Steadily Running Out of Time (MHA x Reader)

Gray: To Think I Was Ready /11

(Shortest chapter lol... Which isn't saying muck for this book.)

     Friendship wasn't really my thing.

     An especially heavy weight leaned over me on a normal, average Tuesday. Eventually, I had to leave my peers and sit down on a bench, under the shade of a tree, on the school campus. Took me a while before I even realized something was wrong. I was just...numb. I didn't even understand why I wanted to be distant until I sat down..

     ...and the tears started to flow.

     They fell from my emotionless face, soulless eyes producing a stream. Like a scene from a horror movie, my face didn't express how I was truly feeling one bit.

     Then I realized... Oh yeah. It was exactly one year ago now that my old friend left.

     "--You alright.. ribbit?" My eyes dashed toward the stranger, quickly pulling my face back to hide my eyes as I wiped the water from them. "Are you okay?"

     "Y-yess!" I hissed. I didn't recognize this girl. Must be new here or something. She was different. Strange. She sat down beside me with such patience, calmly sitting at my side without speaking a word. I was still a mess, trying desperately to dry up my sopping eyes.

     "Leave me alone, alright?! Stupid b####!" I lashed out at her without even thinking about it. It would be embarrassing if word got out about this; about the strong, smart and quippy student everyone relied on being so weak at heart. Crying at school. What kind of idiot cries at school??

     I jumped to my feet and took a step away from the startled frog girl.

     "I-I'm sorry. I was just trying to hel--"

     "--Well you've helped enough!! Say a word about me and I'll be at your a##!!" Glaring over my shoulder.

     The girl gulped and backed away from me, fleeing the scene in a hurry. I balled my fists and hissed through my teeth.

     Guess I was angry.

---------

     "Zeya, don't forget to take out the trash first!"

     "Alright, Mom." I scurried out of the front door with a bag of trash in each hand. Different from how I normally wore my silver hair, I sported a ponytail. After throwing the bags into the bin, I kicked one of the boy's bikes off of the sidewalks and ran off to school. Finally, the USJ was ready for us to train in! Our first actual fun.

     I recalled a few old memories of the USJ. I stopped watching the fun about three years ago after my old friend left, but the memories were still enjoyable at least. First, the class would be split into five or so different teams. Typically one per district. Then, everyone would be instructed on how to navigate said district; whether it be climbing mountains or evading mounds of debt in the city! (Idk what they actually do in the city. Ten and I liked watching the people in the big lake the most.) The teams would rotate every hour or so, meaning this event lasted a full school day! A big event for my old friend and I! We'd always be sure to fake being sick annually to watch!

     I arrived at school surprisingly quickly. Had plenty of time to draw one of the classmates. I ended up drawing Iida as a fairy -- the small pixy kind with wings -- since I thought the combination would be kinda funny.

     I casually showed off my work of art off to Bakugo over my shoulder and he snickered at the piece.

     "Before we start today," Once my dad entered, we were all stiff and silent. "I would like to introduce a new student. She was unfairly injured during the entrance exam and has worked twice as hard to get here. Everyone, Tsuyu Asui." My eyes widened. All the girls clapped giddily, excited to welcome in another one of them. Tsu was shy as always, back hunched, hands holding tightly onto one another as she entered. She only spoke briefly, introducing herself by explaining what her quirk was, and walked toward the back of the class to be seated at the empty desk. As she passed the first row, she briefly waved my way.