Freeze Frame

Chapter 4

Lillian's pov

Waiting for my rejection letter was absolutely mortifying if I'm going to be completely honest with myself. My parents have no idea that I went to UA. I've been waking up early just to catch the mail man so I can vet through our usually-small pile of mail before my parents can get their hands on it. I know I shouldn't hide it. I hide far too many things, but I really can't help myself. 

"Eggs?" My mom asked happily as I plopped myself down at the kitchen table, still in my pajamas. My dad was dressed and ready for work, scarfing down the homemade breakfast mom had provided like it was the best thing on the planet. I wondered how he hadn't choked yet. I guess years of scarfing down food at the speed of light will do that to a person. I'm willing to bet he used to nearly die from ingesting too much food too fast when he first married mom.

I heard the flap on the door move, and a twap as the mail hit the floor. I was out of my seat in seconds, already scrambling for the pile before either of my parents could even think of moving. Just as it did every morning, my heart raced. I snatched the letters off the ground, my eyes immediately scanning them.

The first was very clearly a piece of junk mail, but the other wasn't. My eyes widened as I stared at it. The red wax seal on the front made it very apparent just what I was holding. It was my results from the exam. The envelope looked a little battered, and whatever was inside certainly wasn't a piece of paper. But that didn't matter. It was from UA, and I'd caught it. 

"Any bills?" I heard my dad call from the kitchen, and I slowly backpedaled until I was in view. This is the perfect chance to tell them if I want. I'm afraid, and I know they probably won't be happy with me, but it's better than me taking the secret to my grave... Right? I want my parents to trust me just as much as I trust them! That can't happen if I had things like this from them. I want to hide it, but looking at them now and in the moment...

"I... a letter for me came." I said quietly as I shuffled back into the kitchen. Both my parents looked at me curiously, which makes sense. I don't have friends, and I'm really too young to get any other type of mail. Rarely do my relatives ever bother to use snail mail. With phones and computers, there's really no reason to.

I held up the letter hesitantly, ducking my head as my father nearly sprayed orange juice across the table. My mother gasped. "Is that a letter from UA?! As in... UA high?!" She squeaked. The symbol stamped into the wax is well known. Especially here. This city has always been huge on supporting the legendary school, and although my parents are quirkless, they make it a point to watch the sporting events every year.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you." I blurted out. "I just admire heroes so much, I just had to try my luck at the entrance exam!" They looked flabbergasted. I've never done anything like this before, and I feel horribly guilty about it. But I think I'd do it again if I had the chance! What if those people, the ones I somehow managed to pull from harms way, had gotten hurt without me there? That would have been terrible! 

"Isn't that exam dangerous?! I've heard that people even die during it! Why would you do something like that?!" My dad asked hysterically, looking like he was about to pass out or possible faint. I cringed slightly, ducking my head again. 

"I'm really sorry! I just had to try! I really wasn't hurt, honest! These are just the results. I promise everything went okay. I definitely didn't get in, but I wanted so badly to try, I couldn't resist." I explained hurriedly, pushing my words out as fast as I could. My mother looked near tears, and I think I gave my father some form of a heart attack. They've always been very protective. They think I'm quirkless, so I guess that's understandable... god, I should have told them! 

"I'm just glad you're okay, dear. Just... just don't do something like that again, okay?" My mother's voice was shaking slightly. She flicked off the oven before the eggs could begin to burn. "W-Why don't you open it before you father heads off to work?"

I nodded hesitantly, sitting carefully back in my seat. My parents looked more nervous than me, like maybe the letter would explode. I swear my mom flinched when I carefully pulled the thing open. I cautiously took what was inside out. It wasn't a letter at all. In fact, it was a small grey disk. An item I'd never seen before.

"What is that?" My dad asked as I set it on the table. We all jumped when light shot right out of the top. "What the hell?!" My dad sputtered.

"Booya! I'm here as a projection now!" All Might's voice boomed. I shrieked in surprise, and my father and mother both stared bug eyed at the projection in front of us. I was in mild horror. All Might, the top hero, was in a video that would more than likely give me the results of my exam. This is insane.

"I-It's All Might!" My mother stuttered. My dad nodded numbly.

"I know it's been a while since you took the exam, but with great power comes a great amount of paper work!" He pulled back from the screen, shrugging. My parents and I were shocked silent. We had no idea what was happening at this point. "You passed the written test with flying colors, Miss Faust! I'm pleased to say you were in the top twenty students!" He raised his fist.

"Top twenty?" My dad awed. I think my soul has left my body.

"In the mock battle exam, you were faced with robotic villains that you had to defeat in order to gain points!" All Might raised a finger. I cringed at my mother's horrified gasp. "Terrifying indeed! While you only got twenty-one points for destroying villains, that does not mean you failed!" He announced. My heart began to pound louder in my ears, and I sucked in a sharp breath of air.

"You see, there's more to being a hero than just fighting villains! Being a hero means saving others, no matter the consequence to yourself. That's a trait all heroes have in common, and you, young lady, possess it!" All Might boomed. "This is why we have rescue points! A panel of judges watches, and awards points for heroic acts! After all, that's what being a hero is all about!"

I sucked in a sharp breath of air as my name flashed onto the board. "My dear, you were awarded, in the end, with fifty-two rescue points!" He announced. My mouth fell open, and my dad made a choking sound. "You, Lillian Faust, passed in third place! So welcome, Lillian, to the hero academia!" 

Tears welled up in my eyes, and I turned to my shell shocked parents, not sure what to say. They stared at me in a mixture of awe, shock and probably disbelief. It's really hard to tell. I honestly thought I'd end up going to the shady public school nearby and then living out my life as a banker like my father.

"I...I..." I blinked back my tears. "I did it."