Four Elements High School: Junior Year

Chapter 13: New Year, New Rules

Toph sat in her dorm room at Ba Sing Se high school. It was her 5th day, and to put it plainly, she was miserable. She had three roommates who talked and talked all night, and it was driving Toph insane. Right now they were fast asleep. It was early in the morning and there was still an hour until school started. Toph got dressed into the awful school uniform, a skirt made of an itchy, pleated material and a green blouse that restricted her movement. Toph didn't care what clothes she wore, unless it was uncomfortable or itchy. She thought that the ugly sweater Katara gave her would be like this, but it was actually roomy and pleasant to wear. Toph put her hand on the glass. 

"Ah!" she immediately pulled it back. It must be freezing outside. 

"Pipe down, will you," one of her roommates complained. Toph ignored her. She threw on the green ugly sweater, which she had managed to smuggle into her suitcase, put in some earbuds, and left the room. She went down the stairs and out into the courtyard. It was very quiet. A person with normal vision would think that they were alone, but Toph could sense the almost silent footsteps of the Dai Lee around the edges of the courtyard. Toph padded through the snow covered grounds and found her way to a bench in the center of the grounds. Then she let herself get lost in the music. 

"Ms. Beifong?" Toph pulled out her earbuds, "My name is Long Feng, the vice principal of the school," said a man standing in front of her. She sighed. 

"It's nice to meet you," Toph said, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "Is there a problem."

"Well, you see Toph, I'm not sure that its safe for you to be walking on school grounds by yourself."

"I'm perfectly capable of getting some fresh air," she replied. 

"Listen to me," Long Feng said, his voice stern, "I'm aware that you've been a bit of a delinquent in the past." Toph rolled her eyes, something she'd learned from Azula, "And I would hate to get your parents involved, but if there are any shenanigans while you are here..." That gave Toph an idea. She hadn't had the time to talk to her parents openly and honestly like Iroh had said. They had avoided her all throughout winter break. But if Toph really messed up, they'd have no choice but to come to the school and talk to her. She would have to make a scene, maybe a display of her metalbending. Maybe if she caused enough property damage, they would even expell her. It was a long shot, but it was all Toph had. 

~~~

Aang, Katara, Sokka, Ty Lee and Azula were hanging up signs they made advertising the winter semi-formal dance. 

"Sweetie, can you hand me the masking tape?" Katara asked, standing on a stepladder. 

"Of course, sweetie," Aang replied. 

"I thought that you would've stopped doing that by now," Sokka groaned, "The sweetie stuff, I mean. I miss Toph. There's not enough sarcasm to cut through all this..." he gestured wildly, "fluff." 

"We all miss Toph," Ty Lee said gently. 

"Her nicknames for you all are quite amusing," Azula admitted. Sokka finished the bag of chips that he had been snacking on for the past 10 minutes.

"Is there any more food, preferably meat?"

"Oh! I almost forgot that I baked cupcakes!" Katara exclaimed, "I'll be right back." she ran off in the direction of the lockers, while Aang took her place on the stepladder. Sokka had a little smirk on his face.

"Why are you smiling?" Azula said, "You were just complaining 30 seconds ago." Katara rushed back with a large tupperware container. 

"They're little mini cupcakes, so I hope that's okay," she opened the container. Each cupcake had a letter made out of sprinkles. Together, they spelled... Aang, The Dance? Ty Lee squealed. 

"Oogies," Sokka muttered. 

"Katara, of course the answer is yes!" Aang said happily. He leaned over from the stepladder and the two shared a sweet kiss, until Aang tripped and fell off the stepladder. Azula and Sokka snorted with laughter as he landed with a loud thunk on the floor. 

"Ow." Katara winced and immediately started using waterbending to heal his head.

"Guys, stop laughing," Ty Lee complained. Sokka's laughter subsided.

"Well, who are you two going to the dance with?" he asked to Ty Lee and Azula while he wolfed down the cupcakes. 

"Oh! that reminds me," Ty Lee exclaimed just as Azula said, "I don't think I'll be going with anyone." Ty Lee rummaged in her backpack for a minute before pulling out a slightly wilted red rose and walked over to Sokka and Azula. 

"Uh, Ty Lee, I'm really flattered, but I'm kinda with Suki."

"No, You idiot, I'm not asking you!" Ty Lee said to Sokka, "I'm asking her," she pointed to Azula, "Do you want to go to the dance with me?"

"Oh, well I, um," Azula muttered, "W-why are you asking me?"

"I don't know," Ty Lee shrugged, "Why not? We'll have fun, and let's be honest, we'd be a power couple, but if you don't want to-"

"No!" Azula said quickly, a little too quickly, "I'll go with you! But you're not wearing pink, are you?"

"No!" Ty Lee said quickly, a little too quickly, "What are you wearing?"

"I have a red velvet dress, so unless you want us to look like a hallmark display on February 14th, do not wear pink."

"Will do," Ty Lee said unconvincingly. Aang sat up and managed to take the last cupcake before Sokka could. 

"How are college applications going?" he asked between bites. 

"I'm assuming that you're asking Sokka," Azula said, "but I'm almost certain that I'll be accepted into Sozin University."

"I don't doubt that," Katara agreed. She said hesitantly, "how long have you wanted to go to Sozin?"

"Since I was five." 

"Whoa," Sokka said, "Where else have you applied to?"

"Well, I applied to Omashu, among other things, but those are just formalities really. Sozin was where my father went, and my grandfather went, and it was founded by my great grandfather." 

"Well, you seem to have it all figured out," Katara sighed. She looked at Sokka. 

"And, you applied to Kyoshi, right?" she said, her voice strained. 

"Yep," Sokka said, "And if I'm not accepted there, there's always Omashu and Yu Dao."

"Right." Katara looked at her brother. She didn't want him to go, but she wasn't going to say that. She wasn't going to get in the way of her brother's happiness.

"I'm going to go to the thrift store and see if I can find a dress," she said. 

"How about you come to my house," Ty Lee said, "I have six sisters, so there's bound to be something that fits you."

"Are sure that's okay-" 

"Of course!" Ty Lee took her arm. Katara hastily waved goodbye to Aang, Sokka and Azula and followed Ty Lee out of the school. 

~~~

Thanks for Reading!