Bored.
She was thoroughly bored.
Was there anything worse than boredom?
If it didn't feel like a thousand blades were penetrating her body every time she attempted to get up she would not be stuck here.
But it did, and she was.
She sighed; there was absolutely nothing in this room to amuse her. The only thing remotely interesting was the voices she could hear through her open window.
"Do you loooooove Korra?"
She suddenly stopped tuning out the voices at the mention of her name. She would recognize that voice anywhere, even if she hadn't seen her for a while. It was Ikki; it was no surprise that she was the one talking.
Wait…who was she talking to? The meaning of the words suddenly sunk in and she became intrigued, listening closely
She heard someone fall over and what must have been Jinora say "I think it's so romantic!" Korra froze; she didn't have a boyfriend she'd forgotten did she? She dismissed the thought; if she did the others would have mentioned it.
"Where did you two get that idea from?" That voice belonged to Mako, she began to relax, the girls were just trying to wind him up. Every-time they visited the South Pole they always found a new guy to play matchmaker with.
"You wouldn't leave her room after she got hurt" That was strange, why had he stayed? He shouldn't have felt obligated to; the accident wasn't even his fault! Maybe he was just a very loyal friend.
"She's my friend and I was worried about her" Korra's thoughts turned smug as she correctly predicted his answer
"Your words contradict your actions" Jinora had always been too smart for her own good. As a girl they had to practically shove Korra's head inside a book for her to read it. She just preferred the practical stuff better.
"Roar!" And there was Meelo, always having something random to say in the middle of a conversation
"Besides, I think Korra likes you too" Korra's cheeks flushed, she wished she had enough strength so she could Earthbend them up in the air, although she shouldn't get into the habit of doing that…other children didn't have quite as gentle landings as Jinora. Where did she even get the idea she liked Mako?
"That's because she told us she likes him!" If Korra's cheeks were flushed before they were positively burning now. Ikki's tone suggested she was correcting Jinora, something she very rarely got to do. So, she probably wasn't lying. Why would she have told them she liked Mako? Not to say that she did or anything, he was handsome and all but Mako just said that they were only friends. Besides, Mako was with Asami.
She could hear faint whisperings but couldn't make out the words which frustrated her.
"But you don't love Asami" Jinora was being very blunt. She only did that when someone was being very stubborn. What was she talking about? He was with Asami, of course he loved her! When she had first seen them they had been holding hands and everything.
"O-Of course I do, don't be crazy" Jinora just couldn't accept that she was wrong sometimes, she listened for more of the conversation but it ended there.
After a minute she heard Jinora walk into the building, possibly to visit her bedroom
"'Nora?" She asked, using the pet name she had for her young friend.
"Korra!" She exclaimed, detouring from her own bedroom into Korra's. "I'm so glad your awake, I got told I couldn't visit until you had your strength back" A shadow of a scared expression crossed her face "How are you feeling?"
Korra chuckled at the girls obedience "I'm fine 'Nora, you won't get in trouble for visiting me" Jinora looked relieved as she climbed onto the end of her bed
"I heard you outside" Korra admitted "Do you not remember anything?" Jinora asked her, and she shook her head.
"Well, I wasn't lying to Mako, you do like him" She explained, looking defiant "Like him? I hardly know him" she raised her eyebrows "Well, you did like him…I'm sure you still do though! It's just like this romance novel I just finished reading" She looked as though she was about to tell Korra all about the plot of the book but she cut her off "Even if I use to like him, he's with Asami" She was careful to use past tense, it was if her life had been separated into two segments; pre and post-accident.
"He doesn't look at her the same way he looks at her Korra" She said, sounding as if she were quoting a book- which she probably was. "You're crazy" muttered Korra, coming up with at least ten different excuses as to why she didn't have feelings for him. "That's what he said too" she said knowingly as she skipped out of the room, leaving Korra confused.
Even if I use to like him…things are different now….that's not to say I ever did like him…and he's in love with Asami…what would Jinora know anyway? Her head quickly became muddled, she wished she had her window closed so she hadn't heard that conversation in the first place. It had just made her wonder.
I don't like him and he doesn't like me she finally decided on. She repeated it to herself until she was forced to believe it.
What would Mako think of her now? Would he think her to be crazy? Would he think that the girls' active imaginations were getting the better of them? She hoped it was the latter.
She wished for the millionth time that day that she was not confined to her bed. If the same thing had happened to her when she was healthy she could have just thrown herself into her training and distracted herself, but now she was forced to think about it.
She would have to remember to ask Katara about any medicine she could possibly take. Maybe she could have some healing sessions with her too.
That's probably why she's still at the island realised Korra, her hopes rising a little. Katara was the best healer in the world, she would be better in no time.
How long would it take her to return to the South Pole anyway? She wondered, her boredom consuming her. This thought bought her to the natural thought of her parents. She frowned slightly at this; she didn't even remember saying goodbye to them.
Do they know about the accident? She would have to add that to the things to ask Katara
If they do know…why aren't they here? A lonely sensation filled her heart as she thought about this; maybe they hadn't been informed as not to worry them?
She missed them.
She wouldn't admit it to anyone but she did.
She knew she had left them, and she had been at Republic City for a while, but she couldn't even remember the last things she had said to them! She willed the tears not to come as she thought about how worried they must be about her, she had to stay strong.
There is a perfectly logical reason as to why they aren't here She reasoned, I'm getting better now anyway, there's no need to drag them all the way out here to see me
The more she thought about it, the more it made sense.
But the more she thought about it, the lonelier she became.
There were things a lot worse than boredom.