let’s cause a little trouble

The weather is fittingly overcast.

Mai is grateful for the fast-approaching end of summer. She liked autumn; it wasn’t too hot or too cold, just a constant comfortable temperature.

Today, though, the air is thick with humidity and the smell of summer rain, clouds covering the sky like swaths of silver cotton in a baby blue backdrop as she walked towards the school buildings, umbrella in hand, feeling small amid the bustling crowd. She passes a crosswalk, and she hears the sound of an engine rattling and tires spinning to a slow whirl against the asphalt before someone says her name.

Keeping her gaze straight, she walks on and elects to ignore the noxious red car creeping along on the street beside her.

“Mai!” the voice calls insistently. “It is Mai, right?” 

With an internal sigh, she gives in and stops in her tracks, slowly turning to the side. As luck would have it, a boy in her class infamous for being a delinquent sat in the car a few feet in front of her, smirking. Beside him sat his friend with the undercut, a grin on his face. Despite her upbringing, Mai was never one to let people’s reputation precede them or believe baseless rumors, but both were clearly up to something and she refuses to get involved.

“I’m Zuko,” he says. He gestures to his friend. “This is Sokka.”

“I know,” she responds flatly.

“Need a ride?”

“No, thanks.” Mai turns and resumes walking, brow quirking in annoyance when the car continues to tail her at its snail-like speed. Among many other things she hated, owing people any favors was one.

“Don’t be stubborn, you’re getting wet,” Zuko calls invitingly over the sound of the heavy rain.

Mai doesn’t respond, eyes ahead of her path. She hears a booming laugh from his friend.

“I’m just trying to help you out!”

She stays quiet, choosing to ignore him and keep her pace.

“Suit yourself,” he huffs.

Sokka’s roaring cackles fade out of earshot as the car speeds off. Mai lets out the jaded sigh she’s been holding, busying her mind with thoughts of the day’s upcoming activities to keep from mulling over the incident as she walks the rest of the way.

By the time she reaches the gates, the rain has lessened to a drizzle. She closes her umbrella, shaking it off as she heads inside towards the shoe cubbies. She props it up against the wall before treading over to her locker, kicking off her boots as she works it open.

“Wah, it’s raining so much today… Oh, good morning, Mai!”

As she finishes changing, she turns to see Ty Lee beaming, approaching with her shoes in hand, her hair in its usual long braid and bangs swept to the side.

“Morning,” Mai greets her friend amicably.

“First day of second term! Are you excited?”

She shrugs.

“Have you thought about what to write in your career goal form?” Ty Lee asks as she swaps her sneakers for the school shoes. “I hear they’re giving them out soon.”

Mai nods, answering before she could question further, “Something in politics, maybe.”

“Ahh, just as expected from a governor’s daughter!” Ty Lee says cheerfully.

“Just as expected.” Mai smiles weakly.

“I think when the time comes for me to fill in my form, I’ll choose teaching,” Ty Lee carries on thoughtfully.

“That’s nice. I can see you doing that.”

“Aw, really? Thanks, Mai!”

The doors open and a girl strides in, chin held high, her hair piled atop her head in a messy bun, loose strands framing the sides of her face. She ignores the pair and stands in front of her shoe locker.

“Good morning, Azula!” Ty Lee chirps.

Her head whips to the side where they stood, a frown set on her painted red lips. “What’s so good about it?”

Ty Lee simply brushes off her response and laughs. “Woke up on the wrong side of the bed, I see.”

“Hmph.”

Mai hikes her bag further up her arm. “I should get going.”

“Okay,” Ty Lee nods. “See you at lunch?”

“Sure.”

Mai makes her way inside the hall, not paying attention to her peers’ idle chatter as they all walked to their destinations. As she reaches the first flight of stairs, a girl with short hair strides past in a fury, shoulder bumping against hers. She stops, looking on in disfavor as her classmate stomps further away. There’s a damp spot left on her shoulder.

“Suki!” Sokka comes flying by, hot on the auburn-haired girl’s heels. “Babe, come on!”

“Do not call me that!”

“Don’t be mad, it was just a prank!”

