Previously on Different Worlds Collide

Dakota took a seat next to me on my bed. She seemed like she was stuck in high concentration. "I guess you're right, but still. Maybe you should think about what you and Mako could possibly have in the future."

Dakota knew I liked Mako, but she also understood the position that I was in. She was looking out for me and admired that. It was always hard for me to make new friends and have boyfriends because of what happened with my parents.

I looked down at the floor, thinking. I was in some serious shit with Luke, and when word got out that we had broken up, I was going to be trampled by the paparazzi. I didn't need any added stress to that.

"I'll think about it."

I have a lot to think about right now.

Korra's POV

Dakota left shortly after our conversation about my possible future with Mako and my terminating one with Luke because she had to work. I was glad that she did because I needed time to think about things. I just had so much on my mind with not enough time to think about it. My problem needed to be resolved within the next month or two before anything got too deep to bury myself out it.

I had two paths to choose from.

The one had the arrogant boyfriend who never appreciated what I had to say or what I did, and was most likely cheating behind my back. He knew my deepest secrets, and he could sell a story about how I've been lying about my whole life. This path was filled with thorns, braches, and other harmful things to my state of mind and physical state.

The second one had the reserved boxer who at least respected me, well most of the time he did. Was it worth going down this path with the one person I could actually have a strong friendship with though? I screwed up almost everything in my lift, and if I pursued a relationship with him, I'd be left alone with no one left. This path was smoother than the other one, but then came the obstacles like the other one. Was the baggage worth it?

I covered my eyes up with my hands from the exhausting decisions to make. When I removed my hands away from my eyes, I noticed my tattoos on my wrists.

Courage and Determination

Both were written in elegant scripts and they held a special meeting to me. Everyone thought I only had two tattoos, but I actually had four. Maybe, six, I don't know. I've always just counted them as two. No one ever actually examined my tattoos other than the artist that did them and Dakota. The other four were dates that signified something to me. I had my mother and father's birthday with my courage tattoo and two other dates with my determination tattoo.

Looking at them was too much. I got up out of my room and went downstairs to find my cousins watching some reality TV show.

"Don't you guys have something better to do other than watch this crap? Don't you guys have school summer school projects that you should be doing?" I was trying to help them. I always procrastinated with mine and spent the last two weeks of my summer vacation in hell. They only had about a month or so left of their break before going back to hell.

"Already did them a while back, Korra. We don't procrastinate like you," Eska started. She always loved proving me wrong. "I can sense that you're procrastinating on another thing too. Something involving a boxer and an actor. Korra, a tip of advice. Get things done sooner than later so you don't end up in a ditch."

"Yes, Korra. It is essential for you to resolve your problems before they become a virus that can't be solved," Desna added. Like I didn't already know that.

"Where's Unalaq?"

"He's at the restaurant. You should even know that."

I didn't need to be called stupid by my seventeen year old cousin. I just left them to their activities for the day. I wanted to go to the restaurant, but I had no vehicle to get there. I could've easily walked there, but that just increased my chance of being recognized.

I walked to the garage to find absolutely no cars. I was just going to hotwire one of my cousin's cars, but they weren't there. That infuriated me because I knew that they had to be at the garage again being fixed. I honestly don't know how those two got their licenses when they always ran into curbs and wrecking their lights.

Dakota was working so I couldn't call her. I was looking around the garage when I noticed a very familiar board protruding from a box. I went over to it to find my old skateboard from when I actually used to live with my uncle. I had some good times with it. It wasn't exactly better than walking, but it'd take me down memory lane.

I was cruising through town on my board when some of the people gave me some waves and smiles. That was the nice thing about my town, they didn't freak out. Yeah, there were those few craziest that made me cautious of cruising out in public on a skateboard, but for the most part it was calm. The town was also beautiful especially in the winter when it snowed, and I hoped that I'd be able to come back in the winter with less worries.

I was so focused on thinking about my town that I wasn't observing my surroundings. I ended up falling down about four steps while my board continued to roll away. I forgot about those damn steps, and I wasn't the only one who ever fallen down those steps. Why they were there in first place, I don't know.

I was sprawled out on the ground when I noticed two feet step in front of me, stopping my board with their foot.

"Man, it's not every day you get to see Karina Menzler aka Korra McIce fall down four stairs. I've seen you skateboard before, girl, and I know you can kickflip down those four measly steps," the male voice teased.

Before we get any further, let me tell you something. A large majority of the town knew my actual name and some knew my story. They didn't really care that I used a false identity in the business. My story, however, they respected it and didn't rat me out or they didn't care. Colorado wasn't filled with fake people. Other types, yes. Anyway, back to me sprawled out on the ground.

