Author's note: now this is where it heats up! whoot! sry about that angsty email last week but it had to be done. So anyway this is more like a filler chapter but it's riddled with foreshadowing! hopefully some of you's can guess what the heck is going on w/ Jiro. i'll give a cookie to anyone who figures out where i got the name akito from! oh and i need ideas cuz i'm kinda stuck... anyone who's got a great idea for the gaang to do i'd be greatful if you submit it!

Chapter VI:

Jiro and I showed the group around town. It didn't last long since there wasn't much to show. But as we were heading toward the forest, a bunch of soldiers unfortunately spotted us.

"And where do you think you're going?" My blood chilled as I recognized the man who threatened us last night.

"Um…" was Jiro's smooth reply.

"Yeah! I didn't think so! All of you are going back to school right now!"

The soldier didn't remember anything from last night. So he grabbed me and Jiro by the arm and two other soldiers were handling the others. They dragged us all the way to school and dumped us into the classroom.

"There, Master Hisa. I caught these students skipping." The guard said trying to impress the teacher.

"Yes, yes Mr. Li. You can leave now, thank you." Master said shooing him out. "Well now! We've got new minds to mold. And all of you are?" She said looking at Aang and the rest.

"I'm Kuzon, ma'am." Aang said bowing just like a real fire nation student. I suspected him to have been tortured before.

"And the rest of you are?" She said leering at us.

Oh no…

"These are …uh Mai," he said pointing at Katara, "…Midori (Toph), and Kin (Sokka)." Katara and Sokka tried, unsuccessfully, to bow like Aang did. Toph didn't even bother to bow and this raised the teacher's eyebrows.

"Nice to meet all of you. Now take your seats before I give you all detention." She said roughly.

I sat next to Jiro in our usual desk towards the back, Aang and Katara sat next to each other in the front and Toph and Sokka took a desk next to ours.

"Has Aang been in a fire nation school before?" I whispered to Sokka.

"Yeah… What should we do?" he asked panicked.

"Just act cool and pray we don't have a test today." I whispered back as he nodded.

Jiro and I were playing tic tack toe on his homework when master Hisa slammed down two red flyers at our desks. Jiro groaned when he read it. Curious, I ignored Jiro as he started slamming his head on the desk. It said:

"The Fire Academy's annual boy's choice spring dance is scheduled for the 24th of May. All students are required to come and skippers will have extra homework and tests the next week. Formal wear is expected."

Puzzled, I looked at Jiro.

"Why is this so horrible?" I asked, confused.

"It's boy's choice! That means every girl in school will be hounding us." He said while wincing in pain.

I was smiling evilly as I replied, "I guess that means you'll just have to hurry up and ask someone."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Jiro gulp. I chuckled silently. This was just too perfect.

"Tara…?" He started.

"Yes?" I said turning to him expectantly.

"Um…" He said looking into my eyes. "Do you…?"

Just then Master Hisa was standing over us.

"Is there something you'd like to tell the class, Mr. Jiro?!" She was literally shaking with fury.

"N-no…ma'am." Jiro stammered.

"Then I suggest that we get back to actual learning. Don't you agree Ms. Tarania?" I winced as she used my full name.

"Yes ma'am."

She started lecturing from where she was so I couldn't talk to Jiro or daydream until she strode back to the front at the end of class. When the bell rang, Aang, Katara, Toph and Sokka all met up with us outside of the door. Sokka and Katara were now fighting.

"A required dance?!" Sokka said outraged. "Uh-uh! No! Out of the question!"

"But it might be fun! And we might…uh…learn something?" Katara said trying to convince him.

"No!" He said.

"Actually, they have your names down." Jiro said "And since it's a small town, they will hunt you down and probably find you."

"But this could go horribly wrong!" Sokka wailed.

"It's a dance, Sokka!" Toph said, appalling us all. "Not a trap!"

"Wait…" Aang said, confused. "Toph, you want to go?"

Looking at us like we just said something strange, little Toph said:

"Well yeah! We could have some fun for the first time in like….months!"

We all stared at her. Toph, the one who threw a bolder through my wall, just said she wanted to go to a dance.

"But…but we don't have the clothes!" Sokka stammered.

"My father has stuff for everyone." I said smiling.

"But…but…" He could see he was defeated.

"Fine, but no bending!" He said frowning.

"Yay!!" Everyone was dancing. Sokka was groaning while Jiro patted him on the back.

"It's boy's choice." Jiro reminded him.

Just then I saw the hoards of girls staring at Jiro… Back off hussies! He's mine! Suddenly, I heard a strange high pitched girly voice yelling over everyone.

"Jiiiirooooo! Come here! I want to talk to you!" It was Akito, the school's top fire bender. The rumor was that she had dated everyone in town, except Jiro. His face sinking, Jiro looked like he was about to pummel something.

"I better go see what she wants…" he said before stalking off. We stood there talking and waiting for him. They looked like they were arguing. I kept looking over at him to check to see if her face was bleeding yet every few seconds. Finally she threw her arms around him and he pulled them off. She wasn't crying or looking sad…my heart sunk just a little bit. When he came back, he looked calm enough. But I knew he was panicking.

"What'd she want?" Sokka asked.

"Um…nothing really." He said distantly. "Hey maybe we should go before it starts raining and Tara wants to bend the air."

I looked at him carefully and he smiled warmly at me. But he looked sick as he turned away, hiding his face from me.