The Four Nations Unite Club

Ba Sing Se Academy

Zuko's POV

I got to the school building pretty quickly. The campus had lots of trees on it, and I bet it would look even better if this darn rain wasn't pouring! There were so many other teenagers there. Most had umbrellas, some were sharing, some just used their bags as protection. Waterbenders did nothing, since they could just bend the water off of themselves. But no one was really pissed by the rain anyway. Everyone was catching up with stuff, laughing, just being with friends...

I pulled my umbrella down a little. I was already starting to get gazes from other people and whispers like "who's that" and "whoa never seen this guy around!" and "is he new?". So far no comments about my face. Good. I knew I'd get them eventually, but I tried to stretch that moment away from me for as long as possible.

As you can see, I totally lied about not being bothered about my scar.

When I got closer to the doors of the building though, I knew had to expose my face soon. The doors were just a few steps away. My steps got slower. I took a deep breath and closed the umbrella as I entered. Welp, this is it. I'm exposed. Let's see how many nasty comments I'll get today!

I walked to the principal's office to get my schedule. Some people were looking at me. I listened to a conversation a group of girls behind me had.

"Who's that? I've never seen him here before!"

"Is he new?"

"Yeah, probably."

"I'd recognise that face for sure if he was here before."

"Speaking of which, you think he was cute before he got that scar?"

I just rolled my eyes and didn't hear the rest of their conversation.

The principal didn't pay much attention to me and just handed the schedule. I quickly took it and was out the fricking door before she could look up from those papers of hers and notice that one third of my face was burned.

I took a look at my schedule. First class was History with Mrs. Bawi, room 635. Ok. Now where the hell is it..?

I was still getting weird glances from other people, and that was not helping either.

A few minutes passed. 

The bell rang and everyone hurried for their classes. And I just stood there in the  hall, trying not to firebend out of frustration. Deep breaths Zuko. Deeeeep breaths.

I'm seriously about to burn the hall down when I SPOT IT!!! 

I take a deep breath and knock on the locked door of the classroom, trying to cover up some of my scar with my hair.

Some girl opens the door, and I walk into the class. Mrs. Bawi, a middle aged woman with a high ponytail of long auburn hair and brown eyes, looks me over, however, her gaze isn't judgy like most people's are.

"Oh, you must be the new student, right?" she said.

My new classmates were already whispering. Apparently, some already noticed that there was something on the left side of my face, but since it was facing the wall, they couldn't quite tell what.

"Oh, um, yes." I say. Good job Zuko, way to end your school life here before it even started!

"Well then, why don't you introduce yourself to the class?" she smiled.

She reminds me of Uncle.

"Oh, um" I stutter for the millionth time this day, "well, my name is Zuko Hong Li, um, I'm 16, and um, I guess that's it."

Half of the class giggled. 

She gave me a "really? that's all you're gonna say?" look and said, "Well then Zuko, now that we know a little more about you, we'll continue on with the lesson. She motioned her hand to a desk by the window on the right side of the classroom. "You can sit over there next to Sokka and Ennoya."

A boy and girl, both Water Tribe, judging by their physical features and clothes, waved at me. 

Ennoya was pretty, her bob of chocolate waves had a thick side braid to the side, but Sokka... he was on another level.

His skin was the colour of caramel, and probably just as smooth, his chocolate hair was shaved on both side of his head and the rest pulled up into a ponytail, and those eyes...

They were the same blue like a spring sky, cloudless and big and endless.

I could drown in those eyes.

"Um, yes, thank you." I said and plopped to the best sandwiched between Ennoya and Sokka, and an empty desk behind me. Sokka was in the front. I stared at the back of his cleanly shaved neck. He was wearing a bone choker.

Could I...

No, stop it brain! Bad! No! I've had enough heartbreak in my life, the last thing I need is a partner!

"Hey, dude, where'd you get that?" A whisper in the middle row directed to me.

Ignore. Ignore.

"Leave him alone Chon!" Sokka whispered. His voice was a bit higher than I expected.

Mrs. Bawi continued with the history lesson about Avatar Yangchen. I tried to pay attention, as I still wanted to keep my grades up.

I continued getting whispers from this Chon guy, but he eventually stopped. 

Mrs. Bawi continued with the lesson, but she got to the part that I already knew, so my mind went back to those blue eyes.

I had a subconscious wish to stare into them again.