New chapter now. Sorry for the big gap between this and the last chapter. This week has been so busy and I just kind of feel like curling up in a corner and sleeping. It's a short chapter, but I figured it was better than nothing, so enjoy!

Thank you to my beta, secret love writer!

Sakarya took in a deep breath. She stood off to the side of the stage along with the other eight com-benders, unseen by the audience. They were on the platform in their school's auditorium, which could easily hold all students and then some. The principal was addressing the rowdy students. None of them knew what the assembly had been called for, but Sakarya had seen this coming for weeks.

In two days, Republic City High School would enter the Com-Bending Competitions, starting at Lower Level 1. It had been a month since Sakarya had learned of her possible Avatar connection, and she was going to a private bending studio and trained with Rohan every day after practice. It was weighing down on her, getting only Saturdays off at this point. As it was Thursday, she wouldn't get this coming Saturday off either due to the very first competition.

The firebender felt someone nudge her left side, and she looked up to see Eroh giving her a small smile. He was dressed in his red bending suit, just like everyone else was in their appropriate bending suit. She smiled back, an odd tight feeling in her stomach. She ignored it and looked back at the principle. She could worry about anything that was different than normal later on. She, Eroh, and Ezuka had become very close after the temple incident, and they even knew about her Avatar dilemma, unlike her best friend Amara. Sakarya was restrained by the police of Republic City, the only reason Sakarya could tell those two and no one else was because they said so. They were her teammates, they could be trusted; no one else could know.

Sakarya focused on the man talking on stage, clearing her mind out now because her anxiousness was making her thoughts reer off track.

"We now have our own official com-bending team. It consists of our nine best benders here at this school and they will represent us proudly. They have been in training for weeks at this point, and are participating in this weekend's event. Please welcome your water com-bending team!" The three went on to the stage. The principal stated their names, before calling the earthbenders out, calling their names out as well. When each team came out, a thunderous applause erupted from the students. Though the com-bending games were intimidating, every teenager was likely to be obsessed over them. It was their sport, after all. Only the highest of the highest levels contained adults.

Now it was time for the firebenders to go out. The principal called them out, and Ezuka lead them proudly, then Eroh, and with a deep breath, Sakarya followed. They turned facing the crowd, shoulder to shoulder. Their stance was rigid but easy, their two fists placed without pressure against each other in the formal stance of the com-benders.

The crowd went insane. Sakarya fought the urge to flinch at the sound level. People were standing and applauding, for some reason more excited for the firebenders than the other two teams. It made Sakarya feel pride in herself and her two friends. The principal could barely announce their names because of the noise. The girl felt a smile come to her face. This was probably the nicest part about being a com-bender.

You're adored.

That day after school, the training of the three teams would be public and open to the students to watch. The bleachers of the small gym filled, and the doorways had students in them as well.

The benders tried to ignore them to the best of their abilities. Their classmates cheering them on boosted some, but made others nervous. Sakarya was doing her best to block them out as she and her teammates were in a mock-fight against the earthbenders. They had already gotten two down, and that meant Eroh and Ezuka were busy keeping them down. The final bender was left to Sakarya to take care of.

It had been a few minutes now, and she was starting to lose her drive. She tried swiping flames across him, sending fireballs aimed straight for him, but he always seemed a step ahead. They had gotten to this point against each other before, and it was fifty-fifty on how many times either of them had won. His stone disks had been grazing her for the past few hits, and they started hurting.

Sakarya noticed something in the bleachers behind the earthbender and saw something she would never have expected. Rohan was watching her with intense curiosity, his airbending tattoos uncovered for all to see. A few students were gawking at him, but most were watching the fight or the waterbenders practicing. He gave her a nod and Sakarya smiled, feeling more than ready.

She ran at the earthbender, and he attempted to fly disks into her torso but she sidestepped the three he had aimed well. Only a few steps from him did she come to a halt, stomping harshly on the ground and lifting her arms and pushing them out. A wall of fire as big as the other bender appeared and collided into him, sending him flying backwards. He landed harshly, he didn't try to get on his feet and gave a thumbs up instead, Sakarya gave a silent laugh. It was the first time she had tried that move and she was excited to see it work so well.

The students had loudly screamed in glee after the move, but Rohan did not join in. In fact, when Sakarya caught his gray eyes, it seemed as though he was a bit shocked. She would need to talk to him later, but right now she was being enveloped in a big, sweaty hug.

"That was awesome Sakarya!" Eroh exclaimed, loosening his grip now and taking a step back. "Where'd you learn to do that?!" He asked, excited as he could get and oblivious to the approaching airbender behind him. Sakarya smiled and rolled her eyes. Once he got over his gloomy phase, Eroh wasn't all that bad, but he still didn't know sign language.

Rohan stopped next to the boy, who immediately took a step aside. "Practice is cancelled tonight. Rest, and we will talk tomorrow," He said, leaving the gym afterwards.

"Well that was weird," Ezuka said, coming up to join her teammates.

Eroh shrugged, his excitement worn down from the weird add in from the master. "Well we are talking about Rohan here. He doesn't make sense to me, but he does make sense."

"I think that's the most stupid thing to ever come out of your mouth," Ezuka replied without missing a beat.

"Oh shut up!" Eroh weakly defended himself.

Oh man, they don't stop with this do they? Sakarya thought. The more comfortable the two had gotten around the mute girl, the more like siblings they acted. Gone were the days of rational speaking, replaced with unintelligent insults and repetitive arguing. The three of them got along very well, but Eroh and Ezuka liked to fill the time with useless banter for fun.

Only an hour later was practice really over. Ezuka had taken to driving the team home, dropping Sakarya off before heading to her family's house. The hot air inside the car wasn't helped much by the windows being down. For this time of year it was a warm day.

"You ready for Saturday, Sakarya?" Eroh asked, looking back at her.

I am, but not really at the same time. Not sure what to expect, she typed into her phone before handing it to him.

He read it and replied with feeling the same way. That was how most of their conversations went. They either used notebook paper or their phones so Sakarya could add in on the conversation. Ever since her vision of Avatar Aang she'd been trying to speak, to no avail. The conversations were good though, and full of average teenage stupidity. It was something Sakarya had grown to look forward to at the end of the day.

The twenty minute ride was over too soon for the firebender, and she waved goodbye as she hopped out of their new car. After the old one being destroyed at the temple, they had received their mother's car because she had wanted a new one anyway. It was nice to have a ride, rather than the bus.

She looked at her house, dreading to go in. There was always a police officer present, just to make sure nothing was after Sakarya. She hated it, but she understood the reasons he was there. So when she went inside she said a short hello to him and headed into the kitchen, grabbing a small fruit. She headed upstairs, texting her dad she was home as she went.

Her plans included sleeping, and more sleeping. Because in less than forty-eight hours, she had her first com-bending tournament.

Review if you liked it! I'd really appreciate it! :)