A/N: Okay, i sort of struggled with this chapter. i knew exactly what i wanted to happen but couldnt quite get the words perfect. please let me know what you think about this one, cos itll shape the rest of the story! hope you enjoy!


Relationships were a new thing for Aang. Having barely even met any girls, let alone being friends with any of them, it wasn't as if he was used to their presence. He figured he would always have Sokka around, who seemed to love being single. Sokka would always guarantee he had a good night, introducing Aang to strangers with the same line every time.

Aang would stand there by the bar with Sokka, and any time Sokka caught Aang checking out a girl he liked, he would stand up, tap the girl on the shoulder.

"Oh, hey there. Have you met Aang?"

And then promptly walk off, leaving a red-faced Aang to deal with a girl alone. Inevitably, no matter the girl, he'd stumble through his introduction. Rapidly becoming more embarrassed, he would always panic, and excuse himself to the toilet.

At one point, Sokka became so frustrated with Aang he almost yelled at him sat down at their table.

"Dude, seriously? What is the matter with you? All these girls show some kind of interest, and each time you run off to the toilet? You have got to be more confident! Ask them questions, what course are they studying, what halls are they in? That's how I got Suki!"

Aang began explaining, then cut himself off.

"It's just I- wait a minute. Suki?"

Sokka's face fell, then lit up again. "Okay, wasn't supposed to really tell you this, but I guess I've kinda put my foot in it now. Me and Suki got together over the holiday, cos Katara was seeing Jet all the time. We've been going out since."

"Dude, that's awesome! How's it going?"

"Brilliant man! I'm so happy at the moment I can barely believe it. Glad I've got basketball though, because otherwise I'd be thinking about her 24/7! Tell you what as well, the sex is awesome as well!"

Aang gasped. "You're having sex?"

Sokka gaped at Aang. "Uh, yeah! C'mon Aang, you must have done something with a girl at some point?"

"Sokka, I've never even kissed a girl before!"

If Sokka's jaw was already on the floor, by now it was through the floor and halfway to China.

"Huh, I suppose this explains a lot about your inability to score a girl..."

Sokka's admission to Aang made him feel a whole lot worse. If Sokka was doing stuff with Suki, did that mean Katara was doing the same stuff with Jet? Or On Ji was with Hide? Or Toph and Zuko? He sat in his room absently strumming his guitar, everyone else was out. Sokka had gone over to Suki's halls, while Yue's boyfriend had surprised her with a picnic. Katara and Jet had gone to see a film, while Toph and Zuko had gone paintballing as a date. Definitely one of the more interesting dates a couple could have.

It was slowly beginning to catch up with him. He hadn't been expecting it. Nights out now had become one of the worst experiences of his life. What before had been a fun event, with everyone drunk and enjoying themselves, something about alcohol gave all his friends tunnel vision, and it never took a long time before they had all paired off.

Aang spent most of his time at the bar, the music in the club pounding all around, shaking him as usual. This night in particular he had already had way too much to drink, and chucking back one more double shot, left the club without talking to anyone. Walking home in the sharp night air, feeling as lonely as he ever had done before. It was worse now, now he had friends. Friends who abandoned him, friends who ignored him.

Pushing open the door to Draycott Hall, he was just about to slam the door when he noticed Meng stumbling slightly towards halls. Holding the door open, he greeted her with as much coherence as he could find.

"Heya, Meng. Heavy night?"

She looked slightly surprised he was talking to her, and smiled back at him.

"Yeah, all my friends left me though, so it didn't end too great."

Aang looked at Meng, and recognised something in her eyes, in her smile. A quick flashback came from New Year's, in Toph's huge house.

Aang and Sokka stumbled down the stairs with an arm round each other's shoulder. Sokka dived over to the kitchen to pour himself another Jack and Coke, while Aang went over to Toph, Meng and Teo.

"Yoooooooo guysssss! Sappening?" He slurred.

"Aang bro! Dude. Fella. Thing." Teo started. He paused, giggled to himself, and shook his head. "Woah, heh. Uh, Aang, this is Meng. She lives on my floor."

Aang grinned. "Hey Meng!"

Meng smiled back. "Hiya Aang..."

At this point Sokka stumbled back into the front room, bottle of JD in hand.

"Aaaaaaaaaang!!! We're out of Cooooooke!"

Aang seized Sokka by the shoulders, turned him round, and marched off to the kitchen,shouting something about a Coke retrieval quest.

Aang looked carefully at Meng's smile, the exact same smile she had smiled at him six weeks ago. Sokka's words from the other night in the bar came back to him, and a desperation overcame him.

"You know Meng, I've never asked. What course do you do?"

"Aang, I'm so glad you asked. I study Philosophy..."

He laughed. "Oh, man. You have that crazy Madame Wu woman?"

"Madame Wu is a very elnighted, no, lightened, no. Entiled. No."

"Enlighted?"

"That's the one! You know Aang, you're a very clever guy."

Aang shrugged slightly.

"And very cute..." Meng tailed off, smiling at Aang once again.

The moment froze. Aang gazed at Meng, attempting to clear his head through the dense fog of alcohol. A confusing bundle of thoughts smothered him, Katara's face replaced Meng's for a split second, before Jet's voice sounded in his ear mocking him. Sokka's surprised face when he had told him he had never kissed a girl. The couples pairing off tonight. His lonely, lonely walk home. And Aang made his decision.

Aang woke up in his own bed, head pounding, mouth dry, nauseating illness in the pit of his stomach. He dragged himself to the kitchen, aiming for the tap and launching himself towards it. A minute later, after dousing his head under the tap and taking a long drink, he raised his head to see Sokka standing in the doorway with a look of pride, and Zuko behind him grinning at him. High fives from both of them ensued, with Sokka explaining.

"Dude, we got back from the club last night after we lost you, only to find you."

"On the stairs." Zuko continued.

"Kissing Meng."

"You know Aang, you certainly impressed her. For someone who's never kissed a girl before, she was definitely enjoying herself!" Zuko laughed.

Sokka raised an eyebrow and laughed. "Did you take it any further...?"

Zuko fought to keep in the laughter.

Aang shot a glare at Zuko, and replied to Sokka. "No. Just kissed her. Guys, I'd rather not talk about it."

"Oh, come on." Sokka looked at Zuko, and the two broke into song.

"Aang and Meng, sitting in the tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, first comes the stairs, then comes the bed, then comes a baby that they'll call Fred!"

"FRED?!" Aang burst out.

"Eh, it was the only name we could think of to fit the rhyme!" Zuko laughed.

"So why don't you wanna talk about it? Dyou regret it?" Sokka asked, now getting serious.

"Yeah, a little bit. I don't really like her that way. Does that make me a bad person?" Aang replied nervously.

Zuko burst out into laughter. "No way man. I've kissed plenty of girls I barely even like. Just a bit of action for when you have someone you do actually care about. You don't wanna put them off with a slobbery tongue!"

Aang and Sokka both cringed slightly at the image, with Aang laughing slightly.

"So Aang, is there someone you are after?" Zuko continued.

Aang could only laugh at the question. "Zuko, dude. Don't even go there..."

REVIEW please! I need to know if i managed this one ok! lol