Beginning of a New Spring (MHA/PJO crossover)

Chapter 52

“You got everything?”

Ophelia looked around her room one last time. A forest green covered the once bare white walls she had adorned with vines and flowers. Picture frames littered the walls that she couldn't bear to take down. It would have felt like leaving was final, never to return. She needed something to remind herself it wasn't for good.

Everything had changed in the short amount of time. It seemed like everything changed once she was used to it, quickly throwing her another curveball she barely dodged. 

The fight with All for One had quickly taken a turn that put everything in a tailspin of events that favored the events that took place that day. What someone feared, they turned it in their favor whenever possible. It was a favor Ophelia hadn't wanted nor needed. They didn’t know her well enough to know she wouldn’t sit back and let them shove their words down her throat like other heroes. Reputation was something she didn't regard highly. If she subjected herself to what others saw, she wouldn't have made it as far as she had. 

The biggest change that made everything seem to close in on her was the new dorms. All of U.A. was moving into a building; built on the school's premises, acting like the cabins back home. Though here, it was divided into what class they were in; each with their own room. 

The news hit her to the core over breakfast when she asked about returning to school. The silence that was met after that had been enough to make her heart drop before Shouta had spoken up. It wasn’t as dreadful as she had thought, but it sank the heavy weight of lead to the pit of her stomach. She kept repeating the same words over and over in her mind to not sink further backward.

She remembered staring at her plate full of food. How did everyone else feel about it? She knew what Mina and Jirou would tell her, yet words were easier to say than control emotions. 

Ophelia turned to Shouta with a nod, grasping her bag tighter in her hand. She was ready. She had to be. Because if she wasn't, she would never forgive herself for what happened.

The ride to the school was silent and still as the wind that didn't blow through the trees they passed. 

Her body barely passed the entrance when she heard voices arguing before the quickly quited. Thundering steps rounded the corner while her name was called in various degrees of volume. 

“Ophelia!”

Blurred figures came into view as arms wrapped around her, squeezing what air had been left in her lungs. She froze in their embrace. Her side screamed at the action it received, yet she didn’t say anything—couldn’t. Words felt foreign on her tongue and a simple greeting felt like trying to swallow cinnamon.

“We’re glad you’re okay,” Mina said, lightly pushing her to an arms length away, inspecting her over. Ophelia could tell how worried she had been when the normal bubbly gaze was overpowered by the softened worried expression. 

Her gaze wandered over every face that was present in the living room. Their expressions were enough shoot a pang of guilt right through her chest. They were also who she fought for. Not only herself, Shouta, Hizashi, and Katsuki, but also them. They were a family she had grown next to in the last few months. 

That’s what made it hurt even worse. 

Traitor.

It was never the enemy that blindsided them. It was one of their own and that made the pain ten times worse. One of them had given their location away. Thrown away everything they had together… for what? That was the question and she hoped there was a reason justifiably behind it, but she hated the thought of another Silena.