MHA Fanfiction: Inbound

Sports Festival: The Tournament

Ida's POV

All of the students who had made it to the final stage of the UA sports festival were waiting for the tournament to start in the designated waiting room. All of them except me. I wandered around the arena wasting time, and doing my best to avoid thinking of Iylla. It was no use though, Iylla was the only thing on my mind. 

I'm an idiot.

Iylla didn't have feelings for me, at least not like the feelings I have for her. I can't believe that I truly thought she was going to kiss me in that hallway. I thought that the way her hand rested against my face, the way she leaned into me, the way she didn't ask me to stop meant that...

No.

I took in a deep breath in an attempt to calm the raging emotions inside of me. I strolled through the crowds, enduring the claps on the back when people saw me and congratulated me on making it this far in the competition. The people told me how amazing I was, but the only person I wanted to hear that from was Iylla.

Stop it, Tenya. She's her own person; you can't make her like you.

I knew it was true, but it was like they said; the truth hurts.

I noticed the time and decided that I probably should head back to the waiting room. When the remaining students were asked to return to the waiting room, I left. I couldn't bear to face her yet, not after everything that's happened between us. I couldn't avoid her forever, and I knew we would have to talk things out eventually, but later rather than sooner, right?

I heard that Iylla and her brothers were performing again before the tournament started, so hopefully, she wouldn't be in the waiting room when I got there.

When I arrived at the waiting room, I saw that Iylla was, in fact, there. She was sitting at a table in the far corner of the room with her brother. Shinso sat in his chair sideways and draped his legs over Iylla's lap. Shinso and Iylla were playing on devices that I think Iylla referred to as Nintendo Switch Lites. They were so attuned to their game that at first, Iylla didn't notice me walk in.

Midoriya and Uraraka were sitting at a table on the opposite side of the room, waving for me to join them. I walked to them, grateful to have them as friends. When I made it halfway into the room, Iylla finally noticed me.

"Ida!" She called out for me. Iylla put her Switch down on the table and shoved Shinso's legs off her, causing him to jerk in his seat. 

"Hey!" Shinso complained. "A little warning next time?"

"Yeah, whatever." Iylla waved her hand dismissively at him and walked toward me.

I turned to face her even though it was the last thing I wanted to do right now. She wasn't dressed in her PE uniform; instead, she wore the outfit that she wore on TV. I suppose the rumor that she was performing again was true after all.

"Hey," Iylla looked slightly unsure, but I could be wrong. "Where've you been?"

"Just stretching my legs." I kept the answer short, trying not to expose too much of myself again.

"Oh." An awkward silence fell between us, but Iylla didn't let it last too long. "Look, Ida, about earlier-"

I held up a hand, deciding that I wasn't ready to be embarrassed for a second time today. "It's fine. You don't have to explain yourself to me." 

I offered her my most genuine smile, even if I didn't feel like smiling. I tried to walk away, but she grabbed my hand and pulled me back.

"Wait, Ida, I-" I didn't interrupt her this time. Iylla paused as she struggled to find the words she wanted. "I- I'm sorry."