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Toph's POV

I sat down on my bed, my heart thumping loudly in my body. The sound was sort of like drums, loud drums played at a high beat in a club. I took a deep breath and shuddered as I exhaled. My entire body shivered with the aftermath of my afternoon. My eyes were tired but there was a lazy smile on my face. I wanted to…giggle.

No I'm not kidding.

Seriously, I'm not. I wanted to giggle. Just as it was about to bubble up, there was a knock on my door. I bolted from my bed and sat down in my desk, picked up my iPod and scrolled through songs and tried my best to look bored.

"Miss Toph," Conch shell came in and began picking up some dirty clothes that just littered my floor.

"Yep?"

"I don't like idea of you going somewhere and not even telling in advance that you were going. Young ladies like you shouldn't be out at all hours of the night. You should be doing something constructive…like play video games. We still have a rematch from last time."

Just because I couldn't remember her name didn't mean that I didn't enjoy her company every now and then. She was a video game addict. Easy to bribe, though. But only I could bribe her, she had nothing to gain getting bribed by another person. Heck, she was a live- in maid, got a good salary and got almost all the holidays off plus one weekend every month. She had it good. The health benefits weren't bad either. But sometimes, she was just so nosy.

"Or homework," she suggested slyly. A pause. I laughed hysterically.

"Yeah, right," I laughed. After a minute I calmed down. "Well, I didn't have any fittings and I just wanted to chill before the party. It was a good, chillin' afternoon."

This afternoon….sigh. My pulse started to climb back up again and I moved myself towards my window seat, turning my face away from her I stared out the window.

"You have paint in your hair. Now how did that get there?" her English suddenly improved, as it did when she suspected something.

"Maybe I'm becoming an artist." Okay, so not a believable lie, but I has said it forcefully enough that she wouldn't keep badgering me about it.

I mean, there's nothing wrong with being an artist. I could be one…but if it got too tedious I'd probably rip up whatever nonsense I had created and go downstairs to train.

"I don't mind you going out but try to tell me a bit more in advance. I had to make sure that your room was off limits to everyone else and add that to the cleaning I had been doing, you owe me." Her English also improved if she was complaining.

"You know I'm good for it," I handed her that game she'd been wanting for a while: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

She laughed lightly as she took her game with eagerness and didn't pry anymore – as expected. I bet she was tired. For some reason my mother had wanted the house spotless even though we weren't going to be anywhere near it tomorrow. The announcement she had made that morning really puzzled me, but I was too nervous to dwell on anything in particular.

I smiled to myself again. Wow. I had not felt the least bit of anxiety since I got home…well, tomorrow that'd be a different story but I'll cross that bridge when it comes. Tonight, I'd let myself relive this day in my sleep:

I was sitting on a bench outside, alone mind you – Twinkle Toes was no where to be found, when some geek just came up to me. Couldn't he even see how utterly stressed I was. I had been throughout the day. I was on edge and this stranger was about to push me over.

"Toph right? Please don't hurt me," he pleaded after the look of distaste I gave him, but he continued talking, "I need you to come with me…please don't hurt me." He was some kid with braces and thick, yet surprisingly stylish, glasses.

I wanted to punch him so that I could release some of this stress. And if he didn't move out of my way in thirty seconds, I was going to.

"What do you want? And depending on your answer I may or may not be obligated to hurt you." I cracked my knuckles for effect. His voice shook.

"Umm…well, Aang told me to come get you, he's in his car, said that he had someplace to take you. Please don't hurt me, I have a little sister."

Can't kill him yet. I need more information…ugh, what a drag. Why would Twinkle Toes tell this geek to come and talk to me?

"Twinkle Toes is going to take me somewhere?" I paused. "Why?"

"Who's Twinkle Toes?" he asked.

"Aang."

"Oh," he said incredulity, but got back to business. "Come on please? He's behind the school two blocks away."

Is this for real? No. I was getting played. That has to be it. Twinkle Toes wouldn't take me anywhere. I didn't tell him to take me anywhere. And he was my slave until Sunday. But then again…why else would a geek be talking to me? They usually would avoid me as much as possible incase I would ever hit them out of spite…which was stupid. I mean, yeah I hit people but not for no good reason. If I'm going to hit them I want it to be satisfactory to me.

"Where's he taking me?"

"He wouldn't tell me."

I gave him a look like he was just plumb crazy.

"Boy what is wrong with you? You can't just come up to me and tell me that someone is waiting for me two blocks away from the school?" I silently appraised his eyes.

