ON THE RUNWAY
CHAPTER FOUR: STUDING WITH MY PAWL
Zuko sat at the table eating his lunch in silence, the people he met today were really nice, they didn't care for his appearance, his scar, they weren't bothered by him being rather grumpy or his bad temper, they just loved him for who he really was, just like his uncle, they knew him from the deep inside, and they just met him, that was the best part.
I couldn't be friends with Aang and Toph, I just can't... It's way too dangerous for them, I don't want them to get hurt because of me, no, I never will let that happen again, I won't forgive myself for it, if you really loved them Zuko, don't be their friend, try, you don't want them hurt, you know he can do anything, having friends will put them in grave danger. I just can't have friends, it's like this...
He touched the right side of his face, it can't be removed, it is permanent, it is part of who I am, and I can never change it.
Never.
Iroh, was sitting across the table from his nephew, he saw him bore the "thought full Zuko face" as he called it, he saw him touch his scar, Iroh knew what was his nephew thinking about.
Toph and Aang, he knew them after the accidents of the past year or so, Zuko refused to have anyone close to him, the boy cared for the people around him especially the ones he loved and Iroh knew that Toph and Aang were great people, they were a lot like Zuko, before everything changed.
Iroh had been in this city for almost a year and as he had said earlier, Toph and Aang were regulars at the Jasmine Dragon, so he knew a lot about them, they were just like Zuko to him, but less, they were along side with Zuko his children, the kids he cares for, he always thought that they would make great friends to Zuko, and he was right, but Zuko won't let them be his friends, poor boy, this is all your fault Ozai, look at what you have turned him to. I swear someday I will revenge for you Zuko.
Iroh knew that he had to break the silence.
"You know Zuko, your friends Toph and Aang are great, and I know them well."
"They are great, but they aren't my friends" Zuko lied.
"Zuko, please, that is not a-'' Iroh was cut off by Zuko,
"It is Uncle! I can't forgive myself if he ever hurt them." He said angrily, as he got up, and stormed out.
Zuko headed to the living room, he picked up his back pack, and then got out his chemistry book to study for tomorrows exam.
A chemical reaction is exothermic if it produces heat...
He started reading, he was a seventh grader, so it was his first year studying chemistry, and he hadn't really attended any chemistry class since today was his first day at A.J.H.
Then he remembered the fact that Toph and Aang had offered help, he was desperate, he didn't really understand anything, he would go, but he doesn't know where their homes were.
Uncle Iroh walked in.
"I see you need some help, why don't you go over to Toph's place to study?"
"I don't know where her home is..." Zuko said as he flipped through the pages, he was thankful for that, he would have went, and put them in danger, but he doesn't even know where their houses are, so they are safe for now.
"Across the street." Iroh said, bingo, now Zuko will surely go.
"WHAT!" Zuko was about to lose his brain, they were his neighbours.
"BOTH!"
Iroh smiled and nodded, it was really funny the way Zuko freaked out.
NO! NO! NO! Zuko was now screaming mentally, across the street, they could come any time, he could go anytime, that was a disaster.
He then composed himself.
"I won't go, I can understand them now." He lied.
Toph and Aang were at Toph's place; both of them were now worried about Zuko.
The reason, well here it goes.
For the past few months they had been going to the jasmine dragon, and they have grown fond of Iroh, he trusted them and talked to them about his life.
Apparently, he has a nephew but his nephew is at the hospital, he was in a coma, every now and then he would wake up but for some reason he would just get back to a coma, he said that he was a very sweet boy, but the time had changed him, he said that the boy had suffered a lot despite his young age.
Last time they asked about his nephew he said that he was improving and that he would be getting out of the hospital very soon, that was almost a week before now, then Iroh closed his shop for some time, and the next thing they knew was that Zuko came to their school this morning.
They were kind with Iroh, and they saw him as a father or a grandfather for his age, he trusted them and told them about him, not very much but they didn't bother him with questions, they used the same policy that they used with Zuko.
Aang and Toph gave each other concerned looks,
"So Zuko was in the hospital in a coma for a year and today he just shows up at school?" Toph said in half sarcasm and half concern.
"Yeah... So what do we do Sifu Toph?"
"What? Why are you asking me?"
"Because you are the expert in reading people and dealing with them."Aang said in a mocking tune.
"That sounds fair Twinkle Toes, um... Let us see..." Toph said as she started rubbing her chin and looking thoughtful,
"So what's the plan Sherlock" Aang said in a more mocking tune.
"Hush it Twinkle Toes, you're destroying my thoughts!" Toph said in a half serious half sarcasm tune.
"I beg your pardon Sifu Toph..." Aang said in begging sarcastic tune, as he bowed and pretended to lift his hat.
Toph bended some rocks and then she threw them right at Aang's head.
"Ow... My arrow." Aang said as he rubbed the blue arrow that was visible on This forehead.
"Found it! We'll act like we did today..."
"Will that even work?"
"Where I ever wrong about such things Twinkle Toes?"
Toph said in the tune of a teacher scolding her student who just misbehaved in class.
"Never Sifu Toph" Aang lowered his head in shame.
Then the sound of the clock hanging in one of Toph's home's living rooms (the one they were in right now) rang four, Toph then had a mischievous smile on her face.
