Ten Years Later
The sun light had creeped in through my window - that I had forgotten to close at night - and it warmed the tips of my toes, urging me to wake up. It was nearly spring, around the same time I left the Fire Nation so many years ago. Today was the day I would finally be able to go home and see my family. Yesterday, on live television, a ceremony was held for me, asking me if I accept my responsibilities as the Avatar, and if I accept the consequence, etc. Of course I said I do. Everyone in the whole world saw. And what scared me the most was that maybe the people who want me dead might see where I am, and might come for me later and kill me. But that's not a very positive way of thinking.
"Avatar Meria?" Salt - who's real name is Eugene, but I decided to permanently name him that and he hates it - knocked on my door. "Are you awake?"
I sat up, stretching my arms high and murmuring, "Now I am."
"The jet is here for you whenever you're ready."
My heart leaped form inside my chest and I jumped from bed, throwing on a kimono robe and rushing to the bathroom. Quickly, I showered, got dressed, brushed my teeth and ate breakfast. Salt came in, and I looked at him. Age had hit him like a truck. He was now fifty three years old. "I didn't know you were in such a hurry to leave us." I stopped eating, and looked at Salt.
I got up, saying, "Aw, c'mon, Salt. You know I love all of you." I hugged them all. "I miss my family back home, and you guys have become part of my family, too. When I left the Fire Nation, I missed my family so much, and when I leave this place, I'll miss all you guys just as much."
He laughed. "It feels like it was just yesterday you mastered water. Gosh, you grew up so fast." Salt had become a widow twenty-seven years old, when his wife - who happens to be the Avatar before me - was assassinated. Even though I'm the reincarnation of her, Salt has viewed me as a daughter, since he was never able to have any of his own. As for Shortie - who's real name is Janiel - died of the flu five years ago. The Quiet One - who's real name is Oscar - moved to a different city to help his family. So it was just Salt and I, and of course some other monks I've grown fond to.
"I'm going to miss you so much," Salt said, hugging me tight.
"You could come over for dinner any time you'd like," I mentioned. "You're practically family."
The jet landed, and all through the ride, I held Salt's hand like a little girl holding her father's hand. Ten years of flying in this jet and for some reason it still makes me super anxious. All I could think about through the ride was my family, and Bruce. I hadn't received a letter from Bruce in four years. Even to this day I question why he dropped me like that. We were sending letters nonstop for six years, until one day, I stopped getting them. I wrote to him for months after that, but never got anything back. So, I stopped sending letters, and with each day that passed, I asked myself what I did wrong, or what could have happened to him.
"We're here," Salt said, snapping me out of my own consciousness. "You're home."
I swallowed a huge lump in my throat as I walked down the steps of the jet. Waiting for me, were people I barely recognized. But, I knew who they were. My brothers, Tai and Zai, now twenty years old, were handsome young men. Tai had shoulder-length hair, with a small, single braid just below his right ear. Zai had short hair, gelled upwards. It looked like a duck's tail. As for my little sister, Jules. She looked beautiful. She was now sixteen years old. She was now as tall as me. Her long, black hair reached just below her chest, and were in . . dreads? Hm, that's new. Red and gold-colored beads decorated her dreads and made her face light up even more than what it already was. All three of them ran to me and hugged me tighter than I could imagine. They've all gotten so strong. My parents had aged, as well. Dad had grown white hairs on his beard and head, and Mom's hair had gotten distinctively lighter. She had crow's feet around her eyes and Dad had smile wrinkles now.
"All of you are so old now," I said with a chuckle as my family hugged me. My brothers were trying to act tough, but even they shed a tear when they hugged me. Wow, how I missed them.
That night, we had dinner for the first time in ten years as a family. In ten years, my parents had rented an apartment, and soon enough, they bought a house. Now, they're working and they're no longer homeless. My siblings are much happier than what I remember ten years ago before I left. I was glad to see them happy. I invited Salt to dinner, and he gladly accepted. My family and Salt had a great time. I told them stories about my adventures through the Water Tribes and Air Temples, and how I learned how to fly a staff and so on. Jules and the twins wanted to know so much more, and I was determined to tell them every single detail of my ten year journey. Thankfully, all three of them are fire benders, so of course I was going to teach them how to fire bend the Avatar way.
In the morning, I left my parents house pretty darn early and walked around the city. It's been ten years since I stepped foot in the courtyard, or the park, or anywhere in the city. Somehow, I ended up at the home of the royal family. I felt my knees become weak but I refused to let them give out. I walked through the courtyard and looked to the balcony of the Fire Family's home. There, I saw a man stepping out from his room, wearing a black kimono. I recognized him immediately. It was Bruce. He looked so handsome. Then, a woman walked out wearing a dark red night gown, hugged him from behind and kissed him. I felt my heart shatter.
On my way back home, I felt someone tap my shoulder. I turned around. It was Jules. "You okay, Meria?" she asked. "I called your name but you didn't ans-"
"Bruce has a girlfriend?" I asked.
She looked at me expressionless for a moment. "He's been married for four years."
I didn't know what to do or say, so I just stood there, staring at Jules.
"I'm really sorry, M. We thought you already knew and I even went up there to ask him on his wedding day but he refused to speak to me and -"
"It doesn't matter. We weren't together anyways."
"You really cared about him, though."
"Of course I did. But he's a married man now. I knew something was wrong when he didn't write me any letters for so long, but I wouldn't have guessed it was because he was married. Wasn't there a public announcement of their wedding or anything? It didn't air on TV?"
"Prince Bruce wanted it to be a private wedding for his nation and his family only."
"So I wouldn't see it," I murmured.
"What?" Jules asked.
"Nothing," I spat with an attitude. "Sorry. I didn't mean to speak to you like that. I'm just a little upset. Please just give me a bit of time to let this sink in. I'll talk to you in a bit." Jules went the opposite direction as I did, and I headed home. I was physically and emotionally tired, and more than ready for a good night's rest. I opened the front door, and stepped on something. As I looked down, I realized what it was by the stamp on the far right. A golden envelope. The writing was something like a work of art, and the back of it had the Fire Nation emblem. It was from the royal family. I opened it up and read it. The royal family invited mine to a ball to celebrate Fire Lord Zi's birthday.
My insides churned and I wanted to crumple it up. I felt my hands heating up, threatening to catch on fire and burn the invitation. But before I could burn it, Mom came around the corner and snatched it from me.
"Oh, yay!" She said cheerfully. "Guess who's going to Fire Lord Zi's ball?"
I gritted my teeth as I hissed, "We are."
Please review!
