Scandals (ZUTARA)

Chapter 2 : Toph ☘️ | The Secret Prodigy

I leave the Art classroom like a slug. I'm so glad that class ended. "Toph!" Abelia says as she follows me like a servant.

"What?" I ask, rolling my eyes. Ever since she found out I was a Beifong, Abelia has been constantly following me in hopes of becoming my best friend.

"What class do you have next?" she asks me, breathing heavily.

"Experimenting Earth with Mr Bumi," I mumble, annoyed.

"I have that too!" she speaks with excitement.

I raise my eyebrows. "You're an earth-bender?"

"Yeah," she replies. "Isn't it obvious?"

 No, you're nothing like what an earth-bender should be like, I respond in my head.

"In today's lesson, we will be trying to earth-bend different objects to see which one of you can earth-bend tough materials, " Mr Bumi explains as me and Abelia enter the classroom. We take a seat near the back, to avoid being picked on. "Remember to really feel the individual particles in each object."

Different objects are placed around the room, so me and Abelia walk to the desk infront of us. There is a basic flower in a clay plant-pot. 

 Abelia struggles to make it grow. I do it in a second. I'm starting to doubt wether Abelia is an earth-bender or not. 

"Cool," Abelia exclaims. "Let's see if you can bend something more challenging."

She puts a metal sharpener on the table. Bending metal is impossible, but I'm willing to try.

I focus on its particles, squinting my eyes, and aggressively fist my hands. Immediately,  the tiny sharpener to smash apart, the metal bursting into tiny shards. I sense everyone in the room turn to me in disbelief.

"Toph Beifong, is this your doing?" Mr Bumi says as he comes over to our table. 

"Yep," I say proudly. 

"I've-I've never seen anyone bend metal before. Wait a minute- I THINK YOU'RE THE VERY FIRST METAL BENDER TO EVER SET FOOT ON THIS PLANET!"

Though that statement is very impressive, I fail to smile.

"During break I'll take you to Principal White so we can discuss this isn further detail," Mr Bumi says. "Class, this is what I expect from all of you. Abelia, you can work with the girls infront of you whilst I speak to Toph."

"Ok sir," Abelia says, walking away to give us some privacy.

After that the class goes back to sounding like Jurassic park. "How were you able to bend metal Toph?" he asks me. "Who taught you?"

"You," I reply. "You said to really feel every individual particle in an object until I have complete control over it, which is exactly what I did."

"But how? I mean-please forgive me if I'm hurting your feelings but- you're blind!" he says apologetically. 

"Mr Bumi, incase you do not already know, the first earth-benders to exist were blind badger moles," I spit sassily. "True earth-bending isn't the ability to see the material you bend, it's about being able to feel it."

When the lesson ends, everyone apart from me is allowed to leave. "Let's take you to the Principal," Mr Bumi chuckles, showing me outside.

☘️

"Miss Beifong, I am told that you have the ability to bend metal- something no one in this world has ever done before. Could you kindly demonstrate your metal-bending for me," Principal White says formally. I snap my fingers and the magnet on his whiteboard falls. "Incredible!" he comments. "Have you considered pro-bending as a future career?"

"No but I do know a girl who is interested-" I begin, thinking of Katara from earlier today. 

"Miss Beifong, are you considering pro- bending as a future career?"

"No," I say truthfully. 

"Well, I was wondering if you could join ATLA High's international pro-bending team," he says manipulatively. 

"I have taken a great interest in the government lately, I think I might want to become a police officer," I reply. 

 "I think you would be a very successful pro-bender-" Principal White interrupts.

"Have you called her parents yet?" Mr Bumi asks eagerly.

"I'll do that now," Principal White tells him. "Hello Mrs Beifong, this is Principal White speaking. No, in-fact she's behaving just like I would expect any A+ student to. I actually called you to talk about your daughter's amazing ability to earth-bend. Yes, she has discovered a form of earth-bending no man or women on this earth has ever performed before. It's called metal bending. No one else in this world has been able to do this other than your daughter. That's why I suggest you sign her up for pro-bending. Don't worry, it's not dangerous. Wait please don't hang up I-"

"Can I please go now? I need to pee," I cut in rudely.

"Yes," Principle White chuckles, putting the phone down. "Sorry for taking away some of your break time. Do you mind if I have a chat with you third period?"

"And miss The Study of Laws and Rights? Yes please!" I say, getting a little too excited.

"Let me help you," Mr Bumi says, opening the door for me. 

"Thank-you sir," I say politely before running off to the main ground.

☘️

 I can't see anything but I can definitely hear the commission. It's like there's a war with real cannonballs and gun shots happening right outside the school. "Toph! Over here!" Katara calls from a round table at the back. I walk over to her and sit down. I sense another guy beside her, I wonder if it's Zuko.

"Is that the boy from before?" I ask her cheekily.

"Uh... no," she replies, blushing. "This is Aang from my water-bending class."

"Hi!" he says shyly. "Are you the metal bender?"

I gasp. How did he know? "Yes. Are you the avatar?" I ask him cheekily. 

"Yes," he says, looking down..

"I'm Toph Beifong," I say kindly.

"Wow," he gasps. "I'm honoured."

"I'm honoured," I say even though I don't really care about him being the Avatar. "Who told you about my ability to metal bend?"

"The whole school is talking about it," Aang tells me, putting down a coke can. "Can you metal-bend this for me?"

"Sure," I say, tapping the can with my finger. It immediately dents and falls apart. Aang's jaw drops in awe.

"Wow! So the rumours are true? You really are an earth-bending prodigy!"