I rushed past Mother and into the kitchen, skidding to a stop when I saw Bolin and Avatar Korra sitting at the kitchen table. They were holding a cup of tea in their hands, looking at me. I held out my hand to the Avatar. "My name's Shai," I introduced.
Korra's brown hair was pulled up into a pony tail with the exception of her bangs and two thick strands of hair that fell by her face. She started to reach out to shake my hand, when my mother snapped at me, "Shai! Where are your manners?" She began to kneel and bow to the Avatar, who's cheeks turned a shade redder.
"Oh, no, it's fine," said Korra, who took my hand and shook it. "My name's Korra."
I smiled, and turned to Bolin. "Thank you so much for coming. Where's Mako?"
Bolin wouldn't look at me as I took a seat next to them. "He doesn't know I'm here." The disappointment must have shown on my face, because Bolin said, "He's just too shocked to really process it. So...you're really our sister?"
Looking at my hands resting in my lap, I nodded. "I only found out a short time ago. I'm so sorry for just now telling you," I whispered.
His mouth was open, but nothing came out. A silence fell between us, and the only other noise was the sound of cars passing by on the street in front of our house. Mother stood in kitchen, her graying hair in a tight bun and her eyes weary. She was the first of us all to speak. "I met your mother twice," She said to Bolin, taking a seat as well.
Bolin looked up at her. "You did?"
"Mother, tell him the story you told me," I said.
She nodded. "Yes, the first time was when Shai was born. I was in the room with your mother the day she gave birth. You and your brother were with your father, and I never saw you two. You were only a year old I believe."
"How come we never knew?" Bolin asked.
"Your mother told me to never tell who the birth mother was," Mother explained. "And after that day we never spoke. I never saw either of you or your father until the second time I visited your mother."
"What happened then? Why was Shai put up for adoption in the first place? This is all very confusing." Bolin sat at the edge of his seat.
Mother was about to continue, when I cut her off. "I don't feel right saying the rest without Mako."
"I don't think he'll come," Korra said, one hand resting on Bolin's shoulder.
"Tie him up and drag him here," I said, my voice coming out slightly harsher then expected. "I just really don't think it is right for you to hear what you're about to hear, Bolin, without your older brother here."
Bolin was quiet for a moment, and looked at me with his green eyes full of sudden kindness. "Our brother," He said softly, looking me up and down. "You look a lot like our mother, from what I remember. I don't know where your eyes came from though..." I looked at Mother, who shared the same look as me. They'll find out where my eyes came from soon enough.
I stood, offering them both some more tea. I started to pour when Bolin stopped me. "How about we go out for lunch? You, Korra, and me," He offered.
Stunned, I asked, "Really?"
He nodded. "Mako might not realize it yet, but you're our little sister. We should catch up, and maybe tonight when we get Mako your mother can tell us the rest of the what happened."
Smiling, I agreed and rushed upstairs to change clothes as quick as possible.
We rode around town on Avatar Korra's white polar-bear dog, Naga, until we found a small restaurant that specialized in Fire Nation food. As we ate, I listened to Bolin telling me about their parents death and how Mako did everything he could to provide for him and Bolin. He explained how they got lucky, and someone saw how good at Pro-bending they could be and gave them a place to stay and a chance to practice and compete.
"Wow," I said through my food. "I've been keeping up with you guys this season. You guys are really good."
Bolin grinned. "Thanks! We wouldn't have had that last game without Korra!" He threw his arm around the Avatar's shoulders.
"I still have a lot to learn though," She sighed. "There are so many rules."
Bolin laughed. His happy personality was contagious, and soon I found myself laughing along. Our conversation changed to Pro-bending as Bolin and I filled Korra in on all the battles she had miss. Not just with the Fire Ferrets, but with the other teams too. Bolin and I kept finishing each others sentences about the battles so fast that the Avatar couldn't keep up.
That was the first time I felt like I had a real sibling.