I always said that a person's fear can be seen in his eye. His eye told me he was terrified of me, slightly apprehensive, but he wasn't lying.

I checked. "Are you sure Twinkle Toes is out there waiting for me?"

He nodded so fast I swear I heard his neck crack. "Please just go."

I shrugged, not really believing him, but not really caring either way – I could just pound him if he was lying – and followed him outside.

Thinking about Twinkle Toes got me all nervous again.

The geek took me up to Twinkle Toe's Camaro that was purring like a kitten. I walked up and opened the door.

"Bye guys, have fun," the geek waved and walked away.

"Hey Toph," Twinkle Toes answered. He looked nice with a simple T-shirt that had a comic strip across it with a super hero beating up a bad guy. Hmm…it was dorky but I liked it. I'd have to steal it from him. Or maybe I could get him to just give it to me.

"I like your shirt, where'd you get it?"

"Oh, I bought it online."

Right. I hid my snicker behind my hand. "Oh. So where are we going?"

"I'll only tell you if you get in the car."

I raised my eyebrows. "Look at you trying to act bad A. What's up?" I jumped in the car and as soon as I shut the door he sped up. "Did you commit a robbery or something? Slow down."

"Sorry it's just that we're going to be late."

"Late for what?"

"Umm…" he scratched his head with one hand and quickly put it back on the wheel. But he slowed down. "It's kind of a surprise. You did say that you didn't have any fittings or anything today right? No last minute plans? Please stop looking at me."

He shifted very uneasily under my gaze and kept his eyes pinned on the road. I didn't say anything, just kept staring at him.

I'd definitely have to do something about his hair. It had to be combed, but not too much. I didn't want my…escort to look like he had plastic hair. His eyebrows needed a bit of plucking too. I'd have to arrive two hours early to his place with my Make-up team in tow. I had to make a call tonight. After whatever it is we were doing, of course.

"Do you…" his hand flexed around the steering wheel and he looked around. "Do you want…to go home?"

Hmmm…did I want that? Well, I'd have nothing to do at home and maybe…I'd like this surprise. But then again, I wasn't really one for surprises. On the other hand, the fact that Twinkle Toes went through the trouble to try and surprise me so maybe I should just try to go along with it. I had nothing to lose except a boring afternoon. If this wasn't worth my time, well, he'd pay for it, so I really had absolutely nothing to lose.

"Nah," I let him go from my unrelenting stare. "I'll bite." So now that I've agreed what else could I do but just go along with it.

"Ouch." He smirked.

I wagged my finger at him. "See, that only depends on where I choose to bite." His face turned bright red and to save him from embarrassment I quickly spoke, "I mean, I could take a bite out of your ego where it'd really hurt…if I felt like it." His face returned to normal after that. I could've added more but I was just too curious to found out about where in the world we were going. And a bit too nervous to be making jokes right now.

"So you haven't told me where we're going yet."

He shrugged. "Well, I did say it was a surprise after all."

I groaned and my stomach churned. "And I don't like surprises."

"Can you please just go along? If I told you I think you'd walk straight out of…"

"Out of what?" I asked. Where were we going?

"Uh-uh. Not telling."

"What if I pound it out of you?"

He laughed. He actually laughed at one of my threats. "If you did that right now then we'd both be dead."

Right now he was behind a big truck carrying millions of chickens. Feathers flew at the windshield and he tried to find a way to pass it.

"Lucky break."

For some reason – as he passed the truck – the chickens reminded me that I needed a cover. Quickly I turned on my phone and dialed.

"Si, que quieres?" Conch Shell spoke.

"Does anyone have your number besides me that can speak English?" She always answered in Spanish and it annoyed me. I didn't know the language.

"Oh, Miss Toph, how are you?" she asked, Latino accent thick but understandable.

"I'm fine, but listen. I need you to cover for me again. I'll be out for a while."

Suddenly, her Latino accent was gone. "You know what I want right?"

"You know I'm good for it."

"Claro," she said. That was a signal to me that someone was in the room with her. She mumbled some nonsense in Spanish and the most I could make out was a 'yes' and a 'pig'. Hm…made me wonder what she was saying sometimes. "Okay, you got it Miss."

I hung up.

"That sounded like you deal in pirated movies or something," Twinkle Toes observed.

I shrugged. "Tell anyone and I'll cut you," I said in a quite cheerful manner.

A shiver went up his spine.

