Author's note: i apologize for not updating in like months. i've kinda been really busy and i know that's like the most cliched line ever but... anyway sad chapter and i hope i haven't lost all my readers this last couple of months. :)

Chapter VIII:

I stood there dumbly staring at the door that had shut the happiness away from my world.

He didn't ask me.

He didn't want me.

He didn't say no to her.

My thoughts were spiraling out of control. What happened to us? My thoughts sprung back to the first time he started frowning. Was that because of me? What did I do? Maybe he had never liked me and I just dreamed up the part about him almost kissing me at the pond. Maybe I was just deluding myself. Maybe he was just pretending to like me so I wouldn't get upset. Maybe…maybe…maybe…

I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I didn't see that I had slowly started walking back to my house. I felt numb. I didn't see my house until I had my hand on the door knob. When I got inside, Katara and Aang were talking to me at the same time and it all sounded like they were talking underwater. I couldn't understand them so I didn't answer them. I walked numbly past them and into my room. I shut the door and lay down on the couch. The blankets still had Jiro's musky, woodsy smell on them.

Jiro.

I mindlessly started fingering my necklace. The water tribe charm that Jiro had to probably give up his life savings for.

Jiro.

Finally I started crying. And I couldn't stop until I was exhausted and finally, I passed out.

The morning came and I couldn't bear to take the covers off my head and see the bright, sunny, happy morning. I didn't see why my heart didn't just burst. Katara came in and said that breakfast was ready. I mumbled that I didn't want any. And she left. Later, she came back and told me that Aang asked her to the dance. I told her I was happy for her and honestly tried my hardest to give her a nice warm smile. The kind of smile Jiro just flashed at me and I was instantly glowing.

"Tara…?" she was worried. "Tara? I accidentally used the last of the eggs. I was going to the grocery store and I was wondering if you'd like to come with me."

"Sure." I heard myself say. "Gimme a sec…"

Maybe I'd feel better after getting some air. I brushed my teeth and got dressed and untangled my hair and put it into a nice, respectable fire nation bun.

"Ready?" Katara asked as soon as I came out of my room. Everyone was sitting at the kitchen table. Aang flashed me a worried look. I ducked my head before I could give away any emotion.

"Yeah…" I mumbled the answer to Katara's question.

We walked outside and towards town. I looked to the direction of Jiro's house, hoping I would be able to see him. I looked down, realizing how silly it was to think this. I could see Katara eyeing me worriedly out of the corner of my eye.

"Did something happen last night?" she asked.

"No…" I murmured, "Nothing."

"So you're just moping for no reason?" she said trying to get a rise out of me.

"No…"

I was like my father. I wouldn't let anyone in and I wouldn't talk to the ones who cared about me.

"So what's the reason?" she softened her expression. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

Remembering what I told Jiro last night, I started crying. I couldn't take it. I couldn't handle it. I couldn't keep it in. Katara took Jiro's place by hugging me and letting me cry into her shoulder.

"Tara? What's wrong?" she said while hugging me.

"J-jiro…h-he asked s-someone else…" I said gasping.

"What?!" Katara seemed genuinely shocked at this.

"H-he didn't w-want me…" I stammered.

She let me cry for awhile into her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry…and I totally bragged to you this morning… I'm really sorry." Katara replied remorsefully.

"It's ok…I really am happy for you though." I sniffed. I was furiously trying to keep those stupid tears from rolling down my face.

"Well! You know what?" Katara said angrily. "That's his loss for not asking you! In fact I say you should ask someone else out to make him jealous!"

"What?! Does that really work?" I asked, appalled.

"Of course!" she said.

"But who'll ask me?" I asked glumly.

"I will." A boy's voice came from the other side of the street. He had curly blonde hair and brown eyes. I vaguely remembered his name to be Aizaku. He was one of the people who laughed at me when I came to school crying when my mother died. He was also, like Akito, a top firebending student and popular.

"Tara?" He said, crossing the street. "Will you go to the dance with me?"

I felt guilty using him like this but…

"Yes. I will." I said, trying to put a smile on my face.

"Great! I'll meet you outside the school at sundown." He said dismissively. He walked away and I saw how…unfeeling he was compared to Jiro.

"Who's Toph going with?" I asked trying to get the conversation away from me.

"Oh… she's going with Sokka." Katara said.

"Do you think….?" I was going to ask if Toph liked him.

"I really think she does…poor Toph. And all Sokka thinks about is his ex. Suki."

God this was turning out to be an interesting dance.