Chapter 13- The truth
The whole scene became quiet after Jinora asked Kai that question, as all eyes were on him, waiting for him to answer it. If a pin fell on the ground in that moment, there was no doubt that it would be heard from the distance. An intoxicated Ying now left the scene, happily in fact after all the damage she had caused. Jinora's eyes became wide in panic each second Kai lingered to avoid response. It felt like decades were going by for Jinora, due to the suspense and tension raising in the air. The burning heat inside her became to hard for her to control, seeing as the apparent information she just heard could actually be true. However Jinora didn't want to give into it before hearing the words from Kai himself. Kai had to confirm this, and only Kai alone. ''Jinora I..I'' ''Answer the question.'' Jinora said tiredly with a hint of sadness in her tone. The state of shock in her face was strongly evident, as Kai began to walk slowly forward towards her. Seeing this Ikki walked right in front of Kai with crossed arms and a menace look, ''Don't you dare take another step towards my sister.'' she spat, causing Skoochy to come into the scene. ''Ikki calm down.'' Skoochy said now putting his hands on her shoulders, which Ikki threw off furiously. ''Don't touch me! You lied to me, and used my sister as bait to date me.'' ''Look I'm sorry but I only did it because I really like you. I couldn't just sit by and not do anything, so I had to make your sister date someone, so I could date you.'' Skoochy pleaded.
As Ikki and Skoochy continued on, Jinora looked lost for words, as she now had a blank expression on her face. Her best friend Opal and her boyfriend Bolin now came to her aid, in some sort of protection from Kai. ''Ikki we didn't mean to hurt anyone didn't we Kai?'' Skoochy desperately asked, as Kai nodded sadly towards Jinora. He didn't know what to say or do at this moment, but all he could think about is Jinora. Knowing that Jinora was seeking the truth from him was terrifying, as he knew if he did finally answer her question any form of friendship or relationship they had would be thrown out of the window. And he knew the truth would hurt her so much, because he knew she had been hurt before, in terms of trusting others. And he never wanted her to feel that hurt again. It was like he was suck between a rock and a hard place right now. ''No one takes advantage of my sister Skoochy. I'm sorry but I never want to see you again.'' Ikki now was teary eyed, as she turned away from Skoochy, ''Jinora come on lets go, Opal can we take a ride back with you and Bolin?'' Ikki asked now walking away from Skoochy, ''Of course, Jinora lets go.'' Opal said now holding Jinora and gesturing for her to go, ''No,no. I…I have to hear the truth from him.'' Jinora cried fighting against Opal's grip, as she let herself free and specifically told no one to touch her.
Jinora's attention now shifted back to Kai, and the heat inside still kept crawling within her. The heat started to become unbearable but she couldn't give in yet. She already promised herself not to, even if all the evidence stood against Kai. Jinora still hadn't got her answer, and it was only that answer which could unleash the heat. Kai couldn't even look at her since the guilt was killing him so much, that his mind had gone dead from all the guilty trauma he caused from hurting Jinora. All Kai could do successfully at the very moment was breathe. ''Kai? Why wouldn't you answer me? What's going on?'' Jinora said breathlessly as her hands began to shake, ''Jinora..'' ''Is this true?'' Jinora cut in, ''Is it true what my sister said, about Skoochy and you doing a deal? Was you only dating me for Yuans?'' Jinora quickly rushed out in one sentence which struck Kai hard in the nerve. ''YES!'' Kai yelled out painfully not being able to hold it in anymore, ''Yes…I'm…I'm so sorry.'' he went on to whisper, as Jinora let out a loud gasp as she covered her mouth with her hands which were shaking madly. The heat now took over Jinora's body, as all she felt was anger, betrayal, and wrath. However even if the heat took over, somewhere inside of her still had warmful affection for Kai. He had come to know her and understand her as a person, and he was the first person she actually opened up to in a long while, even more than her new best friend Opal. But reliving the old wounds of her past was too strong for her to handle. All she wanted to do at that moment was hurt Kai, but hug him at the same time, making her at a mental debate with herself. But the hurt and heat inside of her was too strong for her to handle, that she forgot about everything she felt, and just right there and then just wanted revenge.
