Secrets [Todoroki]

*Chapter Forty-Seven*

The day following the hospital, Miri was released in near perfect health. She stood at her mansion door, contemplating if she should go in.

Iida and Uraraka were supposed to meet her here. Midoriya was still up in the hospital, still recovering from his injuries. She had stopped to say goodbye to him when she was discharged, but he was fast asleep.

She was disappointed that nobody other than Aizawa, All Might, and Todoroki had visited her in the hospital. But she knew why nobody wanted to visit. She really couldn't blame them.

Now she could tell them the truth. Now she could get the weight off her shoulders and take the first steps to getting her life back together, or at least somewhat in control.

The media hadn't shown up yet, so Miri knew her actual identity hadn't got out to the public, but it made her anxious knowing that eventually it'll happen. What could she say? Her future as a hero could fall apart before it even truly begins in the next few weeks.

Sighing to herself, Miri opened the door to her house.

It was deserted. The house seemed so much darker, less alive, without her mother there. Servants who could usually be seen running about had since quit and left. Miri didn't blame them either.

One of the last servants rounded the corner, almost slamming into Miri. She stopped short, surprise clear on her face.

"Lady Nightmare! I'm-" She caught herself, her eyes softening. "Miss Miri...I'm sorry."

Miri recognized her as one of the servants who was often there for her when she needed something. She had worked for them for as long as she could remember. A sad feeling filled her chest. This woman was a kind soul who Miri often regarded as almost a second mother.

"You're leaving too?" Miri couldn't hide the sadness in her voice.

The woman set her suitcase down. Her hands fiddled around for a moment before pulling Miri in for a tight hug.

"You were a good kid. You'll grow to be an even better woman. Don't forget your dreams. Don't let what others say to you ruin what you've worked hard for." The lady pulled away and looked Miri over. "You've grown up to be so beautiful. Just like your mom." She pressed her mouth into a line. "Lady Nightmare was terrifying, but I don't think she ever disrespected us. I'm sorry for what happened."

Miri felt her eyes burn again. Tired of crying in front of people, she looked a little up, hoping to control the tears. "Thank you for everything. I hope whatever you do next in your life will lead you down a good path. If you are ever in need of a job, or roughly anything, my door is always open to you. I can't promise I can pay as much as my mother did, at least not yet, but I would always appreciate you." A lone tear slipped down her cheek. "Please, take care of yourself."

The woman held a somber smile on her face. She rubbed Miri's shoulder and turned to leave. "Take care, Miss Miri."

Listening to her footsteps until they completely faded, Miri broke down. Tears flowed freely down her face and she sat down on the floor.

'Letting go...is so hard to do. I have to let go of my mom and people I've looked up to?' She sniffled. 'So much is happening around me. So many people...so many things. Who can I still turn to? What am I supposed to do?'

"How am I expected to do this?" Anguish filled her voice, a raw ragged emotion that drilled through her entire being.

Miri thought back to her first day of school. The one thing her mother wanted her to do had weighed on her shoulders, constantly filling her with anxiety. Fear of the new people made interacting with them hard. She second guessed what she did, over thought what she wanted to say. She feared people knowing too much about her, figuring out the one secret she tried so desperately to keep for so long.