Secrets [Todoroki]

*Chapter Sixty-Three*

Within the time-span of a week, the students took their Provisional License exams. Nothing entirely note-worthy aside from the normal happened. Except, of course—

"You failed the provisional license exam?" Her grandfather's incredulous tone could be heard even without speaker phone being on.

"Uh," Miri twirled the black strands of her hair. "Kinda. Yeah."

"What happened?" She could hear multiple voices on the other end of the line.

"Miri! Miri, come save us! Your grandfather finally lost it!" Brandon could be heard screaming on the other end.

"We've been trying to give him his prune juice to calm him down, but he's avoiding it like the plague! He knows!" Randy cried out. There was a lot of shuffling followed.

"Shut up and go away before I give you more laps!" She heard her grandfather yell away from the phone. "Anyway, tell me what happened?"

Miri smiled on the other end. "I just...I wasn't all that good at the rescue portions. I got too nervous and made too many mistakes. But it's fine, there's a make-up exam I can take. Besides, I'm not the only one. Bakugo and Todo—I mean Shoto," The name felt weird from her lips, but she remembered their brief conversation before the trial. "Will do it alongside me."

Failing at the one thing she wanted to be good at was a hard pill to swallow. Trying to be more positive about it, however, was the only thing she could allow herself to do. After all, Bakugo and Todoroki would be doing it with her—and they were considered some of the strongest in the class.

"I see...well, as long as you're okay, I will be too." She could hear the smile in his voice on the other end.

"I'm not the most happy, but I know that I'll get there. Eventually." She smiled.

Religiously chanting that mantra in her head was what kept her most sane. But Todoroki was at her side the whole time. They picked each other up and dusted off their clothes. It was hard, but they were there for each other, true to their word.

There was some more shuffling from his end before he asked in a low voice, "Has there been any word of Hibiki?"

The smile slipped from her face. "No. I haven't heard from my father either, which is for the best. I have no idea if he and Hibiki are in cahoots or what, but I want no part of it." She wiped her sweaty hand on her pants.

"Good. If your father sends you any messages or tries to contact you, tell Aizawa. Then tell me. Don't message him back or play into whatever he's doing. He wanted you to go with him? He's got something up his sleeve."

Miri glanced at the clock on the wall. She stood up, looking in her mirror. She looked at herself from the side and pursed her lips. She pulled the shorts she wore down a bit.

"Are you ignoring me to fix your outfit again?" Anton rubbed his face.

"Uh, no." Miri froze. She glanced at her reflection once more. "Okay, yes. I can't help it though!"

"You're obsessing over your date with him for nothing. Just relax. I'm sure you look fine." By his tone, he sounded pretty bored. But was he really? Not at all. Gramps lived for the tea.

"It's not a date!" Miri squeaked. "A boy and a girl can go out for dinner and it not be a date."

"Ooooooo, Miri is going on a date!" Aaron could be heard in the distant background.

"I heard she kissed him already!" Jacob cackled.

"How do you know?" Her grandfather barked.

"Social media."