VIII

Dinner that night was interesting. Bindi's mother made a very delicious island soup. Of course, she asked me to help heat it up when Jeong decided to build a squirrelbird house out of the firewood. Hirou was eating at a friend's house and Jeong was spending the evening with his grandparents. Bindi's mother, who asked us to call her Koumi, was going to sleep early after a hard day in the gardens.

Which left just my small gang and Bindi. We sat around the large table chattering in small conversations. Koda was telling Bindi all about his waterbending class (and how he'd have to show her some of his moves), Dente and Tera were arguing over something, and Kya wasn't talking to me.

"Then, Kya went down and Oroh went to go get her to safety. So it was up to Dente, Tera, and I to stop these four big strong men," Koda was bragging.

"No!" Bindi was totally into it. I rolled my eyes and looked over at Tera and Dente's conversation.

"You benders are so full of yourselves," Tera grunted.

"I'm just saying! Bending is better for fighting," Dente defended himself.

"Are you saying that you could beat me in a duel."

"I know I can beat you in a duel!"

"Is that a challenge?"

"No. I don't want to hurt you."

"So you know that I would win?"

I looked away from them too. I finished my bowl of soup quietly and noticed that Kya had left the table. I got up and went outside to find Kya sitting on the rock I had dove into the water from at the beach.

"It's cold out," I whispered as I came near.

"Yeah," she answered, "but I'm used to it."

Silence.

"I'm sorry that I dunked you. It was mean."

"That was no big deal, Oroh," she turned to face me. The moonlight was reflected in her eyes. "I just needed some time to think about some things."

"Like what?"

"My family mostly. I really miss them. I thought I could handle being away, but I can't."

I hugged her tightly.

"You're lucky," I told her.

"How?"

"You have five really good friends that care a lot about you."

"Yeah."

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That night, Kya and I sat at the beach for another hour or so before going back to Bindi's house. Koda and Bindi were still talking at the table and Dente and Tera were wrestling in the living room.

"Benders!"

"Non-benders!"

I sat down next to Koda while Kya tried to break up the fight.

"Excuse me for a moment, Bindi. I need to talk to Koda for a minute."

"Go ahead," she smiled at me.

"Koda. Outside please?"

He followed me outside. We sat down on a rock.

"What?" he asked.

"Can we leave tomorrow?"

"I'd prefer not to leave," he told me, "Oroh, I really like her. She's not like anyone I've ever met before. She's funny and smart and a fighter!"

"You have four more days, Koda. Then we really have to go."

"Fine."

We went back in the house. I looked over at Dente and Tera, who were no longer fighting. I said quietly, "I'm going to sleep. I recommend doing the same yourselves."

They all followed me to the houses. I said "goodnight" to the Bindi and went into our house. We left Koda alone with her to say a special good night. I couldn't wait to hear how that turns out.

I got in bed and waited up for another half hour, waiting for Koda to come in. I fell asleep before I saw him enter.

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When I woke up in the morning, I was the only one in the room besides Koda. I got up and got dressed. I stepped outside and sat out on the deck. I decided to write another scroll to my family.

"Father, Mother, and Zuni,

Everything is going fine. After picking up Kya, we went to go get Koda, Tera, and Dente…"

I decided not to mention the part about the fight we lost.

"We are in Kangaroo Island at the moment as the search continues. I'll be home before you know it.

Love,

Prince Oroh"

I closed the scroll and put it in my pocket. I saw Tera, Bindi, and Kya walk by, chatting merrily. Dente was probably with Jeong. I heard a yawning Koda walking out of the house behind me.

"Good morning, Koda," I said softly, "Sleep well?"

"Yeah," he replied.

"Have a nice night last night?"

"Yes."

"How'd it go?" I asked. He was facing me now. I watched as a smile broadened across his face.

"Very well," he gloated, "she kissed me."

"She did!?"

"Yeah. I finally told her how I felt about her and she felt the same way about me. So she kissed me."

"Awesome, man!" I punched his arm lightly and he blushed a bit. I put my arm around him. "So now what?"

"You tell Kya?"

"No," I told him, pulling my arm back, "I know for a fact that she doesn't feel the same as me. That's out of the question." It was quiet for a minute. I stood up. "Breakfast?"

"Sounds good," Koda whispered.

We walked over to Bindi's house. When we opened the doors, Bindi, Kya, Tera, and Dente were sitting on the couch. The immediately stopped whatever they were doing and turned to face us. I noticed Bindi blushing, and from the corner of my eye I could see Koda blushing too.