BIG NEWS! Starting on Monday, the 15th of September (9-15-08) and end on Sunday, the 21st (9-21-08). TAANG WEEK! Spread the word! I want everyone, on FF and DA to do stuff!

Growth Spurt II

"Hi-ya!" Toph screamed as her fist slammed into her punching bag. Aang watched her attack, impressed with her speed.

Aang had walked in on Toph during she was working out, down in her basement. Toph had practiced for a good thirty minutes before her skinny friend showed up, but kept hitting the bag, determined to finish her regiment. So Aang sat down and watched her as she finished her work out. He tried to carry on a conversation, but, with Toph doing stretching exercises and jumping up and down, Aang could barely say anything.

Over the past few weeks, Aang had noticed a change in Toph. She looked…different. He couldn't put his finger on what it was. He noticed her hair was a little longer, her fingers were thinner, she was (cough) growing and she was a bit moodier than usual, but that wasn't quite it. She was just…different.

"So…" Toph punched again. "You wanna try?"

"…huh?" Aang spaced out watching her.

"Come on. Your turn twinkle toes." Toph pointed to the bag, encouraging Aang. "Show me what you got."

"Oh, no. I'm not that good."

"I know." Toph grinned at him. "That's why you hit the thing. To get better."

"Um. I think I'm okay. I ran track yesterday and I'm a bit tired."

"Okay." Toph grabbed a small towel and sat down in her chair across from him. "So how have you been?"

"Uh…good." Aang said, distracted. Toph was wearing tight pants and a low cut shirt with a mind-rift, showing off her thin waist and bare neck. Aang was starting to get confused. It was hard to look away from her.

"Get into any fights today?" Toph joked, remembering the fight Aang had with Zuko a while back.

"The day isn't over yet." Aang said. Toph laughed.

Toph wiped the sweat off her head and Aang felt his eyes being pulled back down to her flat stomach.

"So, what do you want to do?" Toph leaned forward.

"Um…I….what?" Aang stuttered. Resistance was not an option; he just couldn't stop staring at her.

"I said, what do you want to do?" Toph said.

"Oh God. Is that a trick question?" Aang thought to himself. "I don't care. I just wanted to…hang out." Aang said, feeling embarrassed. He didn't mean to walk in on Toph during her work out. He wondered if Toph thought that that was his intention. She didn't look happy, but that may have just been the usual look on her face.

"Same ol', same ol', huh?" Toph said. She grabbed a water bottle and took a long gulp.

"Uh-huh." Aang mindlessly said.

"What's wrong with you today?" Toph asked. "You even more…inattentive than usual."

"Inattentive?" Aang repeated without looking at Toph's eyes.

"Yeah. I read that word in one of our books for Pakku's class. He's such a hard ass, isn't he?"

"Uh-huh." Aang nodded slowly.

"Aang! Helloooo!" Toph snapped her fingers in front of his face and Aang bounced back to reality.

"What?" He said, blushingly.

"Are you having one of your days again?" Toph asked.

Before Aang could answer, Toph heard her house phone ring.

"Hang on." Toph got up and walked up her stairs. Aang 'watched' Toph leave. He felt his heart pound and his cheeks turn red as he (knowingly) checked Toph out.

When she had finally left, Aang felt a sharp sting of guilty in his stomach.

"What is wrong with me?" He asked himself. "She's my best friend. I think of her like that." Aang felt a separate, equally strange feeling toss around in his stomach. "But damn, she looks good!"