With the first win in the bag, I whistled as loudly as I could and cheered for my friends as they returned back from the arena, entering the lockers where I flung my arms around Bolin. "You were so awesome out there! It was just incredible, you were all so in sync and I could barely breathe or blink I was so focused!" I chanted, hugging Bolin tightly as he punched the air, still high off the win though I was happy when his arm came around my waist and he hugged me back. My pulse quickened and the heat rose to my face but Bolin didn't notice.
"Thanks! It's all because we had our number one fan here cheering us on." He said to me, letting go and ruffling my hair before he turned around, facing his back to me as he walked back towards the fans to get a few more cheers in. It was almost as if I wasn't even there. Stupid Bolin. Over by the lockers I overheard Korra suddenly announce the fact that she liked Mako and I flinched, hiding my face behind my hand and politely turned my back.
"Korra, I'm really sorry but I just don't feel the same way about you." Instantly my eyes were wide, heart pounding sorrowfully for Korra as her dejected voice filtered through to me underneath the sounds of the cheering fans.
"Forget I ever said anything." She walked away from him and I could see the pain and upset on her face, however before I could go over to her Asami had walked in, breezing past ignorantly and went straight to Mako as Bolin then made his way over to Korra as I reached her shoulder, leaning my head against her to console her silently.
"So, Korra, I was thinking, you and me, we could go get some dinner together. Sort of a date situation." My head shot up at Bolin's words, panic settling. Oh no, I'm too late! He's already advanced to the stage where he was ready to ask Korra out. Damn it, this is all going horribly wrong!
"Oh, that's really sweet but I don't think so. I don't feel very date-worthy right now." Korra said sadly however Bolin wasn't giving up. He talked to her as if he didn't even notice I was there.
"Are you kidding me? You're the smartest, funniest, toughest, buffest, most talented and incredible girl in the world!" He praised, making Korra lift her head and smile warmly at him with a laugh.
"You really feel that way about me?"
"I felt that way since the moment I saw you! Trust me, I know we're going to have so much fun together." He promised her and Korra glanced my way, silently asking me for permission so I sucked in my feelings, locked them deep inside me then gave a smile and a nod of my head to tell her that it was okay.
"You know what? I could use some fun. Okay, sure."
"Yes!"
"Dinner sounds great, where should we go?" I asked, hoping to join them however Bolin winced and quickly pulled me aside as Korra began to undress from her gear, making me blink at the speed of which he moved.
"Uh, listen Kanna, do you think maybe you could…you know, sit this one out? I really got a good feeling about tonight and I want to spend some time with Korra on my own. You don't mind, do you?" He asked me and I blinked at him, wishing that my eyes would shatter like my heart was doing right now so he could see how much those words hurt me. Instead, I just smiled and nodded my head, pretending that it was no big deal at all.
"Sure! You guys have fun." Way to screw up, Kanna. Korra waved me over and Bolin gave me another pleading look which made him so adorable and I just couldn't say no. "Actually Korra, I promised Pema I would help her clean out the parlour today so I better go. Enjoy yourself, you've totally earned it and I'll tell all the kids about your big win back home, okay?" I said and Bolin suddenly hugged me.
"I owe you one Kanna!" He grinned at me happily however the moment he turned his back, my face sunk sadly. I watched as he left with Korra, feeling a crushing weight against my chest as the door swung closed behind them. Sighing softly I pressed a hand to my head, feeling the heat at my cheeks so I shook it off and grabbed Korra's bag which she'd left behind and made to leave.
"See you Mako." I said however a hand touched my arm and I looked up with surprise to see it was Asami.
"Hey, are you okay? You look really upset about something." It was childish and petty, but I blamed her for the way I was feeling right now. If she wasn't with Mako, he would be with Korra then Bolin wouldn't be chasing after her. If only she hadn't hit him with that stupid moped of hers.
"I'm fine. Don't touch me." I swiped her hand away then stalked away, struggling to breathe and control my emotions as they burned and raged inside me like a storm. Water was the element of change, the flowing element and right now, my tears were flowing. I heard Mako come running after me, yelling my name but I didn't stop, quickly wiping my eyes dry to try and hide the evidence that I was so badly affected by something. This was stupid, I shouldn't be crying over something like this but I can't help it. Damn it, I hate being this way! Why can't I be tough as nails like Korra?
"Kanna! What's your deal? Why'd you lash out like that at Asami? I said wait up!" Finally he caught up to me however when he gripped my wrist I turned my head, the lights of the arena showing all the tears that were sliding down my face and Mako recoiled in shock, letting me go as I looked at him blankly.
"Go ahead, laugh. I don't care. Go back to your rich girlfriend and live the high life, just don't go leading Korra on anymore with your messed up feelings. Pick one and stick with her, you can't just flit between the two as and when you please!" I found myself nearly yelling at him so I took a deep breath and bit down on my lip, angrily shaking my head. "I'm going home. Goodnight."
"W-Wait…why're you crying?" He tried however I wasn't interested in answering. I jumped down off the wharf and onto my ice raft which I surfed all the way back to the island. I sat in my window with Naga keeping me company in my room, watching the stars and the moon until Korra came back late in the evening. She came straight to my room, slowly opening the door however I had already climbed back into bed and pretended to be asleep.
"Hey, Kanna, you awake?" She whispered however I was too emotional to answer her. Still, she climbed in beside me and she snuggled against my back, fingers curling into the back of my shirt so I sighed and rolled over, opening my arms where she cuddled in close. "I'm sorry Kanna."
"I'll get over it." I whispered back to her, pausing a moment before continuing. "I'm sorry about Mako." Korra shuddered slightly before leaning closer into me, burying her head against me so that all she had to listen to was the sound of my heart in my chest and not worry about anything else at all. Korra and I were fine, we had no issues but I didn't feel ready to go and see the guys yet, wanting time to adjust to what was going on.
I didn't go to the next match, telling Korra I wasn't feeling up to it though I listened on the radio with Naga having just given her a thorough brush. It was a poor game however they scraped through by the skin of their teeth. It was all thanks to Bolin that they pulled through and I was glad they had won but I just wasn't in the spirit to be celebrating. A knock on my door made me look up and after I invited the person in, I saw it was Pema. "Hey, I'm guessing my advice didn't go down too well." Pema said apologetically and I smiled to her.
"Not really Pema, sorry. If anything it's made everything worse. Korra barely won her match today." I explained and Pema blushed slightly.
"Well, I know it's hard to accept, but sometimes we have to take these things on the chin and move on. You're a beautiful girl, Kanna, you're going to fall in love again one day and that man will be extremely lucky to have you." She comforted me by stroking my hair before she pulled me into her shoulder where I sank into the warm smell of motherhood that she seemed to carry with her. "So, I made your favourite dumplings tonight. You feel like eating at all?" In answer my stomach rumbled heavily so with a giggle, Pema brought me with her to dinner where I sat down between Ikki and Jinora before pressing my hands together and bowed my head to bless the food.