Ash [Prince Zuko - Book Two]

❃Chapter Sixteen❃

Luck had run out on Asake, and yet, she was still getting ready for her date with Jet. A nervous flutter plagued her heart as she paced around her room, occasionally glancing at the outfit set out on her bed. Her nerves were getting the best of her, but how could they not? The past few days had taken a toll on Asake and her journey. Everything had turned on its head, and she couldn't make sense of it.

She blew out a breath, her bangs fluttering slightly. She wrapped her arms around her waist as a chill spread through her thin body, a bad feeling settling in her chest at the sight of her dress sitting on her bed. No boys had ever shown any interest in Asake growing up, and now, there was this Earth Kingdom boy with mischievous eyes who was infatuated with her. Deep down, Asake liked – loved – the attention she received from him, but was she ready for this?

She remembered the feeling of her skin crawling when he grabbed onto her hand. She remembered wanting to run away, to hide when he trailed his fingers down her arm. She remembered how she forced herself to stay present with him and not fall back into her fears. What if he wanted to hold her hand longer today, or even kiss her? Would she be able to do it?

Asake shuddered, bile rising in her throat. She couldn't think about that right now, not with the anxiety coursing through her veins. She was more worried about what might happen if the Spirits wanted to punish her yet again today. Her walls had grown over the past few days, trying to protect herself from the onset of insane instances that seemed to follow her like a lost child.

She shook her head, banishing the thoughts. She shouldn't worry about what might happen and just live in the present. Easier said than done, she knew that, but if she could just start thinking like that, maybe things would turn in her favor.

As she turned on her heel to undress, she noticed that the door to her room was slightly ajar with Iroh peeking through it. Her heart jumped in her chest at the sight of him watching her. How much did he see of her worryings? She caught a glimpse of his apologetic face just as he was shutting it when she said, "Wait."

"Yes, Asake?" he asked, opening the door a little more.

"Could you come in?" she asked softly. She hung her head, swallowing hard. "And shut the door behind you, please."

He stepped into her room, sliding the door shut quietly. His eyes saw the outfit, and he raised his eyebrows at her. Asake couldn't believe that her cheeks were actually heating up at the look on his face. "Where are you going tonight?" he asked gently.

"I have a date," she said, her voice shaking slightly.

"Why do you sound scared?"

"I'm not scared," she said. She paused for a second with a shrug, trying to act nonchalant about the fear racing through her body. "I'm terrified."

He chuckled, his calm demeanor slowing her heart down just a little. However, it went back to thudding against her chest when she realized that her time was getting a little too short to keep pacing around her room. Iroh smiled gently and said, "Why are you afraid? This guy already likes you for you."

"He doesn't know the real me," she told him. She barked a laugh, running her hand through her hair. "He knows Mo, not Asake."

"And? Mo is Asake," he replied, placing a comforting hand on her right shoulder. Asake looked at Iroh, glad to see he wasn't wearing a look of pity. "She just has a different past. She still has a bright future ahead of her, though."

Asake sighed, sinking down onto her bed under the weight of the pressure. "How do you know?"

"Because I can see the future," he joked. He turned serious, though, and the smile fell off of his face. "Asake, you make your future. Whether it be with this boy or not, you have a choice on who you are, who you want to be, and who you want to spend your life with. Every second you spend breathing is a second you're crafting your future. But you shouldn't be afraid about what comes next in life. Otherwise, you won't have the future you want. Chances are what makes life . . . well, you know, life. It gives flavor to this unseasoned time we have left."