Confessions of a Teenage Drama King and Queen

**Disclaimer:** I do not own A:tLA or any of its characters, places, or stuff…except for their fire flakes, I own those! *evil laugh* And I shall rule the world with their spicy goodness of evil and stuffs! Mwah-ha-ha-ha!…ha ha!...ha!...ha… … … …*cough*…

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A breeze started to pick up. It weaved through the trees until it hit the group in a small clearing in the forest. Aang smiled as he felt the wind brush by him during his Firebending lesson. Feeling happy all of a sudden, he, using his Airbending abilities, increased the wind speed until his friends shouted in protest. He calmed the wind down and gazed around him.

Zuko frowned as the wind blew his hair in front of his eyes.

"Come on, Aang. Focus!" He began to shoot a stream of fire at the Avatar. However, Aang easily dodged them and looked back. Zuko gave up and turned to practice his Firebending alone. Aang didn't object.

Katara was leaning against a large tree, Waterbending from her pouch. She giggled as MoMo jumped onto her shoulders and splashed the water in her face. _Man, she's beautiful_, Aang thought.

Toph was sitting a few feet behind Katara. She was distractedly bending a small rock in her hands. She sighed and lay back on the ground, bored.

Leaning against a tree next to the girl was Sokka. His girlfriend Suki lay in his arms contentedly. The warrior leaned his head down to kiss hers as she reached her arms up to hug his neck. Katara saw the perfect opportunity for a…

"Group hug!" she yelled, pouncing on the couple. Suki laughed as she reached for the Waterbender across Sokka who was frowning. The girls just ignored him and smiled. Aang continued to watch his friends, smiling. Katara glanced up.

"Come on, Aang! Join in!" He gave her a wide grin and obliged. Katara looked over at Zuko and Toph, whereas both seemed to be oblivious to the rest of the group.

"You, too, guys! It's not a group hug if the whole group isn't in it!" Zuko shook his head and turned around to continue with his Firebending.

"No thanks," he mumbled. Toph sat up and turned her back to them.

"Me neither," she sighed. The Gaang exchanged puzzled looks.

"Why not?" asked Aang. "Group hugs are awesome!" he said smiling hugely.

"Yeah, I'm gonna' have to disagree. Even if I wanted to right now, I couldn't. I'm, uh... covered in dirt. Yeah, and we _all_ know how little Miss Sugarqueen over there hates getting her precious clothes even a tad filthy," Toph replied in a haughty tone. Sokka snickered at the insult. Katara looked at him irately. She turned to Toph.

"Okay, first of all, being dirty's never seemed to bother you before. Second, I am _not_ 'little Miss Sugarqueen'; how many times do I have to tell you? And lastly, there's not even a speck of dirt on you!" She mumbled with a confused look on her face.

"Strangely..." Toph, not moving anything but for her hands over her head, bent the earth around her onto her head, covering herself completely in a pile of dirt.

"Yeah, I do. And I thought I was blind," she muttered, her voice somewhat muffled by the earth. Katara walked over and put her hand on the dirt mound where she assumed Toph's shoulder was.

"Toph, is there something wrong?" The dirt pile fell apart. Toph just stood up and walked away muttering with a snort, "No!" She disappeared amongst the trees. The Gaang watched her leave. They all shared looks of utter confusion.

"Okay, group meeting, stat. Zuko, get your butt over here!" Sokka called. The Firebender sighed and rolled his eyes but walked over. The kids came together.

"Okay, something's up. Toph's been kinda' moody ever since you two got back from the Boiling Rock with Dad," said Katara looking at Sokka and Zuko. Sokka nodded his head.

"Well, she _did_ seem a bit disappointed that we didn't bring any meat back with us." Katara gave him a look of disbelief.

"Funny, Sokka, but I think it's more than that. Did anybody do anything to make her upset?" Katara glanced around.

"Probably not. I mean, she _is_ a girl," Sokka said shrugging his shoulders again. Katara turned on him.

"What does being a girl have to do with anything?!" She and Suki gave him accusing glares. Sokka put his hands up innocently.

"Nothing, nothing! I'm just saying that you're always mad, and Suki's moody sometimes, and it's all for no reason so-"

"What do you mean 'for no reason'? You're the reason!" Suki retorted.

"No, I'm not-"

"Yes, you are! You're a guy: all guys are so clueless and insensitive about what they say around girls and are just so _difficult_! Do you know how annoying it is to be surrounded by guys? I can't think of one decent male who hasn't been rude or infuriating yet beyond all belief!" Katara yelled. Aang's face fell. Katara put her arm around Aang's shoulders.

"Well, except for Aang, of course, but you know what I mean!" He smiled, and Zuko rolled his eyes.

"I thought this was about Toph?"

"Oh, right!" Katara said. "Come to think of it, maybe it _is_ Sokka's fault for her being...like that..." Sokka looked over.

