Time: 7:34 PM

Well, here we are. The end of this short story. Still trying to work on "Love Throughout Eternity" every once in a while. :) Hope you all like this last chapter. I liked the way it ended. Sweet. Awwwww. Haha, let me know what you think.

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: the last Airbender

When I reached the bottom of the slide, I waded over to the regular pool area, and emerged myself in the cold water, trying to cool my face off. It didn't work. I just treaded water, the water up to my nose, thoughts running amuck in my mind.

"Dang it!" I muttered and splashed some water around me, "What did I do to deserve this awful torture?"

I submerged my head now, and came up sputtering, flinging water from my eyes. I saw across the pool area, Toph and Sokka emerge from the slide, laughing their heads off. Probably at my stupidity, I thought. I tried to hunker down in the water, behind some kids.

But Toph knew me better than that. While Sokka started back up the flights of stairs, I saw Toph stop and turn around, her eyes scanning the giant pool area. I ducked behind some kids, and dove beneath the chlorine water surface. When I came back up, she was standing on the side of the pool very near me, her eyes steady. I couldn't read the expression she had deep beneath that surface, and gulped, not sure what to say.

She sat on the edge of the pool and slipped in beside me, treading water silently. I felt the deep blush I had been careful to erase, pop back up on my face.

"He remembered you ya know," She said, floating on her back now, staring up at the ceiling. I was silent, staring at my hand and the warped image the water made it. That's how my heart felt at the moment.

"He said he was just teasing you," She continued, "He apparently remembers tons of people, even when they come back the next year, he says, 'hey, you look familiar, have I seen you before?'"

"Toph," I interjected, "It's fine."

We went silent again.

"I mean, that it doesn't matter. I am just acting foolishly." I smiled sadly at her, "Whey you actually get to be a teenager, you will experience these problems when you don't have a boyfriend and are desperate for something or someone to come into your life." I tilted my head back and looked up at the ceiling as well.

"I just wish my time would come."

She said nothing, but I could tell she was looking at me carefully.

"What if this is your time?" She said quietly, totally un Toph-like.

I shifted my eyes at her, completely surprised at the words that had come from her. But then I gave up and closed my eyes heavily.

"No Toph, I don't think it is."

She splashed me, "Katara! You are the most stubborn person I have ever met. Well besides me, but other than that!"

I sighed, "I don't even know his name. How am I supposed to talk to him if I don't know his name?"

Toph groaned, and finally pulled me towards the edge of the pool. "Guess we are going to find out!"

My eyes went wide, my heart uncontrollably beating.

"What!" I squeaked, "No! I am not going back up there!"

Toph punched me in the arm, "You are! And you are going to ask him his name!"

I bit my tongue, ready to lash out at her. I angrily pulled myself out of the pool and trudged my sopping wet body across the cement towards the inner tube area. Toph picked up a double one and we started our ascend.

The line was a bit longer now, and those two same girls were in line, talking to each other, their eyes drifting over to his area and smiling slyly.

"Seriously," Toph muttered, "You're what? My age? That's sick and dirty." As she scoffed at the two skimpy girls, my eyes glanced up to find Sokka just going down the blue slide, the lifeguard pushing him. As he turned around to the group, his eyes looked and landed on mine.

Pools of grey swirls were enchanting me and I found myself looking angrily at my feet, embarrassed that I was a complete fool. I heard him sit in his chair, and I dared another glance up at him. His eyes were still locked on mine, and my eyes widened at him. I didn't look away this time.

A little boy was on the small yellow slide, anxious to go, shifting from one foot to the other.

"Mister," He whined, "Can I go yet?"

The lifeguard's eyes shifted momentarily up to the TV screen, and then back to mine, completely attached.

"Go ahead," he said loudly.

My heart felt as if it was going to jump out of my chest. I looked down suddenly becoming absorbed in the pools of water that my feet were standing in. I'm such a fool.

The two girls got in their inner tube and smiled up at him, smirks on their faces. But he was still in his chair. Whether or not he was still looking at me, I had no idea, for I didn't look up.

I shifted my eyes up to look at the girls, but was incredibly careful not to look in his direction. They were looking at each other, and then up to him. One of them furrowed their perfectly plucked eyebrows.

"Are you going to give us a push down?" She asked ever so sweetly.

There was a pause and I looked at the back of Toph's head, swallowing myself in darkness.

"Not this time," he said, his voice deep and husky. There was another pause, and the only sound in the entire floor was that of the gushing water that was spouting out into the slides.

"You're up," he finally said. There was a "tsk" from one of the girls, and as they struggled to push themselves down one of them said to him, "Thanks for nothing."

I gulped at their rudeness, and closed my eyes. This is by far the weirdest vacation ever.

Minutes passed as he told others to go down, and Toph and I slowly made our way to the front of the line, where she put the inner tube in the little pool of swirling water. Toph sat down in the front spot, making me get the back one. I bit my lip and sat down, my feet reaching out in front of Toph. She traced her finger along the outside of one of my ankles, sending shivers up my spine. I watched her finger, trying not to think about the guy in the chair next to me. Her finger finally traced an arrow on the outside of my ankle and then she lifted her hand and pointed to my right. My eyes followed her line of sight and came in line of vision of his ankle, the exact one with the blue arrow on it.

I took in a sharp breath and glared at the back of her head.

