Sokka liked me. I couldn't really believe it all that much.
That night, I lay in my earth tent, curled up and trying to sleep. Sadly, the ribbons of fatigue weren't strong enough to pull me down into a restful sleep. I was thinking about what had happened with Sokka earlier. It baffled me, really. A few days ago, he had wanted to kill me. Now he wanted to kiss me? I sighed, turning over so I was facing the other side of my tent.
I heard a knock on my tent door, wondering who it could be so late that night.
"Aya?" whispered a voice. It sounded like Sokka.
"What?" I asked him, my voice raw.
"Can I come in?"
"Fine, sure, I guess."
I lowered the door for him a little bit, just enough to let him in, and when I was sure he had stepped into my tent, I closed it up completely again.
"It's, uh, it's dark in here," he said to me.
"I like the dark..." I replied.
He sighed a little, and I could feel his heart beating rapidly.
"So," I said. "I've been thinking..."
"Good, so have I."
"You have?"
Sokka nodded.
"Well, okay," I answered. "You go ahead then."
"I'm sorry I shocked you, really," he told me. "I didn't think you wanted to know that badly, and then you kept asking me and begging to know... I decided I trusted you enough to let you know...that."
I nodded.
"I'm sorry, but I don't regret it," he continued.
He was looking away from me right now, and I was looking at the ground.
"I know, we've only known each other for a week," he said to me. "And I also know that I almost killed you..."
"No, you didn't," I interrupted. "I could've easily gotten away."
"Right," he said, then pausing. Clearly, he had this whole thing mapped out.
"Well..." he started again, clearing his throat. I smirked a little.
"Well...?"
I prodded him with my elbow a little, saying that he could continue.
"I don't know what else to say," he told me, shrugging. "I don't regret it, because I like you. But I'm sorry that I shocked you. I mean I would be shocked too if someone liked me and then told me. I couldn't keep it in, though. It just wasn't possible for me to do..."
He went on and on, and I tried to interrupt him a few times.
"...You're pretty, amazing, witty, and you like meat. You're like the perfect girl for me..."
"Sokka—"
"And you're good at interrupting which is a good thing..."
"Sok-"
"And I just like you, okay?"
"S-"
"So yeah, that's all I wanted to tell you."
I looked at him, smiling softly.
"You really think all that, huh?"
"Yeah, but I do some pretty stupid things sometimes. Telling you when you're in such a fragile place was wrong, and I'm sorry."
I smirked at him, shaking my head.
"It's fine."
I swallowed a little bit, nervous sweat coating my forehead all of the sudden. I was immediately aware of my movements, and I almost wanted to impress him with every little thing I did. I bit my lip, waiting for the feeling to pass, but it didn't. This wasn't good, at all.
"Well, if that's all..." I told him, looking at him.
"Yes, well," he said. "I'll see you in the morning."
"You, too," I told him.
"Sleep well, Aya," he replied, smiling at me.
I lowered the door for him and almost hesitated to close it again. I didn't want him to leave, really, but I had to control myself.
I watched him leave and then closed my tent door. What was this feeling? Did I like Sokka back, or was it just because of everything that happened? I sighed, curling up underneath my earth tent.
I had to figure out what this feeling for Sokka was. With all of the other things going on right now, it was kind of hard to have some me time to mull it all over and find out why I partially liked Sokka. I knew I liked him at least a little bit, but why? Just because he liked me? He was mean to me, well, up until recently. I slowly laid back on the cold, hard ground, appreciating the firmness of the rock.
Finally, I drifted off to sleep.
"Aya!" exclaimed a voice.
I opened my heavy eyes and looked around. Surely it wasn't morning already? I bended my tent away and was met by bright sunlight.
"Okay, good, you're awake," said a voice to my right. It was Zuko.
"Barely," I said, looking around. Where was everyone? All of their stuff was still there, and Appa and Momo were sleeping peacefully underneath the trees. I looked around in confusion.
"Where is everyone?" I asked Zuko, looking up at him. He shrugged.
"I have no idea. I was hoping you knew."
I bit my lip and shook my head. Getting up, I looked around. It looked like they had left recently. I walked carefully to not disrupt Appa, and looked at Zuko, motioning him to follow me. He nodded, walking behind me carefully.
I had to look for evidence of a struggle. I didn't see anything spilled over or anything like that, and I saw steady footprints leading towards the forest.
"They're gone, and they look like they'd gone willingly," I told Zuko. Something didn't seem right, though.
Suddenly, it all dawned on me. The spirits that were following me... They were trying to get to me by taking my friends away from me.
"The spirits," I told Zuko simply, and he understood. He stood a little taller, trying to look determined.
"We'll find them, Aya," he told me.
I nodded.
"I know," I said, fiercely.
If I'm the one that the spirits wanted, then that's what they'll get.