Set Fire To The Rain

Chapter 3

It was Monday morning, and y/n was scrambling to get everything ready. While initially she hadn't had anything planned for Sunday, she ended up with a mountain of things to do. At the end of the day, she was exhausted, leading to the situation now. Y/n had woken up late and now she was trying to remember where she put her things and what classes she'd be having today.

In the midst of her panicking, the girl wasn't able to eat a proper breakfast, nor was she able to remember to pack lunch or even bring her wallet. She was rushing out the door, almost forgetting to close and lock it. She ran all the way to the college campus, her breath labored, her heart beating quickly to keep her body oxygenated and moving.

"Hey y/n-Are you okay?" Y/n's heart nearly stopped as she heard a familiar voice.

"Yeah." Her voice cracked. She cleared her throat, hoping Sabo didn't catch it. "Yeah, um...I'm fine." She flashed him a smile, but all she wanted to do was run away. Especially now that she saw Koala holding hands with her crush.

"You look really tired, are you sure you're fine?" Koala's brows furrowed, her concern showing through her expression.

"Yeah, don't worry about it!" Y/n scratched the back of her neck sheepishly. "Like I told Sabo, I was busy all Sunday."

"You work so hard! I wish I was like you!" Koala playfully pouted. Y/n put on a disgusted face.

"Ew, like me?" She laughed. "Yeah right, I want to be like you!" Behind her laughter, y/n was nearly screaming. What she wouldn't give to actually be in Koala's place...

"But really though, you shouldn't push yourself to hard." Sabo spoke softly, not joining in on the laughter.

"Sabo, I'm fine, really!" Y/n ran her fingers through her hair. "Even if I'm not, I only have two lectures today, then I get the rest of the day off!" Sabo nodded at that, a small smile appearing on his face.

"Okay, but if you need any help, don't be afraid to ask!"

"Of course!" Y/n's stomach churned. "Hey, I'm gonna head to the bathroom real quick. Meet you in class Koala! Bye Sabo!" And with that, she ran off towards the nearest restroom. She couldn't hold it in much longer. Once she locked herself in the stall, tears began to pool over her lower lash-line. She aggressively wiped away her tears, hating herself for crying. She felt frustrated that she couldn't be a better friend for Sabo and Koala. She knew she should be happy for them, so why was it so hard seeing them together?

Taking a few deep breaths, y/n managed to swallow down the lump in her throat. She dried her tears with toilet paper, fanning her face with her hands, trying her best to look as though she wasn't crying. Taking one more deep breath, y/n unlocked the stall door and exited. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, taking in the sight of her reddened eyes and mess of an outfit.

Sighing, y/n exited the bathroom and walked back out into the hall. She headed towards her first class, her head down as thoughts flooded her mind. Thoughts about schoolwork, thoughts about her empty stomach, and thoughts about Sabo. As she was distracted, she didn't notice a familiar figure approaching her.

"Oof!" She grunted as she collided with a strong chest, equally strong arms reaching out and catching her before she could fall backwards. "I'm sorry-..." Her voice faded off as she met eyes with the person before her. "Law?" She questioned, slowly getting out of his grip, her cheeks beginning to burn from embarrassment.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you like bumping into me." Law flashed a teasing smirk, causing y/n's cheeks to heat up even further.