"So where are we?" I asked as Twinkle Toes helped me up from the passenger's side. I would've gotten myself out but I was wearing a blind fold. Great. That added even more to my anxiousness. Not only could I not see where we were, but I'd have to rely on Twinkle Toes to get me there.

Hey, maybe that'd be good practice.

"Not yet," he said as he held my hand.

No, definitely not good. I felt vulnerable. Darn Twinkle Toes. I couldn't see but I could hear that it was a place with a whole bunch of people. There was yelling and shouting and a lot of laughing. At least it was a public place. Myself with Twinkle Toes in a private place…I can't even think about it.

Soon, we were surrounded by people in front of us and behind us. I knew because both loud sounds came from both directions.

"I'm serious: where are we? There are people in front of us and behind us but it seems like they're everywhere."

He chuckled. "Yeah…people get pretty rowdy at these things, I guess."

I lifted up the hand that was interlocked and lightly tapped his temple. "Won't it look a little weird if an Asian is bringing in a blind folded rich girl?"

"Hmm…. I did not think about that. Okay, I'll un-blind fold you but promise me you won't look up."

I pounded my chest twice with my fist and held up a peace sign. "A'ight."

I could feel his fingers in my hair and shivered slightly. He took his time in taking it off and let his fingers trail down my face as he removed the cloth. Thank goodness he told me not to look up. That helped to hide the slight blush across my face that I knew was on his.

Suddenly a roar came from behind us. I jumped at the same time he did.

"Cinders, Cinders, Cinders," a big burly guy was chanting behind us with a group of his friends.

I whispered to Twinkle Toes, "Cinders?" Where the hell am I?

"Um…Just turn around and ignore him," he whispered back to me quickly, as if he wanted to hide something.

Was Cinders a clue of some sort?

I wasn't good at solving complex things. If I tried I could but there wasn't enough information to go on at the moment besides the fact that Twinkle Toes was nervous and someone named Cinders was apparently the star.

Was he taking me to a play? If so then the big burly man had apparently been to too many and was now cheering for his favorite actress.

But if this was a play then people would be more appropriately dressed. The burly man was in a pair of white, stained shorts and a large blue T-shirt. No, not a play.

A sporting event? He did say something about 'rowdy' people. The people behind me were certainly very rowdy.

I couldn't be at a sporting event. At sporting events there were reports. Hence: the sport page in the morning paper. What if they saw us? What if one of them recognized me?

We moved up the line quickly and soon we were sitting in stands, waiting for something to start. A lot of people were as anxious as I was but for a different reason than mine. They were anxious to see whatever the hell there was to see; I was nervous because of too many thoughts that jumbled together in my head and made it sort of hard to concentrate. But something about this place gave me a sense of nostalgia.

"Somehow…" I trailed off.

"What?"

"I feel like I've seen this before." I was still looking down but from what I could see there were a lot of bleachers and a lot of feet. "Like on TV."

The entire place gave off the smell of sweat and excitement. And from what I could hear there were many people standing side by side, as if there wasn't enough room to accommodate them all. Thank goodness that there were seats.

"Um…well…psssh…nah!" he dismissed me.

I really hope he doesn't use that kind of language at the party. I blanched, just imaging it.

Suddenly, there was a black out. I looked up, a bit freaked out. Lights were on. All of a sudden blaring music came on with a whole bunch of screaming following soon after. If I'm not mistaken the song was Animal I Had Become by Three Days Grace but it was hard to listen when there were a billion people shouting in your ear.

"Where are we?" I yelled at Twinkle Toes. Lights were flashing everywhere and everyone was cheering, there were posters everywhere, some almost hitting me in the head.

"I got tickets to a kickboxing competition. I thought you'd like it," Twinkle Toes said with a shrug.

I couldn't say anything. My mouth was open and I was pretty sure that drool was going to be coming down any second but I couldn't believe it. Was this really happening? Did Twinkle Toes…the geek, seriously just bought tickets to a kickboxing competition?

Are you flippin' kidding me!? I thought.

"Oh, my God!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. Announcements were going on and it was pretty loud but my scream sounded a bit loud for my section and there were many people staring at me and screaming back. But I didn't really pay any attention to them. I was too busy hugging Twinkle Toes to death. "This is the best thing that anyone's ever done for me. Thank you, so much Twinkle Toes. Oh my god!" I said quickly and loudly.

Everyone cheered and I turned to see what the excitement was.

