Chapter 2

"Changes for the Better" Chapter 2

Zuko and Toph walked in to town together the next day. They were side by side and smiling... for now. Zuko was a bit worried about the fact that he was the prince of the firenation, but Toph didn't really seem to mind.
"Why'd you run away in the first place?" he asked eagerly.
Toph shrugged. "My parents always treated me like I couldn't do anything since I'm blind. They always think I need help when I don't. I'm perfectly fine by myself and I don't need some rich, spoiled brat to take care of me. I found you." She squeezed his hand and smiled at him. Zuko blushed and smiled back at her.
"The only thing I'm worried about is having someone find me. My mother would go crazy and make the walls around our house ten feet higher."
Zuko frowned. He thought he had it hard; this girl lived in a world of locks and walls. "If you wanna walk further away from your house we can. It's just that my shoes are killing me." He sat down and began to massage his feet.
"If they hurt so bad, why did you wear them?" she asked.
"Wedding."
"Really? Who's?"
"...My friend's."
Even though Zuko was lying, Toph didn't notice. She was too in love and had her feet off the ground.
"Hey, do you wanna get something to eat? I'm starving!" Toph's stomach growled.
"Sure."




"What do you mean you can't find her?" Toph's father demanded.
"We mean, sir," said one of his guards. "We can't find her. We've searched the entire area and still no luck."
"Then search all the near by towns! She couldn't have gotten that far."



The two lovers had stopped to get some noodles. They were both feeding each other (even though Toph kept on missing his mouth and it always landed on his pants).
"Oops! Sorry..." she said for the millionth time. Zuko cleaned the stain up with a napkin.
"It's OK."
She smiled and leaned against Zuko. "You know I really like you."
"I like you, too." Zuko planted a small kiss on her cheek causing her to blush.
"I'd rather stay with you instead of going home," she told him.
He put his arm around her skinny shoulder. "I'd like that, too."
Zuko leaned closer to her and closed his eyes. Toph did the same. Just when their noses had touched, they heard someone yelling at them.
"STOP!"
Toph's eyes flew open in disbelief. Her hands turned into fists and her face turned bright red.
"Crap," she muttered. She felt someone's hand grab her shoulder and pull her away from Zuko. She was so going to kill them.
"You stay away from my daughter!" Mr. Bei Fong yelled at Zuko.
"What the frick, Father?!" Toph hissed.
"I wasn't even doing anything bad to her," Zuko insisted.
But before he could convince Mr. Bei Fong, he had already pulled Toph into their carriage and had sped away.



Toph was pushed into her room by the guard. He locked the door so she couldn't get out. She began pounding on the door.
"I HATE YOU, FATHER!" she screamed. "I'LL NEVER LOVE YOU AGAIN!"
She jumped onto the bed and started to cry. All she wanted was that kiss from Zuko and to be free. She had never asked for more.
She made a promise to herself; no matter how hard it was to get out of here, no matter hard it is to find, she'd be with Zuko again. And her parents wouldn't be the ones to stop her.