I can't really focus at all.
My hands are shaky, breathing uneven, stomach jumping around.
I had a rather large granola bar sitting in my hand. It had two bites and it, and I don't think I can eat the entire thing. I turn it around in my hands, looking for the nutritional value and ingredients list. Roughly 140 calories. Oats, mainly sugar.
Sugar gives you energy, right?
I force myself to take another bite, a bigger one, from the granola bar.
I feel my stomach turn, and I'm about 97% sure it's my jumping nerves, or maybe I'm just not that hungry.
Which it partially true. Sometimes I just get used to skipping a few meals, since there's no money left to buy food. And after a while of not eating, you kind of get used to it. Then when you finally get something to eat, it gets hard to. Your stomach can't handle so much food at a time after it's been deprived of it for a while.
I learned that the hard way.
I swallow the piece, and then I hear the bathroom door swing open.
I hear my breath hitch, and I inch my knees closer to my chest, as if the stall door I was in, which was locked, wasn't enough of a barrier.
Then a crowd of girls rush in, and I hear sneakers and combat boots against the tile of the bathroom floor.
I didn't want to listen to their gossiping, so I shoved what was left of the granola bar, which was mostly the same since I had opened it, in my pocket, flushed the toilet as a ploy, saying "hell yeah I was doing my business in the bathroom, no I wasn't here for most of the lunch hour."
I open the stall door, and all of a sudden, the girls' quiet chattering came to a halt. I didn't make any eye contact as I walked to one of the faucets to wash my hands, but I could feel their eyes on me. I hesitantly glance in their direction, and I know quickly that they are not in the hero courses, 1-A or 1-B.
They all looked at me funny. I couldn't put my finger on it, so I just quietly wipe my hands on the side of my P.E. uniform.
As I head out, I hear "Does she really deserve to be in the hero course? Especially 1-A?"
I let the door close behind, and I stand there, letting the words sink in.
I wander around for a bit, plenty of time left before the lunch hour.
"Maybe I don't."
.
"Oh, [Last Name]!" A voice calls.
I turn around, and there stands Yaoyorozu, along with Jirou. I glance at a clock nearby and realized we only had about ten minutes left.
"Oh...hi." I say tentatively.
"Can you come with us please? I was just informed that we had to change into cheerleading uniforms." Yaoyorozu says, reaching out for my arm.
"Wait, we what-" I wince at her hand, which made contact with my forearm.
And it's not her fault--hell, it didn't even hurt--I just don't like contact. Or maybe it's not that--I'm just scared someone's going to hurt me. Even if I know well enough Yaoyorozu would never, I just can't help it.
I don't think she noticed, and if she did, she said nothing. She just dragged me, Jirou, too. She didn't want anything to do with a cheerleading uniform. Personally, I didn't mind, but what I did mind was being in a cheerleading uniform in front of what seems like all of Japan, which it may as well be, this whole thing was being broadcasted.
.
We all walk out, and I feel kind of silly. Oh, man, I knew this was a bad idea.
I try to ignore some of the scars running throughout my slightly exposed belly. Thanks, stupid cropped shirt.
"What kind of fanservice is this, 1-A?!" I hear Present Mic cry over the intercom, and I silently regret all of my choices up to this point.
I look around us, and my eyes land on Kaminari and Mineta thumbs up-ing each other in delight, and then my head puts two and two together.
"Hey, Kaminari, Mineta, you tricked us!" Yaoyorozu accusingly cries, falling to her knees in deafeat.
"Why is always me who gets trapper in Mineta's sick plans?" She whimpers.
Uraraka and I both squat down to comfort Yaoyorozu, patting her back sympathetically.
"I even used my quirk to make these outfits.." She mumbles in disdain.
I let out a small smile as I rub her back.
"This is stupid." I hear Jirou mutters as she throws her pompoms away with angry, vigorous motions.
"Alright, alright, let's move on, ladies and gents!" Present Mic says, ready for the final event.
Well, my stomach isn't.
"Now, we will be moving on to the last part of the tournament! All teams that have passed in the previous round will seperate, and from there, they'll fight each other one-on-one, tournament style."
My stomach lurches.
"Great."
We all crowd around in front of Midnight, and she begins to explain. "Okay, we're going to draw lots to find out who you'll be fighting against. And once the bracket is determined, the recreational games will begin. You can choose to participate or not, but I bet most of you would like to save your strength!"
"So, up first-"
"I'm sorry, but I'd like to withdraw."
I swear, it got so quiet, but then everyone at once began talking.
Our heads turn around to see Ojiro, head down in shame, hand up.
"But why?" Izuku asks in disbelief.
"Ojiro, you realize this is one of your only chances for a pro to see you in action?" Iida asks, like a mom softly lecturing her child.
"I... During the Calvary Battle, I can barely remember a thing..." He explains. "I think it was.. That guy's quirk.." He mumbles.
