Brass and Brawn [korrasami]

Chapter 10

She was being followed, she could feel it. But by who? She didn't know. So her little legs decided to walk a little quicker, hands gripping tighter on her backback straps.

Her mother was there, waiting in the car. Her green eyes scanning the whole school yard until they locked with her daughter's. With a few waves of her hand, she mouthed for Tikkani to hurry up. Her mother sat in that car, shaking like a reed in the wind, as if she had just caught a fever in the last 2 seconds.

Tikkani picked up her pace, travelling as fast as her little feet could take her, completely forgetting the feeling from earlier. But deep down, she could still feel those eyes burning into the back of her skull.

Once she reached the passenger side, she opened the door and slowly put her bag down inside the car.
"Hurry Tikkani." Her mother said. her tone was sweet, it always was, yet behind that sweet mask was riddled with fear.

The little girl nodded and slipped into the seat but before she could close the door, she finally saw who was following her all that time.
"Excuse me Mrs Omo!" Her teacher came running with an outstretched hand towards the car.

"Shit." Mrs Omo muttered under her breath. She wanted to stomp her foot down on the accelerator, she wanted to get the hell out of there. But she couldn't. Not when Korra practically threw herself in front of the car and stood there.

Korra let out a breath of relief and slowly moved around the car, not letting her hand slip away. She tapped onto Mrs Omo's window and the woman slowly rolled the glass downwards.
"I'm sorry to stop you like this." Korra said, leaning herself onto the vehicle.
"You must be Jargala right?"

Jargala kept her green eyes forward, hands gripping tightly on the steering wheel. As if her fingers were to let go, her whole body would slip from existance. She had been stopped and she knew damn well what this woman was going to ask her.
"Yes.. that's me."

"I'm Korra Smith, Tikkani's teacher." Korra introduced. Her orignal idea was to stick a hand out to greet this woman formally but, considering the circumstances that probably wasn't the greatest idea.
"I did leave a message on your phone... multiple actually."

Oh Jargala knew, she read every single one of them too.
"I'm sorry. Things have been hectic recently."

Korra placed her hand onto the car door and knelt down slightly so she could see this woman's face properly. Her dark hair was full, long and flowing. The woman was stunning to say the least, yet Korra had seen more beautiful green eyes before.
"Well is it alright if I talk to you for a moment?"

"uh..." Jargala looked at her daughter who was gazing right back at her. Her small lips were curled into a smile as she looked at her teacher. The little girl had taken a liking to Miss Smith, especially ever since the Naga moment.
"Go for a little walk Tikkani. I'm just going to talk to your teacher for a little bit." Tikkani nodded slowly before making her exit out the vehicle.

Once she had wandered off and out of hearing distance, Jargala turned her gaze back to the road.
"uh.." She paused. and it was a long pause as her nails dug into the leather wheel.
"I suppose you saw the bruises.. on Tikkani's legs?"

Korra nodded.
"I have."

"My husband has been going to counselling about this. He's been going for three weeks now." The lump in her throat made her stop in order to swallow it down. Without thinking she quickly turned to face the woman, desperately clinging onto her hand with pleading eyes.
"Please don't bring the school system into this. It will only make matters worst."

Korra clasped her other hand over Jargala's, her lips formed a straight line.
"He's beating you too isn't he?" The tightened grip gave her the answer.