Airbender

Chapter 7: Hello and Goodbyes

I leaned against the outside of my house, listening to Sokka and my parents talk. I still couldn't believe the Azula escaped from prison. I feel like an idiot. Instead of worrying about Sokka and what was going on with him, I was worried about myself and what he and his friends thought about me. I turned my attention back to what they were saying inside. I couldn't understand most of what they were saying, but got a good sense of it. Sokka explained everything that was going on back at his place, and apologized several times. My dad wasn't very happy that he didn't contact him sooner, but understood and forgave him. My mom kept urging him that it was totally fine and that they still would love to have him work for them. They continued to talk for several minutes, when suddenly I started to hear foot steps moving about the kitchen and near the front door. The last thing I wanted was to see Sokka. I just felt too guilty.

I hurriedly grab my staff that lay beside me and ran towards the forest. I could hear the foot steps come out of the house.

"Ara! W-wait!!" Sokka called after me. I open my glider and flew into the air. Tears formed in my eyes. Dang it, Ara. You're such an idiot. I looked back, seeing Sokka staring at me as I flew away.

I arrive to my fort and land on the roof, as usual. I fall to my knees, feeling slightly sick. I still couldn't grip the thought of Azula being out of prison and roaming around somewhere. That means.....Aang will have to go find her put her back in prison. It wouldn't be easy, nor safe. I immediately started to worry about Aang. But also all his friends, including Sokka.

I pulled my legs to my chest and held them tightly, not really sure what to do. I felt useless, like I couldn't do anything to help. I hardly even knew how to airbend, let alone how to defend myself. If I did, I could help Aang and them, but right now, I was stuck in my own little world.

After about 15 minutes, I heard a voice.

"Ara!?"

I recognized the voice. I looked over the edge of the fort to see Sokka at the bottom, looking around frantically. He is....looking for me?

"Sokka....!" I choke out, then gasp to myself. Oh carp, did I just say that out loud!? I cover my mouth frantically. Sokka apparently heard me and looked up, just now realizing the fort hidden in the trees. He caught sight of me just as I stumbled back away from the edge.

"Ara! You're up there, aren't you." I was frozen. "Please come down." He pleaded. Oh great, he's probably mad at me for not facing him. "Ara, please..." he paused for a moment and sighed.  "I haven't seen my friend in several days. I kinda would like to talk to her." I flinch at his words. "I really missed her." he mumble shyly. My face turned hot as my joy increased. Not only did he call me his friend, but he missed me. I slowly looked over the edge down at him. He looked at me with a pleading look. I gave in finally and lowered a rope ladder so he could climb up. I used to use it when I was littler, before I knew how to use a glider.

After lowering it, I hopped back up on the roof and sat on the edge opposite where he was coming up, dangling my legs over the edge. I still felt embarrassed about running away like that. He came and sat beside me, dangling his legs also.

"Hey." He said softly. I couldn't look at him directly, I just stared into my lap.

"Hi...." I mumbled. What was I doing? I had to apologize to him. After a few minutes of silence, I finally worked up the nerve to speak.

"I wanted to-" we said simultaneously. We both chuckle and blush awkwardly.

"You first." he said politely. I sighed.

"Ok. Well, I wanted to apologized." he looked at me confusingly. "When you were gone, I only thought about myself, and had no consideration for you. The whole time I was just worried about my problems. I know that you are probably mad at me for not telling you that I was an airbender all this time. I feel horrible about that. I just.....my parents...wanted to protect me. But now, I see that that secret has only made things more complicated." I felt the tears starting to form. "And just now, when I left. I felt embarrassed about facing you. So, again, I ran away, only thinking of myself." I tried to hold back the tears, but it was too late, they were flowing. Sokka was silent. But not for long. He reaches his arm around to the other side of my head, pulling me into an awkward side hug. My head was up against his chest and under his chin.