"Holy crap, did you see that first match!" I asked as he drove away from Wal–Mart where I had bought Conch Shell's loyalty.

"Yeah, I was there," Twinkles commented dryly. He put the car in gear and began to drive off.

"Oh, man, that was the best." I gushed. "Cinders looked like she was out for blood on Victoria. She was throwin' her around before anything even started."

My blood was still pumping from all the adrenaline that the matches of the evening gave to me. We had to leave early, of course, to get back home alright, but what I was able to see was amazing.

"And that was an amateur competition!" I slumped back into my seat, listening to the mix CD I had brought with me. The volume was turned down considerably for Aang's baby ears but it helped calm me down. "Just think what a real competition with professionals would be like." I jabbed my fists in front of me quickly, imitating what I had seen. "Jab, jab, swoop around, BAM – right in the face."

"A bloodbath," Twinkle Toes shivered, imagining it like I was. "Promise me you won't ever enter one of those competitions." He said this as a joke, but for some reason I felt really offended. I couldn't even rationally explain. I had been having a good time, I was in a good mood, but apparently I was having mood swings now.

Immediately, I rose up in my seat and turned on him. "WHAT?!" I screeched. Now that I think about it, whose voice was that? I never screeched…well, okay, once when a guard around my estate had told me that I wasn't allowed out after 6 p.m. Can you believe it? 6 p.m.? Crazy. But that's not why I was screeching right now.

"Well, I mean…" Twinkle Toes tried to find an explanation but as soon as he paused I stepped in, quite infuriated for no reason but I couldn't stop the flow of word vomit that spewed from my mouth angry and fast.

"Do you think I can't take care of myself? I could dance circles around those guys! I could KO them in two seconds flat! How could you even say that?" Around this time I had started to notice that he had been saying my name, deadpan and nonstop. But I couldn't let up now even if I wanted to. "And it's not even up to you to decide what I do. I can be whatever the hell I want to be! Whether I want to be a kick boxer, wrestler, a waitress or even if I go so far as to want to work at Hooters. You can't–"

"TOPH BEI FONG, would you just shut up for minute!?" We were at a stoplight, so he was able to turn to face me too. "I understand that I can't sway you from whatever you want to be. What I meant was that you should never enter one of those competitions for the safety of the other competitors! Think about it. You are like Cinders but five times worse and look at the condition Victoria ended up in!" He was referring to the ambulance they had sent for Victoria – she two broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder, a broken nose, broken wrist, sprained ankle, and lots of bruises. It was a long match. "I could not be able to stand it – being so worried about you and if you ended up like her. It is a bit of a selfish thought and I'm sorry. I think you can do better. But if that is what you ultimately want I will back you up – my own feelings aside."

A horn honked, telling Twinkle Toes to drive. He turned away from me, a bit of regret etched on his face.

"That's what it means to be a friend. I'm just looking out for you," he finished softly.

"Well I can take care of myself," I said grudgingly, not willing to accept the fact that I had been out of line. Being nervous really didn't suit me. It made me jumpy and frayed my edges of sanity.

He laughed, not because what I said was funny but because he had nothing to say.

"I've certainly got the bruises to show it huh?" he asked, trying his best to lighten the mood.

"Damn right." I crossed my arms. "Did you at least enjoy the match?" I asked, trying to make up for my random outburst.

"Somehow. And you? How'd you like your surprise?"

I smiled the most genuine and biggest smile. "It was the best thing anyone has ever in a million years done for me." I paused. "You know, it's not like I'm into kickboxing because they beat people up."

That came as a surprise to him. "Really?"

I nodded. "Well, at first it was about that. But then as I started watching more of the matches on TV – secret from my parents – and began noticing how agile and swift and strong these people had to be to pull off something like that. I admired their form and sharp tactic. Because in fights, you never know what your opponent is going to do. Your only option is to come up with a plan in less than five seconds and execute it perfectly, with a few outliers of course. Nothing is set in stone. All you can think is 'block-block-punch-jab-jab-kick-let him have it'."

"It's the rush, right?"

I nodded. "Adrenaline makes everything fun." I laughed maniacally.

He shook his head. "Okay adrenaline junkie, let's just get you home."

It was 7:45 when he dropped me off at school. I had to retrieve my car that I had left there that morning. How was I going to get it into the garage without my parents noticing? More importantly, would anyone be looking for me? I hoped no one had checked, I mean, I did pay Conch Shell off. She better have done her job. He got out of the car to say goodbye to me.