“Why did you feel the need to put it on the internet?” Suki’s voice carries into the stairwell before a door slams. A shriek follows, “Don’t come in here, you pervert! This is the girls’ bathroom!”

A melodic chime plays, signaling the five-minute window allotted for students to make their way to classes, spurring Mai on to pick up her pace and head to her classroom. She takes her pick of the available seats, the leftmost corner at the second row, and watches the rain pattering against the windowpanes while the rest of her classmates file in and take their own. 

The bell indicating the start of class rings out in the room, and a bag drops on the floor beside the chair on her right before someone occupies it.

“Hey,” Zuko says, drawing her attention. He offers her a half-smile.

What do you want? Mai thinks, staring back impassively.

“It’s raining pretty heavily. Looks like it’s not letting up anytime soon,” he remarks casually, jutting his chin towards the windows. “If you want a ride home after school, let me know.”

Weird offer aside, the statement makes Mai regard him with curiosity. Even without her parents’ indoctrination, she was aware that he comes from an affluent family well-known for their high status. The fact that he has a car isn’t necessarily surprising; what piqued her interest is how he’s even allowed to drive when the legal minimum age for driving is eighteen. She asks a question that’s been on her mind since their brief interaction earlier in the morning.

“You have a license?”

“Ah, yeah,” he says with a slight laugh, a hand on the back of his neck. “I’m already eighteen. I couldn’t attend school when I was 13, but they wouldn’t let me skip a grade, so…”

“Why?” Mai asks despite herself.  

Zuko hesitates, his hand dropping and a perturbed expression washing over his features. He shakes his head and the half-smile reappears. “It’s a long story.”

She supposes it had something to do with the scar on the side of his face, taking up his left eye and extending to his ear. She doesn’t ask, but he catches her staring. Out of practiced politeness, she quickly directs her gaze to his golden eyes. “Okay.”

“So, is that a yes?” he asks, his head tilted cockily to one side. 

“What? No.” Mai scoffs. “You’re weird. Why are you coming up to people offering them rides?”

“I only asked you.”

“Doesn’t make you less weird,” she says flatly, drawing back her stare towards the front of the room to demonstrate her lack of want to continue the conversation.

Zuko laughs, but before he could formulate a response, their homeroom teacher strolls in.

“Morning, everyone,” she says in greeting as she slides the door closed behind her. “Forgive me for being late.”

“Good morning, Miss Nakamura,” the class choruses faintly while she sets her things on top of the podium in front of the board.

She smiles awkwardly. “I hope you all had a great summer vacation! Welcome back. I’ll be assigning your new seats today, so we can get it out of the way.” 

The door slides open and Suki walks in with a muttered apology and a shallow bow towards the teacher, making a beeline for one of the empty chairs, her boyfriend still on her trail.

“Okay, shall we go based on last names?” Miss Nakamura says with a clap of her hands. She picks up a sheet from the pile of papers in front of her. “Hmm, let’s mix things up and start from the back. Bear with me, guys.”

The teacher calls out surnames and students periodically stand to switch to their designated seats while the entire time, Mai dreads the inevitable: she’s stuck with Zuko as her seatmate, for the current term at best and the rest of the year at worst. She catches a glimpse of him by accident and sure enough, there’s a smirk on his lips, directed at her. She frowns at him, unamused, and turns away. Why is he suddenly so interested in my existence?

“Akashiro, Zuko…” Miss Nakamura calls out, “and Aiuchi, Mai.” She looks up from the roll call sheet and chuckles, finding the pair already in their assigned seats. “My, it looks like you two have great ESP today!”

The teacher finishes allocating the rest of the seats, commending the class on their perfect attendance for the day and directing a lighthearted comment at Zuko:

“It’s good to see you being present in class. I hope you make it a habit for the rest of the year.”

“I might,” he says, with a sidelong glance at Mai.

Homeroom ends quickly and their next few classes go by in a blur. Before Mai knew it, it was time for lunch.

She puts her notes away and takes out her packed lunch as some of her peers leave the room, no doubt to use the bathroom and stretch their legs. Others rearrange desks and chairs to use as lunch tables.

