Avatar High School

an asshole at the tea shop

the first week of school had passed by really fast and it was already friday.

- what are you guys doing today? - i ask sokka and katara, who were together with me in the bus to get home from school.

- me and sokka are visiting our grandma today. - katara gives me a slight smile.

suki isn't with us because she is having kick-boxing classes right now (her academy is, like, next to our school) and aang and toph don't get the bus.

- cool! guess we'll see each other monday, then... bye!

they wave at me as i leave the bus.

i open my front door to an empty home and go up the stairs to my room, where i leave my backpack.

back to the kitchen, i look at the fridge and see nothing interesting.

- fuck it. - i say out loud to myself. - i am not going to stay home alone, eating salad and watching netflix.

i go up to my room, put on some cute clothes, get my purse and leave the house.

its still in the middle of the afternoon, so its not that dangerous walking alone. besides, im not going that far.

i have to walk at least two blocks before i see a small, cute tea shop with the name jasmine dragon. seems interesting and its open!

i enter it and choose a table next to a window. i start looking at the menu to choose something to drink, when a waitor comes to me.

- welcome to jasmine dragon, what would you like to drink? - a soft voice asks me.

- i think i'm choosing the jasmine t- i take the menu of my face, and gasp as see the motherfucker that screamed at me a few days ago.

- you? - he asks, rolling his eyes. - great, i'm sure you just came in here to bump into me again. how did you know i worked here?

- hey! - i say, feeling very offended. - i had no idea you work here! besides, why would i want to bump into you again? it wasnt actually pleasant for me too, you know?

he grunts and looks both ways, probably to make sure his boss didnt see anything.

- anyways, what do you want?

- a jasmine tea. - i say, looking the other way, mad that an asshole is working at this super cute tea shop.

he goes to the kitchen, but comes back less than a minute later and sits at my table.

- you're not going to tell my boss about this, are you?

- are you kidding me? i should! - i give him a furious glare. - but i guess i wont. is not my problem you're an asshole.

- me? an asshole? - he asks confused. - it was you who bumped into me two times, remember?

- well, is not like i wanted to! also, i apologized and you were extremely rude.

- you dropped my food! - he says, skeptic.

- i tried to help you and you threatened me and acted just like a drama queen!

he seemed near the point of exploding and kicking me out of the shop, so i tried to soften the mood.

- i'll try not to bump into you anyomore. i-i'm - i start stuttering. why is apologizing always so hard? - i'm sorry i called you a drama queen, ok?

although i wasnt totally sorry, since he was acting exactly like one when i called him that.

he looks at me, softening his face for a second, but quickly hardens it again.

- im going back to the kitchen. - the boy leaves the table.

- thank god! - i whisper. that boy was rude. and annoying. and grumpy.

its a shame that he works here though. when the tea arrived and i tasted it, i was shocked.

- not all teas taste like hot leaf juice! - i talk to myself.

- of course not! my uncle is the best tea maker i know. - zuko, who was still standing there, says.

- so, your uncle is the owner of the shop? - i ask, a little surprised.

- yeah, although i dont think you'll see him much, since he usually works in the morning, while we're at school.

damn. i was thinking about coming here only when his uncle was working, so i wouldnt have to see zuko's face.

i look at the boy who was standing next to me for an unknown reason and i realize he has a big scar in the left side of his face. i quickly turn to look at the window.

was it an accident? what if it wasn't? i think, but shove this thoughts away from my mind. its none of my business.

i grabbed a book that i brought in my purse and started reading it, imagining that zuko would leave me alone.

- which book are you reading? - he asks, sitting in the table, again.

- the phantom of the opera. - i reply. i started reading it this week and was already in the middle of it, because its just so amazing.

- what is it about? - the boy asks again, curious.

- some say its a tragic romance, others say its a mistery. - i start, with dreamy eyes. - i think its both. christine daaé is a magnificent opera singer, but nobody knows that who taught her these techniques that make her voice similar to an angel's is the terrible ghost that's been haunting the Paris Opera House.

zuko smiles a bit, surprised by my excitement while talking about the book.

- seems interesting. - he says, but his face goes into confusion. - wait, isn't this a musical?

- yes, but where did you think the musical came from?

he is about to reply, when an old man (who appears to be more than fifty years old), comes to the table.

- who's your new friend, zuko? - the old man asks, making zuko jump like a scared cat.

- she is not my friend! - he says, with a higher voice.

i look at him annoyed and put my book back in my purse.

- you're right. - i take one more sip from my tea. - are you the owner of the shop? - i ask the man, as i see him wearing cooking apron written jasmine dragon in it.

- yes, i am! - he says, with a big smile on his face.

- your tea is seriously amazing! thank you very much! - i say, smiling back and the old man goes back to the kitchen, apparently satisfied.

i take a last sip of my tea and start to leave the shop.

- pay! i have to pay! - i exclaim, going back to the table and searching on my purse for the money. - here! - i hand it to zuko, who has a funny look on his face.

- guess i'll see you at school, then? - he says, unsure. this boy's really getting me confused.

- let me understand something: the first time we meet you scream, threaten and push me. then, the second time you are rude at first, then tries to start a conversation, is rude again and sends me a friendly "see you at school"? - i look zuko in the eye, like im trying to decipher him.

he is starting to form a sad glare, but his expression turns out to be furious.

- stay away from me, then!

- gladly! - i turn my back on him and leave the shop, grumbling about him being an asshole.

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maybe this chapter was a bit better? anyways, this is still angry and confused zuko from book two, although erity is also not an easy person, but she is working on it.

kinda sweet right? ok maybe not SWEET but cute.

hope y'all liked it! im writing it kinda fast so maybe the next chapter will arrive shortly, but i cant make any promises.