Tempest [BNHA]

Chapter Eight

~Ariel's POV~

The morning of The UA Sports Festival, I felt a little nervous. Whenever Grandfather had been home throughout the week and the topic came up, he told me I'd easily be able to take first place. I felt somewhat pressured to do my very best and it was making me anxious. Would he be upset if I didn't get first place? Would he be disappointed in me? Would he think all of his time and effort put in to training me was all for nothing and consider me a failure?

I'd successfully dug myself a gloomy hole of despair and wallowed in it until Rosie's head flopped atop my bed next to me. She blew kisses at me until I smiled and rolled over to give her a pat on the head. "Thanks Rosie."

I hopped out of bed and Rosie gave me a push toward my closet to give me a boost in motivation so I could get ready for my day. Quickly, I changed into my UA gym uniform and returned to my room to find Rosie waiting. She nodded her head in approval and blew me another kiss.

"Thanks Rosie, if all goes well today, I'll bring you a fish bouquet." I beamed which made her absolutely ecstatic. She hopped around barking happily and I couldn't help but smile at her, she'd successfully lifted my mood.

I picked up a small backpack before scrambling to my nightstand. In the top drawer of my nightstand was a notebook where I was keeping all of my notes on friendship and how to be a good friend. I flipped to one of my most recent entries from my online searches. I'd been worried about how friends were supposed to act in competitions. One article said to cheer them on, another said to make friendly wagers, and another said to motivate and push them to do their best. I wasn't entirely sure how to accomplish any of these things and hurriedly tucked my notebook in my backpack before heading for the door. I gave Rosie an affectionate pat on the head and blew her a kiss goodbye before exiting my room.

When I got to the dining room, I spotted my grandfather at the table. My eyes widened, that was a surprise, he was usually at the agency. He turned his piercing aqua eyes in my direction and smiled, "there's my little champion."

My stomach churned unpleasantly, "I haven't won anything yet."

"I've scouted the competition; they don't stand a chance." He smirked, his competitive and ambitious nature was starting to take over, it was this kind of attitude that had led him to hurt my father, and it worried me that he might fall back into old habits and attitudes. I was on edge, waiting for him to say something insensitive that would inevitably trigger me.

"I'm not going to celebrate just yet." I replied quietly as I pushed away the small cake lined with fruit that said 'congratulations Ariel' in chocolate sauce away from me as I took my seat at the massive dining table.

He frowned at this, "of course you'll win, you're my blood after all. What's the matter, little Starfish?"

"It feels like you're looking down on my classmates...it seems mean and unfair..." I replied in a soft voice.

Grandfather sighed at this, "I'm just telling it like it is, you have the advantage, we've been training for this for years." He cleared his throat as he realized I was starting to withdraw into myself, "anyway...those friends of yours, they have the same affliction as your fath-?"

I shot him a dark look and a loud booming roar of thunder sounded overhead causing the entire island to quake. "Don't."

His eyes darted up to the chandelier overhead as it rattled. "I was just trying to confirm, Gloria said you'd invited them for a sleepover before. I wanted to be sure there was no funny business, is all."