"Man...," Sokka stated with his eyes transfixed, "Sometimes I forget what a powerful bender that kid is."
A bolt of electricity buzzed in Katara's stomach. Her eyes widened with the sudden knowledge and fear about what her brother just said. Minutes later, she continued to hear Sokka's insignificant comment ringing through her head. She felt sick, but not like she was getting a cold. This was a sick reserved for nervousness ad first day jitters. The rolling intensity and flutter almost made her want to faint. It felt like thousands of butterflies trying to escape her abdomen. Her breathing quickened to short, quiet gasps. The question she was trying so hard to subdue was forcefully, and unintentionally, at the forefront of her mind. "What if Aang is my soulmate?"
Katara absentmindedly walked with Aang and Sokka towards the snoring Appa. She felt like she was walking on a cloud and her body had a mind of its own. She knew she had been walking for at least a few minutes, but to her it felt like an hour. Her own mind constantly trying to push down what her heart wants to burst forth. "Wait, whoah, hold on," she thought, "do I even like Aang?" That was a question her body did not seem to find an answer to. She cocked her head to the side, almost admiring Aang. This gesture seemed to help her eyes shine a light on the young airbender. Her mind began to ramble a string of statements, "He is the goofiest kid I have ever met. He seems pretty young. He's a lot shorter than me..." Before the stream of consciousness had a chance to continue, she reflexively stiffened up when Aang's eyes met her eyes.
The nervousness in her stomach did a somersault. This odd yet familiar sensation reminded her of the time she rode Appa for the first time. Scary, exciting, and amazing. "Had this sensation always been there when Aang looked at her? That can't be right. But if so, how come she never noticed it before?" she pondered. This newfound awareness shone like the sun on Aang and how she felt about him. She was transformed. His eyes were kind and gray with a glimmer of silliness. She felt him look straight into her eyes and she felt a shiver go up her back. Aang smiled at Katara and her stomach did another great flip. Katara smiled back. She sustained her gaze for a few moments and then immediately felt awkward. She quickly looked at Sokka, at Momo, at anything else she could set her eyes on. Aang quietly walked towards her, standing very close to her.
"Are you okay? You don't look so good," Aang asked. All Katara could manage was a quick nod and a weak smile. "He must think I'm an idiot!" she thought. Pushing through her fear, she finally spoke, "I'm okay, today kind of wore me out. I'm ready to fall asleep". Aang beamed with his usual big smile, "Me too! Here, why don't you rest a bit on Appa. We'll start setting up camp". "Oh, I don't know about this, Aang. I really need to do my part. I-" Katara was suddenly cut off by Aang. "Come on, Katara! You don't look well and I'd rather you get rest and sleep it off than to have to battle whatever comes our way tomorrow with you sick." Katara thought a moment and sighed, "Well...if you insist. Thanks, Aang, you're so sweet." Without thinking, she put her arm on his shoulder. She noticed a blush forming on Aang's cheeks and quickly pulled her arm away. Aang nervously rubbed the back of his neck and said, "Don't mention it. Go lay down, I'll bring over a blanket. It's kind of getting cold with the sun going down."
She snuggled against Appa and he growled lowly. A tiny blush appeared on Katara's cheeks as she thought, "Well, I never noticed that blushing before. Just because someone blushes, doesn't mean they like you. He probably was just startled by me touching him. But what do I think about him?" Katara's mind and heart didn't have an answer for her, but she knew he made her feel like no other boy has before. Aang walked over and covered Katara in a blanket, smiling the whole time. Her mind continued to put what her heart was trying to tell her back down, locked away. She smiled and said "Thanks, Aang." While walking away, he turned and said "Feel better!" Her stomach kept doing somersaults and she was now just plain annoyed. The soft warmth of the blanket and Appa lulled her in comforting rest. Her heart tried to win the fight, but it was her mind that was named winner. "He's just not used to being around a girl. That's probably all it is," she thought. Katara drifted off to sleep. She began dreaming of laying on the grass with Aang. She had her head on his chest while he kissed her forehead. The sun shone brightly on the both of them. They were surrounded in warmth and joy. She would never be the same.
