New Student (Zukka fic)

Part Thirteen

Hey everyone! Yeah, so...this update took forever. The same month I decided to write a huge chapter happened to be when I take all my finals. I'm great at decisions, aren't I? Before anyone points this out, I did make a mistake when Zuko gets a video call in the middle of a library, and then he chews out Sokka for being loud. Oops. Also, in a flashback sequence later, Zuko is 10 and Azula is 8. Enjoy!

Suki carefully walked out into the courtyard, unsure of what to expect. When she got the text message, she had honestly thought her heart had stopped. She had thought, until that point, that Yue had been having second thoughts about hanging out with her, and was going to spend her days with the wealthy cliques. She couldn't decide whether she should be ashamed of her lack of faith, or upset that Yue made her feel this way.

She gazed around for a moment, and spotted a familiar head of beautiful snow white hair, neatly braided and blowing in the wind. She had a white cardigan, and a sky blue dress with red floral designs at the bottom. Why she was wearing a dress in the middle of winter, Suki didn't know. Maybe after growing up where it snows more than the sun shines make you more resistant to cold temperatures. She'd have to ask Sokka about it.

She couldn't focus on that, though. She had to focus on the present, and the present was terrifying. However, she mustered up her courage, and approached the bench Yue was sitting on.

As Suki came up next to her, Yue looked up, then quickly looked away again, hanging her head. She scooted to the right, and gestured for Suki to sit next to her. She did.

A minute of silence passed.

Yue, at last, broke the silence. "I'm sorry I left so abruptly. And I'm sorry I haven't contacted you since, I just didn't know how to...compose myself." She took a large gulp, and her voice became cracky. "I know...that you're probably really hurt right now, and I can't tell you how sorry I am. After what happened, I was scared of explaining myself, so I selfishly decided to not approach the situation at all. I...I'm so sorry, Suki!"

Yue was crying now, and Suki was at a loss for words. She didn't understand, but she couldn't bear to see Yue like this, so she put a soothing hand on her shoulder. "It's alright, trust me. I...understand what it feels like to be afraid of confronting something. However, I still don't follow. I really have more questions than I do answers. Did I say something offensive?"

"No, no, no! You said everything I've ever wanted to hear, it's just...the problem's with me, not you."

"Yue."

Yue looked up from the ground, tears running down her face. Suki gripped her shoulders tightly, and gazed intensely into her bright blue eyes. "Whatever it is, I won't be upset. I just want you to tell me what's wrong. Can you do that?"

She nodded minutely, and a few seconds passed before she said anything. Then, "I'm engaged."

It came out as barely a whisper, but it still rocked Suki to her core. "What?"

Yue's lip trembled. "My family is very wealthy and important in the northern Water District. They wanted to spread out more into the south, and Hahn's mother's company was very prevolent in that area." She sniffled. "Marriage wasn't their first idea. Hahn came up with it. He said he would be honored to marry someone like me."

Suki gaped. "Surely they didn't agree?"

"They...they asked me if it was okay first. They said that I didn't have to if I didn't want to. They weren't forcing me into anything. But how could I do something like that? This deal was going to make or break my parents' company. I couldn't let my own feelings get in the way of that."