Chapter 10: The Secret

Katara was standing at the top of the stairs looking at her brother's cobalt eyes.

"No. It wasn't Aang. Why would you assume something like that?" Katara asked.

"Hmm let me think. You were all over him on the first day of school, he got suspended for a fight against your ex, and you are always blushing when someone mentions his name and I saw his car in the parking lot at school. SO LIE AGAIN" Sokka yelled loud enough for Katara to hear. Katara was looking down fiddling with her hair and she had the lightest blush.

"O-okay maybe it was Aang. But you CAN"T tell dad! I mean it Sokka because if he knew my friend was a boy he would interrogate me until there was no tomorrow and nobody has the time to go through that. SO you have to promise me you won't tell." Katara told Sokka in a loud whisper.

"Fine! Only if you make my favorite meal for 2 weeks. And you can't just make the meat you have to make sides to." Sokka said with a sly grin on his face. Katara rolled her eyes.

"Deal. I'll make Pulled Pork for 2 weeks just as long as you don't tell dad about Aang." Katara said, making sure her brother knew how much it meant to her that her father didn't know about Aang. Sokka nodded and headed back into his room and closed the door. Katara did the same. She prayed so many times that Sokka wouldn't tell her secret to Hakoda.

Meanwhile with Aang

Aang pulled out of the driveway quickly and raced home. Praying that nobody saw his license plates. It was dark outside, but there was enough light to see, but he didn't let that mess with him anymore.

Aang shortly arrived at home in half the time it took to get to Katara's. He was glad that there weren't any cops nearby because he would've definitely gotten a ticket. Aang parked his car still not seeing Gyatso's anywhere. Before exiting his car he called Gyatso. It went straight to voicemail. Aang was even more worried than before. He ran into his house and headed for Gyatso's room to see if there was anything that could help him figure out where he was.

Aang saw that Gyatso's room was nice and neat. His bed was made and everything was in order. But Aang saw something on Gyatso's bed. It was a flier for a group called "WL". The flier said "WL @9:00 AM! *a teacup with steam coming from it* DON"T BE LATE!" Aang wanted to know what 'WL' stood for so he sat on Gyatso's bed and looked up 'WL' nothing piqued his interest until he scrolled down a bit more and saw the same teacup with steam coming from it. It stood for White Lotus and apparently it was a secret society. Aang was dumbfounded. He didn't know that his one and only grandfather was in a secret society. Just then Aang's phone rang. It was Gyatso. (Told you he wasn't dead :)

"Hello, Aang. I'm sorry that I haven't answered any of your messages or calls. I've been pretty busy. I will be home in a few days." Gyatso said in a caring voice.

"Grandfather I know that you are in the White Lotus secret society. Why didn't you tell me! I was so worried." Aang yelled.

"Please keep your voice down child! It's a Secret Society. So I wasn't supposed to tell you. But now that you know you have to promise not to tell anyone because if you do, then it would be a huge problem for me." Gyatso yelled back but kept his voice below a whisper. "I have to go now but I will explain everything when I get back I promise," Gyatso said and hung up the phone.

Aang sat on Gyatso's bed for a good 10 minutes before exiting making it look just like it did when he entered. Aang was still in shock to find out that his grandfather was in a secret society. Now that Aang thought about it, Gyatso would leave every month for a few days and then return but he never questioned it.

Now that Aang has heard from Gyatso he could relax ever so slightly because now he had to think about how he had to basically avoid going to Katara's house ever again in his blue Prius. Yes, Aang had about 2 other cars but his favorite was his blue Prius. So Aang went back outside and pulled his car into the garage. His garage could hold at least 5 cars. He has 2 and Gyatso had 1. Aang parked his car on the far right of his second favorite car. His orange Ford GT Liquid Carbon. He got this car when he was 16. His other car was the blue Prius he got on his 17th birthday. He would occasionally drive his orange one only because he didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea about him.

Aang grabbed the keys from the hook and drove his Ford GT outside and parked it on the outside of the garage. He pressed the button in his car to close and lock the garage. He went back inside and saw both Appa and Momo waiting for him. He pets their heads and headed towards the back door to let them out. Aang decided to go for a late-night swim in his heated pool because it's not like he had school tomorrow. So he headed upstairs to change into his light orange trunks. He admired his body in the mirror for about a good 2 minutes before snapping out of his gaze and running downstairs. He connected his phone to the speaker that was out there and began playing Pop Smoke's music. He made sure that the volume wasn't too loud because he did have neighbors.