"What would've I done? If _I_ did anything, you know she'd just have killed me right then and there!" Suki put a hand to her chin thoughtfully.

"You _do_ have a point...Okay, so it's not you...and I know I didn't upset her..." Suki concluded to Sokka.

"And it's not Appa," Sokka added. "He doesn't do _anything_."

"_I_ didn't do anything! And even if I did, she would've let me know in training when she could've easily squashed me...not that she couldn't have any other time..." Aang muttered.

"Okay, so that means the only people left who could've upset Toph are Katara or Zuko. It's one of you guys," Sokka said looking up.

Everyone looked at Katara.

"What?"

"Well," said Aang carefully. "You two _do_ get into a lot of fights..."

"But not recently!" Katara said defending herself.

"And I don't think she'd hold a grudge for long. She and I would've fought, gotten over it, gotten revenge, and then make up for it again. Believe me; she got her revenge a while back!" Katara shuddered as she recalled the event.

Sokka scratched his chin. "Then that means it's got to have been...MoMo!" he exclaimed while turning around to point an accusing finger at the lemur. MoMo turned his head to the right and made a questioning "flying-lemur" noise.

Katara rolled her eyes. "Sokka, what could MoMo have _possibly_ done to make Toph upset?"

Sokka turned around and pointed his finger in front of her face.

"That's just what he wants you to think! And then...right when you least expect it...HE GETS YA!" Sokka yelled, waving his hands around his head. Katara raised an eyebrow and gave him a skeptical look.

"Sokka, that's ridiculous! The person who obviously upset Toph is the only one left: Zuko." Katara turned to him and gave him a suspicious look.

"What?" Zuko asked heatedly. "What could I have possibly done to make her angry? And why would I anyway? Even if she is being a little-"

"Zuko," Suki warned. "Why you would, I don't know. But something must've happened between you two. Either that or-" Suki trailed off. "I don't even know why she'd be mad," she mumbled.

"Why don't you go ask her then instead of pointing fingers at me?" Zuko suggested, annoyed.

"Zuko, you're brilliant!" Sokka exclaimed throwing his hands around Zuko. Zuko glared at him. Sokka backed off, muttering an apology.

"Okay, then. I suggest you go right away, Zuko, otherwise-" Katara started.

"Wait, what?!" Zuko interrupted. "Why am I stuck being Toph's punching bag? What about someone else?"

"Like who?" Suki questioned.

"Like Aang," Zuko began. "You're closer to her age and seem to know what to say. Or Sokka. She always talks to you. Or Suki 'cause you're a girl, too. Same with Katara, but you're also like her mom. Or-"

"Look, Zuko. It _was_ your idea, so it's only fair," Aang reasoned.

"No, it's not! Toph doesn't really even like me, or if she does, it's the least. She and I don't really bond all that much. How in the universe do you think I could get her to spill all her girly mood-swing secrets? What if she kills me?!"

Sokka put his hands on Zuko's shoulders firmly and stared him straight in the eyes.

"Look, Zuko: you are going to march straight over there, cheer her up, and you are _not_ coming back until we have results, do you hear me?!" Zuko glared once more.

"Please?" Sokka asked in a small voice.

Aang rubbed his forehead.

"Zuko, please. You have to do this. Toph was your first friend, the only one who wanted to give you a second chance. You two will have a special friendship different than any of ours, no matter how close we are to her. Toph cares about you. We all do. And I'm sure that, deep down if you don't want to admit it, you care about her, too, just like us.

"Please? Just do this for us. For her and for yourself. Toph isn't the only one out of it, you know. You seem more angry than usual, and that's saying something. I don't know what's going on, but I have a special feeling about this. Maybe talking to Toph can help you as well as help her. Please, Zuko?" Zuko rubbed his temple and sighed.

"If I say 'yes', will you shut up?!" Aang quickly nodded and smiled.

"Zuko, you're the best!" The boy muttered something incoherently and stormed off into the forest. Katara stared after him and then looked back to the Avatar, impressed.

"Wow, Aang. Nice speech," she commented.

"Yeah, that's good and all, but can we eat now? I'm starving!" Sokka whined. MoMo jumped on his head. Sokka frowned and everyone else laughed. MoMo tilted his head and chirped.

The kids walked away, all secretly worrying over Zuko and wondering how well Toph would behave. The odds weren't likely. Zuko, too, was thinking this when he entered another clearing.

It was a large circle of space surrounding a small cliff. Loose boulders were everywhere and, in the middle of the clearing, chucking them about, was Toph. The girl was relaxing on the ground, staring into the sky, and moving her left foot slightly to move the rocks. She didn't acknowledge the Fire Prince's approach.

Zuko sighed and sat down next to her.

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Now begins the real fun! *wink-wink*

Please review; constructive criticism is encouraged. I hope you've enjoyed reading this, and the next chapter will be out shortly.


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