Heart Broken

Chapter 30

Aang jumped to his feet, "What are you doing here Katara?"

Katara wore a slate blue dress, decorated with textured white dots. Wide straps formed with a tying detail that flowed into a surplice bodice with a plunging V-cut back. The skirt of her dress fell to her feet. She let her hair flowing down and kept her signature hair loopies on each side. She wore mascara on her eyes and smiled at him with light red lips.

"I'm here for our date", Katara smiled as she pulled her hand back, "I'm sure you remember what I told you last night."

His mind flashbacked to the night before.

"I'm not going to give up on you!"

Katara was a woman of her word. Aang always knew that and had even admired her for it among her other traits. He just didn't expect her to be so quick about it. He remembered how eager Toph had been to rush him to this date. She had helped Katara set this up. It made him wonder who else was in on this set up. Was Suki aware of this arrangement?

"So other than Toph, who else knows about our blind date?" Aang narrowed his eyes at her.

"Suki" Katara sighed, knowing she couldn't dodge the question.

Aang groaned into his palms. To think he had just apologized to the Kyoshi warrior in the morning just for her to go behind his back with Toph and Katara. It now made sense why she had urged him to give the water bender a chance.

"Please don't be mad at her or Toph", Katara insisted, "They...don't want to see either of us unhappy and only wish to help."

"Katara I already made it clear how I felt. I told you—"

"I know what you said! But I told you I wouldn't give up on you...on us. At least for tonight can you just be here with me? I know I forced you into this situation with Suki and Toph's help but I want to have a fun date with you."

She wrapped her arms around herself and gazed at him pleading expression. The air bender dropped his hands and looked back towards her. From the tone of her voice, he knew that Katara was being sincere. A part of him was glad that his blind date wasn't with a stranger, but he hadn't expected it to be with Katara. The other part wanted to walk away and go back home. He couldn't have made it any clearer to her and anyone else that he did not wish to pursue a relationship with Katara. Aang still wasn't certain if anything good would come out of it.

He knew that Katara would never intentionally hurt him but he remained uncertain with his own feelings and fears. If he walked away, he would only hurt her again. Aang didn't want to make her cry again.

With that in mind, Aang let out a deep breath and relented.

"I suppose one date wouldn't hurt", Aang stepped toward the chair beside his and pulled it back for her. Katara happily to her seat as the air bender returned to his.

"You look handsome in those new threads Aang. The tailor exceeded my expectations after I gave her my instructions", Katara said.

"You got this outfit made for me?" Aang asked.

Katara nodded, "I had thought about making clothes like what you used to wear but I decided to make tiny changes with the color and your shawl. I hope you like it."

"I love it", Aang replied, "I'm not sure if I can thank you enough for going out of your way to have this made for me."

"Just knowing you love it is enough for me Aang. I'd do anything for you after all." Katara smiled softly.

Her words had somehow made the air bender feel both happy and guilty at the same time. He had already rejected her and yet here she was with him, determined to do what it took for him to accept her feelings. It was baffling to Aang why Katara would go so far for him even if he already knew why.