Hehe. Now the fun begins! In this chapter, Zuko realizes that not everything you do with Kellie is entirely safe, and not much fun.
Chapter 6: Rock Climbing With Paul
That night, Kellie's mother didn't understand Kellie's story of where she had been 2 years and 3 months ago as easily as her father. Zuko sat on the little sofa, rubbing his eyes. It was 10 o 'clock at night, and Kellie had started explaining this three hours ago!
"Ok. Mom, I've told this to you over a hundred times. Do you understand?" Her mother sat on the big couch, trying to download the information that Kellie had repeatedly told over and over again.
"Yes. I think I do," Kellie went down on her knees, looked up and said:
"THANK YOU GOD! THANK YOU!" But her mother continued.
"Do you think you could run it by me one more time?" Zuko and Kellie just stared at her mother, and their stares were deadly.
"Mom! I've been explaining this since 7 at night! And what time is it now? 10! TEN AT NIGHT! I've been explaining this for 3 hours! Haven't you figured it out yet? Or is your mind not capable of downloading such complicated, and yet very simple, information!"
Kellie stood, panting, and glaring at her mother.
"Well, sorry Kellie. I just find it hard to believe that you were in your favorite tv show with, him," and her mother shot a glare at Zuko.
"And he scarred you so badly."
"Don't forget when my arm was dislocated by Jet." Her mother waved it aside.
"If you got burned, where are the scars?" Kellie stood up, and took off her leather jacket. She hadn't taken it off since Zuko had given it to her.
As if someone had heard her mother, when the sleeves of the jacket came off, there were, nasty scars, proof of bad burns, on Kellie's arms. Zuko looked away, guilt tearing at his insides. Kellie's mother just stared at the burns, then nodded as they faded into nothing.
"Alright, now I believe you." Kellie thanked her mother, hugged her, then went into the kitchen when she heard the phone ring.
"Hello? Sure, my dad's home." Kellie looked up from the phone, and hollered down to the basement:
"HEY DAD! PAUL'S ON THE PHONE FOR YOU!"
"OK!" Kellie walked back into the living room, and sat next to Zuko.
"Who's Paul?" Kellie looked up him, and grinned.
"If my dad says yes, then you'll find out soon enough." Zuko learned to fear when she grinned.
"Ok, bye." Her father's voice drifted out from the kitchen. Kellie bounded from the couch, and into the kitchen.
"Well?"
"We're going to Feathers." Kellie gave out a victory whoop, then asked what time.
"8 o 'clock." Kellie's eyes got wide, then she ran out of the room, grabbed Zuko, and led him upstairs.
"What's going on?" Kellie turned around,
"We're going rock climbing tomorrow, at 8 in the morning. So we go to bed now, and there's just a chance that we'll be awake when Paul gets here. Even if we wake up just as he rings the doorbell." Kellie shoved Zuko into her brother's room.
"Good night." Was all Kellie said before she disappeared. Zuko took off his shirt, flung it to the side, and climbed into the bed up under the windows. Soon, he fell fast asleep.
"WAKE UP! WAKE UP! WAKE UP YOU LAZY, NO GOOD FOR NOTHING BUM!" Kellie yelled as she shook Zuko with all her might to wake him up. He groggily opened his eyes to her vigorous shaking.
"Do you mind? I'm sleeping." Was all he said. Kellie shook her head.
"Actually, yes. I do mind. Cause Paul's already here, and you're going to make us late! Now get up, you lazy bum!" Kellie yanked off the sheets, but when Zuko didn't get off the bed, Kellie yanked the pillow from under Zuko's head. His head fell to the mattress, and he finally cooperated.
"Alright. I'm up. Happy now?" Kellie folded her arms.
"No." She tossed Zuko a pair of flip flops.
"Put those on. We don't have time for you to get fully dressed. So you're going to have to go like that." Kellie shuddered. Zuko would be going without a shirt. Just shorts and a pair of flip flops. Her hormones were something she didn't want going on a rampage.
Paul stood at the bottom of the stairs. His eyes got wide when he saw a young man come down with the girl he had known since she was a little child.
"Tutu!" Kellie flushed with embarrassment. Zuko made a mental note to remember that name.
"And who's this?" And Paul gave him a slap on the shoulder. Kellie made motions for him to stop it. Paul gave him a punch on the arm. Flames started to lick at Zuko's body.
"Zuko stop it!" Kellie grabbed his shoulder, turned him around, and gave him a slap on the cheek. Paul began to grin. It was about time for him to live up to the name Kellie had given him years ago: The Joker of Terror.
Zuko held a hand up to his stinging cheek. He remembered how hard Kellie had slapped him years ago. She was holding back.
"Sooo, is this guy your boyfriend?" Kellie whirled around.
"No." Was all she said. Zuko stood back, grinned, and shook his head. Paul nodded, winked, then looked back to Kellie.
"Uhuh. Sure he isn't." Kellie gritted her teeth in frustration.
