STAINED

Chapter 10 - Standing up to Aizawa for the First Time

I wasn't in the mood for small talk this morning but Uraraka didn't seem to notice as she chatted away about the news of a dance that was months away.

"I'm on the dance committee so I can tell you it is going to be so much fun!" She beamed. "Isn't that right Yayourozu?"

"Yup! It's going to be such a good time! We can't give much details until closer to it but I'm so excited I think I could burst!"

The two girls looked at me expectantly, waiting for my reaction.

"Oh. Um. That sounds great." I tried my best to smile. They seemed to buy it as they squealed with more excitement.

"You and Shoto can go together as each others date!"  Yayourozu squealed. Anxiety yanked at my stomach, turning it into knots at the mention of his name. I bit down hard. I didn't want to tell them that Shoto wants nothing to do with me. Not just yet. It was too soon and I was still coming to grips with it myself.

Like clockwork Shoto marched in. He made no eye contact with me.

"Hey Todoroki!" Uraraka called. "Yayourozu and I are on the dance committee and we've got exciting news! There's going to be a school dance in a couple months time! Isn't that great?!"

"Mm." Was all he said, his face blank. He said nothing as he lowered into his seat next to me, refusing to make eye contact. The other girls seemed to have noticed as Uraraka leaned in to whisper.

"Hey are you guys doing okay?" She asked.

"Not really." Was all I said. I could see she wanted to ask more, but reading my expression she decided to let it go as she slipped back into her own seat. I felt eyes on me, watching carefully. As I glanced up, my eyes caught Bakugo's watching stare. He looked at me, then at Shoto, then back at me. He looked like he was trying to decipher some great mystery.

"Enough chit-chat. Take your seats." Aizawa said as he slithered into the classroom.

"Pop quiz time."

The class groaned in unison.

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The day was awkward from the start. Shoto and I said nothing to each other all day, but what's worse is that our classmates seemed to notice. Thankfully, no one really said anything about it. At least not to my face. I just wasn't in the mood to talk about it. News about Shoto giving me the cold shoulder must have spread as the girls that were harassing me just yesterday had decided to leave me be today.

As I packed up my books at the end of the day Shoto stormed out the class.

"Idina. Stay back." Aizawa ordered.

I let out a big sigh. I still hadn't forgiven him.
I made my way to the front of the class as the others eagerly slipped out the door. The last to leave was Bakugo, who shot me a strange look before eventually closing the door behind him.

"What's wrong with you and Shoto." Aizawa asked, his blood-shot eyes looking up at me under his scrutinous gaze.

"Nothing. We're just not getting along right now." I answered, my voice uncaring.

"You've been in a weird mood all day." He noted.

"Maybe I'm just stressed dad. Sometimes it's hard trying to be perfect for you 24/7."

He looked up at me in surprise. He wasn't used to me talking back.

"Idina, I don't want you to be perfect-"

"No you just want me to get 100% at everything. To never make a mistake no matter how insignificant, you don't want me calling you dad or for anyone to know that I have anything to do with you. You want me to spend all my spare time studying and having no interests at all and yet still find time to have complete and utter control of my quirk, get the house work done, make friends and then not make friends because it's too distracting from my studies.
Does that sound about right?"

His tired, blood-shot eyes narrowed as he looked up at me from his desk.

"You're stressed. Go home and sleep it off."

"I'm not going be the best by sleeping. I'm going to study." And with that I turned and stormed off.

"Idina!" He called out for me. But for the first time in my life, I didn't listen. I had somewhere to be.