Her Forgotten ~Tomura Shigaraki x OC AU~

Prologue

Outside, the sun had just begun its steady descent.

Its golden glow melted across the sky, painting the clouds various shades of pink and purple as a warm breeze blew. It whisked the loose strands of her lilac hair, which she had pinned back into a half-up style. Goosebumps ran up the bare skin of her arms. The material of her sunflower print dress fell just above her knees, clinging to her narrow frame.

She felt awkward and lanky, and like a fraud wearing the drugstore blush and mascara she had stolen three months prior, and her flats that pinched her heels, but she also felt pretty. Almost beautiful, even.

She was fourteen. Just barely budding into womanhood with her chubby cheeks and rounded face still filled with her childhood youth. She was caught somewhere in the strangeness of girlhood and womanhood, but as she walked to his side, it was only him she saw.

Rooker Penzy-Hoover was four months older than her and had been in the same class as her since kindergarten. As children, he pulled her pigtails and laughed at her smile, but as the years went, he grew into the kind of boy that all the girls gazed at and wanted. He was tall and on the basketball team, and his father owned a car lot in town, while his mother worked as an accountant, so he came from money. He had sandy blond locks that he kept short and light brown eyes and a crooked smile that made her heart flutter.

And it was his side she walked along as they made their way into the gymnasium. Inside, music blared as lights flashed across the floor and walls. Throngs of eighth graders stood in clusters – girls in skirts or dresses and boys in jeans and untucked dress shirts. And they all turned when they saw her with him.

She smiled.

They watched them – or more specifically, they were watching her. As the music pulsated, she could feel their eyes linger on her, watching. Questioning. Wondering what a boy like Rooker was doing with a girl like her, but she didn't care because he chose her. She was only fourteen, and that night, she was someone.

They walked, ever only brushing shoulders, but it was just enough for her to feel his body heat. He felt so warm, and she liked that. It made her feel warm and fuzzy.

They came to a spot in the gym and Rooker stopped. He stood tall, glancing around when the music changed to a slower song. At first, she couldn't read his expression. She couldn't make it out in the flashing lights, which cast various shadows across his features. Then, he looked at her and smiled.

"Do you wanna dance?"

Her heart leaped into her throat as a tint of heat dusted across her face. She nodded and they made their way onto the makeshift dancefloor.

Rooker took one of her hands into his and then placed his other on her waist. Slowly, they began to sway, moving in a slow circle as the music played. As they did, she could still feel eyes linger on them, but she didn't care. She smiled, looking at Rooker as he mirrored his own smile.

For the first time, she felt seen. She felt like a regular girl. She felt normal, doing normal girl things. Maybe she'd even get her first kiss that night. To her, the possibilities at that moment were endless.

The song ended and Rooker pulled away, still smiling. "I'm going to go get some drinks. Anything in particular that you want?"

"A regular Cola is fine." She could feel her face flush red.

He gave a smirk and began for the drinks. She stood, still basking in the flashing of the lights as the music vibrated against her ribs. To believe, she almost hadn't gone. She never planned on going to the spring dance. She had no one to go with. No friends or a date, but that was before Rooker approached her. And suddenly, she was someone.