06:50 am. First day of school
An alarm is going off.
An alarm?
Why would there be an alarm?
Kai-Sensi always wakes me...
I sit up, rubbing my eyes with my fists. I look around sleepily. My eyes land on my UA uniform which is neatly ironed and hanging on my closet door.
"Ohh! It's the first day of school!" I throw back my covers, before stumbling to my bathroom and splashing water on my face to help me wake up. I take the fastest shower ever- only five minutes- dry off, brush my teeth and hair, and get dressed in five more. I fret over what to do with my hair and almost text Aiko for help when I notice a photo from her, sent after we talked.
It's of us, two years ago. We have matching hairstyles; double French braids, with ponytails at the bottoms. I immediately know what to do with my hair today.
After braiding my hair, I grab my explorer bag- a large, sturdy, waterproof leather, and canvas backpack pre-packed with everything I need- and run downstairs.
My mother isn't awake yet, and I don't look for my father- frankly, I don't care where he is.
There's hot tea in the kettle, tho, and I suspect he has something to do with it.
I allow myself a flicker of hope; maybe this is my dad's way of saying, 'good luck on your first day'. Maybe he actually does like me and wants me to do well. Maybe the reason he's always pushing me is that he's trying to help me be better.
After using my power to turn the tea into a snow cone, I stick my head out the front door. Warm wind greats me, ruffling my ponytails and I smile, anticipating a great day.
I slip on my favorite pair of shoes- beat-up sneakers, the right one one blue and the left one white to match my hair- grab my house key, and skip out of the house humming happily as I munch on my breakfast.
I have to take the train to UA; it's about an hour away, but I can barely sit still the whole ride.
I passed the entry exam with flying colors. The worst is over. Now the fun begins!
I'm so excited that ice crystals start to form on my seat, and I brush them away quickly. My father is always furious when stuff like that happens; he says it's a sign of weakness.
But now that some of my power got out, I'm itching to use more. I make a tiny marionette, complete with ice crystal strings. I dance the doll on my knee, giggling at the feeling of tiny ice feet on my bare skin.
I feel someone's eyes on me, and I glance around, cupping my hands gently around my marionette as if to protect it.
My eyes land on a boy who's wearing the UA uniform. He has two-toned hair just like me, but instead of half-white-half-blue like mine, his hair is half-white-half-red. I guess he's half hot, half cold- not unlike my half ice half water.
His heterochromia eyes are full of fascination as they stare at my marionette. I recognize him from the entrance exam; he's the youngest son of the number two hero, Endeavor.
When he realizes I've caught him staring, he doesn't look away like most people would. He examines my face as if trying to figure out if he knows me from somewhere. I stare back.
Maybe he'll be in my class. Should I try to make friends with him? How would I even do that?
I give him a shy smile, and his mouth twitches at the corners, which I take as a good sign.
I notice a burn scar on his face, surrounding his right eye. I can't believe how soft the burned area looks, and want to touch it.
Wetness in my hands snaps my attention back to my marionette. They're melting, and I frown, before re-freezing my creation.
I make them bow at the boy, who's mouth twitches again. Then he frowns in concentration, and using his left hand, he makes a crude little humanoid statue. Picking it up, he tips it's head towards me- making it bow back.
I grin, and he smiles- timidly, but a real smile this time. I hum happily, swinging my feet and making my marionette twirl and hop.
The boy eventually looks away, but I keep dancing my marionette across my lap.
A little girl is watching me over a man's shoulder. Her eyes are wide. As the train stops at the place I need to get off, I stand and pass the doll to the girl.
Her eyes shine, and she cradles the marionette in her palms in an awkward way. As I turn to go, I realize that she was hiding it from the man in the mask next to her, but I think no more of it as I skip out of the train and towards my new school.
...
"Watch out!"
"HUUWAAAH!"
My face's trip to meet the ground stops abruptly. I open my eyes and realize that the brunette I crashed into used her quirk to keep me from faceplanting on the cement.
"Are you okay?" the girl squeals, bouncing on her toes, her hands pressed together as if in prayer. "Normally I ask before I use my quirk on someone, but I figured you wouldn't mind very much."
I laugh. "I don't mind at all. Thank you very much for your help."
The girl pulls apart her steepled hands, and I drop from about six inches up onto my knees, which doesn't hurt nearly as bad as what would have happened if this girl hadn't saved me.
I study her.
She has round, honey-brown eyes, rosy cheeks, and brown hair that stops around her shoulders. Her face is pretty, and I can tell she smiles a lot.
"You're very pretty," I tell her. "Your eyes are especially warm and beautiful."
"Awww!" she squeals happily, cheeks turning even pinker. "Thanks, you made my day! You're so sweet and kind. I'm Ochaco Uraraka," she tells me.
"I'm Rin Kakeo."
"Nice to meet you," Uraraka beams.
"I know we just met, but can I give you a nickname?" I ask, and she claps her hands eagerly.
"Yes, please; I'd love that! I can already tell we're going to be best friends, and it's perfectly normal for besties to have nicknames for each other, so go right ahead!"
The prospect of a best friend sounds too good to be true, but I allow myself another flicker of hope.
"I'm thinking I'll call you Birdie-chan. Either that or Bubbles."
Uraraka laughs. "I like Birdie-chan. And I'll call you..." She pauses. "Oh! I'll call you Ami-chan because you're so sweet!"
I grin. "I love it. C'mon Birdie-chan; we need to get inside. We don't want to be late on our first day!"
We run hand in hand up the stairs, giggling with trepidation- happy nerves. I can't wait to get started living my new, exciting, and slightly terrifying life.
Lucky for me, my new bestie has been going to school her whole life. She fills me in on the basics as we climb the steps of UA.
"It's all so big!" I squeak, and Uraraka laughs. "Seriously!" I say. "My school was my bedroom, occasionally the living room, and the gym we had in the basement. And you mean to tell me that there are three different rooms for the same class?"
"Yup. Oh, c'mon, homeroom is this way."
Uraraka drags me through the halls, pointing out landmarks like washrooms, the cafeteria, etc.
We stop 10 yards away from the door to class 1-A. The door is open, and we can hear voices coming from inside. Maybe the voices of future friends. "Well," says Uraraka. "This is it."
I suck in a breath and turn to Uraraka, bouncing on my toes. "I'm so excited! Or maybe nervous. But excited! Definitely excited."
We laugh and Uraraka links her arm through mine. "C'mon Ami-chan! First day of high school, here we come!!"
With that, my new best friend drags me full-speed down the hall and into my new life. I laugh, and don't tell her to slow down.
~~~A longer chapter as promised, angel food cakes! Yay me for keeping up with this!
Not much to say about this chapter, althoug I'm considdering making the girl on the train importiant.
Help me decide; comment yes for making her importiant. 10 yeses means she's importiant.
Bye for now. Plus Ultra!~~~