I trace my eyes toward the general directiom where Ojiro's eyes went to, inadvertently. There's the guy, you know, the one who declared war 1-A. We hold eye contact for a moment, and I think he realizes why I even turned to face him, because he quietly clicks his tongue, shoves his hands deeper in his pockets, turns and walks away.
Oh...'kay.
"But... Ojiro, Iida's right. This could quite possibly be one of your only chances.." I say quietly.
"I...I know, [Last Name]. And I know I'm being an idiot, but all you guys.. You got here by your own means, you gave it your all.. I wouldn't be able to cope with myself... knowing what I did to get here.."
"It doesn't matter. I think as long as you give it all you've got during these rounds, then you may as well be making up for what you didn't in the cavalry battle!" Hagakure says, and I think it's a pretty good argument.
"I...it's not that...it's my pride." Ojiro chokes out, putting his hand on his face, almost like he was hiding in shame.
Oh. That's pretty valid, too.
"Also, why are you guys wearing cheerleading uniforms?" He adds, not lifting his head up.
We all freeze and avoid eye contact.
"I'm from class 1-B, and I also want to leave for the same reasons." I see another boy, from the opposite class, who wants out of the final round.
"Isn't it against the spirit of the sports festival, to move to the next round without your full effort?" He asks.
"Damn it, why're you guys so manly!" I hear Kirishima cry out.
I look around, and there's an uncertain silence, because I bet Midnight, or anyone who's been watching the U.A. sports festival for a while, has ever had anyone, or two at a time, who didn't want to participate in the last round.
"Your..youthfulness... I love it!" She starts out menacing, but finishes her sentence in a fangirl-esque way.
"I'm still going to go, okay?" Aoyama asks Ojiro.
"Well, anyway, the team after will be playing by default." Midnight announces.
"I..think we personally didn't do much to deserve this spot, so...so I think Tetsutetsu should go in place." A really pretty, ginger haired girl pulled up into a side-ponytail with sparkling green, I guess turquoise, eyes spoke up. She's from 1-B if I remember correctly.
With Tetsutetsu, Kirishima told me he'd been copying his personality, whatever that means, the girl with vines for hair also joins the final round.
"Alright, and with that done, here are the brackets with your competition!" Midnight announces.
Everyone quiets down at once, looking for their name, and their name only. Then their opponent's name, of course.
I'm just hoping it's not Bakugou. That's it.
I find my name, and in the bracket, next to mine, is Aoyama.
Huh.
I turn around, and there he is, looking at me with his infamous "paint me like one of your french girls" look.
I give him a weak smile.
Can I do this? He may not look intimidating, but he doesn't have that bad of a quirk. I mean, a laser is bound to, you know, hurt if it makes contact with skin.
I turn again to look at him, and he's, still, looking at me. I uncomfortably shift around, unconsciously grabbing my hair and running it through my hands to cover up my face a bit.
I check the rest of the brackets, and my heart just about drops to the ground when I see "Uraraka Ochako" directly next to "Bakugou Katsuki."
And it's not even me who's up against.
"Who's...Shinsou..?" I wonder out loud.
I look around, and my eyes meet with that one guy, purple hair and eyes. I begin to feel uncomfortable again, what a record, in under five minutes this time, as he holds quite the strong and intimidating gaze.
I'm guessing he is Shinsou.
Well, he's up against Izuku.
.
After the recreational games were over, Cementoss uses his quirk to create a huge platform for us to battle it out.
And first up was Izuku and Shinsou.
I think I'm more nervous about his round than Izuki himself.
They both step onto the platform, each on one side, far away from each other.
Not for long.
I sit there, nervously chewing on my lip, my nails digging into my plams, and after I can't bear it, I dig my nails into my lap, then wincing and holding back a yelp because I forgot I had a bruise there.
And once Mic yells the start, I see Shinsou's lips move, but I can't quite hear because we're kind of far away and my hearing sucks in one ear because once my dad slammed my head a bit too hard on one side and somehow damaged my ear drums. I hear fine, though.
Then I see Izuku's expression go very serious, and then he shouts something at Shinsou, and I see him smirk a bit. Izuku begins to charge at him but then halts suddenly.
I think we all got quiet.
I see both Iida and Uraraka both stand up simultaneously, which would have been quite funny if this wasn't such a grave situation.
"What's this?! The match just started, and Midoriya's just frozen in place!" I hear Mic shout, I bet as equally surprised as us.
My nails dig even deeper, and I can barely pay attention to the pain anymore.
Because I'm too worried for someone I need to hide feelings for.
.
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I disappeared for quite a while, and I apologize, but schools is unfortunately under works and taking honors classes is a bit hard, especially in the name of my GPA. I'm trying my best to out out quality chapters, and not some half-assed, shorter chapters, so I'll work hard.
And I do need to shift around some of the rounds in the one-to-one fights because inevitably, you have to if it's an x-reader fic.
Wish you all the best.