ATLA highschool AU

Firey Rivals

7:00AM

Zuko's POV

I woke up before my alarm, yet again. It's starting to irritate me. what's the point in setting an alarm if I don't even need it.

I got ready and began to walk down from the flat to the kitchen in my uncles tea rooms. "morning Uncle".

"morning young Prince", Iroh smirked as he was packing my lunch. He's called me prince ever since I was young, and I'm not going to lie I do like being called it.

I moved out with him when my father and I had an argument. ending up with me having the scar I have today. yeah. my dad threw a saucepan of hot water at my face. but I didn't dodge it quickly enough. The scar reminds me of my horrible relationship with him. I'm much happier with my uncle, even though I don't really understand him.

"thank you Uncle. I'll be leaving now", I picked up the lunch he packed and put it in my bag as I begin to leave. "don't forget to be back for your shift!" Iroh yelled. I help him out at the tea rooms. I owe him one, and he does pay me well enough.

I stepped out to see someone I really didn't want to see.

"morning Zuzu"

7:15AM

Azula's POV

I watched my brother walk out of our uncles tea room. god he's a horribly slow walker. "what do you want Azula?" he asked sternly. I don't know why he's mad at me. I'm gracing him with my presence.

"just wanted to walk to school with my brother", I linked my arm in his and began walking with him. he smelt. that might be my sensitive nose but Zuko really stinks. I couldn't help but wince but I'll try and ignore the stench.

"I hope you do well in your taekwondo match the end of this week." I heard my brother huff. "Why do you care about how the match goes" Zuko replies. "well. It's just that Father's watching. I thought you'd want to know." I turned to look at him feeling him freeze as I kept walking, unlinking my arm from his and raises a brow looking him up and down.

"frightened now are we? you should be Zuzu", I waited for him to say something back, but he didn't. How dare he not reply back to me. I suppose he's just frozen him fear. "well. I want to be in school early. so I'll keep walking. see you there".

I left him in the street, don't get me wrong I care about my brother. But I have to make the match more interesting then just boring taekwondo. I was the one who asked Father to watch. with some emotion in it. I could actually be amusing to me.

7:30AM

Mai's POV

I woke up to an alert from my phone, groaning I picked it up. It was Zuko. even though we're having a break in our relationship I guess I should still be there for him. though I can't really be bothered.

spraying myself with extra perfume just because I know it's Zuko's favourite and it seems to calm him down when he's in the worst of moods. wait why do I even care? we aren't together at the moment. oh whatever. I fixed my hair after putting my makeup on and walked downstairs. Ignoring my family and quickly leaving to meet Zuko.

there he is. sat by the fountain at the side of the school. looking miserable as usual. I walked over and sat beside him. "Hey", I set my eyes on the fountain then looked at him. "What do you want?".

"Nice to see you too Mai." He sighed and kept his eyes down. something was bugging him. and there's usually only one thing that makes him this way. "daddy issues?", I asked keeping a monotone voice ignoring his sarcastic comment, seeing him nod once.

"ugh. you need to just forget about him. you're out of his life. he's just a stranger now. his opinion doesn't matter. get over it Zuko". I can't help but get irritated at this. his father has been one of the issues we've been on a break before. He's all Zuko thinks about. I'm getting fed up of him ignoring my advice.

"Look. take my advice for once. I treat my family like strangers. and I'm fine. Not constantly thinking about them", I sigh and stand up looking down at Zuko. "I need to catch up with Azula. I'm already late to see her".

Zuko checked his watched and raised his brow, "oh I guess I made you late. I'm sorry.". He looked up at me with no expression at all on his face.

"don't apologise. I care about you more then Azula telling me off for being late. don't tell anyone I said that", I felt my cheeks warm slightly before leaving him and meeting up with Azula in the student council room. "morning President", I took a quick look around noticing I was earlier then TyLee. she's usually punctual.

8:00AM

Tylee's POV

Shoot I'm going to be late to see the girls. I'm never late. what's wrong with me today? I guess I got lazy over the break. I frown as I run towards the school dodging people and objects with ease, jumping over garden fences and waving at my neighbours as the get ready for the day.

"phew, almost there", I quickly find my way inside and up to the council room collapsing as I close the door behind me. "m-morning, girls", I pant leaning against the door. not noticing Azula walk over and cup my chin making me look up at her. I gulp in the middle of my panting.

"now now TyLee. time to stand up and do our morning walks around the school to make sure the students are abiding my rules", Azula smirked while her eyes wondered on me, almost like she's a predator observing prey.

"o-of course president", I stand up and brush myself off walking out behind Azula with Mai giving her a soft smile and a wave seeing a empty stare being returned. jeez what's wrong with her this morning. I'll get to the bottom of it.

we walk around the school, not a lot of students are in yet, but they're slowly starting to come in, the ones that were there moved out of the way as the three of us walked down the corridors. I felt like some sort of princess, I played with my long braid and blew kisses at people. This is where I feel confident. with my girls.

I was too busy blowing kisses and winking that I didn't realise we stopped, I ended up bumping into the back of Azula. "huh what's-"

"Oh look. it's the blue eyed brats."

Azula noticed them, the students who hated her most. Katara and Sokka. but if she has an issue. I suppose me and Mai do too. here we go again.

Another term of this war.

Outside the school

Aang's POV

"here I am. Ozai academy", time to start my new life.