The Real World (ATLA)

He's Not My Boyfriend

Jumping from school to school always proved difficult. Especially when you are considered royalty. Everyone wants to be your friend or hate you. No in-between. Walking through the front doors I could tell I was getting some mixed feelings. Some glares, some stares, and some drool from the freshmen boys. Gross. 

Turning around I could see that Zuko was pretending like he could not care less. I know him though. He is loving every minute of it. I swear his head will never fit through the door. Elbowing him, I shove him into the hallways of Empire High. 

"Oh my spirits, I love your hair! Is it really that color?"

"It has to be dyed, there's no way it's real and healthy." The girls that just surrounded me shriek. They tug lightly at my blonde hair.

"It's naturally like this, I was born with it." Blushing, I sweep some baby hairs behind my ear and grin at who appear to be the 'popular girls'. They are always the first greet. "I just drink a lot of water and make sure to always use a detangler to prevent damage when brushing." 

"Well, it is beautiful. My name is Ty Lee and this is Mai." Ty Lee exclaims, beaming at me the whole time. Mai never cracks a smile but nods when Ty Lee grabs her and starts jumping. 

"I'm Kyler, I just moved in with some family friends recently."

"Who, Zuko? Is he your boyfriend? OMG, is that why you guys arrived together!" Grabbing me, Ty Lee gasps as she thinks she is putting two and two together. 

"Ew, he is not my boyfriend. We grew up together and I came to live with him and his uncle just as a change of pace."

Hearing this, Ty Lee deflates a little as her theory was shut down. Mai, however, breaks into what could be considered the smallest smile I have ever seen. 

The three of us walk down the hallway towards the Junior hallway.

"Are you guys Juniors?" I ask as we reach the locker that was assigned to me. 

"Yeah! How awesome! We even all have lockers near each other! Ours are just across the hall." Ty Lee leaps across and throws her small body onto an already decorated locker. Mai joins next to her with an empty locker. "I always like to decorate, it just makes things more fun." 

"It's beautiful, really. Why don't you decorate Mai?" I ponder, gesturing towards her naked locker.

"I decorate, but only on the inside." Opening her locker is an arrangement of pictures which features her family and friends. In the corner, I spot a lone one of Zuko.

"Is that Zuko?"

Bright red, she slams the locker closed. "No, and if you tell anyone it is then I will end you!" She pleads with more emotion than I could have imagined she would ever muster. 

"Don't worry, who am I going to tell? I'll put a good word in for you though." I tease, nudging her slightly. She seems to calm down and nods towards me. As if saying she would like that.

I turn back around to finally go place my things into my locker but get frozen in place.

There stands one of the prettiest boys I had ever seen. Tall, muscular, with tattoos. Oh my spirits, he is what every 16-year-old could ask for.

"Hey, looks like we are locker buddies."

Dear spirits, please give me strength.