Chapter 8
Zuko and Jet stood at the ice rink alone. Jet had already picked Zuko up late and they had been standing there for around half an hour.
"Just forget it Jet, face it, she's not coming" Zuko said, pretending to be pleased that he didn't have to ice skate. But in his mind he was going How could she do this o me? I bet she just felt sorry for you about your scar. Azula's voice hissed from inside his head. She obviously likes Jet more. At this Zuko flinched and touched his scar. As he did, the rink doors flew open and Jet and Zuko both turned round to see Katara bent over, huffing loudly.
Jet was at her side in a flash "here, let me help you" he said smoothly and helped her to a seat.
"Thanks" she wheezed then looked up. Zuko was taken aback. Her usually neatly brushed hair was matted and her beautiful blue eyes were bloodshot, with dark circles underneath him. Her cheeks were stained with tears. Her cheeks also looked swollen as if she'd walked into something.
"I'm so sorry Zuko" she looked at him "but I'm not allowed to- I mean, I can't teach you"
"Why?" Zuko asked, hurt. Sure he was bad, but she hadn't even SEEN him skate yet.
"I, I cant stay" she looked at him, clearly upset "but I would like to teach you, maybe after school starts, people will be busy in that time."
"Katara, you don't look so good" Jet tried to say kindly but Katara still blushed, obviously embarrassed.
"You're probably right" she sighed.
"Come on, we'll take you back" Zuko said but she flinched away from his hand. She doesn't like me. He thought sadly to himself.
Jet then, much more slowly than Zuko, took her hand and led her to the car. He made her go in the front while Zuko silently got in the back and Jet started to drive.
"So, where do you live?" Jet asked her casually.
"14 Singina Street" she muttered unhappily. Zuko smiled to himself.
"Really?" Jet asked and she nodded and he grinned "that's cool, cause Zuko lives at 12 Singina Street"
Katara blushed bright red "I'm sorry if we woke you or your any of your family up last night" she said softly to Zuko.
"No, I didn't hear a thing" Zuko said, baffled. He hadn't heard anything, but maybe his uncle had.
"Really?" Katara asked, shocked. Zuko nodded and Katara finally smiled "I'm glad; Sokka was making such a racket I thought we'd wake up the entire town!"
"Who's Sokka?" Jet asked, briefly looking at Katara before looking back at the road.
"Oh, my brother" she said "I'm living with him at the moment" she suddenly grinned, "by the way, when are you and the freedom fighters next playing? And where can I get tickets?" At those words Zuko's heart sank.
"Next Sunday" Jet smiled his trademark smile "but don't worry, I'll get them for you, how many?" Katara tried to protest but Jet just said "how many?"
"Two" Katara smiled.
"Two?" Jet tried to stay cool but Zuko noticed that Jet's hands gripped onto the steering wheel tightly "so for you and….?"
"Oh, not for me" Katara laughed "for Sokka, and Aang" she shrugged "they both seem to really love your band"
Jet tightened his grip on the wheel "I'm glad" he smiled "I'll get you one too, we wouldn't want Zuko to be all alone now, would we?" he laughed and Katara nodded.
"Here we are" Katara pointed to a bright blue house with white window panes and a pretty white door with the number 14 written on in black.
"Wow" Jet grinned "I never noticed it before, it looks really nice"
"Thanks" Katara grinned "now I gotta hope Sokka's home to let me into the nice house or I'll be locked out till god knows when" she jumped out of the car and went round to the driver's seat, to Jet.
"Thanks for the lift" she smiled then kissed him. It was only a peck on the cheek but Zuko still felt like he had been punched in the gut.
"Your very welcome" Jet grinned then turned to Zuko "hey, you going to Longshot's or are you getting out here?"
"I'm getting out here" Zuko snapped and got out of the car.
"See you around" Jet winked at Katara then drove off.
"I'm so sorry Zuko, about today" it took him a few moments to realise she was talking about the skating lesson, not the kiss.
"It's fine, really" he smiled but his mouth was dry. "I'll see you around" and at that he went into his house, leaving Katara outside.
"Hello nephew" his uncle Iroh said pleasantly as Zuko slammed the door shut angrily "I sense that you are troubled by something"
"It's that girl next door!" Zuko bellowed angrily.
"You mean the new one?" Iroh frowned "they do make quit a racket don't they? I'm very surprised you didn't wake up"
"What happened?" Zuko asked, lowering his voice.
"Well" his uncle said, pouring out a cup of tea "there was a man who drove here late in the night and started banging on there door and shouting, I couldn't hear what he said though. Then a young man, around your age I would say, came out of the house and started shouting back" he paused to have a sip of tea "they seemed to know each other"
"So…. the guy who came out of the house was her brother Sokka" Zuko guessed.
Iroh continued with his story "then a young girl came out of the house shouting and I heard her crying too."
"Katara" Zuko breathed.
"And I looked out of my window to see the newcomer strike the girl, Katara, around the face" Iroh sighed "and that's all I saw"
"Katara was hit?" Zuko asked, dumbfounded and his uncle nodded.
"Later I would like to make the new neighbours feel welcome" he suddenly grinned
"I got them some tea!"
