There's Katara," he said, "You going to eat with us this year, Meng?" he asked.

Meng looked over to where Katara was sitting back down and then turned back to Aang. She gave him a fake smile. "No, that's okay, Aang! I'll see you next period. I'm so glad they stuffed us in the same classes together this year…it'll be much better this way."

He nodded. "I'll see you then, Meng!" She turned and walked away without another word. With a shrug Aang walked over to where Sokka, Suki, Haru, and Katara were sitting. Katara scooted over to allow room on the bench and Aang took a seat beside her.

"So, how was your first class, Aang?" Katara asked enthusiastically as she bit into her turkey sandwich.

"It was fun," Aang said as he poked his spaghetti with his fork, "Kind of boring… The same old, same old, you know?" All of them nodded in response.

"Any homework?" Suki asked, trying to keep conversation going.

Aang shrugged. They all laughed. "You weren't paying attention?" Katara asked.

Aang shook his head, "No, the first week is always the same." Suki gave Katara a meaningful look but Katara looked away instead. Her eyes caught onto something, no someone walking out of the cafeteria.

"Meng's not going to sit with us?"

Everyone looked at her curiously, before following her gaze to the girl walking out of the cafeteria. "No," Aang said unenthusiastically, "I don't think she ever will." Katara sighed and looked away, taking another bite out of her sandwich.

"Oh, you'd never guess whose in my history class!" Sokka said in enthusiasm. Everyone looked at him curiously and he waved his hands in the air, "The kid who took you parking spot this morning, Katara! His name's Makoto Zuko and he's new!"

Katara snorted, "I guessed as much," she said. "Is he a jerk all the time, or do you think its just a morning thing?"

Suki laughed, and then became deathly serious, her eyes narrowing. "You know what, that name sounds familiar. I think I overheard some of my sisters talking about him." Suki had five other sisters, and even though they were sisters by marriage and not by blood, they still called themselves the Kyoshi girls, which was Suki's father's name.

"What about him?" Sokka asked.

"He's the one with the scar, right?" When Sokka nodded, Suki continued, "Yeah, there's this terrible rumor going around that he put his house on fire." There was a chorus of gasps. "Some say he's a serious pyromaniac and that he was lighting some things on fire, when it got out of control! His mother was upstairs sick in bed, and he was going up stairs to go and get her when a piece of flaming wood skidded across his face."

Katara gasped. "That's pretty detailed for a rumor!"

"Yeah, and get this. He was saved, and his mother was killed."

Katara and Sokka gasped. A story like that was all too familiar for them. "That's terrible," Katara whispered, looking away. "And all this on the first day?" When Suki nodded, Katara shook her head in distaste. "That's terrible. I feel bad for him."

Sokka pointed to Katara with his fork, which had spaghetti strands dangling from it. "Don't pity a guy, Katara," he said as he stuffed the fork into his mouth. With a mouthful, he continued, "It'll only make things worse."

Katara nodded but looked away, catching the golden-eyed man from afar. She looked down at her tray and pushed it away; setting her chin in her hand with a sigh as her brother greedily grabbed her red tray and began eating what was left of her lunch.

-O-

"Gran-Gran, we're home!" called Katara as she entered her home with a shiver. Sokka followed her in, placing the keys on the hook on the wall by the door, hanging his coat, as well. It was a month since school had started, and as Suki had predicted, it was easy. It would soon get harder. Aang followed Sokka, placing his beanie on the coat hooks above a wooden bench and grinned when the old women came into the entrance room holding three steaming cups of hot cocoa.

Once each of them was seated at the kitchen table, the old woman asked how their day had been. "So-so," grumbled Sokka as he stuffed a few cookies into his mouth hungrily.

Katara rolled her eyes at her brother. She set her chin in her hand and shrugged innocently, taking a sip from her mug. "My day was okay, actually, thanks for asking," she said softly.

Aang looked at Katara for a moment, before looking down into his mug. Ever since his foster father had died a few years back, Kanna and her grandchildren had taken him in without so much as a second thought. For the first few weeks he had felt as if he were intruding his best friends' home. But they soon made it clear that he was now apart of their family. As were his two pets.

At that, something tackled his shoulder from behind. He felt the scuttling of claws against his skin as a head suddenly popped up from the collar of his shirt. His eyes widened, and then he grinned. "Momo!" he exclaimed. The monkey chirped and crawled out of his shirt, sitting atop his bald head with a peach in his hands. Then there was a grunt beside Aang, and there stood his large fluffy dog. "Appa! How are you, boy!"

The dog let out a moan that was translated into a happy, content sigh. Aang laughed and Katara laughed, too. She leaned down and rubbed the dog behind the ears. Appa and Momo were in complete bliss ever since they had entered Katara's home for the first time, and the large dog and monkey had grown to adore the girl with the braid down her back. Her brother, on the other hand, was a different matter.

Katara giggled at Sokka's put-off face, and she looked at him. "What? Want someone to scratch you behind your ears, Sokka?" He blushed. "How about we call Suki over?" At that Sokka suddenly stood, grabbing a few cookies in his hands and stalking off, grumbling a 'thank you' to his grandmother.

Katara laughed at her brother's obvious discomfort and Aang chimed in. Gran-Gran clucked at the back of her throat, "Now, Katara…"

"I'm sorry, Gran-Gran," Katara said sheepishly before her grandmother could chide her. "I should go start my homework. Are you coming, Aang? I can help you, if you like, on that math."

"I'm fine, Katara, I'll be up later." Katara nodded and left the room. Aang sat silently for a moment, and then he looked back to Kanna. "How was your day, Ms. Kurasawa?"

"Please, call me Gran-Gran, Aang," Kanna said, "and my day was just fine. And yours? I don't believe you ever answered."

Aang looked back at the old woman and sighed. Should he tell her what really went on in his day? The harassment he went through every day, how he never ate lunch because his money was beaten from him, how a certain junior never ended to chase him down. Zuko, he had learned to hate and fear that name. What caused the seventeen year old to hate him so much that whenever he could, he would beat Aang? Thankfully, most of his wounds were on his arms or chest, and he was able to hide them from any curious eyes.

He hadn't told Katara, because she would get defensive, and he didn't need a girl saving him from battles. And he wouldn't tell Sokka because, honestly, he didn't believe his friend would care too much about it.

"Young Aang," the woman said softly, "you are troubled. Speak up, or forever hold your peace." There was amusement in her eyes, and cold interest, but there was also concern. The woman had become like family to Aang for the past years.

"I'm fine, Gran-Gran. The cookies are great, and the hot cocoa hit the spot." He stood and swung his book bag over his shoulder before leaving the kitchen, going up the stairs, and into his room.