"Time to pick Sparky up!" Toph said.
"This should be fun..." Aang said as he followed Toph across the street.
Did he ever mention that Uncle Iroh's house was across the street?
Zuko was starting to lose hope now, it had been half an hour and he still hadn't understood a word from this stupid text book, Uncle Iroh came in, holding a cup of tea of course.
"You know Zuko, it is four, why don't you go across the street to Toph's place, and didn't you three agree on four a clock?" Iroh said. He knew that Zuko was going to break.
"No, I'm almost done" He lied scratching the back of his head.
Iroh didn't know what to do, should he laugh or what? Zuko was terrible at lying, he surely was nothing like his older sister Azula, and boy that girl can pull any kind of lie without breaking a sweat!
So Iroh sat opposite to Zuko, looking at his young nephew struggling to understand and to look like he is actually knows what to do.
Why is he this terribly unsociable? Iroh had a feeling that Zuko would rather face a diversion of professional all type of benders before he would go across the street and study with two kids.
Suddenly the door bell rang.
Zuko expression changed. He swallowed hard.
"Tell them I'm not here!" He said as he got the nearest cushion and placed it on his small body.
Iroh laughed. Zuko by Agni you're acting as if they are taking you to be excited! He thought.
The old man opened the door and sure enough they were Toph and Aang.
"Hey uncle Iroh! We're here to get Zuko; we are going to study for the chemistry together!" Aang said cheerfully.
"Mm-hmm" Toph said.
"Under the cushion." Iroh said between laughter. He thought that Zuko should seriously get more friends, whether he liked it or not.
Toph and Aang got in and they walked to the cushion where poor Zuko was hiding.
Toph removed the cushion.
"Afternoon Sparky let's go study for the chemistry exam tomorrow..." She said.
Zuko scratched the back of his head, he laughed nervously...
"Actually I'm almost done" he lied.
"Then let's get you completely done Sparky!" Toph said.
"Did I say almost...? I meant I'm done"
Aang and Iroh were now trying not to laugh; Aang was waiting to see Sifu Toph's work while Iroh thought that this was just unbelievable...
Zuko kept stalking, and Toph kept just uncovering his lies, at some point Zuko was seriously thinking about making a run for it.
Aang thought that he should help Zuko...
"Zuko, remember how Toph is an earth bender?" He said between laughter.
Toph smirked.
"Yeah..." He raised his good eyebrow.
"She can detect lies...I mean she's the greatest earth bender on the earth.
"That would have been useful to know before making up all of those lies."
"Relax Sparky; you're a terrible liar it doesn't take my powers to know that you're lying..." Toph said.
"Am I that bad at lying?" He turned to Aang and Iroh, they nodded, he pinched the bridge of his nose,
"I'm still not going."
Toph grabbed him by the collar.
"Remember how I said that I don't take no for an answer. Well I still don't"
She started dragging him out, while Aang and Iroh kept on laughing and laughing.
"This is called kidnapping Toph! You'll go to jail!"
Boy this was hilarious...
"No it's not; I took the permission of your guardian." She said still dragging him out.
"No you didn't!" he said as he tried to break from her iron grip. Yet he failed as usual.
"Fine. Iroh am I allowed to take Zuko to my place for studying?"
"He's all yours!" Iroh said as his face was red from laughing.
"Uncle!"
Every one just laughed.
Zuko finally gave up, and he realised that it he was going to Toph's place anyway, so he walked, he realised that it was better to get there with his pride.
He was really astonished to see the house, it was enormous the walls were white and green, many doors and windows were appearing, it was a three story villa, the house's door was made from fine wood, with a flying boar carved to it.
This villa reminded him of his old house, but it had something different, his house did look like this one, but this one was... It felt homey and cozy and it told you that you were welcomed here; his old place always felt more of a prison than a house.
"Wait till you see it from the inside" Aang said.
Aang wasn't lying at all, the place was amusing from the inside, and it was filled with valuable antiques...
Photo frames that held family pictures, Zuko's old home didn't have much of that.
Toph led them to one of her many living rooms, on the second story. It was beautiful, the room itself wasn't very big, on Toph's standards, and it had an LCD 3D screen TV, DVD player a Wii system, video game system with at least forty different Cases.
Zuko looked at the CD case and the CDs, there were a lot of them, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Spiderman, X-men, and all the Avenger series, it was amusing, not to mention the anime series Toph had all of his favourite Animes and Cartoons; One Piece, Bleach, Inusha, Wolverine, How to train your Dragon TV series, etc...
"This is our favourite room, we built it together." Toph said.
"Yeah, Toph's dad is a famous Business Man, so he gets her all of these things when we get good grades..." Aang said.
"Okay, do you want to watch a movie after we're done?" Toph asked.
"Even if I said no, you'll just force me."
"You learn quickly pupil Sparky."
"Let's hope that you can learn chemistry that quickly Zuko." Aang said as they took a seat.
Zuko just smiled, this will be interesting.
This chapter is mostly humor, I can explain the way Zuko acted, he is still 11, so if you have watched episode Zuko Alone and episode The Storm, when Zuko was young he acted like this.
Enjoy the story while I am enjoying my ice cream!R&R!