Chapter 4
"Did you hear the news!!" Meng tripped as she ran over to Katara and Sokka, who had just arrived to the school gates. Katara helped her up as she showed her the poster. "Dance Party. Held this friday in honor of the four nations. Dress up as your true origin. Be there at 7:00." She read aloud. "Where at?" Katara asked, curious. Meng answered with a smile. "At the town's gathering near the park. It's that place that has the giant room where other town gathering's are, but this is only for scool kids. They'll have a seperate room for certain aged kids." Katara looked over the paper. 'This is perfect. I have a great dress for it, and maybe Jet will finally ask me out!' "Oh, hey. Have you seen Aang yet?" Meng shook her head. "By the way, Sokka, Suki was looking for you. She seems to be in a real good mood!" Sokka shrugged and gave her a pleaseing smile. "Why wouldn't she be in a good mood when she's looking for me?" He laughed and Katara smirked. "Yeah? Well don't ruin it." He frowned and walked away, grumbling something about sisters and drowning. Meng ran off with the poster to yell in other peoples' ears. Katara shook her head and walked down the path against the gates. Her gaze turned to a white and black petal floating by her. "Come back here, petal! I have to give you to Ka- HI KATARA!" Aang stopped in front of her and hid his hand behind his normal yellow and red jacket. "Hey, Aang. Whatcha got there?" She pointed to his arm. "Oh, nothing. Just.. uhh... Look Katara! A distraction!" He pointed his hand to the sky and as she quickly turned her head, he stuffed a flower in his pocket. She turned back around and gave him a weird look. "Aang, are you o-" "Let's go, Katara. Class'll start soon." He swung around and walked toward the school. She shrugged and trailed behind him. As they entered, people looked at them with wide, curious eyes. "Katara? What's going on?" She looked around, watching as people whispered to each other. As they walked past a group of people, she over heard their whispering. " I bet it's the new kid..." "...Heard he knocked off a couple of his old teachers..." "...Jet's supposed to be in a gang..." "Yeah, real bad ass, if you know what I mean..." "Zuko seems obvious too..." "Did you see the scar on his face?" They walked through the school doors, into the main hall. Zuko, who had an angry look on his face, stomped through the doors and hit Katara's shoulder while passing her. Her books fell from her hands and onto the floor. "Watch it!" He yelled as he glared back at her and kept his pace. She was about to object before seeing the anger and frustration in his eyes. 'He must've figured out that rumors are saying that he is hosting that party. He couldn't be, though. I mean, it's Zuko!' Aang knelt down and stacked the books in his arms. He stood back up and gestured for her to keep walking. "Thanks, Aang." She put her hand out for them and he ignored it, keeping the books to his chest. "Aang, you don't have to carry them." "I know." He replied. They reached her locker and he neatly put them inside after she opened it."Thanks." she said. He nodded.
The bell rang and the hall began filling up with students. Aang and Katara were talking and laughing quietly, ignoring the gossip floating around. "So, Aang. What was up with that flower petal? Why were you chasing it?"she asked curiously. Aang looked down. He opened his mouth with hesitation and closed it again. 'Come on Aang, you can do this. Just tell her and then give the flower to her. It took you a while to grow just. For. Her. Do it!' He looked at her with some form of confidance. "Katara." He reached his hand in his pocket and grasped the tender stem. 'She's going to know. Give her the Panda Lily and tell her. You can do this. Now, do it now!' A hand grabbed for Katara's shoulder just as he pulled the stem from his pocket. Her back was to Aang as he pulled a beautiful black and white flower in front of him. "Hey, Katara." Aang looked up with surprise as he saw a guy with his hand's on her shoulder facing to him, away from Aang. "Hey, Jet." She said happily. "So, wanna go to this dance with me?" Jet asked. Aang's head drooped to the ground. All his confidance shot. "Really? Sure, I'd love to." She smiled at him. 'Omigosh! Jet asked me to the dance! Yay!' She thought. Jet peered over her shoulder to a boy stuffing a flower in his pocket. When he looked up, they shot daggers at each other. "Good. I'll pick you up at six in two days." He walked past Katara who seemed to be on cloud-nine. Under his breath, Aang could just barely make out a whisper. "I better not be seeing you there." Aang gave Jet a wide grin. " Oh, you'll be seeing me there. You'll be seeing alot more of me." he said just as quietly, Katara blissfully unaware of the exchange going on between the boys.
She turned back to him with a smile plastered on her face. "Yay! Aang, can you believe it!?" She asked happily. 'Damn it all! Why!? I grow a rare flower and when I finally find the right person to give it to, I can't give it to her cause some prettyboy jerk got to her first!' "Yea, Katara, that's great." he said, trying not to sound jealous, which was a big effort. She shook her head, unable to rid herself of her smile. "So, that was Jet. He has been my crush for a few months now. I really want to go out with him." Her voice became more high-pitched as she talked. She was trying to contain her excitement. " I think he's going to ask me out at the dance." Aang smiled to himself. 'Not if I do it first.'