Chapter 7

Zuko stood with the freedom fighters at the bar.

"I'm telling you" Jet gestured to the gang "this Katara chick is hot"

"As long as Longshot doesn't make a move on her, I'm cool with it" Smellerbee grinned, punching Longshot's arm playfully. Longshot gave her a weary smile. Longshot and Smellerbee had been going out for 2 years now and were inseparable.

"Think I've got a chance with her?" Pipsqueak asked. Zuko snorted. Despite his name, Pipsqueak was enormous and very buff. There's no way a beautiful, petite girl like Katara would ever go out with a thug like Pipsqueak. Zuko thought to himself Jet on the other hand…..

"I'm the only one that's gonna get her" Jet grinned "Ain't that right Duke?"

The Duke grinned "yeah, you do, and it The Duke"

Zuko noticed a guy with a ponytail enter the club with two girls at his side. Sokka, Katara's brother. Zuko realised he was staring and turned away hurriedly but Jet had noticed and turned to see what he was looking at.

"Hey, isn't that Katara's brother?" Jet asked Zuko, who shrugged. "Yeah, it is" Jet began to make his way over when suddenly a guy onstage shouted into the microphone "The Freedom Fighters are up next!" the girls in the club started screaming and Jet forgot Sokka and made his way over to the stage with the rest of The Freedom Fighters, leaving Zuko alone at the bar.

"This one's for a girl I met today" Jet called into his microphone and winked at the crowd of screaming girls. "I hope she's here tonight" And the band struck into song. On about the second song Zuko noticed a girl walk up to the bar and order water with ice. She had glistening blue eyes.

"Katara?" Zuko almost dropped his cactus juice. He had been hoping she wouldn't turn up, because it would have meant she liked Jet.

Katara turned round and smiled "hi Zuko, what are you doing here?"

"Jet" Zuko pointed to the stage when Jet was dancing and singing perfectly in tune. He instantly wished he'd kept the subject of Jet away.

"Oh" Katara glanced briefly at the stage then turned her attention back to Zuko.

"So, why are you here?" Zuko asked, his heart beating fast. God she looks so beautiful he thought to himself. She was wearing a blue/white tank top with faded blue jeans. It shows off her figure perfectly. A voice purred in Zuko's head.

"Well" she blushed, noticing him staring at her "Aang invited me and Sokka to come along with him and a few of his friends"

"Aang?" Zuko frowned.

"Yeah, do you know him?" Katara asked him curiously.

"Yeah, kind of" he muttered. In fact, Jet and he had fought a lot with Aang, always against him though.

"So" he said, quickly trying to change the subject "you like the music?" Zuko suddenly noticed Jet staring coldly at him. Just hen, Aang came over.

"Hi Aang" Katara smiled.

"Hey" he returned her smile "what's taking so long? Haru and Toph are getting bored"

"What about the others?" Katara asked and Aang pointed to Sokka who was dancing with Suki and Yue. Katara giggled and Aang grinned "Sorry, I've been talking to Zuko here" she gestured to Zuko and Aang glared.

"Hi Aang" Zuko smiled hesitantly, begging in his mind that Aang would not tell Katara about the fights.

"Zuko" Aang nodded politely and slipped his arm subtly around Katara's waist. Zuko noticed and his heart plummeted. "See you around Zuko" Aang said, turning away, and pulling Katara with him.

"See you tomorrow" Katara called as she left. Jet stopped singing then and jumped off stage and strode straight over to Zuko, ignoring the flirty girls trying to catch his attention.

"I saw you and Katara talking" Jet narrowed his eyes when Zuko nodded. "What about?"

"Oh, just the skating lesson tomorrow" Zuko shrugged but Jet wouldn't let it go.

"She blushed" he said stubbornly "why?"

"Oh" Zuko paused for a moment to make something up "I asked her if she liked you"

"And?" Jet asked eagerly.

"And she blushed" Zuko shrugged again and Jet grinned. Just then the rest of The Freedom Fighters came over and Jet let the subject drop.

"So where's your girl Zuko?" Smellerbee asked and Zuko frowned.

"Oh, you mean his little witch Mai?" Jet asked, smirking "she ran away. Zuko here made a, dumb move" at that he burst into fits of laughter and Zuko went red with both anger and embarrassment.

It wasn't my fault I wanted to take it slow and she didn't! Zuko thought desperately to himself.

The song Sexy Back started playing and Jet grinned. "I spy a little birdie" he said, looking across to the dance floor. There was Katara, dancing with the loser Haru and Aang. Zuko felt a twinge of pain when h saw Haru whisper in her ear and her giggling happily. Aang didn't look too happy about it either.

I'm bringing sexy back Zuko watched Katara's hips sway to the music.
Them other fuckers don't know how to act. He saw Aang move closer towards her.
Come let me make up for the things you lack. And then Haru.
'Cause you're burning up I gotta get it fast. He watched as her hair flew around wildly as the beat quickened.

Earlier her hair had been in a plat with hair loopies but now it was down loose. Zuko thought it looked a lot sexier down. But apparently so did Jet.

"Damn she does look fine" pipsqueak said, licking his lips. The song ended and she went and sat at a table with a black haired girl and the two boys. Jet got off the bar stood, grinned then said "be right back" and went over to Katara.

Zuko watched Jet flirt with her for a while then held out his hand, obviously wanting to dance. Zuko watched Katara closely. She smiled, but shook her head politely.

"Whoa!" Smellerbee gasped "Did she just say no? To Jet?" she gaped when Longshot nodded.

Jet came back over but his face showed no discomfort.

"Jet, did she just say no?" Smellerbee asked, incredulous.

Jet nodded but grinned "I just need to get to know her a bit first, that's the reason she wont dance" Zuko got the sneaky suspicion that Jet was trying to convince himself, not them.

Several hours later Katara got up and headed towards Zuko. Jet was busy talking to The Duke and Pipsqueak so he didn't notice.

"Hi" Zuko said, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

"Hi" Katara reached to her necklace.

"That's a, um, nice necklace" Zuko gestured and Katara smiled gently.

"Thanks, it was my mothers"

Was? Zuko thought to himself but knew better than to ask.

"Well" Katara pulled at a stand of her hair. "I have to go now, I just wanted to say bye, but I'll see you tomorrow"

"Ok" Zuko smiled at her.

"Ok then, bye!" Katara smiled and went back over to Aang and Haru.

"Bye" Zuko said softly, smiling to himself.

Tomorrows gonna be fun.