Rise up

~21~

"Bakugo is the winner of this match!" Midnight announces, snapping her whip in front of her.

"That means our final fight will be between Takami and Bakugo!" Present Mic roars into the mic as the crowd goes wild.

I look down at the blonde standing calmly in the arena after his match. Bakugo turns and faces Class 1-A's section, and I already know he is searching for me. I shrink into my seat, trying to avoid his gaze, but the boy finds me and smirks. I don't send him any kind of response and look to the side as one of my classmates stomps down the stairs beside me.

~*~

"Now for the match, everyone has been waiting for! Our final fight to determine our winner of the First Years Sports Festival! Kastuki Bakugo vs. Y/N Takami! Are you ready?"

As our names are called by Present Mic, I walk up the stairs leading to our stage. This is the show everyone has been dying to watch. Climbing the last steps, my eyes focus on the blonde across from me as he comes into view.

We stand completely still across from each other. Bakugo smirks at me, but I keep the same bored expression. He furrows his brows, opening his mouth to say something but gets cut off by Present Mic.

"Begin!"

The blonde immediately jumps to make a move, and I simply hold out my palm towards him, motioning to stop. Bakugo looks even more angered but complies as a tick mark pulses on his forehead.

"I'll call us even for the whole smack to the face as long as you can promise not to hate me after this." I sigh, turning away from the confused boy and towards Midnight, standing off to the side of the ring, "Miss Midnight," I see her look towards me with a questioning gaze, "I would like to forfeit the match."

I don't spare another second and begin marching towards the boundary line. Midnight begins announcing the first-place winner but gets cut off by a fuming blonde.

"No! You don't get to do that!" I ignore Bakugo as his voice grows louder and his footsteps sound heavier, "You don't get to give up! I didn't train with a loser who would give up that easily!"

I sigh, about to step over the line when he latches onto my arm, stopping me, "I'm not in the mood Bakugo."

"No, listen here, Birdgirl!" He yanks my arm, spinning me towards him. "If it's about when I hit you in the face, then I'm sorry," He lowered his voice leaning in certain that only I heard him, "But I will only accept my win if you get your ass in the ring and fight me."

"It's not about you or the whole nose bleed situation," I mumble, looking down and then chuckle before looking back up, "But see. It wasn't that hard to apologize, was it Katsuki?"

He begins dragging me towards the center of the arena letting out a quiet 'tch,' "Screw whatever stupid reason it is you want to forfeit," Bakugo releases my arm, throwing it away from him, and turning to stand in a fighting position, "And fucking get ready to fight like you mean it."

My anger boils inside my body, silently waiting to be set free. I snap my gaze up to meet the red eyes of the boy across from me, "Stupid?" I shake my head as a crazed smile spreads across my lips, "You wouldn't even get it. You're Katsuki Bakugo, the boy who has it all."

I throw a lazy punch towards the side of his head, which he catches in his palm. He jabs towards my side with his opposite elbow, but not with as much effort as I would expect from him. I dodge it with ease and push him away from me.

"Shut up, and fucking put effort into this damn fight." He grumbles using his signature right hook.

I lean back, so he misses his target and latch onto his arm. Pushing his arm more into the punch turns his body away from me. I take the opportunity to send a kick square into his back. I march to catch up to him as he stumbles away a few feet.