Author's note: HOLY CRAP!! We're already at the dance? omg i wasn't expecting this! i need to stop being so darn busy! darn it!! this is one of my favorite chapters...but i actually had a dream about this chapter before i wrote it. I was so excited i actually was dreaming about writing this chapter. but anyway Akito is the essence of Azula so if you guys were wondering where i got that from. I absolutely loved writing this chapter that it just gushed out of me. and if anyone can guess where i got the name of this chapter I'll give you 15,000 points! so anyway on to the first of my many favorite chapters!
Chapter IX: Dance of deadly flames.
The day of the dance, I still hadn't seen Jiro since the night he told me he asked Akito to the dance. I wanted to run to his house every second of the day and beg him to talk to me. But instead I had on my sparkly red dress that had a v-neck and spaghetti straps. I still had my mother's necklace with Jiro's charm on my neck and my bangs were tied back into a bun and the rest of my hair flew freely. My father even poked his head out of his bedroom to wish me luck. I wasn't excited about the dance at all but everyone else was thrilled. Toph and Sokka linked arms and were talking excitedly. Aang and Katara were beautiful together and they didn't take their eyes off each other. I walked alone behind the group as we went to school. Aizaku wasn't at school when i arrived so I just waited casually beside the steps.
"See you inside!" Toph called cheerily as I waved them in.
As they went inside, I saw Jiro and Akito. I wanted to run to him. I wanted to run away. I also wanted to punch Akito. Let me tell you, I was really confused. So I settled for glaring at them as they walked towards me.
"Hey Tara." Jiro mumbled to me. He stopped in front of me while Akito was waiting impatiently on his arm.
"Hi." I said icily back.
"Who're you waiting for?" he asked looking around. Akito sighed loudly.
"My date." I said coolly. "Ah! There he is!" I said as I spotted him walking towards us, thank god.
"Where?" Akito said as she tried to see past Aizaku. "I only see Aizaku."
"Hey beautiful!" Aizaku said waving to me. He ran up to us and put a flower bracelet on my wrist.
"Let's go!" He said linking my arm through his and we walked past Jiro and Akito's identically shocked faces.
We walked in the dimly lit gym. The music was beautiful (insert music from "The Headband" here). There were tables with food and fountains on it. And I already saw Aang and Katara dancing, spinning really, to a fast song. Toph and Sokka were at the food table laughing at something. Master Hisa took mine, Jiro, Akito and Aizaku's name down and ushered us inside.
"Wanna dance?" Aizaku asked slyly.
"Sure." I didn't want to ruin Aizaku's night along with mine.
Aizaku led me out to the dance floor and twirled me along with the rest of the girls. I was watching Jiro and Aizaku was watching other girls. When the song ended, I didn't want to dance anymore. All I wanted to do was watch Jiro. Maybe I could talk to him if I caught him at the right time.
"Um, Aizaku? I don't really want to dance right now…" I yelled over the music.
"Oh…is it ok if I dance with Mira?" A girl was giggling at us.
"Yeah, that's fine." I said while heading toward the snack table. I watched Jiro twirl Akito. He looks like he's having fun at least…I thought as I joined Toph and Sokka louging against the food table.
"Hey Tara!" Toph called.
"Hi Toph!" I yelled back.
"Katara was wondering if you'd want to come dance with us." She said.
"Sure, Toph!" I said smiling.
Instead of dancing with partners, everyone just free styled in a tight circle. I actually did have fun. But every time I saw Jiro with Akito, it felt like someone just kicked me in the stomach. After 5 fast songs, a slow song came on. Realizing I'd be ruining everyone's fun, I started to go.
"I'll just go back to the snack table…" I said to Katara.
"No, its ok-" she started to say.
"No really, I need something to drink." I said turning to go.
I really did need something to drink, but as the song wore on I found that I couldn't look at anyone but Jiro. I saw Akito whisper something in his ear and she flounced off. Jiro began to search for someone. I looked away in case he caught me watching. I watched Katara and Aang for awhile. They were looking into each other's eyes intensely. They didn't notice anyone around them and people had to get out of their way a few times. Toph and Sokka were really good dancers but Sokka kept making Toph laugh and she tripped a couple of times. I didn't even notice someone else was looking at me, until I felt a finger tap my shoulder. I turned around. It was Jiro. His eyes looked sad and even uncertain.
