☆*:. INFINITY

1: 𝓦𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝓖𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝓟𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧

Reyzel felt like she was going to die. She was wet with sweat, and the painful taste of blood coated her throat. However, for her, it wasn't enough. Especially today.

Even with all the heavy, overwritten books in her bag that she carried through the never-ending orphanage halls. Even when she used the water containers that weighed unbelievable amounts in each hand as weights. Even when she used the shelves in her room for pull ups, or when she defied gravity with the intensity of her core exercises- or when after all of that, even a 20 mile run didn't satisfy her.

She needed to be stronger. Better. Every day was a new day to exert herself with relentless physical activity. Any limit her body had would be crushed and destroyed as she saw fit. (Haha get it- fit).

On this day everything always rushed back, even years later. The memories. The price she had to pay for being weak and naive. For not being there to protect Natsu. No amount of physical strain ever erased the guilt, despite Reyzel's daily efforts.

A week from now she'd be tested. Was all her blood, sweat and tears worthy? Would she be able to look a kind soul in the eye and not see his face? These questions plagued the back of Reyzel's mind constantly, only getting louder as UA's entrance exam neared the corner.

The other girls refused to use the showers next to Reyzel. Too many rumours spun around the orphanage about her. Instead, they gathered in their respective groups, heading to the baths. Reyzel appreciated the silence, albeit it reeked of judgement. Nothing she hadn't thought of herself before.

Whispers coated the back of the bathrooms. "I heard a villain left her here," one murmured to the others.

"I heard she killed her entire family, and that's why she's an orphan."

"Girl, what babies do you think women are popping out to be able to kill whole families?" Reyzel snickered.

She left not long after, ungracefully walking down the hall that felt lengthier than usual. The only thing that felt good was her clean, dripping hair. Reyzel didn't remember the last time she washed it.

Opening the door to the dormitory, a posse of girls gossiped in the common room. Reyzel-more exhausted than usual- frustratingly calculated how she should get to the other side of the room where the beds laid.

"What school are you going to apply for?" A blonde twirled her hair towards her friends. They hadn't noticed Reyzel's presence. "Entrance exams are soon girlies!"

"Entrance exams are soon girliess! Teehee!" Reyzel imitated in her head, mentally rolling her eyes. The only thing stopping her was the heaviness of her eyelids. She would've enjoyed their gossip sessions if they weren't so rude to the younger girls at the orphanage.

"Oh em gee. Girl!" A brunette started, "did you hear? JJ and the boys said they want to try for UA!" The group harmonised their high-pitched giggles.

"They can't!" One whined. "I want to go to the same high school as JJ!" They all agreed in unison. "We're not allowed to, anyway!"

The brunette continued. "For realzies! I told him the headmaster literally forbid it." She smacked on her gum. "As if people like us could become heroes!"

'People like us, eh?' The group finally took notice of Reyzel's presence when she walked through their circle of gossip towards the bedrooms. 'People whose names won't be remembered when we die,' Reyzel rounded the corner and sat on the edge of her bed amongst the line of many others. 'Natsu, I'll make sure everyone remembers your name.'

＿.｡.:*☆*:.｡.＿

Days and days of overworking her body flew by. The entrance exam was tomorrow, and Reyzel's washboard abs were ready for action. She knew she wasn't allowed to try for UA, but Dolores Orphanage didn't know the plans she'd been scheming behind closed doors.

From tonight onwards, Reyzel's new home would be a tent situated in a forest near U.A. Academy. If she received good news after the exam, then the letter could not- under any circumstances- get delivered to the orphanage. So, the new living arrangement would have to suffice.

Reyzel had been planning this for over a year. With multiple backup plans, she was ready for any challenge. She knew the layout and routine of everyone and everything in the orphanage. At 10am sharp, everyone including staff would be snoring their asses off, and Reyzel would be far away with a bag packed full of all her belongings.

It was 9:55. Her bag was packed, hiding under her bed for the time being. The girls were asleep, and all the lights had turned off around the orphanage half an hour ago. It was time.

Reyzel ducked under her bed, flailing around for her bag. The darkness of the slumbering room did not work in her favour. Once the bag was finally equipped, Reyzel's natural invisibility to everyone in the dormitory made opening the window a breeze. A cascading water pipe aided Reyzel's escape plan- flashbacks of sneaking out with Natsu rising. She fought them down, and continued with heavy breaths.

It was quiet. The occasional cricket sang. The gentle breeze forced a thought onto Reyzel's mind— when was the last time she had been so still? However, it swept away as she realised she had places to be. Tomorrow was more important than tonight's soft winds.

3 hours later, Reyzel wanted to dropped dead in front of the tent she'd made. Not because of her sore body. No, her body was unbreakable after the abuse she'd put it through. It was something else. Reyzel had accounted for every detail of her plan, except one thing. The lack of distraction. Hours of silent walking, with nothing but the occasional cricket to keep her company.

With all her belongings thrown inside, the clammy girl zipped the tent up behind her. The forestry strangely felt safer than Rey's usual abode. She couldn't wait to hear the birds chirp in the morning. Speaking of morning- she'd freshen up later- sleep was needed if she wanted to preform well for tomorrow.