Freeze Frame

Chapter 14

Third person pov

It was dinner now, and her parents wanted to every detail. What did the desks look like? Who was in her class? What did the heroes look like? Did they have accents? Was the food good? What did they do?

It was almost maddening to sit through it all and answer every one of their questions. But she did. Half because it would be rude not to, and half because she understood. She'd lived her life quirkless, and despite knowing she had a quirk of her own, she'd always been awestruck by anyone with powers, and by anyone and anything even related to UA. Her parents were probably losing their minds over the fact that she'd actually stepped foot in the school. She didn't blame them one bit. In their shoes, she'd be the exact same way, no doubt about it.

"A quick assessment test? How did you pass?!" My grandmother shrilled through the phone. I winced slightly at the sound, offering my bright-eyed parents a nervous smile. They'd insisted on calling. Many if my cousins, aunts and uncles we're currently visiting my grandmother, as they all loved fairly close to one another. They'd thought it to be a good idea to put them on speaker.

"Yeah, you don't have a quirk." Her cousin, Airi, spoke in a preppy tone. She was only a few months older than Lillian, and attended a quirkless school for girls. It was prestigious, and if her parents had enough money, she was sure she'd have gone their too if not for UA. Airi was a cheerleader there, and she liked to flaunt it. But she meant well!

"A-Ah, it wasn't so we would be graded, per say. It was so our teacher, Mr. Aizawa, could get a better sense of our ability." Lillian explained nervously, not sure how else to put it. Talking to her family always made her insecure. Especially now. Most of them were expecting more great things from her after getting into UA.

"Does that mean you got last?" Her younger cousin, Mori, asked. She winced at the young boy's question. She didn't want to lie, but...

"Yeah, I did." Lillian offered a smile to her parents. A forced one. She could just tell them. Right now, she could admit to lying. Even prove to them she had a quirk. "But at least I got in."

"Exactly! At least she got in," My dad said. He grinned brightly at Lillian in a proud manner. Lillian wondered if that pride would still be there if they knew the truth. If they knew that she wasn't like them. She wasn't the quirkless wonder who'd managed to get into UA by some shot-in-the-dark chance. That she wasn't someone all quirkless people could look up.

She wondered what they'd do if they knew she was different from them. An outcast, and moreover, a fraud.

Lillian's pov

My relatives seemed to have an endless spew of questions. I didn't blame them for it. I understand their curiosity and overall confusion over the fact that I got in. They think I'm a shy, quirkless loser. In reality, I'm a shy, quirk-using loser. It's that one difference there that changes everything, and not in a good way, either. What would they do if they found out? Throw me to the street for being different, and for not letting them know? Everyone in my family is quirkless. Everyone. Where this quirk came from is a total mystery. The bloodline must have just... Evolved, somehow. Evolved enough to produce me. I guess that's evolution for you.

I stared at my uniform from across the room, my mind reeling. I've got to tell my parents eventually. They're going to find out one way or another, and I'd rather it be from me than from a third party. Maybe I'm being too dumb and overthinking it, and I've got nothing to worry about. But I just... I'm scared. I've never felt more afraid. I can already see the looks on their faces when they realize they've been so proud of their daughter who's just like them. Their daughter without a quirk. I can see their expressions change when they realize I'm not who that thought. And I hate that.

I let out a breath of air, tempted to cry. Maybe I can ask one of my new friends at school... Or maybe that would bother them. And I'm sure Mr. Aizawa couldn't be bothered with me.

I rolled over and sighed. I'll think of something in the morning.