Set My Heart On Fire (UPDATED AND CONTINUING!)

6. It is Not a Date!

Even though she and Aang were only meeting up at three to go to the library, Katara left the house at twelve. The girl just really needed a break from everyone for a few hours.

She walked into the living room to tell her father she was going out.

“Dad, I’m leaving,” she said, her voice monotone.

Hakoda looked up from the book he was reading. “Make sure you come back before dinner.”

“I know, see you later.”

Katara started to walk out of the door, but stopped. She sighed and turned around.

“I’m sorry for yelling earlier, dad,” she said, her eyes to the side.

“It’s okay, Katara. We were just teasing, you know.”

“I know, I know. There’s just been a lot on my mind; sometimes little things get to me..”

“I understand, sweetheart. You can always tell me what you’ve got on your mind, you know that, right?”

“Yeah, dad.” Katara said with a small smile. There was a time to talk to her father, but that time wasn’t now. “School is one thing to talk to him about...but BOYS?” she thought to herself. She shook the thoughts away and gave her father one last look. “Umm, can you tell Sokka that I’m sorry, too?”

“No problem, I’ll see you later,” Hakoda smiled.

“Bye!” Katara smiled back, feeling a little better.

Katara stepped out of the little house, lightly closing the door behind her. Then she walked out of the yard and onto the sidewalk, heading for the library a few blocks down.

I guess I’ll just sit in the library and study alone for a while. It’ll be relaxing, Katara thought to herself. Relaxing.. singing is relaxing... Like that day in the Music Club, where she sang her heart out to Zuko’s song. The thought of his name sent her heart hammering.

Why did Zuko have to be so annoying? He made her blood boil. His arrogance, stubbornness, rudeness...if Katara saw that guy one more time she was gonna-

“Ow!” Katara yelped. Her thoughts were scattered as she bumped into a man while turning the corner. The man gave Katara an apologetic look then hurried off in the opposite direction. Katara looked at him with disgust as he passed. Her thoughts on you-know-who put her in a very dark mood. She knew it could only be remedied by curling up on the library couch with a good book. Katara continued walking toward the library, her eyes set on the humongous beige building ahead of her. She finally arrived.

Katara swung the clear glass door open and stepped into the library, her eyes wide open in enchantment. The library was a huge building consisting of 4 floors that were filled to their rims with books, from the classic romance novels Katara adored to the all the best-sellers. The ceiling of the place was nothing but a circular skylight that flooded the entire building with a natural reading light. The levels spiraled downward, with each one being visible from the first floor. If you added a music room, this would be Katara’s heaven. She made her way to the victorian staircase that lead to the third floor-the adult fiction section.

Her fingertips slid across the black metal railing as she traveled up to her destination. Once she came to the third floor, she walked to the far end of the adult fiction section, where all the classic novels from the 18- and 1900s’ sat on a shelf, collecting a little dust. While most of the other patrons checked out the newly released fictitious novels, Katara was always drawn to books like ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and ‘The Scarlet Letter’. She stood in front of the shelf, scanning intently for the novel she had ordered a few weeks ago. The library called to let her know it had just come in and she was anxious to get her hands on it. As Katara browsed, she looked above the books through the crack in the bookshelf and her eyes widened at the familiar face a few feet away.