Author's note: Not sure if I used cell phones in the story yet, but they will now be present. Review!

Chapter 14 E'nslstuk Part 1

Zuko strapped himself in the car and turned on the engine. Keeping his car in park, he pushed his head back against the cushioned head rest and closed his eyes.

"What was I thinking?" he asked himself.

"I went over to Zuko's house. What's the big deal?" Katara asked Jet who was now towering over her.

"You shouldn't be hanging around him, Katara. His dads up to something sketchy. I really don't want you involved with that family."

"His dad was nice." Katara half lied. Yes, he was a bit rude at the dinner but it wasn't like he made her unwelcome in his home.

"You met him?" Haru asked.

Katara could barely see Haru over Jet's shoulder. "I met his entire family. I had dinner with them."

"Since when were you two so friendly?" Jet asked.

She didn't answer. She turned her face away, staring at the ground as though to say it's none of your business. Angered by this, Jet backed off and stormed out the house. Haru took one last long disappointed look at the girl before leaving as well. Her hands balled into fists and she bolted passed Sokka for Jet.

"There's nothing wrong with being his friend!" She shouted into the silence. Jet ignored her.

"Let's go, Haru." Jet shoved his hands in his shorts pockets.

"Jet!" She shouted again. This time her mother came in from another room to scold her.

"Ayotli! Are you crazy? Why are you yelling?" Kaya took her daughters arm and pulled it towards herself. "Get inside." As her mother pulled her into the house, Katara looked back to find Jet but he was gone. The door was closed and that was the end of it. Kaya put her hand under Katara's chin. "Are you alright? Did you have a fight with the boys?"

Katara's eyes began to water. She released herself from her mothers hold to wipe the escaping tears.

"Sokka, did you bring Jet over to fight with Katara?" Kaya asked, hands on her hips and furrowed brows.

He pointed at his sister. "She's the one hanging around bad guys, mom! Jet came over to warn her to stay away from him!"

The house phone began to ring.

"Jet has no authority over who your sister sees. I don't care if that boy is jealous but you tell him that if he comes over again to start a fight that he'll have to go through me." Kaya warned.

"Sokka! Princess Yue is on the phone!" Hakoda called out from the stairs.

In an instant, Sokka's anger washed away as his eyes brightened.

"Sokka, did you hear what I said?" Kaya asked as he skipped past her.

"Yes, etsi. I'll let Jet know."

Kaya muttered something under her breath, then she reached out for Katara. She held her daughter in her arms, stroking her messy brown hair.

"You've never liked fighting with him, have you? You could argue with Sokka and Haru for days, but never with Jet. Not even when you were little. He was the only one that could make you this sensitive over nothing."

Katara's tears had already stopped but her cheeks and eyelashes remained wet.

"Why is that?" Kaya asked. "Why is it that Jet is involve whenever I see you cry?"

Katara sat on her bed, shuffling around her cell phone between her hands. It was true as her mother said. Jet was the only one who could work her up so much. As for why, she blames it on her childhood days when she did like Jet and would get nervous and stressed whenever he was mad at her. That being the farthest thing from her mind, she decided to call him. He answered on the fourth ring.

"What?" His voice was harsh.

"Can I talk to you?"

"We don't have anything to talk about, right? After all, there's nothing wrong with being his friend" He quoted her.

"Jet, why does it bother you?"

"Why were you sneaking around? You didn't even tell Suki and I thought she was your best friend or something."

Katara sighed and hugged her knees to her chest. "Promise you wont tell anyone? This was supposed to be a secret for a reason." Her voice sounded defeated and tired.

There was a long pause at his end, then finally she heard, "Depends."

She looked up at the ceiling and let herself fall back on her bed. "I was hanging out with Zuko to give him advice. He has a crush on Suki so I wanted to help him." She left the surfing part out because she knew Jet would use that as blackmail is he needed. "We're still going to be hanging out a lot because we made a deal that he'd teach me to drive so I don't want you and the others to panic each time I spend the day with Zuko."

She heard him chuckle. "He likes Suki?"

"Why is that so funny?"

"Well, I thought she was more into me, personally." His normal carefree tone returned, making Katara sigh of relief.

"Don't be so full of yourself. Besides, she likes someone else."

"If she likes someone, why are you helping Zuko?" He asked more seriously.

"Cause the person she likes is so much in love with someone else that he'd never give her the time of day." Katara explained.

"She likes Sokka, doesn't she?"

"Mm, it could be Haru."

"Sokka's the only other one who's been around her and we all know how crazy he is for Yue. It's Sokka."

"Alright, just keep this between us please." She couldn't deny that logic.

"Fine. But in return, stay away from Zuko."

Katara shot up from the bed. "But why? I just told you that we aren't…"

"It doesn't matter if your trying to hook them up or baking cookies for old people with him, fact is that I don't want you around that family. You have to trust me on this, Katara. I heard his dad is already trying to buy out the E'shobuk grocery store chain on all the islands. He's gonna buy out all our businesses one by one until he owns us and the islands. Katara, stay away. If the council thinks you're involved, who knows what they'll do."

"Jet, this is just speculation. It's just rumors. And I don't believe them."

"If I see you near Zuko again without me, you'll regret it. I cant protect you if you don't want to protect yourself." The harsh voice returned.

She clenched her pillow. "I don't need or want your protection."

"Stay away from him!"

"No!"

He did not quickly respond. She could hear his heavy breathing on the end of the line but she couldn't bring herself to speak first.

"Katara." His voice was softer, but angry and urgent. "For me. Do it for me. Keep away from him until my father and the council has it all figured out. Do you remember a while back when my father said that he had a vision of you? Being judged? Katara, if he finds out about your relationship with Zuko, even if it's pure, do you really think they wont put blame on you?"

She rubbed her mouth. "Jet, that's just…"

"Just until my dad has cleared Zuko's family's intentions. If they aren't as bad as you say then there's nothing to worry about, isn't there?"

"….Ok."

"Katara."

"I won't see Zuko. Goodbye." Monotone and filled with sadness, Katara quickly said her goodbyes and hung up before Jet's response. She began to cry again at how unfair it all seemed to be. Even if Jet claimed to be looking out for her. She threw down her phone and laid still on the bed, allowing herself to cry in peace.

Unsure about how much time past, her phone rang. It was a tone for text messages. She flopped over and checked for the sender. It read Zuko's name. She opened the message and read the following: Should I pick you up tomorrow?

Another tear rolled down her face. She turned her head away and out the window. Her eyes instinctively drew themselves up to the moon that peeked out between the trees. The bright magical orb that was the center of her entire culture, the drive of the islanders, an object that watched them from afar. "You have made my people too paranoid." Katara said, sniffling. She returned to her phone and sent: No. Pick me up somewhere else. Meet me at the school's back parking lot. Just wait in the car. I'll see you tomorrow.

I hoped you enjoyed this chapter.

Translations

E'nslstuk: Understand

Ayotli: Child

Etsi: mother

E'shobuk: Cabbage