The Little Dragon

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Tuesday, September 8th

Kaida

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    We were at the beach, I had borrowed a bathing suit from Lee's brother's wife. I was embarrassed to be wearing a bathing suit, I haven't done so in so long! Only when Zuko's family took him to the beach house. Which wasn't too far from here. Maybe I should go and burn it down.

Though I couldn't imagine them having a vacation, especially at a time like this. I stretched my hands above my head. "I'm so excited to hit the waves!" I cheered, it's been so long. I looked up at the sky, we had plenty of daytime left.

"Just over this fence," Lee pointed. We made it to the wooden fence and jumped over it. "This is where we all go to cliff jump," Lee winked, "a local secret." He put a finger to his lips. "You are a local now, so you should know."

I frowned at that, I wasn't a local and I wasn't going to be a local. Those words were a ringing alarm that I needed to let this guy know my feelings, and how they don't match his. Do I tell him the truth about who I am, or do I leave him in ignorant bliss?

I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. I still had a few more hours to think about it. We walked up a cobblestone path, all the way up to the cliffside. "See that beach," he pointed to a bay that was close to a town. There was beach volleyball and beach houses. "That's where all the wealthy university students go to play when they have a break. That's probably where that kid's brother is." I nodded head, what was he getting at?

"I can't wait till I'm a university student, I'll be the first person in my family to go to university." I halted my step at that. I looked over to see a goofy grin on his face. He really wanted to go to school. "I know it's stupid for a guy like me." A blush appeared on his face.

"Sounds fun." His head snapped towards me. "Good luck, I'll be rooting for you." I gave him a soft smile. He nodded his head a large grin on his face. Then he nudged me with his shoulder.

"The first one to the beach wins!" He runs passed me before jumping off the cliff entirely.

"Woah!"I shout as I watched him disappear in the water below. "Shoot I'm already losing!" I took a step off the side and dive into the water.

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We laughed on the beach as we made it to the bay. I won, only by a hair though. We had a bit of fun drowning each other in order to win. We were all sandy when we got to the shore. "I'll win next time!" Lee promised and I laughed aloud.

"Yeah right!" We walked up the side of the beach towards where the houses and the streets were. "Let's do it again!" We passed one of the volleyball courts and all of a sudden I hear someone call my name.

"Kaida?" Pure fear filled me then. I didn't need to look back to know where that voice came from. I dug my heel into the ground and I started to make a bee-line for the street ditching Lee completely. "Kaida!" Zuko called after me, knowing that it was me.

I turned into an alley and climbed up a wall. "Kaida stop!" Zuko said on the side of the wall where I just came from. Seconds later he was over the wall but I was already making a turn.

It felt as if I was running and only one lung was working. I couldn't get air in. I was panicking, my legs burning. My dry eyes, too scared to blink, started to have tears seep out of them. The fear that I would get caught driving my every step.

"Kaida, wait!" I turned another corner, my shoulder slamming into the stone wall but I pushed off again. I couldn't breathe. I really couldn't breathe. I was going to get caught. He was going to kill me. I was going to be killed. He was going to-

He slammed his body into me, making us tumble to the ground. He wrapped his arms around me and I just sobbed. "Let me go! Let me go!" I started to draw a hand all the way down to my fire, bringing it up.

"I'm not going to hurt you!" We were still on our sides. He was holding my hands down, and I wasn't fighting back. We were just laying there as I cried. "I'm not." He said weakly, his forehead against my back. I looked down at my scarring hand. It was almost fully healed except for some deep spots.

"I'm scared!" I sobbed letting all my emotions out. I didn't want to be hurt again. As much as I thought I accepted it, it still hurt. His betrayal had rattled my foundation. "I'm scared of you Zuko!" I struggled to get out of his grasp.

"I know." He whispered, "I know." Again and again, he whispered those words. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He then began to apologize. "I'm so glad you are alive." He squeezed me tighter. "Alive." I just couldn't seem to break out of his arms.

He sat us up, but he was still holding me so tight that I couldn't be moved. "It hurts," his betrayal burned. I was scared of it. I was a different person now. His body cocooned me in his arms.

"I'm so sorry." I let out a scream in frustration at his words. Something about those words made my anger unleash.

    "Let me go!" I clashed my arms against him, finding my strength again. "Let me go! I hate you!" I felt him freeze behind me.

    "I'm sorry." He said again while I shoved my elbow back hitting him in the face. He let go of me for an instant and I scrambled to my feet.

    "Is that all you have to say?!" I glared down at him. "You turned against me. Tried to kill me!" I flailed my arms. "Tried to kill my friends and all you have to say is sorry?!" I screeched tears blurring my vision. I used my hands to wipe them away.

    Zuko sat up clutching his bleeding nose. I took a step back, "you curse my every day. I'm just trying to be happy and you," I sneered out with a pointing finger. "Keep making my life miserable!"

    He bowed with his head on the floor. "Kaida, I'm sorry."

    "Sorry isn't going to cut it." I turned on my heels, my back facing him. "I don't want to see you ever again." I turned my head to glare at him.

    I felt my fire flaring within me. I was angry, then Zuko spoke. "What can I do to have you forgive me." His voice was so weak, there is a crack within it. It made my fire waver. I was always weak to him. But not anymore.

     "I don't think you could ever earn my forgiveness. You don't deserve it." His eyes widen and tears filled them. He clutched the stone ground looking down at it in loss.

I crossed my arms. I wasn't strong enough to forgive him yet. "I'm still picking up the broken pieces of my life." My back was facing him. I didn't want to see him in this pitiful state.

    "I don't want you to shatter me again." I started to walk away leave Zuko to cry alone. Still wiping away my own tears.

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