A month after the last chapter

Comparing Loves

Aang's locked closed with a loud CLANK…

…and there she was, standing at the far end of the senior wing, smiling, look so beautiful, waving to her friends as they passed by.

Katara was the prettiest girl in school, she was smart, very sweet, not to mention confident. She looked like a painting, like she wasn't real, like you were only allowed to look and not touch.

Katara closed her locker and walked away. Aang hesitated, but then followed her in the way a puppy would follow its owner.

"Hi…Katara." His mouth didn't work for a second. Katara turned around and smiled.

"Oh. Hi Aang." She brushed some hair away from her face. "How have you been?"

"Good." He nodded like a dork. "Are…you doing anything?"

"I have to go to swim practice." She shrugged her shoulders.

"I meant later. I meant, are you doing anything later." Aang blushed.

"Later? Things have been kind of busy lately."

"Yeah." Aang rubbed his elbow. "I…never see you anymore."

"Right, I know Aang. I'm sorry but…you know, with college coming up and my job on the weekends and…well, going out with my other friends, I'm just so busy."

Aang felt his heart ache.

"I'm your friend." He reminded her.

"I know! I didn't mean it like that. I meant…with my older friends."

"…right. I knew that." Aang looked at the ground. "Cause…I was wondering if…you wanted to go to, um, homecoming with me. Or we could met there and hang out. Or something."

"I'll see you there." She said.

"Really?" Aang's face lit up with joy.

"Yeah. If you are going. Zuko already saved me a seat close to the stands, so I can watch him play. So if you are there, then I'll see you."

Aang's mouth hung open and his tongue became a brick.

"You okay?" Katara asked, brushing another stand of hair away from her face.

"…yeah. Sure. Never better." He coughed.

"So, I'll see you at homecoming then?" Katara giggled, holding her books in front of her waist.

"Actually…" A group of girls ran past Aang, giggling in a high pitch.

"Bye Aang!" Katara waved to Aang and took off running after her friends.

"…bye…Katara…" Aang trailed off, watching her leave. "Argh, stupid, stupid, stupid! Wanna go to homecoming with me." He mimicked himself. "I'm such a dork."

Aang sighed and walked back to his locker, dragging his small feet down the linoleum tiles.

"Hey." Toph's voice chimed from behind him. She saw him from the other end of the hall and ran to catch up with him. "How's it hanging, airhead." She shoved him gently. Her hands were tucked in her green jacket pockets.

Over the past month, Toph and Aang had really repaired their friendship. Once too awkward to even look at each other, now both were hanging out on the weekends and Toph was back to stealing Aang's homework.

"Hey." Aang said, softly.

"You okay?" Toph asked noticing the dead look on his face.

"Yeah, it's just…rough day." Aang thought it was best to lie.

"Come on." Toph shoved him again. "I'll buy you some ice cream or something."

"Ice cream?" Aang looked surprised.

"Shut up. I'm in a good mood. And you look like you are in a bad one, so come. There is a new place over on Elmer Street."

"You don't have to go anywhere?"

"So what if I do?" Toph held her arms open, her hands still in her pockets. "Maybe I'd rather get something to eat. Come on already, before I change my mind." She waved him down with the zipper on her jacket.

"…um…sure." Aang followed her.

"So…do you want it naked?"

"What?" Aang gasped.

"Your ice cream. Vanilla, nothing on it. They call that naked ice cream."

"Shut up! No they don't!"

"I'm telling the truth." She laughed at him. "What do you want? Nuts, caramel, hot fudge, you named sad-face. "I'm paying today."

"I'll pay for mine!" Aang said.

"Shut up! I'm paying. No discussion, you'll just have to live with it."

Aang paused. "…okay." He followed her, starting to think.

Aang ate his ice cream slowly, lost in thought. He licked it, not knowing that Toph was watching him.

"What are you thinking about?" Toph asked him. Aang looked at Toph, thought about Katara, and then realized something that he never realized before.

"…nothing." Aang said to the friend who was and always had been there for him.

"Okay. But you want to…ya know, talk about it…I'm here."

"…it's nothing, don't worry about it." He said and kept eating.

And yes, they DO call it naked ice cream