"Dad? Can we go?" Kellie heard the jingle of carabineers.
"Yep."
Turns out, Dan(another of my dad's friends) and his kids were going too. So Paul and his family were going in their truck, Dan and his kids in their rig, which left Kellie, her father, and Zuko in her dad's puny car.
Kellie had to buckle Zuko in. (how humiliating.) And Kellie had to sit in the back. Zuko grasped the door handle and the arm rest with a white-knuckle grip. Kellie took notice.
"Zuko, calm down. My dad won't let us crash. He's been driving since he was our age, so he has plenty of experience." Zuko's grip loosened, but he wouldn't let go entirely. Kellie rolled her eyes.
When they got to the place, Zuko understood why it was called Feathers. All the basalt rocks were lined up as if they were the feathers on a bird's wing. Zuko turned out to be capable of getting out of the car on his own, so Kellie got out after him. Kellie hoisted her pack onto her back, and started to walk up where the rest of their party was. Zuko followed.
Dan and his kids eyes all got wide as they saw the young man with the scar on his left eye walk up after Kellie.
A nine year old boy ran up to Kellie and started to say random things.
"Hi Jason." Kellie grasped Zuko's arm and pointed to each person in turn.
"Zuko, this is Dan," she pointed to a man with a beard, and glasses.
"His daughters, and son. Hey! Where's Erin?" Dan looked up,
"Sick."
"Anyways," Kellie whispered into Zuko's ear.
"I don't know their names. So I'm just going to introduce you to everyone else."
"That's Shelly," she pointed to a short woman with short, black hair.
"Paul." She pointed to the man who had been in her house 45 minutes ago.
"Jason." Kellie nodded to the nine year old who had ran up to her.
"And A.J. But you can call him Austin." And Kellie snickered. She pointed to a tanned skin boy with brown hair. A.J. looked up.
"Hey!" Was all he said.
"A.J. why do you act like James? You're giving me a headache!" Zuko wanted to know who James was, but he had a feeling he would figure out who that was eventually. Kellie's dad walked up to join the group.
"Well, we're all ready. Which one are we doing first?" Dan asked. They all decided on an easy route.
Jason climbed first, then Dan's kids, then AJ. Then Kellie. Next to AJ, Kellie had been the fastest one to climb it. Then, it was Zuko's turn.
Kellie had to help Zuko get the harness on, as if he were a five-year-old. Then she had to help him lace up the rock shoes. THEN she had to help him tie the knots in the rope so he didn't fall. (talk about humiliation!) Finally, Zuko started to climb. Everyone thought that it would be easy for Zuko to climb, with his muscular body, but Kellie knew the truth. It would be pure torture, all for Kellie's enjoyment.
Kellie had suggested Paul be Zuko's blayer, (the person who holds the other while they climb) only because he was the one you didn't want. Paul was the person who didn't let you come down until you finish the route. And about half-way up, Zuko wanted to come down.
"No! You pansy! Come on!" Paul yelled. Kellie started to snicker. She looked up to see Zuko panicking. She decided to have her own fun.
"Aw, what's da madder? Is da big, bad, Zuko afwaid of heights?" The rock started to glow with Zuko's anger. It was taking every ounce of Kellie's being not to burst with hysterical laughter. Eventually, Zuko came down. He looked pretty shook up. Kellie couldn't conceal her laughter anymore. She laid down in the dirt, and started to laugh. She rolled, hugging her middle. Kellie's face started to turn blue, she wasn't breathing, she was laughing so hard. Tears streaked her face, Kellie knew she was making a scene, but she didn't care.
She didn't care, that is, until she felt hands on her arms, holding her in place. Kellie opened her eyes, to see an angry Zuko right in her face.
"It's not funny." Zuko hissed. Kellie grinned.
"You're right, it's not funny." Zuko grinned.
"It's HILARIOUS!" Zuko got up, then yanked Kellie off the ground, and led her down to the parking lot below. Everyone else watched.
"They're such a nice couple," Shelly said, finally breaking the silence.
Zuko let Kellie go, but continued walking. Kellie stood in place, her face showing fear. Zuko finally stopped, then turned around. He took a fighting stance. Then sent a wave of fire at Kellie. She dodged, and had to keep dodging. There was no large mass of water for miles, so she couldn't defend herself. Then, Zuko sent a huge ball of fire at Kellie.
If I dodge this, there will be a fire.
Suddenly, Kellie repelled Zuko's attack with her own fireball. The two disinigrated on contact.
Zuko stood there, gaping at Kellie.
She couldn't fire bend before.
Words were echoing in Kellie's head. From when Kellie had said goodbye to Kierra.
Goodbye, Kellie. Daughter of Fire and Water. You hold the life of both Elements in your eyes, and being.
Kellie smiled. Now Zuko would have to be careful.
There was a new firebender on the block.
Like it? After this chapter, things get interesting.
Zukoscute2