1.5

Katara lived in a two story house covered with cream stucco and blue trimming. The shutters were slightly bluer than the trimming, but what was most stunning was the big two pane front door made out of dark wood. In the center was a beautiful metalwork and glass made to look like waves. Mounted happily next to the door hung a friendly welcome sign.

Aang gulped nervously from where he stood on the sidewalk as he gazed up at the house. Was he truly ready to spend an entire week here for Katara's spring break? While this wasn't his first sleepover in his thirteen years of life, this was his first one at a girl's house. What if there were different rules? His stomach tied itself into a million knots at all the different questions he had.

But most importantly, he wondered aloud, "What if your family hates me?"

Katara paused from where she stood on the pathway leading up to her house and hastily whirled around to retrieve him. Laughing, her cool hand grabbed his sweaty one, "Aang, my family won't hate you! They're going to love you!"

"But how can you be so sure? They barely know me," he whispered worriedly. Families were always a foreign concept for him as he didn't have a proper one of his own. What if he didn't fit in?

Still smiling, she tugged him along for him to follow, "Don't be silly! They've talked to you on the phone plenty of times and they've met you when I visit you." She squeezed his hand reassuringly, "Besides, they know how we're like best friends."

Feeling more confident, the young monk-in-training couldn't help but match her smile, "Yeah, you're right."

With a few quick steps, they were already through the front door when Katara loudly announced their arrival. Aang surveyed the open floor plan of the first floor and already noticed an elderly woman walking towards them from the kitchen area. With a wrinkly face, but warm blue eyes, she promptly embraced him in a tight hug.

"Good to see you again, Aang," Gran-Gran said as she held him close. "Was your trip okay? Are you hungry?"

He laughed, "It's good to see you too, Gran-Gran." Pulling out of her embrace, he placed his bag near the large couch, "The bus ride was fine, but I'd like some water, please."

She smiled broadly and playfully pinched his cheeks, "It's nice for a young man to have some manners."

As Gran-Gran was exiting, Katara's older brother Sokka ran down from upstairs, shouting, "Katara, is your holy boyfriend here yet?"

Aang felt his cheeks redden at such a proclamation yet couldn't help but giggle when he saw Katara face-palm her forehead. She took a calming breath, but instead of engaging her brother she wandered after her grandmother.

Once he reached the bottom of the stairs, Sokka held his fist out for Aang to bump, "Hey dude!" the older boy began, "It's been a while. You'll be rooming with me." As Sokka grabbed Aang's small suitcase, the two boys started up the stairs, "I'll try not to corrupt you too much," he teased.

"Sokka!" they heard Katara yell from the kitchen, but both boys laughed.

By the end of the trip, Aang knew—without a doubt—that he was part of the family.

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