There was buzz about the school. Everywhere anyone went there was talk on the holiday dance coming up. Couples talked excitedly and singles spoke of it as fun. The school's holiday dance was prominent for being the best dance of the year. It was a dance filled with good drinks and food and special music. Plus the school staff dresses up as Christmas characters which brought a smile to everyone's face. All around the school there were red and green flyers up. The dance was in two days now, on the seventeenth.

Zuko didn't care much for the dance. Why should he? It was just another stupid school function to him. And there was no way he could ever find a date to those things, thanks to his scar. So he just stood around and put up with the talk. Aang asked Katara to go with him, which was no surprise. Zuko knew that Aang liked Katara, it was simply obvious. Sokka asked Suki and she agreed to go with him. Zuko didn't want to admit it, but he was feeling rather left out. His friends had dates, but he didn't. Katara said that he should go anyway and hope to find one, but he declined. Even Zula was going with her boyfriend. And there wasn't a doubt that Celeste was going with Rue. So Zuko decided to sit out and try to forget about it.

"Man, I can't wait to go to the dance with Suki." Sokka said while at his locker. Zuko just slammed his locker and leaned against it with his arms crossed. "What's your problem?"

"Dances are a waste of time." Zuko replied. He was in a sour mood, again.

"You only think that way because you don't have a date." Sokka said and Zuko glared at him with an eyebrow twitching. Sokka knew to be quiet.

"I don't even care." Zuko growled. Sokka changed the subject.

"So, what're you getting people for Christmas?"

"Hah! Nothing at all, if anyone in my family thinks that I am wasting my money on them, then they are sadly mistaken."

"You're always in such a sour mood near Christmas time. Why don't you just tell us what's up?" Sokka asked and Zuko turned away.

"It's nothing." He said. Katara walked up with Aang and they began to talk to Sokka.

Zuko was angry. He couldn't tell Sokka or the others what was wrong. They'd laugh at him. They just wouldn't understand. Nobody knew what it was like. So he kept it to himself, as one of his secrets. He had a just reason to be so disgruntle around the holidays, and he didn't care if it bothered people. But deep down the issue just ate away at him. His thoughts were taken from him as Celeste and Zula walked up to him.

"Hi Zuko." Celeste said.

"Feeling better?" Zuko asked her.

"Huh?"

"Last night after the competition, you weren't feeling well, remember?"

"Oh…yeah. I'm feeling better now. Thank you." She replied with a smile. But Zuko could tell the smile was fake. And he knew something was going on. Maybe he wasn't the only one with a secret.

"Here's a CD of Celeste singing." Zula said and handed it to Zuko. He took it and looked at it through the clear case.

"Where'd you get it?"

"My uncle used to own a studio. We had to hit and bump a few things to get them to work but we did." Celeste explained.

"Make copies of them. We're going to sell them at the dance for five dollars."

"Yes, your majesty." Zuko said sarcastically. Zula just walked away.

"You coming Celeste?" Zula asked. She turned and looked at Zula.

"I'm just going to stay and chat a bit. You go ahead, I'll catch up." Celeste responded and Zula walked away. She turned back to Zuko who wasn't looking at her and had an aggravated look on his face. "Everything okay?" she asked.

"Peachy, just peachy."

"I can tell you don't mean that. Talk to me."

"I'm fine, really." He said as he turned to look at her. Celeste was quiet.

"Gosh, Celeste, you're really skinny." Katara spoke up. "You're nothing but skin and bones." Celeste blushed. "You should eat more." Celeste opened her mouth to say something, but closed it again. She turned back to Zuko.

"Anyway, Zuko, I'm going to the dance."

"With Rue?"

"Yes, but I still hope to see you there. It'll be fun. Maybe you could meet Rue." Truth was that Zuko didn't want to meet Rue, but he did want to tear him limb from limb. The lucky bastard.

"Sure." He said.

"Great, I'll see you there." And she walked away.

Katara spoke up, "You think I hurt her feelings?"

"She does look really skinny, doesn't she?" Aang asked.

"Yeah, and not like in shape skinny, almost…sickly skinny." Sokka commented. Zuko just looked at them. "Don't you think Zuko?"

"She's a little thin." Zuko answered.

"Maybe she should eat more." Aang offered.

"You think she's okay?" Sokka asked. Zuko shrugged.

"I'm sure she's fine." He retorted.

Later, Zuko was in lunch when his friend Bucky walked up to them. Bucky was a funny character with a real sense of humor and nice car! He drove a black Dodge Viper with flames on the sides and had spinning hubcaps. That and his sense of humor is what made Bucky a cool kid. Zuko thought this guy was cool and a good friend, they had both been racing for a little of a year. Bucky might have had a cooler car, but Zuko was a better driver.

"Hey Zuko. What's crackin'?" and Zuko and him did a little hand shake.

"What's up Bucky? I haven't seen you since the last race." Zuko said.

"Ah, I've been busy spending my money. So, what have you been up to? I heard you were promoting my cousin, Celeste." Bucky said. Zuko looked at him shocked.

"You never told me Celeste was your cousin." Zuko pointed out. He would have appreciated it if he had told him sooner.

"You never asked. If I had known you were interested in Celeste I would have introduced you two."

"I'm not interested." Zuko lied.

"I didn't mean like that, man." Bucky laughed. "But since when do your promote people?"

"Since I get a share in the earnings. I earned 25 percent of the $500 they won. And when Celeste wins the State Jingle Jam, I'll get 25 percent of that."

"Yeah, your sister is her manager, isn't she? Zula?"

"So they say."

"My cousin's a good singer, huh?"

"Yeah, she's fantastic. She'll win no doubt."

"The relatives gush over her on the holidays." And then there was a pause.

"So what's the deal, Bucky?" Zuko asked, "You must have come to see me for something."

"Yeah, there's a race coming up. Cozen is holding it. They want Cozen, me and you to race in it. You interested?" Bucky explained.

"I always am. When is it?"

"Christmas Eve night, at the old country road. The winner gets only $700 this time though. But it's still fun. You in?"

Zuko thought for a minute. Seven hundred dollars? That's who much the Prodigy was! If raced and came in first place he would earn it easily and could use the money from Celeste's singing for games. It was perfect. All he needed to do was race, something he loved to do.

"I'm in." he said.

"Cool." And he did the hand shake with Zuko again. And then Bucky walked off. Katara, Sokka and Aang stared at Zuko.

"I can't believe you're going to race the night of Celeste's competition." Katara said.

"Relax, I'll race and then I'll have enough time to go and see her sing. I'll just drive fast."