His neighbors were really nice. They were a little weird. They had a teenage daughter around the same age as Aang. They saw each other every morning before school. The daughter was very good at gymnastics. Her name was Ty Lee but she didn't go to Republic High because her parents believed that she was too good for regular school. But she wasn't a preppy girl she was nice and not what Aang expected. They became friends and she would come over sometimes during summer before school started.

~2 hours later~

Aang went inside and brought the dogs with him. He went upstairs to shower and wash his hair. He got out and headed towards his room and just put on some boxers because who needs actual clothes. He forgot his phone in the bathroom so he grabbed it and looked to see he had 2 unread messages from Katara. He opened his messages.

*In Messages*

Katara: Aang wyd?-8:30 PM

Katara: ?-8:45 PM

Aang: Hey sorry I was swimming. What's up?-10:03 PM

Katara: How is it that I didn't know u had a pool and was just over there??

Aang: we didn't go in the backyard...

Katara: ohhh. So.....ummm mydadisnotmadanymorebutsokkaknowsaboutyoudrivingbuthepromisesnottotelljustaslongasimakehisfavoritemeal

Aang: ...

Aang: That was very long. I kinda lost brain cells but okay.

Katara: glad u understand.

Aang: so anyways wyd

Katara: nm in my room. Hbu

Aang: just got out of the shower. Bout to head downstairs and make me sum to eat

Katara: ooo whatcha makin???

Aang: Idk yet I'm lookin rn

Katara: ft me and let me see what u got

Aang: k

*End Messages*

*Calling Katara*

Katara waited for the call to connect.

*ft sound*

Aang was already downstairs looking in his fridge and then called Katara.

"Okay turn your camera around," Katara said in a sweet demanding voice. Aang did as told and showed her his very sad fridge. The only things that were in his fridge was an assortment of fruits and veggies, eggs, yogurt, a gallon of milk, and a lot of lettuce and cabbage. "This is sad," Katara said trying to hold in a giggle.

"Yes I know so I'm probably going to starve instead. It's not like I'm starving" Aang said rolling his eyes.

"Use those fruits you got down there and make a fruit salad or something or make a smoothie," Katara suggested.

"I'm going to make a smoothie. I'm gonna make a citrus blend" Aang said placing his phone on the nearby counter so he could grab the ingredients. He flipped the camera towards him. He told Katara he would be right back realizing he was still in his boxers he ran upstairs and put some Champion joggers that were laying on his dresser. He came back propped the phone up. He didn't feel like putting on a shirt and so he didn't. Katara couldn't help but gawk over the phone. Her eyes wide and her hand covering her mouth so he couldn't hear her say "Dang".

Aang propped Katara up on the backside of a full water bottle and proceeded to make his smoothie. It was kind of silent between the two only because Katara couldn't speak for about 3 minutes. She then developed breathing again and tried not to stare at him.

"Kat, you good? It looked like you died but then came back" Aand teased.

"I-im go-od" Katara barely managed to get out.

About 5 minutes later Aang finished making his smoothie and started to drink it. He was so into his drink he nearly forgot he was on the phone with Katara until she startled him.

"Aang!" Katara yelled but not loud enough for anyone else in her house to hear. Aang flinched ever so slightly and stopped drinking his smoothie.

"Y-yea?" Aang said.

"Oh, nothing. Just wanted to see your reaction" Katara smiled.

"Mhm," Aang smirked. Causing Katara to blush a little.

Aang finished his smoothie and once again the two of them were on the phone. Eventually, Katara was on pause and mute so she could shower and she told Aang to stay on the phone and he did. Aang eventually turned off all the lights downstairs and locked all the doors. He made sure that Appa and Momo had some food and water to last them the night. He left the doggy door unlocked because he knew about their sudden urges to use the bathroom all over the house. He was in his room and turned his LEDs on and they were already on the same color he had last time. Katara came back to the phone and did the same. They continued to talk until it was 2 in the morning.

"Kat *yawn* you have school tomorrow and I don't think any other teachers would appreciate you sleeping in their class again. So we will talk tomorrow. You're coming over right?" Aang questioned in a sleepy voice.

"*yawn* yea I'm coming over to give you your work. Pick me up at same time?" Katara replied.

"Of course" Aang smiled.

"Night Aang" Katara said in a gentle voice.

"Night Kat: Aang replied. With that Aang hung up the phone and placed it on the charger. He couldn't help but smile himself to sleep after getting off the phone. Katara couldn't help but do the same. So they slept until the next day.