"'Are you okay', they ask. I respond as quickly as I can so they will not notice the earthquakes in my voice or the tsunamis in my eyes or the drought in my heart." -Ellen Everett
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♪Listening suggestion: Stand In The Rain by Superchick
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Nachika's POV
It seemed that Taega had nothing else to say after (Y/N) left. She crawled onto her bed and began organizing her things.
Never in my life had I felt so bad or someone as I did for (Y/N) at that moment. I felt bad for all the times I'd ignored her because I had Riku, and I had thought she wasn't as cool as us. Never had I been more mistaken. But now that she found Shoto, someone that really seemed to care about her, I felt truly happy for her. I felt happy that she had the confidence in me to open up and tell me about him. It was then that I wanted to help her.
The best I could do now, however, was talk to Kaito.
I walked to his bedside and leaned towards him so that I wouldn't have to speak loud.
"Hey, Nachika," Kaito said, a little surprised. "What's up?"
"Kaito, I need to talk to you about (Y/N)," I began.
"Yeah, she seemed pretty sad," he agreed. "I can't say that Taega particularly nice to her though."
"Kaito! Open your eyes!" I exclaimed, but quiet enough so Taega wouldn't hear. "This boy, Shoto . . . (Y/N) is in love with him and Taega knows it! Didn't you see the look on her face as Taega began rambling about him? Then you praised Taega, making her feel even worse. Be a little more sensitive!"
Kaito was silent for a time. His expression was blank, so I couldn't get an idea of what he was thinking.
I gently shook his shoulder. "Kaito, say something!"
"Wait so, this Shoto fellow - (Y/N) knows him too?" He still seemed a little confused.
"Yes, and she's in love with him!" I repeated, but with more emphasis this time. "Don't tell her I told you, though. And don't tell Taega, though I suspect she already knows."
Kaito nodded, saying nothing.
Presently, Taega grabbed her purse and strode towards the door. "Okay, Kaito, Nachika, I'm off to Shoto's house! Probably won't be home until late."
Kaito and I said nothing as we watched her leave.
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At the school, (Y/N)'s POV
I tried practicing my competition piece, a fast concerto I had pushed myself to learn. As I played it, however, I couldn't capture the right emotions for it. Music wasn't about listening to something, it was about feeling something. But I felt like this piece would only make my audience wish it could be over.
I put my violin down, and watched through the window as birds flew by. I knew why I couldn't make music with this particular piece. My music reflected how I felt, so a piece that required a happy mood wouldn't work right now.
I changed the music on my stand to something more solemn, the first movement of a different concerto that was darker in tone. I picked up my instrument and played it, expressing every thought, every emotion, that had been building in me ever since Taega returned home. I released my damaged feelings, my sadness, my anger towards Taega, and my love for Shoto all in melodious passion. It felt good, like I was letting it all out by screaming. But it felt better than screaming.
When I was finished, I breathed heavily, sweat dripping from my brow. I stood there in the middle of the music room, silent and still.
Suddenly, there was clapping behind me.
Startled, I turned around. Mikura?
My friend giggled and came to me. "Girl, that was incredible! Can you compete with that? You totally should!"
I hid my feelings as best I could. It was easier now. "Yeah, I think so. I might actually, I'll see what my teacher says." I began loosening my bow and putting my violin away. "Wait, what are you doing here?"
"Oh, just getting some books that I forgot. I have them now." She patted her backpack.
I nodded, slinging my cased violin over my shoulder.
"Wanna hang at my house?" Mikura offered. "It's pretty lonely and boring there right now. I was glad to come back here to get my books!"
No one will ever know how welcome that offer was at that moment. I nodded vigorously. "Yes, of course!"
Mikura took my hand and dragged me most of the way there."
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Not too long later, (Y/N)'s POV
We were almost to Mikura's house when my friend asked, "Wanna get some mochi? We have like no food at home."
"Why not?" I said, laughing.
We took a detour and jogged down a different street, where we knew the most popular mochi stand was.
"I'm gonna get strawberry," Mikura said as we went, "what are you getting?"
"Chocolate," I responded, laughing a little.
She hit me playfully. "Dude, you always get the same thing! You should try being adventurous for once!"
I shrugged. "Well . . . "
We were a storm of giggles and chatter as we approached the stand. However, it all ended in a split second.
I grabbed Mikura and pulled her back behind the nearest tree. "Wait."
There, sitting a the largest table at the stand, was the U.A. group. Midoriya, Uraraka, the two friends I saw this morning at the school grounds, and even Bakugo was there. And there was Taega, sitting next to Shoto.
"Why aren't you with them?" Mikura whispered.
"I wasn't invited," I replied. I couldn't say 'Taega said I wasn't invited' because Mikura would ask why I was talking to her in the first place. Though it was weird to think about, no one knew we actually had to live together.
"Really? I'm surprised."
"Yeah, me too." I was shocked Bakugo was invited, but not me. And why hadn't Shoto invited me? All of the sudden, I felt like I didn't matter to him as much as I thought I did.
We continued to spy on them from behind the tree.
I watched as Shoto nudged Taega, and they posed for a selfie together. A selfie on Shoto's phone. Afterwards, they laughed and Shoto let Taega taste some of his mochi.
I turned away from the scene, suddenly at a loss of appetite. In fact, I felt sick.
With a genuinely concerned expression, Mikura put her arm around me. "We don't have to look at that anymore, (Y/N). You can go to your house now, it's okay if you'd rather be alone."
I shook my head. I wouldn't be alone if I went back to the agency, but that was the last thing I wanted. "No, let's just go to your house. I'd rather be with you right now."
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(Y/N)'s POV
Two weeks passed. Apart from a few minor field missions, and just mainly online work, things in the agency were pretty uneventful. School was okay; actually, I found myself clinging to my schoolwork and studying in order to escape everything else around me.
The U.A. group continued to hang out. I was invited to join them a few times, which always made me happy at first. However, Taega was always there when I went, and was probably there when I wasn't. I couldn't help but notice how different she acted when we were with the group.
Outside the group, she usually didn't say anything to me, but if she did it was usually burning, irritating, or condescending. In the group, all she did was compliment me and talk nicely to me and use manners I never knew she had. She didn't ignore Uraraka or Mikura if she was there, but included them like she did me. However, the only thing that didn't change was her attachment to Shoto. She hoarded him like a dragon does treasure, but it was sly enough that only I noticed.
Shoto, on the other hand, really seemed to like Taega. He never changed the way he acted towards me, which I appreciated. But we never talked alone anymore, or texted much anymore. Each time I thought we could have one-on-one time, Taega was always there. She was always, always, there.
The only reason now that I hung out with the group was because Midoriya, Uraraka, this kid named Kirishima, and even Bakugo were always nice to me. They never changed, and I loved them for it.
However, today, I was able to catch Shoto alone. It was during lunch hour, and I saw him walking out of a store after buying some supplies. Without thinking, I ran to him.
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I feel bad just writing this! Anyway, I hope you found this chapter interesting at least. Taega's got your icy fireball under a spell, so waste no time in breaking it! What do you think of Taega's being two-faced? She's tricking Shoto into believing she's changed, but she's actually more of a wuss than ever. It'll be interesting to see how it all unravels.
Thank you all!