Beside her, Zuko straightens up from his slouch. “Hey, I—”

“Mai!” Ty Lee stands outside the threshold, hand raised in a wave while the other held her bento. Beside her was Azula, looking disinterested, own bento in hand. Zuko scowls upon seeing his sister. The two begin to approach, with Azula coming to a halt in front of Zuko’s desk, a smirk on her face.

“Zuzu,” she says. “What a surprise.”

“This is my classroom,” he quips, before letting out a dissatisfied groan. “Why are you in here?”

“I invited her,” Ty Lee says sprightly, smiling. “Are you joining us too? Oh—I hope you don’t mind, Mai.”

She shrugs.

“Are you two even allowed here?” Zuko grumbles.

While Ty Lee sets up a makeshift table from the desks and borrows chairs for herself and Azula, Mai watches the siblings in interest as they continue to bicker, noting the similarities in their appearance. They had a similar facial structure, with defined jawlines and sharp features. Both had the same amber irises, although Zuko’s eyes were more narrow and elongated whereas Azula’s were slightly rounder.

“Zuko,” Sokka calls from the back of the class. “Hurry up, man, I’m starving!”

“Go on now,” Azula says haughtily. “Shoo.”

“You’re the worst.” Zuko’s jaw sets in annoyance. He pushes back his chair and shoulders his bag as he stands. Mai turns her attention back to her desk, picking up her chopsticks and taking a stab at her food. She ignores Azula sitting across from her, setting her lunch down. Ty Lee takes a seat next to her new friend.

“Let’s eat!” she says before enthusiastically digging into her lunch, while Azula begins to slowly unpack her own.

“So, what’s up with you and my ugly brother?”

Mai lifts her head, looking at the girl in front of her blankly. She raises an unimpressed brow in question. 

“Well?” Azula says, her red lips curling up into a smile. Mai notes that her uniform is pristine and completely free of wrinkles; even the ribbon was immaculately tied around her collar. Paired with her perfectly made-up face, she looked like a porcelain doll.

“What’s up with your face?” she counters, internally wincing at how lame she sounded. “Are you even allowed to wear that much makeup?”

“Who’s going to do anything about it?” Azula shrugs. “And I asked you a question, Goody Two-Shoes.” 

“Nothing’s up,” Mai grudgingly mutters her answer. “I don’t even know him.”

“I think he’s interested in you, though,” Ty Lee sing-songs. “Someone’s got a crush!”

Mai simply rolls her eyes and continues eating. As if.

Azula scoffs. “How juvenile.”

“Sorry, is this seat taken?”

The trio looks up at the imposing figure who had spoken. Suki stands by their makeshift table, smiling cordially. She’s holding her own packed lunch in her hands.

Azula turns her nose up. “Who are you?”

“Oh,” Suki’s smile falters. “I’m Suki. I’m friends with your brother. It’s nice to finally meet you.” 

“Come sit with us!” Ty Lee says, waving a hand at her beckoningly.

Suki obliges, taking Zuko’s vacant chair. “Thanks.” She turns to look at Mai. “Hey, I just wanted to say I’m sorry about this morning. I wasn’t looking where I was going. Are you alright?”

Mai nods. “Don’t worry about it.”

Ty Lee looks between the two. “What happened?”

“Just another one of Sokka’s antics,” Suki sighs. “He thought it would be funny to squeeze a water bottle into my face. There’s no limit to how childish boys can be.”

Oh, Mai muses inwardly. It explains the spot that had been left on her blouse earlier from when they’d bumped shoulders.

“Aw, that sucks,” Ty Lee says empathetically. “And tell me about it. They’re just terrible.”

“I know! And the worst part is, he posted a video,” Suki rants. “He’s deleted it, but it just makes me so mad that he did it in the first place.”

“That is awful.” Ty Lee makes a face in thought. “Sokka, huh? Where do I know that name from… oh, I’m friends with his younger sister!”

“You know Katara?”

“Yeah!” she nods. “I can’t believe they’re related.”

“Right?” Suki chuckles.

Mai looks away from the two, only to meet Azula’s bored gaze. The girl sighs, putting down her chopsticks in favor of taking out her phone with a roll of her eyes. Mai resumes eating her lunch, content to let the other two carry on their conversation. 