She turned around and looked at me. Do it, her eyes said. I squeezed my eyes shut. Finally, I heard the splashing of water and my eyes sprung open again. I looked up to see his sculpted body looking down at me. There was no sign of expression on his face, the only life coming from his eyes. I blinked and then looked back at the back of Toph's oh-so-fascinating head.

"And how are you today Meanie and Meanie's cousin?" He cocked his head a bit, a bemused look on his face.

I nodded that I was fine, and waited for Toph to answer. I felt her elbow my leg, and I breathed out heavily. I looked up at his gorgeous face, his eyes searching mine.

"I am doing great," I lied to his face, "And you?"

He looked at me carefully. He crossed his arms and leaned back a bit, giving him an air of authority.

"Quite fine, I suppose," he answered.

There was a pause as he turned and told someone that they could go down the blue slide.

Toph pinched my calf muscle hard. I kicked her back, making her mutter something angry at me.

His attention came back to us. Toph sighed heavily and looked up at him, "Okay. What's your name?" It was blunt and straight to the point.

He lifted an eyebrow, looking at her in amusement.

"Do you want to know?" he asked, and walked behind us, ready to push. His fingertips grazed my shoulders, awakening my sensory neurons. My downcast eyes went wide.

"Or does someone else want to know?" His fingers stopped right on the back of my neck, barely applying pressure. He grabbed my ponytail carefully and tugged a little, bringing his face close down to my neck.

"Hmmm?" he murmured.

I stared straight ahead, my face and neck in flames.

He sighed, completely sick of the game, and slightly tugged on my ponytail once more.

I couldn't take it anymore. I grabbed the edges of the walls and pushed with all the force I had, pushing Toph and I into the mouth of the slide. My ponytail was tight in his hand and it pulled hard. He soon realized that he needed to let go and did just in the nick of time.

We crashed ungracefully into the pool of water. I angrily waded out of the pool, leaving Toph to fetch the inner tube.

"Hey!" She called out, trying to round up the tube and follow me, "Where are you going!"

"Back to the car, I'm sick of this place! I'll see you when you're done with hunky up there." My voice was hurt and bitter all at once. My breathing was heavy and tired as I stalked to the changing room.

"Katara!" She yelled loudly, sure to grab everyone's attention. I didn't care anymore. No one knew me here, why should I be embarrassed? I continued my journey to the changing room.

I didn't hear Toph's footsteps behind me. I didn't blame her. I wouldn't want to be around me either.

Once I dried my hair, I grabbed the car keys, ready to go and sit in the car and sob my little frustrated heart out.

"I told Toph it wasn't worth it," I mumbled to myself, my heart feeling heavy and stubborn at my feelings.

I threw myself at the glass double doors and emerged into the crisp air of the cloudy skies. I looked up at the clouds, stopping and thinking how much they reflected my mood.

I had never gotten this worked up about a guy before. Was I so desperate that I tried to think that any guy would like me just because I was n vacation and they didn't know me?

I looked sadly up at the clouds, and started walking out into the parking lot.

I heard the doors crash open, and a loud, desperate voice.

"Hey Meanie!"

I stopped in my tracks, the short hair on my neck standing straight up. My entire body felt cold with chills now, my heart desperately pumping blood trying to warm it up.

I turned slowly, finding his shirtless figure standing just outside the doors. His breathing was ragged, as if he had been running.
I narrowed my eyes.

"What are you doing here? Your shift shouldn't be over just yet."

He walked up to me, closing the distance to about four feet.

"I'm Aang," he said, his voice low, leaning his head slightly toward me, his stormy grey eyes enchanting me.

I breathed in a sharp breath.

"What?" I whispered.

"I want to start over. I really really want to talk to you, but it looks like I butchered my chance." He paused, and then blushed slightly, looking down, then back up at me, "I want a second chance, so," he said deeply, and held out a hand, "I'm Aang."

I stared at his hand in confusion, then slowly reached out and took it, looking back up into his eyes.

"I'm Katara."

A smile lit over his face. His large, firm handshake sent tingles up my arm, straight to my heart. The warmth of his hand was overwhelming and I felt my knees go weak and legs like spaghetti. I gulped, my hand still in his. My eyes were completely glued to his and I feared I would never be able to tear them loose.

"Katara, could I possibly be able to treat you to dinner tonight?" He asked, his bright eyes dancing with mischievousness.

I looked up at him in awe. Wait until Toph hears about this! My eyes shifted at seeing movement behind the glass doors. I saw Toph's small figure, arms crossed, staring out at us, our hands still clasped. There was a smug smile played on her lips and she nodded her head, and turned on her heel and left my view.

I smiled to myself, chuckling inside. Then, turning my attention back to Aang, I whispered, "I would like that."

He sighed in relief, and closed his eyes, a smile spread across his face.

He let go of my hand, and mine ached with coldness, wanting to be wrapped in his again. Instead, he offered his arm to me, and I looked at him in embarrassment, but took it anyways, slipping my hand into the crook of his arm.

"Right this way Meanie," he said huskily.

And they dated for two years, got married and had tons of little babies! YEY!

Hey, should I get a small arrow tattoo like Aang had here? You know, kind of curving from my heel around my ankle? Haha, maybe. Lol

Hope you all enjoyed my story that started with a real life circumstance, but ended with a much better and hopeful story. Don't ever let go of your dreams people!

~FutureAirbender18 out