My great uncle had a heart attack and died so if I stop writing this for a long time I haven't quit I'm just trying to deal with everything. And on a brighter note I LOVE HIGHSCHOOL (middle school sucked)…. (badly) Own Avatar, I wish.
I followed the directions on the paper Ty Lee had given me and found myself in front of a hospital. 'A hospital. This is not a good sign.'
"Good you came," I jumped much to the amusement of Mai who had just come out of an alley, Ty Lee by her side. "Sorry didn't mean to scare you."
"That's ok. What did you want to show me?" I responded curiously. Instead of answering my question they walked into the hospital not even stopping at the front desk to check in or anything. The lady there didn't seem to mind; in fact she smiled at them as we passed. They must have been regulars.
I followed them up two flights of stairs and down three hallways into a plain stark white hospital room. This room only had one occupant, a girl about Zuko's age with a dark almost spiky pony-tail and a plentiful body underneath her smock. She didn't smile or frown when we came in, she didn't wave or tell us to bug off. She didn't do anything but sleep. It didn't take a genius to realize she was in a coma.
"What happened to her?" I asked breaking a silence that needed to be broken. For a long time Mai and Ty Lee stared at me then Mai opened her mouth and went into story mode.
--Mai's Story--
It was a day like any other. Zuko had earned popularity at the end of last year and we were dating. I was confident in Zuko's loyalty I knew he would never betray us. Azula didn't.
She wanted to test his loyalty. So she did without hesitation or any thoughts of the hurt it might cause. It seemed like a harmless plan at first but then things got so messed up.
Azula walked up to me and after the usual greetings and a bit of small talk told me to do the unspeakable.
"Break up with Zuko."
I should have walked away I should have ran to Zuko to warn him something was up. But I didn't instead I asked Azula to explain herself. She told me a load of bull crap spouting things like, "It's for his own good" or "I just want to make sure he won't leave us." Like an idiot I drank up every word.
So I went along with it, like I said the plan was simple. I would start an argument then end it by breaking up with him. Zuko didn't make it so easy, he was so easy going and nice he held his temper in and did his best to make me happy. I hated myself for it but I used my last resort. I cheated. I let the word get around. I broke his heart.
This is where things went wrong. Azula was supposed to bring me around to my senses then I would beg and plead to have him back and from there I would mend his heart back together. But somebody beat us to it.
She was a girl named Jin and she was perfect. Part of the Choir, pretty, a great friend, smart she had Zuko back on his feet in no time and they started dating. Azula wasn't happy.
I was ready to quit I had broken the heart of the man I loved and watched him get together with the perfect girl. Azula decided she wanted revenge for a crime that wasn't committed so she got it. She was the one that did this to Jin then made it look like it was Zuko's fault.
It was so easy for her too. She waited until Zuko took Jin on a date then hired some thugs to jump them on their way back to the car. They were some of Zuko's old friends from Middle School, they were supposed to scare Jin away and make Zuko feel terrible but they went too far. I thought Azula would feel guilty but she was delighted with the results and paid the thugs extra.
It was clear to me that it was my entire fault the whole school knew it too. The only person who doesn't know the truth is Zuko. The only person that doesn't care is Ty Lee.
--End Story--
I couldn't help but notice Ty Lee and Mai interlacing their hands as I stood there shocked. Mai's voice filled with so much emotion when she told a story unlike her usual bored monotone drone. Zuko had never eve hinted at any of this, I knew something had happened but this was unbelievable.
"When did all this happen?" I asked the shock in my voice.
"Last year." Ty Lee answered before turning to Mai to try and comfort her. I could see the incredible guilt on Mai's face and realized how hard this must be for her. "Mai thinks that you can change things, she wants to make up for what she did. She wants Zuko to be happy again and Jin to wake up. She wants a revolution."
I was shocked, again. A revolution this was high school not the colonies! And what was I supposed to do rally the troops?!
"You are new and you've broken Azula's most important rule: don't talk to Zuko. There are people in this school who don't fit into Azula's mold. If you talk to them they will follow you. You've already taken the first step by making friends with Aang Nomad and Toph Bei Fong. We can point you in the right direction to find the other misfits." Mai stopped and looked at me. I realized how important this was to her. She wants, no was desperate for everything to be right again.
I managed to nod my head as I realized what I was promising to do. Life would never be the same.
-Ode to a line You are straight and narrow You never stray You can make an arrow-
When I got home I had the sudden urge to see Zuko. Not just Zuko, happy Zuko. I walked down the stair into the kitchen where Gran-gran was getting started on dinner. "Gran-gran can I go over and hang out with Zuko?"
"Of course dear." At that I walked out the door to Zuko's house. I rung the door bell and waited for it to open expecting to see Iroh. Then I heard a loud clutter some cussing and huge bang followed quickly by a cringe worthy "OW!"
Then Zuko was at the door looking a bit annoyed until he saw me, I couldn't help but notice the way he seemed to smile a tiny, tiny bit. "Hey Katara what are you doing here?"
I shrugged and said, "Just felt like hanging out."
"Oh ok well then come in I guess, unless you'd rather hang out here." I smiled and followed him inside. It wasn't what I was expecting; it was bright and cheerful and covered in teapots. The walls were a cheery red matching the happy orange furniture and supporting the shelves and pictures of teapots. The teapots ranging from Mrs. Pots from Beauty and the Beast to the most ornate fancy teapot I'd ever seen. I turned to Zuko with my best "WTF" face. He shrugged and answered "My Uncle likes tea."
"Likes?"
"OK he's obsessed with it." He gave me a sexy (gasp who said that) half smile while I laughed. He led me upstairs where his room was. I wasn't surprised this time to see black walls and a single mattress on the floor. I was a bit curious about the low table loaded with candles and homework or the twin swords crisscrossed on the wall but other than that it was pretty much what I expected. Zuko plopped down on his bed then asked "So what do you want to do?"
Ok I'm going to stop it there cuz I want to dedicate the next chapter to Zutara time. Yes I'm sorry Zutarians I wasn't planning on actually writing some Maiko (or hinting at slash) it just kinda came out that way. I am going to make Katara and Mai friends cuz I just love Mai too much after Boiling Rock. So uh Review I guess.