"Thanks for fun head bashing, non-stop, violence Aang." I gave him a small punch to show my appreciation and a smile.

"You're welcome Toph. I'm glad you liked it. Now are you worried at all about tomorrow?"

I looked at him like he was spouting out some alien Asian gibberish.

"What do you mean tomo…oh." It dawned on me. Tomorrow was the day of the party wasn't it? I had been so freaked out this morning, when I woke up to the time I spent in Twinkle Toes' car. When the competition had first started I had still been thinking slightly about the party and if there were any reporters here, but that soon went away with the thrill of the fight.

Hmmm…wasn't that in a song? Anyways instead of being so nervous I had actually let go and have fun. The burly man had sat next to me and whenever Cinders totally knocked out Victoria, we would look at each other and scream our heads off. Then I'd look at Aang and he would awkwardly smile while providing a smallish scream of his own. When Cinders won the burly man and I went crazy. We were shaking anyone near us, practically ripping them out of their seats and screaming our heads off. We 'woofed'. Ah, good times. Even Aang joined in when we started chanting. Instead of being so concerned as to who he was he joined in.

Well, when you can beat 'em – or you really have no desire to try – join 'em.

"Actually no," I said, a bit surprised at myself, "I wasn't nervous – well, not counting today and the days preceding but…. Afterwards, I mean…I wasn't nervous." I looked around, a bit awkward with what I was about to do. But first to confirm something. "Did you really set this up? Was this evening supposed to get me to…you know – not be so nervous tomorrow?"

He smiled and my stomach did a flip. "Yes."

He did that for me? Oh. Wow. There was a really warm, fuzzy feeling settling into my stomach and right now I wanted nothing more than to hug him to death. I can't even believe that he'd been so concerned about me. He went through all the trouble just for that? My eyes softened and my heartbeat slowed to a gentler beat.

Now don't get crazy.

I wasn't about to jump him for being the best person in my life right now. Though that would be a pretty interesting option. But no.

"Thank you, Aang."

He smiled at me with the big goofy grin that seemed to light up the whole world and my stomach churned and burned with warmth – and it was not because I was nervous for once. I returned the grin.

"You seriously are the best slave a Master could ever have," I said, and I meant it.

He put his hands in his pocket. "Well, you're a good Master. Even when you're hitting me."

I smirked at him. Hitting was what I did best. We stood there for a while in each other's company. We didn't move but I knew I had to go, no matter how much I didn't want to.

"So, I'll see you tomorrow." I began walking towards my car tossing a wave behind me.

I could still hear his soft, "Goodbye, Toph," and it sent shivers up my spine.

I didn't want to leave it like that. But I had to get home to make sure that my cover wasn't blown. And it wasn't a very good cover anyways. I wonder what Conch Shell had told everyone. Believe it or not she was pretty good with making up a cover story for me.

When I got home I learned that my mother had not been in the house and my father was still at his office. But she had called them both and told them that I had been having trouble with my car or some stupid thing like that and had been held up at the mechanics for a while. They believed it. The lie was simple and good.

So, now that I really had nothing to worry about as I pulled the covers of my comforter around closer to me. At the competition I had been so warm, surrounded by all those sweaty people, but now I was cold. I had no company. No Aang. I was alone. My parents weren't here and Conch Shell had gone to sleep with the rest of the maids.

I ran my fingers through my hair and found out that there had been a little paint in it. Wonder how that got there?

A/N:

So it's not a very satisfying ending – to me – but I don't want to hold up anymore on updates.

Okay, I'm going to try to stop guessing when I'll be able to crank out an update because honestly, my laptop is like food stamps: it's for everybody. I try to write on the monster computer we have but I hate having people look over my shoulder so I lose my inspiration pretty quickly.

Anywho, I actually can't wait to write the party one, there's definitely going to be some drama and I'm excited about it. I have part of it formulated in my head, but it's gonna take a while to get it on paper.

Let me apologize ahead of time if it's late.

I mean, I'd been working on these 12 pages since Friday. I'd say that's a pretty good length of pages given the short amount of time and things I did with my family.

I'm kinda proud of myself.

Anywho, hope you guys liked it. I left most of the details about the match kind of up to your imagination. Toph is Toph and it's not that hard to imagine what she'd be like watching a kick butt competition. I'll explain how Aang got the tickets later too. Toph would have asked but that never really crossed her mind compared to other things.

Love: Lola of the Peaches

=]