He kissed me deeply. And then, suddenly—
"So Zuko, is it true?" a voice came from the doorway, interrupting both of us. I jumped ten feet back, hitting the table.
Zuko whipped around, facing Mai. "What?" all the blood seemed to drain from his face.
"Is it true?" she crossed her arms over her chest. "What she knows you're going to say but isn't going to force you to say it?"
"What . . . no," he said. "No."
"Zuko?" I said quietly. "I'm not sure I—"
"Don't." Mai put her hand up. "Just stop. You have a knack for ruining everything, don't you? Everything that's going well, you decide to ruin it."
The silence was so loud I felt like my eardrums would explode. Heat filled my cheeks as I remembered what he'd done to me, how he'd embarrassed me. Forgiveness vaporized from my heart.
"What do you think you're doing here?" I spat out. "How dare you come here after what you did to me."
"Mei, I came back to—"
"Don't call me Mei!" I hated how loud my voice sounded, but I needed to be all bark and no bite because it would hurt me if I physically hurt him anymore. "You're an evil person." I stood tall, looking him in the eye. In those beautiful, honey eyes.
"I'm sorry—"
"I don't care."
"I know what I did was wrong. I'm here to apologize, and I'm here to help the Avatar."
Whoa whoa, slow down. Help the Avatar? when did that happen? I remembered clearly that all he wanted was his honor. He was obsessed.
"You don't know me," he said through gritted teeth.
"I know a lot about you, and I know you have a good heart in there somewhere. I want you to let go of the Avatar for once."
He whipped around, his eyes ablaze. "I can never do that. Ever. I want my fathers love back. I want respect from the Fire Nation. I want to be with my sister like the old days. I want my honor back."
"What do you mean?" I asked. "You said there was no way—"
"I don't care what I said. that was before. Now I know my destiny—" Could I slap him again?
"Don't use that word in front of me. You know how many lives you've ruined looking for your 'destiny'?" My mind spiraled back to when is first met him. I should've seen what was coming.
"My name isn't Izuki."
"That's not a secret," Zuko scoffed. "Everyone knows youre a horrible liar."
"Oh. Well," I smirked, "You should give me lessons."
He scowled. "what's your real name?"
"Ayame, but everyone calls me Mei."
Zuko froze. "Mei?"
"Yeah. Why so surprised?"
Zuko shook his head, his brow wrinkling. "Nothing. I just knew a Mai some time ago."
"Hmm... Maybe we were long lost friends and weve just been reunited?" I suggested.
"Who, me and you?" Zuko asked, and I nodded. He scoffed. "Yeah right. Trust me, shes nothing like you."
She wasn't. He was right. I remembered when he'd hated me, only keeping me along because he thought i knew where the Avatar was.
