𝗨𝗡𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗬 𝗕𝗨𝗟𝗟𝗬

001. 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗣𝗬 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗣𝗬

"She came first place, okay how did that happen?" She heard them mutter amongst themselves, staring at her as if she had grown another head.

"She must have cheated."

She sat down, pulling her blue water bottle out only to see it empty. Someone... Drank it? She knew exactly who it was. She groaned, thirsty but toiled to keep her temper in check, she leaned back, resting her trembling legs as the adrenaline faded off. Her throat itching for some water.

Wiping the sweat off her eyebrows, exhausted from just the first test she inspected the boy's competition around the ground, a certain green-haired boy seizing her attention, in the last place but still pushing with all his energy. Small-ish, lean, short, and quirkless, a distant friend from childhood, he's another victim of her bully, known as Deku, while she was referred to as loopy, in short, crazy.

"Ok! Last team! You are up."

It was Katsuki's turn, she could hear the boy's joyfulness already, the blonde pushed past the depleted greenette who didn't say anything and walked back to his seat, even her female classmates smiled, silently interested in seeing him.

"On your marks, get, set, go!!"

The five boys were off, and her bully quickly obtained the lead, the four others wanted to get first place but Katsuki had already traveled a long distance and they knew they wouldn't reach in time. He was going to win from the very beginning.

The crowd celebrated, flaring the guy's ego, he gave a big restrained smile moving back to his place with a huge swell of arrogance, settling down in the middle of the restless boys, still glorifying their bets.

"Now then we are done with the racing test, we can go on to the next game, throwball. You'll be divided into two teams, consisting of both boys and girls, gather round, and I'll team you up." Everyone got up, thrilled about the match-up, she wasn't too pleased about it, lazily hauling herself as she blended into the mob she observed her teacher evaluate his choice and carefully put them into the wrong teams.

"Team A, Miyamura, shin, Makoto, lolly, rudo, midoriya..." Then he carried on, she didn't get picked in that team and neither did her bully, she was about to get teamed up with him, wasn't she? This day couldn't get any worse.

"Team B, Bakugo, Rosie, Haru, Asahi, lei, Aiko, Aoi..." Then his wrinkled eyes landed on her, and she knew she was doomed.

"And L/n! Ok, we are good to go!"

It had been such an awful experience discussing strategy and arrangement with her bully, he didn't want her on his team but begrudgingly decided to have her beside him in the middle. She knew she was to be horrible at this, and he was going to hate her more now since he was so obsessed with winning, with victory.

The match began, most of the throws ended up on the blonde's side, and whenever it did head towards her, he would catch it instead, one time, he even hit her on the cheek with his elbow when he caught the ball, it hurt, she started to loathe the playful competition even more.

The fierce competition was ongoing, she had thrown a grand total of two times, miraculously, he deliberately pushes her out of the way when she had to receive the brown orb, she ended up on her butt at least thrice and they were in the lead, a few points and it will be over. She just had to endure a little more.

Relief flooded her senses upon thinking of the finale, she was expending less awareness when Katsuki yelled her name, and she was met with the force of the ball to her face, disorienting her vision, she stumbled back gripping her throbbing nose and face, she looked down at her palms and found blood, the dark red liquid slowly drips down her lips, she swallowed, looking at her teacher who rushed towards her before taking her off the field. Everyone stood still, silence engulfing their once clamorous contest.

She suffered a minor nosebleed, got cotton stuffed in her nostril, and had an awkward atmosphere upon entering the classroom, she was expecting someone to tease but none were sneered her way and the rest of the classes went on normally. She hadn't gotten any 'Are you okay' either, she didn't know if she preferred it or not.

Her P.E. teacher nearly had a heart attack, one of his statements stuck with her, 'You are so delicate, you need to get strong.' He meant it with good intentions, she had heard that expression from her parents as well.

Her bully hadn't backed off from making her day a little less bad by stealing her notes for the upcoming class. If she was caught not having her notebook, she was bound to get lectured and punished.

She hated him.

After class, she confronted him.

"Can you give me back my notes?" She vehemently spoke, arms crossed, one leg stuck out tapping against the floor impatiently.

"Oh, you look ugly with those in your nose." He said, faking a disgusted facade.

"Give it back or else..."

He turned towards her, fully facing her with a tough look in his eyes, she returned the gesture, squeezing her lips with the way he stood with pride.

"What are you going to do? Report me?" He taunted, leaning inwards, challenging her with a glare.

"Yes, this time to the principal."

He laughed, grumbling, "Just for a book?" He tsked, continuing, "You are pathetic."

"No, for everything you've done." She spits back, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Oh! Is that so? What evidence have you got against me? Deku? He won't get in a word, he's a loser, and you are far worse than him." He retorted.

"The principal won't have a reason to deny if I bring my parents into the picture, plus you still have my notebook with you, you haven't returned so it should be proof enough." She responded, not missing the way his lips twitched and his eyes narrowed.

"Hey, dude! Why are you keeping us waiting for so long?" His friends shouted from the front of the class, halting at the sight of their friend and his victim, "You want us to leave without you?" They smugly smiled, elbowing each other then slowly walking out to leave the both of them to themselves.

"If you say anything to anyone, I'm going to make your life a living hell." He threatened, grabbing her collar and propelling her towards him. "You don't want that, do you?" He ceased for a moment, grinning wide as if he had gotten a brilliant idea, he resumed, "If you want me to stop, maybe we could do a trade."

"No thanks, I know how you are, it's probably not in my interest." She bravely muttered, it irked him so he shoved her away the smile on his face also fading away, "you don't know when to give up, do you?"

He grimaces, shifting back to get his backpack, and plopping it on his shoulder, he stares at her maliciously and says.

"If you want your notebook, you gotta have something in return for me."

With that, he left.

She strutted there for a short while, reflecting on her alternatives because no matter what, he somehow managed to outsmart her. Every time.