81| Lies, Plays, and Promises

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As I packed up the tent, Sokka ran towards me, Suki behind him. 

"Guess what?" he asked excitedly, trying to catch his breath.

"Yeah? What's up?" I said, rolling up the cloth. I felt Katara's presence behind me.

"There's a play about us!" He had a roll of paper in his hand, letting it fall open. "Let's go. Please please please—"

"I don't think seeing a play about ourselves would be a good experience," Katara said, crossing her arms.

"Are you kidding? This is the time-wasting I've missed!" Sokka said, waving his arms. "We have to go."

"It's looks fun," I said honestly.

"Oh, no," Zuko's voice came from behind us. "Our mom used to take us to see them. They butchered 'Love Amongst the Dragons' every year." 

I turned to see him and Aang sitting down on the edge of the concrete fountain, wiping the sweat off their necks with towels. They'd just been practicing firebending. I could feel my eyes sinking in as I realized something.

"God, Zuko!" I turned back to face Sokka, my face heating up, "Wear a shirt!"

"I don't mind," Katara giggled and I slapped her with the ad for the play.

"What's wrong with not wearing one? Aang isn't either," Zuko complained. "And it's hot."

"He's right. It is hot," Toph grinned across from across the tent area. I scowled at her, even though she couldn't see me.

"Maybe you should get a haircut," I said as Zuko stood next me me. "You won't feel so hot then." I took a sip of water from the waterskin hanging at my side.

"Trust me, there's no way he's going to cut his hair," Katara said. "He used to have a bald head." I spit all the water out, soaking Zuko.

"You were bald?" I asked.

"That's not it. Being bald is okay," Aang put in, offended. "He just had this single ponytail sticking out of the back of his head."

I burst out laughing. "Someone please, take me back to that time."

"I actually thought he was a half bald girl when I saw him for the first time. And then he spoke," Sokka cracked. Everyone snickered.

"That's not even funny," Zuko muttered in his usual raspy voice. "I had to cut off my hair because the burn needed to heal," he pointed at his scar.

"Okay sweetheart," I crooned, running a hand through his bangs. "At least trim it. You do need a haircut."

"That was disturbing," Sokka said, making an 'ew' face.

"Do we want to go, or not?" I asked, ignoring Sokka's disapproving face.

"Yeah. Let's check it out," Aang said. We wore disguises and then made our way to the theater.

Toph sat on the long seat first, then Katara. Zuko decided to take his spot next to her, so I sat next to him. Aang frowned.

"I was going to sit there," he said to Zuko.

"What's the big deal?" Zuko asked. "Can't you sit next to Mei?"

"There's not really space for five people . . . " he trailed off. Zuko looked at him, his gaze unwavering. "It's okay. I'll sit in the back with Suki and Sokka." Aang muttered, defeated. And that's what he did.

"Zuko, you jerk, he wanted to sit next to Katara," I whispered.

"Oh."

I rolled my eyes as the theater curtains were pulled back, revealing a super bony boy with buck teeth and a long face, and a chubby girl wearing too much makeup, thick eyebrows, and leg-revealing clothes—on a canoe.

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