The Wall

"13…times…6…plus X…hmm." Aang pondered over his math homework carefully.

Home only for a few minutes, he immediately began his homework, hoping to get as much done as he could so that his weekend would be free. He was in such a rush that he ran off his bus without even saying goodbye to Toph.

He thought carefully on the problem, sure that it was a somehow a trick question.

Tap

He wrote down a few notes on his scrap paper and then…

Tap

…and then tried to type into his calculator…

Tap, tap

…but there was an annoying sound bouncing off his window.

Tap, tap

Annoyed, Aang got out of his chair and looked outside. Like a stray dog, Toph had followed him home and was throwing small pebbles at his window, begging him to come out and play.

Aang, reluctantly, opened his window and poked his head outside.

"What?" He whispered loudly.

"Come out." Toph waved to him, one hand covering the left side of her mouth to keep her voice down.

"Through the window? Are you crazy?"

"You know I am! Now come on!" Toph waved with both hands, beckoning him.

Aang looked down the one story drop, then outside of his room to make sure Gyatso wasn't walking through the front door or something. He looked out the window again and tried to think of an excuse that Toph would actually buy, but Aang knew that she wasn't going anywhere.

So he nervously put one foot out of the window and slid out. He took tiny steps on his the faded blue tiles and headed towards the edge of the one story roof. While he was not afraid of heights, he was not stupid; he didn't want to slip and fall. So he took each step with careful precision and took the time to balance his weight.

Toph sighed and sat down, knowing that he'd be a while.

Eventually, Aang reached the edge of his house, but it took him another few minutes to shuffle his feet forward, bent his knees and jump. He landed on his hands and his knees bumped on the hard ground.

"You're hopeless." Toph said as she helped him to his feet.

"I thought you were going to catch me." Aang said as he brushed the dirt off his jeans.

"Just come on." Toph said.

"Where are we going?" Aang asked. He sounded like he was about to protest leaving his home. And yet he followed Toph as she led him out of his backyard.

"It's a surprise. Just follow." Toph said without looking at him.

They walked for a good half hour before Toph finally yelled "We're here!" She pointed forward, sounding excited.

Aang looked past her finger and saw old stone wall reaching from one end of an open green field to the other. Half of it was rubble, most of it being knocked down a long time ago. On the east of the wall was a view of the edge of town, on the west was the woods and mountains that marked the untamed part of the state. A small road curved around the field, dividing wilderness from civilization, but the sound of car engines was, for the most part, inaudible.

"This is it?" Aang asked.

"This happens to be my secret spot." Toph said proudly. "I come here whenever I need some time away from my parents."

"You come over to my house whenever you need time away…"

"Fine. When you're not home and I need to hang out, I come here." Toph walked over to the wall and sat down. "Sit." She pointed to the rock on her left, allowing Aang the privilege of joining her in her most special location.

Aang didn't really understand what was so special about it, so he just sat next to her without really caring.

"So…" Aang said. He faced the heart of their small town.

"Like it?" Toph said, looking in the opposite direction.

"I guess." Aang shrugged his shoulders. Toph looked at him, sighed, and put her hand on his chin.

"You're looking in the wrong way airhead." Toph tried to push his head in the other direction.

"Ow. Stop!" Aang's neck began to hurt. He juggled his legs to the other side of the wall and sat himself down again.

"There."

"…wow." Aang said, seeing what Toph saw. Toph's secret location gave them both a perfect view of the town they lived in and the mountains when the sun started setting. Toph loved looking at the sun when it went down. Staying in the heart of town most of his life, Aang had never seen the woods or the hills look so beautiful.

"Nice, huh?" Toph said.

"Yeah. Real nice." Aang said. His child-like heart spoke for him.

"I've been coming here for a few years now. I found this place…just before middle school." Toph smiled.

"How come you didn't tell me about it until now?" Aang asked.

"Well, it is my secret spot. Having everyone know about it would be kind of defeating the purpose on having it." Toph laughed once. "And…since I just found out about…ya know…the whole kindergarten thing…I don't know. It's like you're suddenly my oldest friend…and yeah." Toph kicked her feet up and down in the air.

"I already was your oldest friend." Aang grinned.

"You know what I mean." Toph shoved him gently, for once not bruising him.

"Yeah. I do." Aang shoved her back, just as delicately.

There was a very long, but very peaceful, silence between them. Aang glanced at the sun, then at Toph, then back at the sun, not realizing the hidden beauty until now.

"So…" Aang broke the silence. "…why did you leave school? Way back when we were kids?"

Toph had to search her mind for the reason, but once she remembered it all the memories came crashing back to her like a bad dream.

"Do you remember we played that game of tag a long time ago?" Toph asked.

Aang shook his head.

"Well…you pushed me and I hurt my knee. It wasn't anything serious, but my dad was really mad. He…see, ever since I was…" Toph tried to find the right words and realized that there was no way around of sugar coating the truth. "…my dad hates people who aren't rich. He didn't want me in public school and…he used…you pushing me as an excuse to get me out of there."

"…oh." Aang looked betrayed, although he didn't blame Toph.

"I'm sorry. But that's what happened." Toph said. She felt guilt puff up inside her.

"Does he still feel that way?" Aang asked. "About me?"

"…yeah." Toph lowered her head. Another silence came, this time not so serene.

"Ah, who cares?" Aang finally said. "Like you always tell me, don't care what others think about you."

"You're learning twinkle toes." Toph smiled, relieved that Aang was not offended.

Toph didn't tell him, but she had learned a lot from him too. Aang taught her that it was okay to let your guard down for a moment and showing someone a part of you that others don't see.

"Thanks for everything Aang." Toph said without telling what for. Aang didn't say anything back. Toph thought he didn't hear her and didn't bother repeating herself…

…but Aang did. He just didn't know how to thank her for everything she did for him.