Chapter 7 - Joining school activities.

"Hey Teo! Guess what!" Teo turned around to see Mia and Katara holding pom poms.

It's been a few days since that conversation in the nurse's office. It's now in the month of February. "We both joined the cheerleading team. Try outs are this Friday!" Katara squealed. Teo glanced at Toph who was leaning against a wall. "Why didn't you join the cheerleading team Toph?" Teo asked, wheeling towards her. Toph shook her head. "Waving pom poms? Wearing really short skirts? Not my kind of thing, no thanks." Toph said. Teo smiled. Katara looked at her pom poms. "I better put these in my locker." Katara said, turning in the direction of her locker. "Hurry up! Maths starts in three minutes!" Mia cried after her.

"Where's my new locker again?" Katara thought as she walked through the corridor. The bell rang. "Oh great. Now I'm going to be late." She said, under her breath, "I think it's just around the corner..."

She turned and bumped into Zuko. Her pom poms and his books fell. "Oh I'm sorry I..." Katara stopped, looking at Zuko. Zuko grinned and picked up his books. "You're Sokka's little sister right? Katara. I'm Zuko."

"I know." Katara said in a small voice, blushing to the tip of her brown hair. "Hey! You joined the cheerleading team too right? My sister's the captain. I wished she's as nice as you Katara." Katara blushed. "Thanks." She weakly said, taking her pom poms from Zuko. "I love to walk you too class, but I gotta bring these books to Mr Iroh, you know, the school's history teacher? He's my uncle. But I don't get special privileges to sleep in his class." Katara giggled. "Oh sorry to keep you back. You'll be late. Um, tell the teacher it was my fault. I have to go. I'll see you later Katara." Katara kept blushing and turned to her maths class.

"You're late Katara. I expected better from you."

"Sorry Mr Fung." Katara said, her head down. 
"Go to your seat. Make sure this doesn't happen again."


Katara sighed as she went to her seat and joined her friends at the back of the class. Jet tapped her shoulder and said, "Hey Katara, what are you playing at?" His face looked horrible, his nose in a plaster. Katara slapped him. "You be quiet or else you'll get something worse than a broken nose." she said. Jet then whistled and was about to say something before...

"Katara! To your seat!"

"Yes Mr Fung."

Mia nudged her as she sat down. "Hey man, what happened? You're late and you still haven't put your pom poms in the locker yet dummy. Why aren't you looking at me man, I'm talking to you." Katara just stared.

Zuko just entered the room. He gave a late slip from Mr Iroh to the teacher who nodded and pointed a seat for Zuko. Mia waved her hands in front of Katara's face. "Hello? Anyone home?" Katara sighed, "Isn't he gorgeous?" Katara sighed again. Mia looked in the direction Katara was looking at. "Who? Zuko? Well, he's kinda cute but there's nothing much to say about him. What do you think Toph?" Toph shook her head. "I think you're mad Katara. Sure he's cute but he's just not your type."

Katara didn't listen to her friends or her teacher. Her ears blocked all her friends comments. She just stared at the boy sitting in front of her all lesson.

(later)

"So Teo, Aang? What extra curricular activities are you boys trying this year?" Mia said, picking at her food. "Ugh, you think at a boarding school the cafeteria could serve something other than cabbages and health food." (The cabbage man is the cafeteria man!) Teo shoved down a leaf , drank some milk and said, "I might be trying for basketball. What about you Aang?"
Aang shoved a whole lot of leaves, distracted by a walking Katara, had a hard time swallowing it, choked a bit before answering, "Basketball's good too." Mia came over and gave a pat on Aang's back. Aang, grabbed his glass and drank a big gulp of water. The gang's peaceful lunch was disturbed by a loud sneering voice.

"You'll never get in wheelchair-boy."

Teo crunched the carton of milk in his hand. Jet. Haru walked behind him. "And why not? Jet?" He practically spat Jet's name out.

Jet continued, in a voice that seemed like what he was going to say was obvious,"Duh, because I'm captain and I say no. Haru's got my back. Besides. You're handicapped. No ones ever going to let you play. Hah." Laughing, Jet and Haru walked away. Teo crumpled the carton and threw it away. "I hate him so much." Teo said, grabbing Mia's glass of water and drinking it. Mia rolled her eyes. "I hated him three days ago. Oh and Teo? That's my cup of water." Teo turned and sprayed the gulp full of water at Jet, who had just turned around to talk to Mia. Eeveryone laughed. Teo giggled feebly. Mia stood up. "Hey Jet? How's the nose? Got a bit of a story to tell your friends huh? Go beaten up by a girl." Everyone looked at Jet and laughed loudly. Jet blushed furiously , walked away from Mia's table and sat down at his table with Haru, who was holding a towel (for Teo's sprayed water!)

Katara and Toph laughed at Jet, went and sat in the empty seats next to Aang. Aang blushed as red as a beat root but Katara didn't notice. Suddenly she threw something in the air. A cabbage pretzel landed on Toph's lap. She picked it up. "Girl what is the matter with you?" she said, dangling the pretzel.

Katara didn't notice. "Oh god! Zuko is coming right this way!! What do I do Toph, Mia?" Katara screamed. Mia looked confused. and shrugged, "Why ask me? I'm not the one having a crush on my older brother's best friend." Sokka and Zuko came over. "Hey Mia. Mind if we sit here? Katara is this seat taken?" Katara shook head as Zuko came and sat next to her. Mia grinned at Katara's red face, wiped her mouth and stood up. "Well since we have the entire day free, Teo! Aang! Wanna shoot some hoops before going to do homework." Aang and Teo threw their tissues on the table.

"We're there!"