MHA Fanfiction: Inbound

Healing Then Breaking

Ida's POV

I spotted Iylla at the other end of the hallway. She was standing in front of her locker, putting some books away and pulling out others. A wave of students crowded my vision, but somehow she was the only one I saw.   

I wanted to go over and speak to her, but it was hard to summon the nerve when I think about what I've done. I think about the harsh words I spoke to her, the way I backed her against the wall and seized her arm in mine. Her stunned face lingered in my mind. How could I approach her when I had so much to apologize for?

You have to do it, Tenya.

It had been a week since I had last spoken to her, but it wasn't for lack of trying. I had sent her text after text, all of which were left on read. I called her multiple times, but each call was promptly ignored. In an attempt to further distance us, She'd even stopped showing up early for class. Whenever I did catch a glimpse of her in the hallway or around campus, she was gone before I ever got within twenty feet.

I couldn't blame her. I wouldn't want to speak to me either.

I filled my lungs with air and then let it all go. I walked toward her, making sure to stay in her blind spot so that she couldn't disappear from me. The closer I got, the louder my heart beat in my chest. When I reached her, I almost spewed every apology that I had thought up over the course of the week, but she beat me to it.   

"So you've finally worked up the nerve, huh?" Even though the locker door blocked me from her view, she spoke to me confidently. "I've been waiting all day for your latest apology attempt."

"You knew I was here?" I asked, genuinely baffled.

"Umm, yeah?" She shut the locker door and faced me. "What? Did you think you were being stealthy?" 

"No." I misinformed her.

"Is that the first time you've ever lied?"

"I wasn't lying." I scoffed, trying to cover up the shake in my voice.

"Oh, wow, slow down there, Ida. Once you start lying, it's a slippery slope downhill." She shifted into a whispering tone for this last part. "Class representatives don't go around lying willy nilly. Pull yourself together."

And just like that, Iylla drew out my first laugh since before Tensei's hospitalization. I was grateful for the banter, but it also confused me. I thought that she would be yelling at me, not teasing me. 

"You're not upset with me?" My gaze slipped downward, nervous for her response.

"I was, for a little while, but I mean, come on, Bakugo dropped me out of the atmosphere. If I can pardon him for that, then I can pardon you too." 

The words she spoke lifted an invisible burden off my shoulders. Although I was relieved beyond expressing, I still had a pertinent question.

"If you're not upset with me, then why have you been avoiding me?" 

"I'll give you a hint. It's an R-word."

I gave it a thought, but nothing came to me.

"Revenge." Iylla supplied me with the answer. 

"Revenge?" I echoed her, clearly confused. 

"You ignore me for a week. I ignore you for a week." Her stoic face brightened just a tad. "How'd it feel?"

"Awful." I laughed in a strange mix of relief and sadness.

"Sorry, not sorry. Maybe next time, you'll think twice before leaving me on read for an entire week."