Red Like Roses // BNHA × OC //

{11} Unexpected Competition

It was too damn early in the morning for this. 

A yawn escaped me as I hoisted myself onto the bus. I hadn't hopped onto one of these since elementary school, but when your Heroics teacher says final exams will be off campus starting at dawn, you don't have much say.

Towards the back row was the last empty seat. Once I sat down, the bus pulled out of the parking lot and the lights inside flicked off. It was still dark outside, and the only noise came out of the rumbling engine.

I sat by myself, but for whatever reason, I was on edge. I became really aware of my breathing, and I couldn't shake the feeling away.

I looked over to the empty space, and Aizawa’s first lesson started to replay in my head. 

If you ever walk into an empty room, try and say…

“Hi, Hagakure?” I half whispered. If I was wrong I sure didn't want anyone to think I was talking to thin air. 

I tuned in to the very faint sound of the seat creaking, like someone adjacent to me had moved. A bright voice appeared out of nowhere to greet me. 

“Hey, you noticed!” A  pair of gloves waved. “People don't usually notice me in my Hero costume." 

I made a mental note to Aizawa for the advice and smiled at Hagakure. 

“Yeah, I don't think we've met. I'm Rose,” I tried to stay quiet out of respect for the exhausted students around us, but I finally met another classmate that wasn't giving me the cold shoulder, and I couldn't mask the relief in my voice. 

“No duh, everyone knows who you are,” Hagakure giggled. My face warmed as she tapped my shoulder. “Are you excited for finals?" 

“Kind of.” I wasn't sure if excitement was what had my heart pumping and my head spinning. Maybe paralyzing-fear is the better word for that. 

Hagakure assured me that I'd be fine. She went on to fill me in on all the gossip and drama about the class, but it was five in the morning, and I was dead tired from training. Safe to say I wasn't exactly keeping up with all the names she threw out. 

Soon, the sun began to rise up over the horizon. As morning sunlight slowly crept in through the bus windows, everyone began to wake up. 

I tried to keep up with all the overlapping conversations. Everyone donned their Hero costumes, showing off their personalities and Quirks without saying a word about them. 

I looked down at my sleeveless button down and cargo pants, gadgets strapped around my back and my legs. I didn't look too out of place, but my self consciousness thought otherwise. 

“I can't believe we're going to the USJ again,” Sero muffled through his helmet. “Feels like yesterday we were fighting actual villains there."

“That must have been scary—” I tried to chime in, but Mina jumped in at the same time. 

“I know right!” She turned around in her seat to face us. “Plus Iida and Deku just had their second run-in with villains. Talk about too soon!"

I got ready to say something else, but Hagakure beat me to it. “I'm sure we'll be okay! I mean, what are the odds they attack the same place twice?"

Everyone within earshot loudly scolded Hagakure and begged her not to jinx us. 

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Just as the sun was finally up, we were ushered inside the USJ. It had a TARDIS-style illusion, appearing normal on the outside but tremendous beyond imaginable on the inside.