"May I have this dance?" His blue eyes were making my thoughts incoherent. I couldn't think. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't even remember why I was mad at him.
"Sure…" I said breathlessly.
I took his hand and he led me out to the dance floor. He put his hand on my hip and we were waltzing. I couldn't hear the music, although it must have been sweet. All I could hear was the beating of my heart. He twirled me once and I felt dizzy but then I was fine when Jiro was holding me again. Jiro broke the silence first.
"So where's Aizaku?" he asked bitterly.
"I think he was tired and wanted to rest for awhile…" I said still trying to make him jealous.
"Isn't that him right there?" he pointed our hands toward Aizaku dancing with Mira. Crap.
"Well, where's Akito?" I fired back.
He dipped me and brought his face quite close to mine.
"Who cares?" he whispered as he tried to kiss me, again.
I closed my eyes and…I was thrown backwards by something hot that hit my stomach. Akito stood over Jiro and looked downright murderous. Jiro stood up and placed himself between me and Akito.
"Aizaku?" Akito said, still staring me down.
Aizaku and some other huge boy hauled Jiro out of the way and Jiro was using all his strength to try to break free. Akito sent another fireball at my head and I ducked. Shoot! I can't fight back without waterbending! Akito seemed to somehow know this and was gloating.
"Why won't you fight back?" Akito mocked me. "You're so weak!" She laughed as she sent another fireball at my head. I bended it out of the way, like I saw Jiro do so many times before. Cackling, Akito used her forearm that was on fire, to knock me to the wall. "Ugh!" I groaned.
How did we get to the wall? I suddenly noticed that the music had stopped and I could see the rest of the people from the dance, watching us. Master Hisa was pushing to get around the throng of people. Jiro was yelling.
"Tara! Tara! Fight back Tara!" he was being held back by four guys now.
What could I do? I couldn't water bend. I didn't think I could fight back with the small amount of training that I had… But instead of pummeling my face, Akito thought that I need more torturing.
"Haha…I know you can't face me!" she whispered in my ear. "Isn't it tempting? To water bend here? But all your new friends would be so shocked. Not to mention the soldiers…" how did she know this? I felt suddenly afraid of her. How could she know my deepest secret?
"Jiro was angry at first, when I told him that I was going to tell." Now she was grinning evilly. "But then he told me he would do anything to protect you. It actually did work out well, hmmm?" She punched me in the face.
"I don't know why he would even care about a demon girl like you. You and your people are dangerous and so are you."
She raised her right hand to punch me again. But this time I caught it. She looked surprised. I was fuming. She blackmailed Jiro. She called the water tribe demons. My hate turned into fire. My hand that was crushing Akito's hand was slowly turning red and then finally a huge flame was blazing from my hand. Akito was whimpering in pain. I punched her in the face with my other hand which was burning too. She flew back a couple of feet. I didn't hesitate like she did though. I was shooting flames furiously. One after another I shot at her. I also found that I could do it with one hand, like water bending. Finally I couldn't take the stiff stance I had to have with fire bending so I started smoothly, fluidly bending the fire, like my water bending. The fire was like a whip and I started wrapping the fire around Akito, she stared at me in shock. Then she started screaming and whimpering from the burns. I stopped, it felt strange. I felt like I had to actually tell myself to stop. I had to fight the instinct that screamed for me to keep hitting her. I hated it. It was uncontrollable and satisfying at the same time. I cooled my hand and took a step back. I had just beaten up the girl who was the top bending student in the entire village.
Finally Master Hisa and the three fire nation soldiers burst through the crowd. One soldier broke up the struggle between Jiro and the four students. Jiro immediately ran over to me and held me close. One soldier tried to help Akito up and failed because she was screaming hysterically. He rounded on Master Hisa like it was her fault.
"What," said the soldier who had once threatened me, "do you teach these students?"
"I haven't even taught Tara anything yet." Master Hisa murmured while trying to help Akito up.
Everyone was being rushed out the gym door. I saw Aang, Katara, Sokka and Toph looking surprised. I faintly heard Toph whisper to Katara.
"I told you so."
I broke away from Jiro and melted into the crowd. No one stopped me. When I got outside, I ran to the forest. With tears in my eyes and my high heeled shoes in my hand, I ran to sanctuary.