-Twilight Rose2-

Leisure Activities

Chapter 2

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"You took his shirt?" Zuko asked as Toph marched him back to their room. He had done nothing, but whenever Toph was in a temper he always seemed to be at the receiving end. And to think he had actually had a conversation will a half-decent looking girl before his best friend had decided that her life was more important than his and dragged him away.

"I have never, ever, met someone so…infuriating! He didn't even say he was sorry! How can he be so…so…" She continued to rant, pulling the door with such force when it flew open the handle dented the plaster wall.

"Infuriating?" Her friend offered, making sure to gently close the door behind them.

"Yes!" She started pacing. Zuko sat down on a bed watching Toph with a small smirk.

"You like him," he said, he knew how to press her buttons, it also happened to be one of his favourite activities. "Don't you?"

"Pro tip." She threw a pillow from the couch at him. It hit his face right on but did nothing to whip the smirk off his face, "Shut it. I'm going to the beach." She stomped around the room, grabbing towels, music, and a bathing suit, and tossing them into a bag. The whole time Zuko held his laughter in, but when the door swung shut he let out a small chuckle. Toph was one person he loved messing with.

Katara, on the other hand, did not hold in her laughter. She laughed at her brother the whole time they walked to their room. Sokka took it in stride, pretending that he had no idea why she was laughing. "Ha--ha--ha and then--haha--you should've--hahaha--seen your face--haha--priceless!"

"Laugh it up Katara...laugh it up." He muttered, pulling the door open. Katara followed him in, her giggles dying as she took a seat on the small couch. "So what was her name?"

He stared at her. "Name? I don't know...she kinda just took my shirt and walked away. It wasn't exactly a touching 'Hey let's be friends forever' moment. I'm going to the beach, want to come?"

"Nah, I think I'm going to look around some more. This resort is huge!"

He looked downcast but accepted that he was going to be a loner and started packing up his things before heading out to the beach.

"Miss. Miss?" Toph pulled her headphones out of her ear and turned to scowl at the man disrupting her vacation time. She was enjoying the ocean sun, still listening to break-up songs, blocking out the world leaving her free to think of more ways that she's going to punish Haru. Her favourite so far was ripping that smug mustache right off his face and then taping it to...well, the thing he loved second to his mustache.

He was a worker at the resort and looked frightened as Toph's eyes stared blankly at him and her voice demanded, "What?!"

"The hotel employees have been asked to find guests willing to participate in the Triple Crown Beach Challenge." As the expression on her face hardened he sped up, swallowing nervously. "And to mention that the prize for the wining team is 1000 dollars!" he added quickly, resisting the urge to run away--and fast too--in order to protect the increasingly endangered Family Jewels.

Toph grinned. If she won, she wouldn't owe her parents as much. "Why not? Show me the way." He nodded and started towards the main beach, Toph following behind, her towel and iPod wrapped up in her arm.

"The sign up is just over there." The worker said, pointing to a small table where a man was sitting, writing names down on clipboards. About six people were lined up, all in bathing suits, talking happily as they waited to be served.

Toph blinked at him. "Are you retarded?"

"W-what?" The man was shaking, not from rage but from pure fear.

"I, as you can clearly see, am blind. Therefore you will walk me to the sign up." She held out her arm. He just looked at it, still at a loss for words. "Well?" She wiggled her arm. She tried to hide her smile. Toph loved making other people feel guilty--it made her feel moderately better about her own fucked up life. He whimpered and took her arm, leading her directly to the table.

"Anything else?" He asked quietly, praying that she said no.

"No, you may leave." Toph said haughtily. The boy scuttled away as Toph stood in life, staring straight ahead, thinking about what she could do with all her winnings.

"Hey you!" Someone yelled on the beach. Toph didn't turn around, she wasn't here with anyone but Zuko so no one would be calling her. "Hey you! Coffee girl!"

Someone started shaking her shoulder. She reached out with an arm, flicking the person right in the chest. He let out a small moan. "Who're you calling coffee girl?" She asked, glaring at the shoulder shaker.

"Because, I poured coffee all over you and I don't know your name."

"For future reference, it's Toph."

"Mine's Sokka, please to meet you."

She faced him, he was smiling and she poked him right in the chest. "Leave. Me. Alone."

He heeded her advice. The two people in front of them had finished their registration leaving Toph to step forward. The man sitting at the table pushed the glasses up his sweaty nose and said in a bored tone, "Names, and status."

"Toph Beifong. Status?"

"Married or dating," he explained, not looking at Toph.

"Single."

He let out a low laugh. "Like I haven't heard that one before." He jabbed his pencil in the direction of a large banner hanging over the table. "Couples only."

"Oh Toph! There you are!" Sokka said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and stopping her protest short he continued, "Toph Beifong and Sokka Kirima. Dating."

"Great." He passed them two bracelets. "Here's your identification, the contest starts in five minutes near the Beach Bar. NEXT!"

Sokka pulled Toph over to the side. Once they were out of earshot of the sweaty registration man she punched him in the arm. "What was that for?!"

"I cannot believe you!" She yelled at him, her fists clenched, ready to punch him again, as she continued to scream, "First you spill coffee on my, and ruin my favourite shirt. Then you sign me up for a contest I didn't even want to enter!"

"Then why were you standing in line?" He challenged, scowling at her. It wasn't his fault he didn't have a partner to compete with. He needed the money and he was planing on getting it. If that happened to involve a random girl he only met yesterday, he didn't care, who knows, maybe he'd get lucky and score a few dates.

After, of course, she forgave him. If that ever happened.

"Because, I thought I could make an easy thousand bucks. The minute he said 'couples only' I was outta there, until SOMEONE came along and messed up my holiday!"

"Listen, what happens if we win?"

"We won't win because I am going back right now and telling him to take me off the list." She started walking away.

Sokka's brain started grinding. The answer came to him right away. He crossed his arms and called to her, "I'll split 60/40."

This stopped Toph. "80/20."

"60/40."

"70/30, and I'll throw in a free dinner."

"All the dinners are free, this is an all inclusive."

"Take or leave it."

"Deal."

"Well," she held out her hand. "Now, let's win this competition."

"Welcome to the first round of the Triple Crown Beach Competition!" The announcer said, the small crowd that was gathered cheered. "Now let me introduce you to our couples! Jet and Azula, Aang and Ty Lee, Sokka and Toph, and finally Smellerbee and Longshot!" As he said the names, the couples walked onto the stage.

"I can't believe I'm doing this..." Toph muttered to Sokka. He didn't know whether to laugh or to agree, so he stayed silent.

"The first competition is a sand building contest. The team with the most impressive design will win the first round! This year's theme is: Monsters of the deep. You have until sunset. GO!"

There was a storm of sand as the four couples ran onto the sand. "What are we going to go?" She asked Sokka once they had found their designated sand building area.

"A kraken!" He said rubbing his palm together.

"What's that?"

"Never mind. I'll tell you what to do. Well, we better get crackin'!" He burst into laughter. "Ha-ha you get it? Kraken!? Ha-ha!"

"How do I get myself into these things..."