First of all I want to say a big thank you to everyone who spent their valuable time reading the first chapter of this story. I want to give a very big thanks to those who favorited and followed the first chapter, you have no idea how I almost didn't make it to my class after seeing that people actually read my (I'm sure fairly terrible) story so again thank you all for that. I want to apologize for not getting another chapter up yet, and apologize once more that it won't be updated this week either, my semester is drawing to an end this coming week so I'm in a fever pitch to get everything done for my classes. I wanted to let you all know that I haven't forgotten or given up on writing this thing and I have plenty of stuff written down in a notebook so once my vacation starts these should roll out pretty that I want to end with, feel free to leave a comment no matter what it's about ,criticisms, suggestions, where or how you think the story is going and of course praise if I could be so lucky, I want to hear it all. Anyway enough gushing, have a beautiful day and may peace be with you.
Korra pedaled her bike as quickly as she could through the busy evening traffic, weaving between cars and gliding through intersections with forced bravado, narrowly missing being struck by a car. She barely heard the driver cursing her through his open window as her bikes tires screeched around a corner into the next alleyway. She could see Opal's apartment across the street at the end of the alley and could make out Bolin and Opal sitting on what looked like mattresses. Korra pedaled harder and burst forth from the alley, flying across the street causing a few cars to swerve out of the way. Just before she was about to hop up onto the curve in front of Bolin and Opal when a trucks bumper hit her back tire sending her flying sideways onto Bolin, Opal and the mattresses.
Korra quickly recovered and jumped back too her feet and was helping Opal up when she heard the person from the truck yell out the window some sort of slur as they sped off. Korra responded by raising her middle fingers into the air and waving them around sporadically.
"Yeah fuck you too asshole!"
Uuuh Korra? Bolin interrupted pointing to Korra's now mangled bike.
"Uuuuugh why me? Why now? Classes start in a few days." Korra groaned between her hands as she sat down on the mattresses.
Korra fastened her bike lock around her bike's frame and to the railing leading up the stairs too Opal's apartment. Stepping back she took another look at her bike, the spokes of the back tire were completely caved in and the frame around it warped to the left. "the fuck…who would want too steal it now" Korra muttered to herself while taking her helmet off.
"Don't worry we'll figure something out to help you get too class." Opal offered
"Well let's get this bed up to your sister's room." said Bolin as he squatted down to grab the first mattress.
"I got you Bo" quipped Korra as she quickly grabbed and hoisted the other side up to her chest.
Korra and Bolin managed too heave all the components of the bed up to Opal's apartment and into her sisters soon to be bedroom. "Thanks a lot for coming over and helping get this done Korra, no one likes too help someone else move, not even best friends" Opal Laughed while walking towards the table in the eat in kitchen.
"Don't even worry about it, I had to get myself out of the apartment like you guys have been trying to get me to for weeks. And besides I have too put these muscles to good use somehow" Korra exclaimed while grunting and flexing in multiple poses.
"Right we wouldn't want those to just be for show would we since you don't actually do a martial art anymore." Goaded Opal, As Korra plopped down onto couch. The quip registered with Korra right as she hit the cushion of the couch. She felt her eyes start to well up but quickly blinked away any would be tears from forming, earning herself a a look from Opal that showed she knew she'd accidentally struck a nerve.
"Alright ladies I gotta get going now, I told Mako and Asamiii…" Bolin trailed off after catching Opal's annoyed eyebrow-arching death glare, "That I could not hang out with them because I have to sleep like a responsible adult."
"It's fine Bo you don't have to do that just to try and save my feelings, Asami is yours and Mako's friend you can go hang out and have fun without worrying about me" Korra stated while not quite making eye contact with Bolin.
"Are you guys sure I don't want too leave you both here hanging?" Bolin asked while scratching the back of his head and looking at his feet.
"Yeah Bo go have fun Opal and I were going too chill here for a bit anyway before we head off towards the airport anyway." Bolin gave a halfhearted smile and wished the two women goodnight before heading out. A moment later the door flew open again and bolin ran into the kitchen and kissed Opal.
"Sorry forgot your goodnight kiss babe" Bolin said while wiggling his eyebrows.
"Go on get out of here nerd" Opal laughed while pushing him towards the door.
With that Bolin was gone and the girls settled onto the couch with the television on in the background to help avoid any uncomfortable silence.
"You know you need too talk about it" Opal said breaking the silence.
"No I don't"
"Yes you do, I can see the cracks forming in your impenetrable armor, maybe see a little light shinning through the fissures of your stoic façade".
"think you're so smart with your metaphors and shit Opal".
"That's because I am, and if you won't talk about it for yourself do it for Bolin, its been rough on him having too be careful about splitting his time between you two and not offending anyone, it's been rough on all of us actually, yourself more than anyone..."
"I get that Opal I really do, it's just so painful. I thought we were all we'd ever need, that as long as we were together everything else didn't matter, turns out I was wrong, I was the only one who felt that way.."
"Korra you know that's not true-"
"Yes it is!" Korra yelled, Tears streamed down thin trails from her eyes her voice choked up. "Now all anyone wants is for me to not be broken up about it, I'm sorry and you can tell everyone that I am but it's not going too happen not anytime soon. You're right, there are cracks in my armor and any day now I'll probably just fall apart…. I can't just bounce back from this.. I can't pretend nothing happened."
"No one is asking you to do that Korra" Opal soothed putting her hand on Korra's back as she cried into her hands, "in fact it's the opposite we all just want too help you heal, even Asami. You just have to let us in that's all, I mean it's been three weeks and I think I've maybe seen you two hours total in that time. This might be selfish of us but we all miss you and want too see you happy girl."
Opal was rubbing small circles into Korra's back for a few minutes when her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled the phone out and read the new text message.
Kuv: on the tarmac terminal exit eta: 30 minutes
"Oh shit, Korra I have to go pick up my sister from the airport, you can stay here if you don't feel up-" Korra stood up wiping the remaining tears from her eyes and smiled.
"I told you I would go with you earlier today and that's what I'm going to do, you're right about me but right now lets get your sister"
"That's right Korra, cover those cracks you won't let anyone know how broken you are for long will you" Opal thought to herself. "Alright lets get going"