"Tahno, I told you before, the town should demolish these steps. They're a hazard and in the most retarded spot. I'm not the only one who has fallen down these stairs," I groaned as I started to stand up.

I was just content that no one was around here. I didn't need to embarrass myself further.

"So what's the famous actress doing back in town in the middle of summer? You usually just make your appearances around the winter time."

"Needed to get away from the high lights of being in the spotlight for the weekend. That and Luke practically forced me to come here with him to 'amend' our relationship. Thing is I haven't seen him since he dropped me off earlier today." I was happy about that.

"You're still dating that asshole. Please tell me you didn't become one of his minions in the bedroom."

I smiled at his concern for me. "No and we're never going to get there. I'm most likely breaking up with him after this trip. I'm sick of him and his ways."

Tahno was the guy who did my tattoos and we were friends ever since. I was cautious of this man going near my skin with a needle because of his appearance, but he was awesome at what he did and a really amiable guy once you got to know him.

"So where you headed?" he asked.

"My family's restaurant to catch something to eat and to talk to him." Just to remind you, Dakota's family, but mostly her father, also owned it.

"I was just headed there too," he started then stopped. "Umm…Korra your arm is bleeding."

I looked at my arm to find it scrapped up with a light sheet of blood coming. I didn't think my fall was that bad, but I guess my skin disagreed. I just brushed it off and told Tahno that I'd wash it off at the restaurant.

We both walked to the restaurant with Tahno carrying my skateboard in one hand and his arm around my shoulder. As we walked there, he told me the stories of the town and all the good gossip I'd missed. It was times like these that I wished that I had a normal life. I knew I should've been grateful for where I was and tons of other people would kill to be where I was. This wasn't even my actual dream until I was like fifteen.

I craved hanging with my group on hard nights after school. I craved doing all those cliché things that couples did. I craved being able to go out into public without having to be wary of being watched or followed by the paparazzi or some crazy person. I craved being able to tell the truth without people judging me.

Once we arrived at the restaurant, Tahno went to go get us a table while I went to go wash off my scrap. While I was in the bathroom, I felt like someone was watching me. I was the only one in the bathroom, but something felt off. When I returned to our table, Tahno and I ordered our food then I went upstairs to talk to my uncle while we waited for our food.

"Korra, I would've thought you would've wanted to stay at home today to rest and spend some time with your cousins," Unalaq stated as he continued to look at his papers when I entered.

"No, I sleep most of the way over here, and Desna and Eska aren't doing anything interesting so I figured I'd visit the place where everything started," I sighed as I took a seat on the couch that was in the room.

He looked up from my papers at my statements. He must've noticed my scrap because he put his papers down and walked over to sit next to me on the couch. I explained that it was a complete accident because of the steps and then he laughed. He just laughed that those steps were a death sentence waiting to happen.

"Now tell me what's going on in your mind."

The truth was that I didn't know where to start. I started with everything that had happened since I moved to California. I never really thought for myself that much, but I was told what to do. I thought I was going to screw everything up, and I then realized this was the first time in years that I really thought about my parents again. I guess that's what I should've excepted with visiting their restaurant and my old hometown. When I left this town, I wouldn't be able to express all my feelings because I was a fake in Hollywood. I wasn't some perfect actress with fame and glory. No, I was the actress that had baggage and couldn't express it with anyone except my family and close friends.

"Korra, you need to make your own decisions. Whatever you chose is going to affect you. I know this is probably the last thing you want to hear, but it's true. I'm the one who's had to guide you through adolescent life. You don't understand the pain I had to endure when I saw you struggling to get past everything. You're twenty-three now, and I did my time. I want you to do what you think is right."

He was right. That wasn't what I wanted to hear, but I knew he was right. My choice wasn't going to affect him, but me. I had to do what felt right to me.

I hugged him while we both whispered that we loved each other. I rarely ever said it to anyone.

I returned back to Tahno after that to leave my uncle to work. We ate our food while discussing that we should hang out again the next day with better plans than lunch or see a movie that night. That's when Dakota came over.

"Hey, I didn't know you were coming here for a lunch date with your tattoo artist," Dakota greeted as she took a seat next to me.

"It wasn't planned. I fell off my board when I didn't see Death Steps again. He caught my board and we were both coming here so we figured that we'd both eat together." Death Steps was the nickname Dakota and I had for those steps.

