It was January 8th. Sokka groaned as he rolled out of bed and got dressed. Katara was waiting by the door, anxiously checking the time.

"Sokka, we need to go." she said in an impatient tone.

"Let me eat breakfast first." Sokka replied. Katara shoved a breakfast burrito into his hands.

"You can eat on the way. I know you're stalling." Sokka sighed, then looked outside and saw his dad's old pickup truck.

"How about I eat a nice breakfast and drive us to school."

"I don't think Gran Gran would be happy, plus Aang is waiting for us."

"We can pick up Aang on the way." Katara paused for a moment.

"Fine, but I know you're just afraid to see Suki." Sokka made a face.

"I am not afraid to see Suki," he said defensively, taking a crumpled piece of paper out of his pocket, "Look at my schedule. She's a senior, I'm a junior. The only class I could possibly have with her is science." Katara examined the schedule carefully.

"It looks like you could also have math with her."

"She's taking advanced math." Katara's eyes narrowed.

"Do you have her whole schedule memorized?!"

"Um... no." Sokka said. Katara was not convinced.

"You two need to just kiss already and get it over with." she muttered.

~~~

Suki tentatively walked through the once familiar, but now alien hallways of Four Elements High School. It was about 10 AM, and her next class was science with the mechanist. She walked into the cluttered and haphazardly organized room, and immediately saw Sokka in the front row of desks. Oddly enough, he was sitting next to Zuko of all people, but Suki didn't even notice that. She locked eyes with Sokka. Everyone's staring at you, she thought, sit down. Her legs wouldn't move. She inhaled, pulled herself out of the spell that she was in, and found herself walking towards Sokka.

"H-hey Suki," he said tentatively.

"Hey," she echoed, "It's... been a long time." Sokka nodded. Out of the corner of her eye, Suki saw Zuko face palm. They just stood, smiling at each other for half a minute, not because they didn't want to talk, but because they couldn't think of any words to say.

"Suki!!" It was three of her friends from the soccer team. She reluctantly tore away from Sokka, "It's been so long! You have to give us all the details. What's Kyoshi University like? Did you meet any handsome college guys?" Suki laughed nervously, quickly waved at Sokka, and went over to a cluster of desks at the back corner of the room.

"Last semester was a bit... chaotic," said the Mechanist, entering the room, so I've created a random seating chart that is projected up on the board." Suki examined the seating chart and her cheeks turned red when she saw Sokka's name and photo next to hers. She gathered up her things and moved to her seat. Sokka did the same.

"We'll get right into it today by balancing chemical equations," the Mechanist said. The class collectively groaned, "Remember that chemical equations are happening every day. It is simply different molecules that go through a chemical reaction to form something greater than themselves."

"Last I checked, I signed up for chemistry, not philosophy," Sokka muttered under his breath. Suki giggled. Why am I laughing?

~~~

Sokka silently finished his finished his worksheet. He secretly enjoyed balancing equations, and he was finished ten minutes before class ended. His eyes wandered to Suki's worksheet. He pointed to one of the problems.

"You can only change the coefficients," he said quietly.

"Oh," Suki quickly erased the mistake and corrected it, "Is this right?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks." Sokka glanced over at her.

"So, does it feel good to be back home?"

"Definitely." there was a pause, then Suki said, "Do you think you're going to do track in the spring?"

"I haven't really thought about it," Sokka said truthfully. Suki laughed.

"Remember that time in middle school when you ran right into me because you were staring at Yue?" Sokka smiled.

"I wish I could forget."

"How did things go with her, by the way?"

"They were... short lived," Sokka fidgeted in his seat, "but she did help me realize something important."

"Really?"

"Class is dismissed!"

"I'd better go," said Suki, "but maybe I'll see you at lunch." She grabbed her binder and caught up with her friends in the hallway.

"What was that?!" Zuko asked with exasperation as he came up to Sokka.

"What do you mean?" Sokka was only half listening as he watched Suki leave.

"Ever since I've started hanging out with you guys two weeks ago, all that you've ever talked about was Suki, Suki, Suki, and when she finally comes back, you aren't even going to tell her you still like her?!" Sokka sighed.

"It's not that simple Zuko. Look, how long have you been with Mai." Zuko thought for a moment, then smiled.

"I think we were in 8th grade. She challenged me to a slam poetry battle and won easily. Then I bought her a black coffee and asked her to be my girlfriend."

"See! You've forgotten how hard relationships are!"

"Hmm. Maybe I have, but either way, you just need to tell her how you feel. You just need to get it over with." Sokka saw Suki's bright auburn hair disappear as went down the hallway. He had missed her. A lot.

"I think you're right, Zuko." Zuko rolled his eyes.

"I know I'm right."

~~~

"I have some bad news," Toph said at lunch, "My parents want to meet you guys."

"How is that bad news?" Aang asked confusedly as he sipped his onion and banana juice.

"Well, my parents have... high standards, and chances are, you guys haven't grown up in high society, so you don't know your table manners." Toph used earthbending to catapult a small strawberry into her mouth.

"Table manners," the group said dryly in unison.

"Well, so what if we don't impress them," Sokka said nonchalantly.

"Well, if they don't like you, they probably won't provide the money for the dance, and you'll have to get it by yourselves," Toph said, "Although my parents could probably fund 20 school events without even making a dent in their finances," she muttered to herself.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" Suki plopped down next to Katara.

"Of course not. And I don't think Sokka minds either," Katara said with a smirk. Sokka turned as red as a tomato.

"Suki might actually be able to pull it off," Toph noted.

"Me? Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. Katara could pull it off too, but you three..." she looked at Aang, Sokka and Zuko, "We'll just have to make it work. The key is flattery. Compliment the food, the decor, and bring a gift. Only remove the napkin from your plate when my parents have removed their napkin. You should only eat once everyone has been served, and you-"

"Uhh, Toph." Aang said nervously.

"Yeah, Aang?"

"When are we meeting your parents?"

"A week from friday." Sokka glanced over at Suki.

"Are you sure you want to come." he asked.

"Of course!" Suki said brightly. She typed something into her phone, "A week from Friday. It's a date!"

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