My Hero Academia: Romanticise Like A Raven

CRUSH - Part 3

Momoyao: Mina has told me to tell you all that there's going to be a pizza party TONIGHT!!
Momoyao: Come meet in her room on floor 4!

That was sent from the class group chat just two minutes ago. I scowled at my phone; what was she thinking? She was trying to get me to confess my feelings in front of other people! She definitely thought that I was into a girl, and that it'd just be easy. Now, I nervously paced around my room. Waiting. Thinking. Rationalising.

"Isn't this what you wanted, though?" Dark Shadow asked, floating alongside me.

I scrunched up my face but didn't look at Dark Shadow, "I wanted it to be poetic. Not like this. And definitely not so soon."

"It'll be your loss if you say nothing. Wouldn't it just make it harder to say something later?" Dark Shadow thought.

"I'll do it when I'm ready. Not when other people think I am." I grumbled to Dark Shadow, "Especially not under all of this pressure."

After realising that they were contributing to the pressure, Dark Shadow reminded me, "It's your choice. I'm just saying what I think."

I paused. What if they were right? I clutched my hands tightly and leaned on my desk. I needed to think logically. What would the others do in this situation?

I then looked further down to my outfit. An oversized coal-coloured t-shirt with a heavily shaded skull on it and grey jeans. No, that wouldn't do...

I hurried on over to my wardrobe. It would be ok if I was fashionably late.

***

"This is gonna be great!" Eijiro Kirishima grinned, his spiky read hair unmoving thanks to the thick amounts of gel put in it.

"Let's party like there's no tomorrow!" Kaminari agreed, raising a fist into the air as a toast.

"Have a good time!" Momo nodded as the two boys glided through the door.

Once they'd moved out of her way, I was revealed to her. I felt like I looked smaller than I usually did, and my body was tense. This night was not a party but a mission.

"You look dashing, Fumi." Momo noticed.

It was the first part of my plan; looking the part of a lovable boyfriend. I was wearing a black button-up shirt and cargo trouers which matched and complimented the shirt well. It was modern and gothic, but also in a cool way.

"Do you think it's enough?" I murmured. I didn't want him to hear.

"It's perfect," Momo reassured me proudly, "Good luck."

I grimaced weakly before slipping my way into the room. At least half of the class was there, and three boxes of pizza shone on Ashido's desk. The room was dimly lit by hastily put up fairy lights, and each one had its own golden glow.

I noticed that Kirishima and some of the girls were also dancing in the corner. I scanned the room to see who else was there, and I was fast to spot Shoto alongside his squad, being Midoriya, Uraraka, Iida and Tsuyu. They were all chatting and everyone was smiling apart from Shoto, but then again he never smiled at average conversation.

I took a deep breath and funneled it out again through my nostrils. I turned away from the group and mechanically walked over to the pizza. All I needed to do was act natural. Eating pizza was natural. And so, I reached out to take a slice.

However, someone beat me to the slice, and I ended up putting my hand on top of theirs. I looked up frustratedly, but that frustration dispersed when I saw that I was looking at Shoto. Another second passed. MY HAND WAS ON SHOTO'S HAND.

I pulled it back as if I'd been burned. I winced. That probably looked really bad...

"Oh, Tokoyami. I thought you were Jiro, because of the nails... they look really good, by the way." Shoto complimented.

I failed to ignore my butterflies, "Thank you. You can have the slice if you want it."

Shoto turned to the box and then picked up two, "There are more than one. You take this one and I'll have my own."

I felt hot blood flood to my face, and my skin felt as if it were on fire. Was this what Shoto felt like on his left side?

"Are you ok?" Shoto inquired, waving a hand in front of my face, "You're zoning out."

I snapped back to reality. I claimed my slice and my eyes widened as he looked down at me, "I'm fine. Have a good evening, Todoroki."

I rushed to the corner. I couldn't bring myself to look back. I was so sure that Shoto was judging me that I didn't need to look back. When I finally arrived in the corner, I nibbled on my pizza only to discover that I wasn't hungry.

I watched Momo shut the door and turn to Ashido, who was panting after her long dance. She spoke to her happily, "Everyone who was invited has arrived!"

"HEY! WHAT ABOUT ME?!" Mineta yelled from outside, slamming on the door. The music was too loud for anyone other than me to hear him.

"Thanks so much for your help, dude! What would I do without you?" Ashido grinned, giving her friend a thumbs up. She proceeded to return to dancing with Hagakure.

Everyone seemed like they were in their own bubbles. These bubbles were clustered in groups and sliding along the dance floor together. My classmates would certainly not be able to sleep tonight, and they were going to have a great time doing so. The only bubble that was alone was mine.

It was due to pop any second now. I couldn't cope. How could I tell Shoto I loved him when I was feeling like this?

"Hey, Fumi." Momo laughed, "How are you feeling."

My hot face fell to the cold, "I feel unwell."

Momo frowned, "If this girl is really stressing you out that much, maybe she isn't good for you."

My face flashed with discomfort with the repeated use of 'she', and I argued, "No, they will be good for me."

"Why are you so upset, then?" Momo asked. I was sure that she was supposed to sound concerned, but that's not how my brain heard it.

"It's not that simple." I grumbled defensively.

She was now definitely ticked off, "You're being ridiculous! I put this party together so you could tell her! I thought that this was what you wanted, no?"

I looked at the floor, a new blush filling my face. She had done this all for me...

"Why is it so complicated?" Momo sighed, exasperated.

I gulped. Tears filled my eyes. Momo would help, I reminded myself. She always tried her hardest to help everyone.

I managed to croak, "I'm... I'm crushing on Shoto Todoroki."

Shoto perked his head up as he walked by, hearing his name but not the whole comment, "Hm? Did you need me?"

My stomach lurched as if I'd come face to face with a monster. My hair ruffled again, my anxiety haunting all the happy thoughts away from my head. As my heart pulsed faster, I saw that Momo was now watching my reaction. Her face looked guilty, and that was what really hurt more than anything else. I wanted to tell her that it wasn't her fault but I couldn't find the words. Especially not now.

She quickly turned to Shoto, "No, we're ok! Thanks anyway."

Shoto looked at us both for a moment, shrugged and continued on with his evening.