Kaida Queen Of Ice <<ATLA; Book two: Earth>>

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

We sat down waiting for the train to come pick us up. I felt fingers brushing against mine and I smiled to myself. I seriously just told myself I wouldn't fall for him but here I was, falling hard! I stopped smiling when I heard running and then looked over as Wheat boy sat next to Zuko.

"So you guys got plans once you're inside the city?" Jet asked us.

"Get your hot tea here!" A cart vendor announced. "Finest tea in Ba Sing Se."

"Oh, Jasmine please." Iroh waved him down and got his tea quickly spitting it out. "Coldest tea in Ba Sing Se is more like it! What a disgrace."

"Hey can I talk to you two for a second?" Jet asked Zuko sighed and got up so I followed.

"Are you seriously going to talk to him?" I whispered.

"I'm just gonna hear what he has to say and maybe then he will leave us alone." Zuko said.

"The three of us have a much better chance of making it in the city if we stick together." Jet told us as we stepped away from Iroh. "You guys wanna join the Freedom Fighters?"

"Thanks but I don't think you want us in your gang." Zuko declined and I sighed relieved.

"Come on we made a great team looting that captain's food." Jet tried to convince us. "Think of all the good we could do for these refugees." He looked over at me.

"They can do good on their own." I said. "This is Ba Sing Se. You don't need to worry about anyone else but youself."

"I agree with you, not everyone deserves a second chance especially Fire Nation." Jet said and I looked at him. I was ready to sock him.

"I said no!" Zuko replied and pulled me walking away.

"Have it your way." Jet said from behind us.

I looked at Iroh's, now hot, tea and glanced back, Zuko also looked back and Jet walked away then Zuko slapped the tea from Iroh's hands.

"What are you doing firebending your tea?!" He asked through clenched teeth. "For a wise old man that was a pretty stupid move!"

"I know you're not supposed to cry over spilled tea but," Iroh sniffled. "It's just so sad."

"Here." I waterbended it back but Zuko kicked it away. "Hey!"

"Neither of you understand do you?!" Zuko asked and I got up.

"They could careless that I'm a waterbender!" I pointed my finger at him. "It's been forever since I used my bending for fun!"

"We're not here to have fun." He replied and I rolled my eyes.

"I'm aware." I whispered. "We're here, hiding two fugitives."

"You're as much a fugitive as we are!" He hissed and I walked past him. "Where are you going?"

"I don't know! the bathroom!?" I pulled off the mask and walked past the other refugees.

I looked to the side and saw Jet and his two Freedom Fighters were just looking at me. I sighed and pulled my hood over my head even though they already knew who I was. I don't understand why they won't just come out and accuse me of being a traitor.
Right now I was just frusterated over Zuko stopping me from waterbending. Another thing that frusterated me was, how I liked him in that way even after everything.
Annoyed I leaned on the wall and heard girls giggling, I looked at who they were looking at and saw it was Zuko. Soon more and more girls started to stare at him so when he looked over all their heads shot in different directions acting all natural. There's nothing special about him, why do they care?
Why do I care?

"He's cute you should go talk to him." One with a bun said to her friend.

I was about to go over to them and distract them from Zuko but I was stopped by a voice.

"Kaida." I jumped and looked over to see it was Smellerbee and Longshot.

"Oh...hey." I said with a smile. "Look about hiding who I was-"

"We understand after what Jet did." Smellerbee said. "We weren't surprise that you wouldn't join the freedom fighters after we found out who you were."

"Yeah." I glanced away. "You know after Jet, played with my sister to get her to do what he wanted. After he called my brother and I liars, after he tried to get rid of a village, after you guys tried to help him do exactly that."

"We're sorry about that but really, Jet is trying to change!" Smellerbee said.

"Look, we're here doing our own things." I responded. "I don't care how much Jet, is willing to change. He doesn't seem as bad as before but after what he did you can't expect anyone who was there to just trust him instantly, life doesn't work like that."

"Right, and we don't expect you too." She said then I looked over at her. "So who are the boy and old guy?"

"I promised to help them get to Ba Sing Se." I lied.

"So they aren't firebenders?" She asked and we looked at Zuko and Iroh.

"Like I would ever help ashmakers." I spat but I knew it wasn't true and I felt terrible for using the term. "The younger one is Lee and that's his uncle Mushi. They're both from uh.. Omashu."

   "Oh yeah, we heard that the Fire Nation got through and overtook the Kingdom." She said and I nodded but I didn't actually know that.

"Yes." I smiled. "What about you guys?"

"Like Jet, said. We want to start over." Smellerbee said. "We'll leave you alone now."

"Alright, see you around." I waved and Smellerbee started leaving but Longshot hesitated. "I'm doing this to help." He and I looked at Zuko and Iroh he nodded his headed. "Thank you."

I looked back at the girls and I rolled my eyes. I still felt jealous and I hated the feeling. I walked back over with a sigh of defeat.
   I sat on the other side of Iroh but I could feel Zuko's eyes on me. I chose to ignore him.

"The tension between the two of you is thick." Iroh said and we both glared at him. "Or maybe not."

We stayed quiet until they called for the train to board. We sat down next to a family with a cute baby. Iroh and I smiled at it and then at the parents. They were the ones that Zuko and I found in the desert.

"What did you talk to Jet's friends about?" Zuko asked making me jump by his sudden presence.

"Nothing important." I answered. "I'm sorry I got mad at you earlier."

"It's okay." He replied. "I just want us to be extra careful before making any rash decisions."

I placed my hand on his forehead. "Are you sick or something?" I teased and he pushed my hand away.

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Edited; 11/05/20
Re-Edited; 7/10/21