This chapter was sponsored by: Stress Writing! Enjoy!
[Katara's POV]
"Please excuse us," I murmured, grabbing Suki's arm and dragging her to the next hallway. I shot her a menacing glare and turned her around to face me.
"Are you serious? The first day and you already got a boyfriend?" Suki sing-songed, a playful smirk on her face. My face remained like steel and my eyes could kill. Even after looking at me, she continued, "LoVEy dOvEy, sMOoChiE SmOocHie."
"Please don't embarrass me, spare me," I sighed, knowing all too well that Suki will not listen to me. Suki just rolled her eyes, shrugged, and went back to interrogate my boyfriend. Great. Note the sarcasm.
As I was walking over to the hallway to watch Suki turn Aang's face into a tomato, I heard whispered chattering. It was coming from the empty janitor's closet. That's where you end up getting kidnapped. I hope I don't get kidnapped.
"Are you sure this will work?" Jet. What is that player doing now? Making trouble.
"Yes, you can have your girl and the win," another, much older voice spoke up. It seemed familiar like I've heard it before, but I can't grasp it.
"Great, I'll make sure you have the money," Jet's voice echoed. I could hear the smirk in his voice. Seriously, does that guy do anything else?
I stalked onto the closet and looked around to see if anyone was there. I looked like an idiot in the hallway, looking like a wannabe spy. The hallway was so empty, you could hear a pin drop.
I looked through the glass on the closet and saw a man, about in his mid-thirties, standing in the closet with Jet. Lao Beifong. I squinted, to look closely through the black-tainted glass, but the figure didn't change. It was Toph's dad. No question about it.
My mouth dropped, literally, and I opened the door, causing it to make a squeak. Immediately, two heads turned towards an awkward me. I smiled nervously and there was a minute of tension in the air. I gulped audibly before breaking out. Wrong choice.
"Jet?! What do you think you're doing?!" I shrieked, my face went from calm to angry.
"Get out of here Katara! It's none of your business!" Jet replied calmly, his face was as still as a stone and his lips were pursed.
"Yes, it is! I bet Toph will wonder why her dad is making a deal with you." I retorted, folding my arms in front of me and returning the cold, steely gaze I was getting from Jet. All the while, Lao Bei Fong was standing behind him, still dazed from what was happening.
"You will not speak of this to anyone," Jet claimed, pointing to the door and stepping closer to me. I slowly stepped back, hitting the hard brick wall and wincing, and looked around for ways to run. I pushed him away and swung open the door and ran. My right shoulder hit fiercely against the door frame and tears were threatening to spill.
After running through the hallways, I found Aang talking to Sokka and Zuko. My shoulder was throbbing as it felt like it was being poked by needles repetitively. I clutched onto it. I walked next to Aang and grabbed his hand.
Sokka and Zuko took it as a message and waved goodbye, walking to their next class.
From the bottom of my tank top, there was a growing purple bruise and I winced when Aang put his arm around my shoulder. He quickly retracted it, slinging his arm around my waist instead.
"What's wrong?" Aang asked, walking me to my next class. He quickly bent down and gave me an Oscar-winning smile. "Are you okay?"
"My shoulder," I pouted, pointing to it. I tried to touch it, but it resulted in me squeezing my eyelids shut.
Aang's eyes wandered from my face to my shoulder, before a small gasp escaped his mouth. His calm grey eyes widened and he winced looking at it.
"W-what happened?" He asked, placing a hand on my cheek. I suspected it was red from running because he was stroking my back, in a motion to help me calm down.
My throat felt clogged and I choked back tears. "I-I hit my shoulder on the wall. Is it that bad?"
A couple of stray tears escaped my eyes and Aang wiped them away. He flashed me another smile and I returned it, making me feel somewhat light on the inside.
"Well, it looks bruised. How'd it happen?"
"I- well, I heard Jet talking to someone in the Janitor's closet and when I went in, it was Toph's dad. So, when I went to leave, I hit the wall."
"Jet," Aang growled, his face turned from calm to furious.
"Aang! It wasn't his fault. I hit the wall. It wasn't Jet's fault," I squeaked, and a couple more tears ran down my cheeks.
"Whatever. Do you need some ice?" Aang asked, wiping away the tears on my face.
"Yes," I pouted, intertwining our fingers.
"Well, we have the performance tomorrow, so you need to feel your best," Aang told me, poking my good shoulder, making me giggle.
"Does that mean you'll carry my backpack?" I asked, taking it off my shoulder.
Aang rolled his eyes and took it. I giggled as I saw him struggle to put it around his other shoulder.
~Time Skip to the Competition~
(No POV)
Aang and Katara were warming up their vocals while Earth & Fire was performing.
"Listen up! We go on in about five minutes after Earth & Fire is done. We need to be ready if we want to pass this round," Katara explained.
They listened to Earth & Fire play for a couple of minutes before they finished. The crowd started cheering, while Earth & Fire bowed, before walking offstage.
The Gaang huddled in a circle and Sokka started.
