Gradual Changes

Flirting With Danger

Flirting With Danger

The first few weeks of school passed happily for Toph. Her old friend was back, and she enjoyed every second of spiting her parents by spending her time with him. Though one thing did bother her. Aang was spending everyday after school at the track with that stupid team. Why did he care about it so much anyway? Regardless, she was his friend and continued to go and "watch" him run. So boring. And she made sure to tell him so.

"Why do you do this everyday anyway? I feel like I'm gonna fall asleep waiting for you," she told him as he stretched in front of her.

"C'mon, Toph, it's not that bad," he replied.

"Look here, Hot Pants, you're not the one sitting around doing nothing."

"Do you really have to call me that?" Aang whined.

"Do you really have to wear those shorts?" Toph retaliated.

"Yes," he mumbled indignantly.

"Well, there you go." Toph paced back and forth in front of Twinkle Toes. "We waste so much time here everyday when we could be out having some real fun!"

"Hey, we have plenty of fun!" Aang argued. "We're only here an hour."

"Let's get a move on, Aang!" the coach called from the track. "You're up!"

"Here we go," Toph mumbled as Aang hopped over to the starting line.

There was another reason Toph hated coming to his practice. It wasn't just that it was boring, but it was frightening. Aang had always had his "twinkle toes." Footsteps so light and so calm that she could scarcely "see" them at all. It was worse whenever he would run. It was as though he flew when he ran. If she concentrated hard enough and was lucky enough, she may catch a small glimpse of him while he sprinted, but that hardly ever happened. It scared her whenever he suddenly disappeared from her view, though she would never tell him this.

The coach's whistle rang in her ears as Aang's practice run began. Just like all the other times he vanished completely from her view, as though he had never been. Toph held her breath the full ten point eight seconds that it took for him to finish his one hundred meter dash and exhaled quickly when he reappeared on the solid earth. It was maddening. Not only because he disappeared everyday right in front of her, but also because it made her feel as though she were turning into her parents from the ridiculous amount of worry it caused.

Thankfully, after his warm up run, Aang's remaining training was simple stretches and leg exercises back in the gym that were easy for Toph to "see." Basic squats, leg thrusts, and leg presses to boost his leg strength. Aang said that the coach wanted him in perfect physical condition for the first meet that was supposed to take place the first week of September.

"Can't you just tell your coach to let you out early?" Toph asked. "I mean you're the best guy on the team!"

"Sorry, Toph," Aang replied. "I can't."

"Hot Head and Sugar Queen are waiting!" Toph moaned as she flopped onto one of the gym benches. Aang glanced around the empty gym and then back to Toph.

"Alright," he smiled. "Just let me go back to the dorm to clean up and change first."

"Now you're talkin'!" Toph cheered as she rolled off the bench. "And hurry up, cause you reek!"

The dorm was another little detail that Aang had forgotten to mention. Gyatso was still working abroad, leaving Aang to the dorms. His room was kind of small. Other than the small bed and desk that the school provided, there really wasn't much to it at all. At least he got it to himself.