Despite how she felt on the inside, did not reflect how she acted on the outside. Jinora had a panic attack. She fell to the ground and curled herself up so no one could touch her. She began to breath heavily, and could barely respond to anything Ikki and Opal were saying. Kai quickly tried to rush to Jinora's aid but Opal and Bolin wouldn't let him. ''Please I need to talk to her. I need to explain everything.'' Kai whined sadly, ''This isn't the time to do so. My friend is not okay right now. I'm sorry but we need to take her home.'' Opal said firmly, ''I think it's best if you two just leave this alone, before anything else happens.'' Bolin said to backup his girlfriend, however Kai wasn't giving in. ''Jinora! Jinora listen to me.'' Kai yelled now being backed away by Bolin, as Ikki and Opal took Jinora towards Bolin's car, while Skoochy stood in shook and disbelief. ''I didn't mean to hurt you okay. Yes this was a bet, and I was in it for the money. But things changed. I changed.'' Kai struggled against Bolin, ''The more I got to know about you, made me change the way I felt about you. I learn't that your intelligent, that you have a tattoo, that you love to read, that your a pacifist and spiritual person, and that you don't stand or take crap from anyone including me.'' Kai went on as he voice fell thick and began to crack. Ikki opened the back door of the green car, and tried to put Jinora in with assistance of Opal but the two were failing miserably.
Although Jinora was panicking she didn't want to leave. The affection and care she had for Kai was still in her, and even if she was angry as hell she did want to hear him out. ''Jinora lets go'' Ikki said firmly, ''Stop, both of you. I'm okay…it's okay.'' Jinora said breathlessly now standing up straight, as the two slowly let go of their grip. Seeing how Jinora wanted to hear what he had to say, Kai forcefully pushed past Bolin, making Bolin tumble backwards giving Kai the chance to get close to Jinora. ''Jinora please hear me out.'' Kai said running towards her, while Jinora just shook there with a disappointed look on her face. Kai now reached Jinora who had Ikki and Opal behind her, ''Hey! We told you it's not safe for you to be around Jinora.'' Bolin yelled now getting up from the ground, ''It's fine Bolin, I'm okay.'' Jinora's said as her eyes shifted to Kai's ''Explain yourself then.'' Jinora grunted breathlessly due to the fact she was still recovering from her panic attack, ''Look I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt your feelings, I only intended to fulfil my part. But then we started to form a bond and we had a real genuine friendship, which started to form something more.'' Kai said truthfully, ''I'm sorry I never told you the truth, but I was to scared to. I knew how hard it is for you to open up and trust people. And I know how hurt you wear before in the past, so I didn't want you to feel that way again.'', ''So you choose to lie to me, and let the truth come out on it's own?'' Jinora said angrily while shaking her head in disbelief, ''No I…I just didn't know what to do.'' ''We both didn't want this to end this way.'' Skoochy butted in now standing next to Kai. ''I was the one who asked…no scratch that insisted for Kai to do this. He was reluctant but I forced him by saying I'll give him Yuans. So if you want to blame anyone…blame me.'' Skoochy said sadly as he looked to the ground. Kai tend touched his shoulder, and gave Skoochy a reassuring smile, ''No Skoochy we both are in fault. You didn't force me, I had a choice and I made it. If we go down, we go down together.'' Kai said to Skoochy with a small smile. ''Well I guess you both are going to need each other.'' Jinora flat out said with no emotion, which caught Kai's attention as he took a double take. ''What!?'' Kai said with an agape expression, ''I can't do this. I can't be hurt again. I'm sorry but I need to go.'' Jinora sobbed holding in the tears, as she turned around and began to walk towards Bolin's car, while Ikki and Opal followed behind. ''Jinora please don't do this. Don't take away what we have.'' Kai said now waving out his arms in disbelief of what was happening. His friend, the girl he had strong feelings for was about to throw all what they had away. ''You already took it away Kai.'' Jinora cried as she opened the car door, but Kai closed it from behind her .''JINORA LISTEN TO ME!'' Kai yelled in a fit of anger and sadness, which caught everybody else off guard. Jinora however still had the heat of anger burning inside her, and being unable to control it anymore made her do something stupid. Something that went against her sole pacifist beliefs as an individual.