"Death Steps? I hate those! I broke my leg one time because I forgot they were there. Anyway, I haven't seen you jump on a skateboard in like forever. I'm surprised that you actually got on it, and I can see you need you need to brush up on your skills," she laughed while point at my open flesh. "Before you slit my throat, I know it's probably from Death Steps. You two discussing another tattoo for you? I think you have enough tattoos."

"Says the girl who almost got a tramp stamp when she was drunk," I grinned.

"You were the one who got me drunk in the first place!" she laughed.

"Ladies, ladies. Calm down now. No one here is getting a new tattoo. Now if we can resume talking about-" he started before stopping staring at something behind me.

"Tahno, what's wrong?" I questioned before I felt two arms wrap around my shoulders while someone kissed my cheek. I felt my shoulders stiffen.

"Hey, baby," he whispered in my ear.

"Hey?" I questioned, wondering what the sudden change of attitude was.

I looked over to Dakota to see her face confused as hell like mine was. This is why I wanted him out of my. Dealing with a relationship was just too stressful and it was time for me to become a free agent for a while. He rudely told Dakota and Tahno to leave. They both gave me a look and I knew they were going to want to know what the hell was going. I didn't even know what the hell was going on.

"I was enjoying some time with my friends, Luke," I snarled at him.

"It doesn't matter. I'm your boyfriend and you're my girlfriend. We came here to fix our problems," he declared as he wrapped my arm around the back of my shoulders and buried his face in my neck. I could feel him inhaling my scent. This may have been romantic if I actually had feelings for him, but that was long dead and this was disgusting.

I didn't want to make a scene in my family's restaurant so I had to whisper yell at him. "What the hell is your problem, Luke?"

"I don't have a problem with you. I just know that you're incredibly sexy and I'm the luckiest guy in the world to have you."

Before I had a chance to do anything, he had grabbed the back of my head and intertwined his hand with my hair. He crashed his lips onto mine, and I tried shoving him off of me. After a few more moments with what had to be the worst kiss ever, he pulled away from me. He kept his forehead pressed up against mine though.

"I love you," he declared.

I had enough of his crap. I push him away from me making him almost fall out of his seat. I stood up from my seat while he stayed in his seat with a pathetic look on his face. I don't know what had overcome me, but I felt a surge of power run through my veins.

"Luke, I am tired of all the shit you're making up! You disrespect me, kiss me, and then say you love me! If you're trying to actually amend whatever the hell we've had for almost a year then you're too late. Those feelings have set and sailed. You've always been an ass towards me, my family, and my friends somehow. I don't know if I ever actually loved you at all! Whatever the hell Hollywood got up your ass, you should get it out. You're not the same kid I knew when we were kids. The past year, you've barely ever respected me and just treated me as a tool. I am done with your sorry ass! Get the hell out of my family's restaurant and go back to your sorry ass apartment to get another girl in your pants. Maybe she can give you another disease of some sort.

"I am done with you. Karina Menzler is breaking up with you, Luke Michelson! Now get the hell out!"

I was panting by the time I was done with my rant, and I knew my uncle was going to be up my ass once he heard what had happened. This was my decision and consequences be damned. I'd deal with them later.

Luke had some sort of look in his eyes that I couldn't place. He simply got up from his seat then approached me. I was still panting, but he grabbed my chin forcing me to look at him.

"Just remember something, Karina, you're putting this on yourself and won't ever be able to get back here." He kissed me one last time before exiting the restaurant quietly.

It was completely quiet in the restaurant and I knew everyone's eyes were on me. Yep, I was going to get a new reputation in this town other than actress. What, I didn't know, but I knew it wasn't going to be good reputation. I swear I could hear a pin drop until one person interrupted everything.

"What is going on down here?" Unalaq proclaimed.

I would like to know myself. What the hell happened?

Posted: November 16, 2013

Hey guys! I did better this time. A little over two months for an update. Sorry, but school is kicking my ass. Along with me going to all the state and district championships to watch my school's field hockey and football team. We have a District Title for football and field hockey, and we're in the State semi-finals for football right now. As of today, our field hockey team won State Champs for the second year in a row for the first time in our program's history.

Anyway, I don't think updating will get any better even though I don't watch any of my school's winter sports. I'm hoping I can update either in two weeks on my Thanksgiving break, but my brother and his wife are dragging me to a bunch of places and if I don't update then, maybe over my Christmas break.

Thanks to all of you out there who are still reading this story with the very slow updates. I threw this together all today so if there's a lot of mistakes that's my fault.

Follow, favorite and review what you hated and loved:)

I hope y'all have a great rest of the day/night:)