So I'm in the marching band, so in this story Aang's in the marching band. His dad doesn't get drunk, he just... gets upset, and actually beats his son. He's still Ozai's son, and Zuko's his older brother, and sometimes, there are... struggles. That's it.
The day was long. Ha, of course it was long, it was almost funny (deep breaths control don't lose control) every day was long. School had been fine - mostly - he'd done some stuff in math he couldn't really remember, but he could remember it was fun, and he could remember that geography was fine. PE was hard (don't laugh it's not funny calm down) but it was fine. His other class - what was his other class - oh yeah - band was fine. They'd played songs, probably.
Okay, in honesty, he was tired. Like, super tired. He wasn't sure how much he'd been able to sleep the night before, but it wasn't very long. Father had come home fairly late but had been angry, and Aang had already stayed up because - because homework. Because somehow he'd forgotten that he'd had a stupid English assignment due that night at midnight (he jolted up because there was something due - no wait, he'd done that the night before. All night.). But it was fine because he'd gotten it done and stuff, but not until 11, and then - and then it was midnight and then it was morning maybe or maybe he was dreaming but things couldn't hurt in dreams, which was how he knew he wasn't dreaming.
So now he was on the bus waiting to get home because it was Wednesday so he didn't have marching band, which was - well, it had to be good, because it meant he didn't have to march and smile like this but it also meant he had a long day ahead and Zuko would ask questions but it was fine it was fine it was fine (don't worry about the future in the present don't worry don't think) it was fine.
He stared straight ahead, which happened to be at the back of the seat in front of him, because he was slouching (because of course he was). Some girl's hair hung right above where he was staring, and if he cared about anything, he might have cared about that. But. He didn't, so.
The girl turned around and stared at him, and suddenly he cared a lot more that she existed. Because apparently she wanted to socialize. He didn't recognize her, but he didn't really remember a ton of school (stupid idiot, how are you supposed to learn if you can't even remember some girl in your class?), so it made sense. She was pretty, kind of. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to recognize that sort of thing.
She smiled. "Hey. Aang, right? How are you?"
So. Aang plastered on his I'm-at-school-so-obviously-everything-is-fine smile. "I'm doing great! I'm not sure I remember your name though, I'm so sorry…"
"I'm Katara. I sit next to you in our computer class? A3."
Oh, that was right. She did, and one time he'd forgotten something so stupid and had to ask her - she'd known, obviously. She was a smart girl (he was pretty sure), but it was still really really embarrassing that he'd needed help. He was supposed to be good at computers. "Cool." She seemed to be waiting for him to say something, and he was tired and had done enough school for a lifetime and hated smiling and his mind was suddenly filling of all the ways she could kill him if she wanted to, though that was completely off topic, shut up stupid brain.
"So… what classes did you have today?"
Great. This was fine he was fine this was fine but he couldn't remember anything what had he had what - oh yeah. "Math. PE. Geography. Band. Um, not in that order." He smiled to let her know… something.
She grinned. "You seem tired. You okay?"
Yes YES yes YES he was fine - "I guess I'm a little tired." He had no idea why he'd said that, and he cringed (against what?).
Katara nodded sympathetically. Or something, and it wasn't waterbending him against the seat, so that was nice. School humans were weird. "Today felt… really long for some reason. Math was kind of tricky." She smiled at his confusion. So. Much. Smiling. (Aang hated school.) "I'm in your math class, too. I sit near the back."
Aang groaned good-naturedly and gave his own smile. "I'm sorry. I'm not usually this out of it." He didn't say anything else, because it wasn't required, and there wasn't really a reason to befriend this human.
She seemed to want to say something else, to keep the conversation going, but she couldn't really figure it out. So she just said, "It's fine, I don't really mind," and then it was her spot to get off, so she did.
And Aang. Went back to staring straight ahead, and waiting to get home and run to his room and hide there until he was forced to come out. It. Would be fine (probably).