Jinora turned around and without a blink of thought punched Kai straight in the face. Her fist connected straight into Kai's face which caused Kai face to turn the other way. This could be because of the impact and mostly the fact that the punch was unexpected. After doing so she took of the leather jacket he gave, and threw it on him. One thing was for sure was that the punch made Jinora feel ten times worse than before. She felt so bad for hurting the person whom she really cared about, but was disappointed that she had resulted to violence. ''Jinora calm down.'' Ikki yelled pulling her sister back, as all Jinora could do was look at Kai and the damage she had just caused. The punch may have been minor, but it caused some impact as Kai had a small bloody nose in his right nostril. Kai could see Jinora was saddened at what she did, and didn't even care to be honest. He believed he deserved more worst for how much pain he caused her. All he could do was look at her. Bolin now went towards his car, while Ikki and Opal forced Jinora to get inside. Bolin opened up the front door of the car and shifted into the front seat, as he put his car keys in and started up his car. Opal and Ikki were at Jinora's side, as Jinora was in the middle with her hands covering her face. Jinora began to sob as Ikki and Opal comforted her, as Kai saw the girl that he cared about drive off into the dark distance.
As the car drove Kai felt heart felt numb. Jinora hated him, and he hurt her badly and created all this mess. Now all he could do is pray that he could pick up the pieces.
''Jinora? Jinora honey what happened?'' a worried Pema asked as she opened the door, as Ikki and Opal brought a saddened Jinora into the house. Pema took her daughter in the living room, placed her onto the coach , and began to question the situation. ''Ikki, Opal please tell me what is going on with my baby?'' Pema cried out as she brought Jinora into a hug, ''It's Kai.'' Ikki whispered sadly, ''What? Isn't that her friend who asked her to this party?'' Pema questioned, ''Yeah.'' ''Did he do something.'' Pema continued on, ''Jinora found out that Kai was paid to go out with her, by his friend.'' Opal said slowly and reluctantly. Pema looked at the two girls in disbelief and then back at Jinora who was still sobbing. ''Oh honey. Everything will be okay'' Pema said sympathetically as she rubbed her daughters back, however Jinora moved away from her mother and stood up. ''Everything will be okay?'' Jinora almost laughed crazily as she wiped her tears, with her hands. ''How could you say everything will be okay? If you didn't persist on me forming bonds with people I wouldn't have got hurt mom.'' Jinora yelled angrily, which caused her mother to stand up. ''Honey I know your sad, but I was only trying to help.'' Pema reassured Jinora, but she wasn't in the mood to even listen to her mother. ''After losing your best friend in school, you became so closed up that we had to homeschool you. I didn't want you to be closed up forever so I was trying to help you.'' Pema went on and brought Jinora's shoulders towards her, so she could face her. ''Honey it's not healthy to be closed up.'', at that comment Jinora pushed her mothers hands of her shoulders, ''I'll rather be closed up than hurt again.'' Jinora yelled once again, and at that her father entered the scene.
''What is all this noise about?'' Tenzin asked with a couple of note books in his hands, ''Nothing I can't handle honey, but if you must know Jinora is hurt.'' Pema answered. Tenzin took a good look at his eldest daughter to see she had red circles around her eyes, and a stuffy red face. ''What? Did she get into a altercation?'' Tenzin asked worriedly as he gave Jinora a quick hug, ''No it was her date. He only dated her for a bet, because my date wanted to date me and she found out.'' Ikki said, ''Dad it's okay I'll be fine, can I just go to my room? I don't want to be around anyone right now.'' Jinora said tiredly as she moved away from her father, however he seemed really steamed up about what he just heard. ''This is why I didn't want you both to date. These boys, these deliquences, they are no good. There toxic, a waste of space and you don't need any distractions in your lives.'' Tenzin lectured on, but this wasn't helping anything. ''You both need to focus on yourselves, and not these boys.'' ''DAD! he's not toxic okay. Look just forget it I can't do this right now. I have to go.'' and Jinora ran up the stairs, all the way into her room.
The first thing Jinora did when she ran into her room, was that she jumped onto her bed and soaked her head into her fluffy light pillow. She began to sob quietly and tried to let all of her pain and hurt. Despite this all Jinora could do was think about Kai, and how he felt. The last thing Jinora should be doing was this, but she couldn't stop herself from thinking about him. She wondered how hurt he was, and what would happen between them, now the secret is out. However her old wounds were still burning strong within her, that all she could do was cry. Jinora felt all the pain she felt in the past, but a million times more since it came from Kai, who had been someone she really cared about. Now the big questions were how would she get through this, and would she be strong enough to survive it?