"Okay, guys, we can do this!"
Katara continued, "We can do it!"
Then Aang, "Go us!"
Toph, "We rule!"
Zuko, "Do your best."
And, Azula, "Whatever. Let's just win."
"Next up is...THE GAANG!" The announcer yelled. The cheers echoed the stadium and people were waving their hands around like they were drunk. Most of us smiled, Toph scowled, and Azula rolled her eyes.
They all walked onstage and set up their instruments. There was complete silence between the group while the audience was going practically crazy.
"Whenever you're ready," The announcer said.
Aang nodded at everyone and they started to play.
(Aang Singing Diamonds by Sam Smith)
"Diamonds, diamonds, diamonds, diamonds
Diamonds, diamonds, diamonds, diamonds
Diamonds, diamonds, diamonds, diamonds
Diamonds, diamonds, diamonds, diamonds
(Katara and Aang Singing)
Have it all
Rip our memories off the wall
All the special things I bought
They mean nothing to me anymore
But to you
They were everything we were
They meant more than every word
Now I know just what you love me for
Take all the money you want from me
Hope you become what you want to be
Show me how little you care
How little you care, how little you care
You dream of glitter and gold
My heart's already been sold
Show you how little I care
How little I care, how little I care
My diamonds leave with you
You're never gonna hear my heart break
Never gonna move in dark ways
Baby, you're so cruel
My diamonds leave with you
Material love won't fool me
When you're not here I can breathe
Think I always knew
My diamonds leave with you
(Diamonds, diamonds, diamonds, diamonds)
Shake it off
Shake the fear of feeling lost
Always me that pays the cost
I should never trust so easily
You lied to me, lie-lied to me
Then left with my heart 'round your chest
Take all the money you want from me
Hope you become what you want to be
Show me how little you care
How little you care, how little you care
You dream of glitter and gold
My heart's already been sold
Show you how little I care
How little I care, how little I care
My diamonds leave with you
You're never gonna hear my heart break
Never gonna move in dark ways
Baby, you're so cruel
My diamonds leave with you
Material love won't fool me
When you're not here I can breathe
Think I always knew
My diamonds leave with you
Diamonds, diamonds, diamonds, diamonds (woah-oh)
Diamonds, diamonds, diamonds, diamonds (woah-oh)
Diamonds, diamonds, diamonds, diamonds
Always knew, my diamonds leave with you
Diamonds, diamonds, diamonds, diamonds (woah-oh)
Diamonds, diamonds, diamonds, diamonds (woah-oh)
Diamonds, diamonds, diamonds, diamonds
Always knew
Diamonds, diamonds, diamonds, diamonds
You're never gonna hear my heart break
Never gonna move in dark ways
Baby, you're so cruel
My diamonds leave with you
Material love won't fool me
When you're not here I can breathe
Think I always knew
My diamonds leave with you, oh
You're never gonna hear my heart break
Never gonna move in dark ways (oh-oh)
Baby, you're so cruel (so cruel)
My diamonds leave with you
Material love won't fool me
When you're not here I can breathe
Think I always knew
My diamonds leave with you
Diamonds, diamonds, diamonds, diamonds (woah-oh)
Diamonds, diamonds, diamonds, diamonds (woah-oh)
Diamonds, diamonds, diamonds, diamonds
Always knew, my diamonds leave with you
Diamonds, diamonds, diamonds, diamonds (woah-oh)
Diamonds, diamonds, diamonds, diamonds (woah-oh)
Diamonds, diamonds, diamonds, diamonds
Always knew, my diamonds leave with you
Diamonds, diamonds, diamonds, diamonds
Diamonds, diamonds, diamonds, diamonds"
Katara and Aang finished off their song with a quick bow and the crowd of just a mere 700 went crazy. I could barely hear the calls of the backstage crew, telling us to come back.
"Ok, we were awesome," Sokka said, beaming from ear to ear. Katara rolled her eyes at his childishness but laughed along with the rest anyway. Aang appeared from behind the curtains and fist-bumped the stage crew on his way.
Aang spotted Katara and gave her a quick peck on her cheek and turned to the rest of the group. Azula's usually calm demeanor was in a mild state of shock as well as Zuko who was full-out with his jaw dropped to the floor. Aang chuckled at their reaction but decided to let the subject drop without explaining.
"When are the Freedom Fighters performing?" Katara asked, her finger smoothly gliding the list of performers that was pinned to a bulletin board. "I don't see them on the list."
"I bet they're the closing act," Azula replied with disgust and anger in her tone. She quickly rolled her eyes to hide any sign of caring and scoffed.
"You're probably right," Aang shrugged, bringing himself closer to Katara and the list that was pinned delicately to the board. He skimmed his finger to the bottom of the list, and sure thing, in tiny letters, it was written, The Freedom Fighters. Katara let out a long, over-dramatic sigh as she watched Jet and his band walk over to their group.
"Don't even try to tell anyone what you saw, we don't want your dad to get in trouble now, do we?"