“So, Mai,” Suki says, prompting Mai to look at her. “You seem to be Zuko’s latest object of attention.”

“Ooh,” Ty Lee giggles and Mai rolls her eyes. “Is he into her? Did he tell you anything?”

Azula clears her throat and starts to pack up her untouched lunch, much to the three’s confusion. “I want orange juice. Ty Lee, let’s go.”

“Wait, what?” Ty Lee pouts. “But I’m not done eating!”

Azula stands and begins to stalk off while Ty Lee immediately packs up, hastily saying her farewells as she hurried to follow her. “Bye guys! I’ll see you later— Azula, wait!”

“Bye,” Mai calls back. 

Suki’s mouth sets in a firm line. “Anyway, you should be careful, Mai. I think Sokka put him up to something. Just now he asked me, like, twenty questions about you. Don’t worry though, I didn’t say anything.”

“I appreciate it. Thanks, Suki.”

Feeling a distinctive prickle on the back of her neck, Mai cranes her head to find the cause of the sensation. Her eyes land on Zuko, staring at her from across the room. He flashes her an awkward grin and she looks away sharply, irritation blooming in her chest.

“Of course,” Suki says resolutely, putting away her empty lunch box. “I’m not going to stand for whatever it is they’re doing.” She smiles apologetically. “Ah, anyway, sorry about all that. Wanna put these back?”

Mai quickly finishes lunch and helps her return the desks and chairs to their original places, admittedly pleased to have someone to mutually complain about boredom with, finishing just as the lunch period ends. With a friendly goodbye, Suki returns to her seat, along with the rest of their form.

Sighing, Zuko slouches back in his chair as tutorial commences. “Hi.”

Mai keeps her full attention on the teacher’s lesson.

All his efforts were swiftly rebuffed. She completely ignores his presence until the dismissal bell rings after the o soji. She blocks him out even as he follows her all the way down the stairs, tuning out his words and avoiding looking in his direction.

“Mai, come on!” Zuko reaches for her, and she sidesteps him, infuriated. “Hey. What’s wrong? What did I do?”

“Don’t touch me,” she says venomously. “You don’t know me. Whatever it is you’re playing at, I want no part of it. Just leave me alone.”

“What?” he snaps, frustrated. “What are you talking about? Did Suki say something?”

Anger bubbles up in Mai’s throat again, and she curtly turns her back to him with one last remark.

“Don’t ever talk to me again.”

She storms off towards the lockers, finding Ty Lee waiting with concern written on her face.

“Hey,” she says softly. “Are you okay? What happened?”

Mai gives a short nod, willing herself to calm down. She takes her umbrella. “It’s nothing. Come on, we’ll miss the train.”

They exit the school grounds and start to make their way towards the station when a distinct red sports car catches her eye.

Zuko looks straight ahead, one hand on the wheel, the other holding a lit cigarette. Azula stares at her through the open window as the car whips past, a ghastly scarlet smile on her face.

The trains were particularly crowded that day, and it was approaching sunset when Mai finally reaches home.

“I’m back,” she calls, placing her shoes on the rack at the entrance and slipping her house slippers on.

The pitter-patter of her little brother’s small feet reach her ears. She looks up, seeing Tom-Tom slowly toddling his way towards her with a gummy grin. Mai finds herself smiling.

“Hello, dear,” Michi walks into the hall. “How was school today?”

“Boring,” Mai shrugs, bending down to pick up her baby brother. “There wasn’t much going on since it’s the first day of term.”

“Oh, Mai. How could you be bored?” Michi tuts. “Are you really studying for your entrance exams?”

“Yes, Mom.”

Her mother nods, satisfied, reaching out to take Tom-Tom from her arms. “Go wash up. Your father will be home for dinner soon.”

Mai heads upstairs for a shower, sits through dinner with her family, and does her homework studiously.

When she turns in for the night, she finds herself thinking about the boy with a cigarette dangling between his fingers, a whitish cloud of smoke bursting from his lips, the image replaying over and over inside her eyelids.