Blood Red (Karma x reader)

Chapter 9

(Y/N)'s POV

After school, I met up with Karma, Nagisa and Kaede. I texted my mom and told her that I would be home late since I had extra school work to do that might help me get back into one the of main classes. It was the only thing I could think of to get her permission not to come home right away.

"So where are we going?" I asked as the three led me down the mountain.

"Probably the cafe first, since we're all pretty hungry." Nagisa suggested. The cafe they were talking about wasn't far from school, so it didn't take us that long to get there.

I was really hungry, but I didn't have any money to buy food at the cafe, and there's no way in hell I'd ask one of these guys to lend me some. I'd just have to lie and say I'm not hungry, and hope I would be allowed to eat when I got home.

As the four of us sat down at a table near the window, I offered to stay and keep our seat while everyone went to order.

They nodded in agreement, and I stared out the window as I waited for them to return.

Karma was the only one who didn't believe me when I said I wasn't hungry, but he didn't push me about it. Once everyone finished up, we walked down to an arcade.

The three of them chatted a lot, but I tried to stay out of it as much as I could. It was actually pretty relaxing being around people I knew wouldn't beat me up if I walked beside them instead of behind. I didn't walk beside them anyway, but if I did by accident, I didn't have to worry.

Over the next two weeks, Karma convinced me to keep hanging out with them after school. I was hesitant for the first few days, but once I warned up to them, I had so much fun doing things with then every day, going to the cafe, the arcade, the park, and just goofing off with them. I was relaxed, and it was all thanks to Karma. I hardly knew him at all, and yet I felt such a connection to him, like I had known him all my life. I started to see all the little things he did to make me happy when he was never obligated to. I had no idea why he was doing it. I asked him once, and he said he looks out for all his classmates like that. My goal started to slip from my mind, and I shrugged off some of the pressure of getting back into the main building. Karma said it wouldn't be possible anyway with Korosensei as our teacher.

I really hated to say it, but I was starting to develop a little bit of a crush on Karma. He helped me stand on my own two feet with friends I can trust, for that, I'll always be grateful.

My mother had locked me in the closet a few times, and I had gotten almost nothing to eat, but despite that I was still happier than I had been a month or so ago. Karma had tried giving me candy bars whenever he could, but I always refused. I accepted the candy bar one time, and left the rapper in my pocket by accident. My mother found it and threw me in the closet for almost two days. I was not going to make that mistake again.

However, I had the feeling Korosensei suspected something was wrong with me. He asked me every morning if I had eaten breakfast, and when I always said yes, he would pretend to believe me, even though I could tell he didn't. I overheard him calling my house and asking my mother if everything was alright at home, and naturally she said yes. She wouldn't want to ruin her 'perfect' reputation.

On the last day of the month, Nagisa and Kaede were both busy, so Karma and I were stuck alone after school. I'll admit it was a little awkward for a little while, but when I noticed how casual he was acting about it, I relaxed a little.

"So, (Y/N). Have your parents always been that way?" Karma asked as we sat on a park bench, eating ice cream. I nodded my head.

"Yes. My father and mother only got married because it worked well for both of them. My dad needed a wife and kids, and my mom wanted a comfortable life. Neither of them ever loved me, I've always just been the one they condition into 'perfection', by any means necessary." I explained. "Sorry, I guess you didn't ask for the whole story."

"No, it's alright. I'm glad you're telling me this. It's a big improvement to the icy girl I met three weeks ago." He replied, making me blush slightly.

"I wouldn't have been such a jerk to you if you didn't laugh at me for tripping." I growled.

"Yeah, sorry about that. But I did save you from those guys~." He argued.

"You and Terasaka you mean." I corrected.

"Hey, come on, he barely did anything at all. I think I deserve a thank you, who knows what they might have done to you if your hero didn't show up." He boasted.

"Right, thanks." I said sarcastically.

"That's no way to talk to your hero!" He said, playfully punching me in the shoulder.

"Ow, jerk!" I laughed, punching him back.

These were the tines when I felt like I'd known Karma forever. He always did exactly what it took to make me smile, without having to even ask what I wanted. It was something I'd never felt before, and I liked it a lot.

"Really though Karma, thanks. Not just for that, but everything you've done since. It's nice to have friends, and people to talk to. You did a lot for me in a short time, so really, thank you." I said, and his face went pretty red.

"What? Did I say something weird?" I asked.

"Oh, no, it's just, I wasn't expecting the compliment." He replied, waving a hand.

"Karma, once again, thank you for everything you've done for me. But I have to go now." My smile dissipating like the remnants of a soft cloud.

"What? Why? Usually you stay a lot longer than this." He asked, confused.

"If I'm not at school Monday, don't come looking for me." My voice shifting quickly from kind to frigid.

"Why not? Is something wrong, (Y/N)?" He persisted, startled by my sudden mood change.

"No, I'm just not feeling well, so I don't expect to be there tomorrow." I replied, standing up from the bench.

As I began to walk away, he grabbed my hand.

"Hey! Don't even think about it. If you're not at school tomorrow, I'll be there, you can't stop me. You're a bad liar, I know something is wrong. Tell me what it is." He demanded, refusing to let go of my wrist as I tugged away.

Finally, I sighed in defeat.

"Alright, you don't need to worry, I'll be there." I lied.

Today was the last day of the month. I knew I was in for it, hell, my mother may very well kill me, she's come close to it before for less. I may not even have to worry about Karma tomorrow.

He didn't seem satisfied with my answer, but let me go anyway.

"I like you, Karma." I mumbled under my breath as I walked away from him, back towards my house of misery.

There was a pit in my stomach the whole way home, and I walked slowly. Dread was rising through my body, turning it to stone with every step.

I knew there was no escaping this though.

As soon as I walked in the door, I felt a sharp pull on my hair, and I yelped in surprise.

"I gave you a fucking simple job, and plenty of time to do it! I called the principal and he said you still haven't been cleared to rejoin the main program, do you know what that means?!" She roared furiously.

"I-I'm sorry M-mom-!" I exclaimed, but was cut off once more by her pulling me to my feet using my hair. I shrieked.

"If you were 'sorry', you'd be back in the main building, you little bitch! I should have just adopted, you're absolutely useless!" She screamed, throwing me to the floor across from where I stood.

She picked up the flower pot on the table by the door and threw it at me with all the force she could muster.

I raised my hands to deflect the blow, but it pushed my hands back towards me and broke with the impact. The shattered pottery cut into my hands, making me cry out.

"Please... s-stop!" I begged, tears forming in my eyes as I curled up on the floor defensively.

"I'll stop when I'm damn good and ready, you worthless piece of shit!" She shouted, dragging me across the floor by my hair once more and into the kitchen as I squirmed for dear life.

What do I do?