Gradual Changes

Rival

Rival

Toph and Ty Lee walked throughout the grocery store wandering down which ever aisle seemed to call out to Ty Lee at the time. Not far behind them was the ever present Kuzon, but walking alongside him was none other than Huiliang Bei Fong.

"I know how busy you are, Mom," Toph said. "You didn't have to come."

"But I wanted to, dear," her mother replied. "And besides, I couldn't leave poor Kuzon all alone with you girls. You'd eat him alive."

Toph grinned slightly and Ty Lee giggled as she pulled something down from one of the shelves. Toph had no idea why Ty Lee wanted to go shopping all of a sudden, but she had not gotten the chance to hang out with her recently so she took the invitation.

"So, Toph," Ty Lee began.

Oh boy, here it comes.

"How are you and Aang doing?"

"Did Mom put you up to this?"

"No. But when she found out she wanted to know too," Ty Lee answered with a smile.

"Well, if she wants to cut out the middle man, then she better get up here where she can hear me," Toph said rather loudly. Huiliang caught up to the girls with a speed that would have made Aang proud. "You could have just asked me, Mom."

"I didn't want to but my nose in after we've been getting along so well recently," Huiliang explained. "But since you already know . . ."

"Okay, okay. We're doing fine I guess."

"You guess?" Ty Lee repeated.

"He's doing fine anyway. I'm going out of my mind because of these stupid fangirls that have been popping up. When did he get popular?"

"Dear, Aang is a very charismatic person," Huiliang said. "He's kind and friendly, and people are just drawn to him."

"And he's hot."

"Ty Lee!" Huiliang gasped in surprise.

"What? It's true! I'm sorry, but that boy is h-a-w-t!"

"Not helping!" Toph groaned as she jabbed her friend in the arm. "The worst part is he's so totally spacey about these kinds of things. He's got no clue when it comes to girls. He doesn't think twice about complimenting a girl if she smiles and says 'hi', and that just encourages them to do it more often!"

Huiliang just smiled at her daughter's frustration. She had not seen this side of Toph since she was a little girl.

"Just put your foot down," Huiliang finally said. "Let everyone who's interested know that he's yours."

"Wow," Ty Lee grinned. "You go, Mrs. Bei Fong!"

"How do you propose I do that?" Toph asked. "I'm not about to start hanging all over him wherever we go."

"Just plant one on him," Ty Lee suggested. "And make it a big showy one! Right in front of everyone at your school!"

"I had better not hear of you doing any such thing, Ty Lee," Kuzon's voice called from behind them.

"I haven't, Daddy," she replied. She turned back to Toph and Mrs. Bei Fong with a sneaky smile and whispered, "Doesn't mean I'm never going to."

"So what is it we're doing here anyway?" Toph asked, trying to change the subject.

"I'm getting baking supplies," Ty Lee answered. "Gotta get ready!"

"Ready for what?"

"Valentine's Day, silly!"