Disclamier: I feel like i've done this before... ;)

Chapter Two: A Book

It's over a week before he sees her again. He was talking to his friend, Takeo, (though it might be a stretch to call him that as the only reason he ever saw him was for information swapping and the occasional black market gig.) when she caught his eye.

She was sitting there in the park under a cherry tree; a book hiding half her face and the shade obscuring the other half. But he could see her eyes clearly; he knew it was her.

"Jinora!" he calls he name across the open air of the park, walking towards her paying no mind to his so call friend who decidedly leaves, assuming their little meeting is over.

She doesn't look up. "Jinora!" Skoochy tries again. She doesn't even flinch in reaction to the sound of her name. As he gets closer to her he can see her eyes darting back and forth over the pages of the book flipping to a different page every so often.

"Murder! That must be a really swell story…" he commented no response.

"Jinora…?" he said softly, sitting right beside her. He didn't feel the need to shout but perhaps in this case he should have… this brought a whole new meaning to being to absorbed in a book.

He snatched the book from her grasp, careful to put finger on the page she reading, holding it high over both their heads.

"Hey!" shout Jinora with a slight squeak and Skootchy was sure he wouldn't have heard that if he hadn't honestly caught her off guard.

"Hey yourself, Dollface…" he replied with a smirk.

"Skootchy?" she asks like she already knew the answer

"Yeah, did you not recognize me or something…?" Jinora collects herself quickly.

"No, I recognize you; I just remember telling you, we'd only meet up again if you didn't have any intention of stealing from me!" she clarifies as she a leaps good foot and a half in the air to lift the book back out of his hand.

"Hey, I was only trying to get your attention" he said with a smile, glad she hadn't forgotten him. He took a second to try and get a better look at the book she was reading. The cover looked kind of beat up and the title was barely visible through her delicate finger clutched around it.

"Watcha readin'?" he asks finally.

"A book" she counters the playful smirk on her lips making it perfectly clear that she knows that not what he meant. He retorts with a raised eyebrow and a smirk as if to say "No, really?"

She sighs but replies "It's a historical journal about the hundred year's war… probably not what most people would consider interesting…"

"Well," says Skoochy considering "Probably not most people… but there are exceptions." he says, a smile emerging on his face.

"Oh," she replies grinning back "Are you one of these exceptions…?"

"As a matter of fact I am. Dollface, when you deal in information; you have to know information. Of course most peoples now'n days want the more modern stuff occasionally I have to do reach. And that private library in the city is always pretty easy to break into" the cockiness in his tone made it unclear whether or not he was even telling the truth, but Jinora erred on the side of caution, hitting him squarely on the shoulder with her book.

"You shouldn't tell me that! My father's Councilman Tenzin; I could get you arrested!" she shouts, albeit laughing slightly as her cheeks beginning to flush with color.

"Honestly, Dollface, I don't think you arrest me…" he says, pausing a moment to think over the conviction he seems to hold in those words.

"Why?" she said almost defiantly; suddenly taking notice of how close they had gotten under the shade of cherry tree. She carefully moved back "I don't know you and you barely know me?"

The honest admission stopped both of them cold. She was right they really didn't know each other… but did they want to. Skoochy wasn't sure about Jinora's opinion of him but he knew without a doubt he had to get to know her.

"But, we could get to know each other?" he said earnestly.

After a minute Jinora replied "We could." Her was tone slightly distant but it was enough.

"We could go someplace, now; if you want… I could show you the library…" he said half joking, half completely hoping she say yes. She looked down.

"Thanks, but I can't I have a date in a few minutes…" she said a frown forming on her lips.

"With who?" he asked feeling a sudden surge of jealousy building behind the question.

"My boyfriend" she replied flatly.

"You don't mean the flat tire, who stood you up last week?" he bit out a bit to bitterly.

She nodded "Yeah, turns out he just got caught up helping his grandmother go shopping…"

Skoochy help back a sneer if that was true, he was the avatar.

"Well, can I wait with you; incase he pulls another no show..?"

For a moment she looked like she was about to smile; when suddenly her posture stiffened and expression left her face.

"Thanks, but that no longer necessary he's here…" the stringency in her tone was unsettling to him

"Oh," he said he head turning as she went in the direction of a tall man with light brown hair and steely blue eyes. He contemplated going over there and talking to the fella just to see what kind of man he was, but that seemed pointless; Jinora was right they didn't know each other.

"But we could…"

The word replayed in his mind again.

"Wait! Jinora!" he said calling after her "When can I see you again?"

She turned for no more than a split second to meet his eyes the now familiar molten brown boring into his with a touch of nervousness skirting around the edges.

"I come to the park ever Monday and Thursday to meditate, I hope I'll see you then…?"

He nodded quickly adding "See you then, Jinora…" just as she turned to walk up to her goof. He greeted her with a halfhearted kiss and wrapped an arm around her waist leading them down one of the walkways in the park.

Just as he was about to turn away he saw the goof eyes dart over to some dolled up, raven haired quiff who was walking past them. He felt a torrent of disgust for the guy.

Seriously, that was her boyfriend?

That was the man (if he'd dare venture to call him that) who got a dame like her?

Skoochy quickly dismissed the sudden pang of jealously

That was her boyfriend… And he didn't know him… And he didn't really know her, either…

"But they could…"

Yes, they could…

A/N: So that's chapter two. And I'm sorry I forgot to mention their exact ages in the prior chapter. Skoochy's 18 and Jinora's 16. And the time period I was going for was like early-to-mid-30s but I apologize if my use of slang is scattershot.

So Read and Review (Remember the baby plot rabiroos… ;)