Dancing Shadows

Chapter Eleven

Ellowyn's POV-
   I tap my foot anxiously against the floor as Bakugou returns from the board where Mr. Aizawa posted our grades along with class 1-B's grades for the report today. It's honestly impressive how he finished grading the entire classes paper's in one week while still keeping up with other assignments and hero work on the side. How does he find so much time to sleep and still get things done? "So," I look up at Bakugou and do my best to seem confident. "We nailed it, right?"

   "Of course we fucking did." He says with a smirk. "100 percent. Just like a number one hero."

   My eyes widen in surprise. "Really?"

   "Go take a look if you don't believe me, nerd." He responds sharply.

   I jump out of my seat, run up to the board, and push past all of my classmates to see our score. Right at the top of the list are Bakugou and Sallow and Midoriya and Todoroki; both of our groups got 100s. I look around for Midoriya and Todo to see that Bakugou has already found them. I run over to see Bakugou yelling at Midoriya and Todo, but I don't really care. "Hi guys. Congratulations!"

   Bakugou glares at me. "Don't praise them!"

   "Thanks, Ellie. Congratulations to you as well." Todo says it response.

   "Don't pretend I'm not here Icy-Hot!"

   Midoriya smiles nervously. "Kacchan, I-"

   Bakugou continued yelling. "Deku! Tell me how you cheated!"

   "B-But I didn't!"

   I'm sure Bakugou would've continued yelling if Uraraka and Kirishima didn't come over at that moment. "Hey bro, calm down. Let's go get some lunch to celebrate, alright?"

   Bakugou scoffed. "Whatever."

   Kirishima, Sero, Mina, and Iida join us a few minutes later. It turns out that the rest of our classmates went on to lunch ahead of us. As we all start to walk to lunch together, we pass by class 1-B's classroom just as Monoma walks out. "Oh, hey class 1-A. I heard your class average for the report was lower than class 1-B's. What a shame. I knew you couldn't keep up with us."

   The collective tension of our entire class rises. Todoroki is the first to respond. "It's not like you actually contributed to that average."

   "Yeah, we saw your score, loser." Bakugou adds.

   Monoma bristles at the remark and I can see that he is looking for a comment that will throw the blame off of him when he locks eye contact with me and smirks. I already know that this isn't going to be good. "Well, at least every single one of the people in our class actually put in the work. We don't cheat." He says the word as if it's poison, and it lingers in the air between us before someone finally addresses it.

   "What are you implying about my classmates, Monoma?" Iida asks with a sharp tone.

   "Come on. You really expect me to believe that the girl who transferred here just this year is already making it to the top of her class?" He laughs. "No way. She has probably got Bakugou wrapped about her finger."

   I tense up and focus my gaze on the ground as every single person in the hallway turns to look at me. I feel panic crash over me in a wave. Anxiety floods my veins and all I can think is, Don't move. Suddenly, Bakugou speaks. "I'm number one. What makes you think anyone has any control over me?"

   Todo speaks next. "Bakugou is much too stubborn to simply have someone have him 'wrapped around their finger' in such a way. Plus, Ellowyn has always made good grades because she puts in the work, something you wouldn't know anything about Monoma."

   I feel myself release a breath I didn't even know I was holding. I send them both grateful glaces, but I know it's my turn to speak when Bakugou takes a step forward, probably to slap the smug smile off of Monoma's face. "Let's just go eat some lunch. The period is probably about to end soon."

   Everyone nods in agreement as we all walk off, leaving Monoma behind. "I knew you were too soft to actually confront me anyway; you're weak."

   That word hits me like a punch to the gut every time I hear it. Zachary's voice rings in my ears. I freeze in place and everyone stops around me. I feel hot tears well up in my eyes and my quirk threatens to go out of my control. The shadows pulse around me, and I guess Bakugou can tell that I'm losing it because he places a hand on my shoulder. "Let it go. The loser isn't worth it."

   I nod. "Yeah, you're right." The shadows are still pulling at me, begging for me to let them take control. "I-I have to go." I shrug his hand off of me and walk in the opposite direction of the lunchroom so that I can be alone. I'm not sure where I actually plan on going until I reach one of the many training rooms on campus. I walk through the tall beams of cement that are scattered all throughout the training room, most likely due to Cementoss, as I do my best to calm my breathing. It isn't working. I sit down in the middle of the floor and rock myself lightly. I can't seem to calm down. The shadows are closer now, suffocating me. I can't make it stop. Why am I like this? Forget it. Forget trying to control myself. Forget deep breathes and counting and soothing motions. I jump to my feet and just let it all out. All it takes is one scream, and I send my emotions out of myself all at once with a single burst of raw power that brings everything down, including myself.

...

Katsuki's POV-
   When Cherry storms off, Monona leaves shortly after. Icyhot wants to go after her but Shitty Hair stops him. "Let Bakugou go."

   "What?" Icyhot and I say at the same time.

   "Todoroki, you still have a boyfriend to go celebrate with. Plus, Bakugou was the one involved in all this drama. He should be the one to comfort her. It will make her feel better if it comes from him."

   "Why would I want to comfort her?" I retort.

   Kirishima just rolls his eyes. "C'mon man don't be rude. Just do this, please?"

   I sigh. "Fine. I'll go find her and tell her that Monoma is just an extra."

   "Good enough, Bakubro. See you later!"

   I grit my teeth together in annoyance as I walk the opposite way of the lunchroom and my stomach grumbles. Why did I agree to do this? Shitty Hair's words pop into my head yet again. "You like her!" I shake my head to try and clear my thoughts of his annoying fucking comments. "Fucking idiot." I grumble to myself.

   A few minutes later, I'm about to give up and just settle for giving Cherry her space when I pass by a training room just in time to hear a resounding scream and watch as all the rock pillars inside of it crumble to the ground at the same time. After a few seconds, the dust clears and I watch as Cherry falls to her knees in the middle of the room. For a moment she is quiet before she puts her head in her hands and begins to quietly sob.

   I freeze in place. Then, my body moves on my own. I've never been good at this type of stuff, so I'm not sure if what I'm doing is right, but I don't know what else to do. I walk through the rubble, and she must be super out of it because she doesn't even turn at the sound of the rocks underneath my boots. I sit down behind her before pulling her into a hug. She seems startled at first before she relaxes into me. "Bakugou?"

   "How did you guess?"

   She wipes the tears off of her cheeks and laughs a little. "You still smell like caramel."

   I don't have anything to say in response. I just let her lean on me as she hiccups and sniffles and wipes away her own tears as she tries to stop crying. I don't ask if she is okay because she obviously isn't. I just sit there and allow her to not be okay. Eventually, she sighs, closes her eyes, and leans further into me as she finally relaxes. "So, are you ready to go to class or would you like me to take you back to the dorm room?"

   She looks directly up at me and smiles and I feel that same electric feeling as before that makes my heartbeat speed up. "I can go to class." She says. We both stand up and dust ourselves off. As we are walking out of the training room, she gives me another smile and says, "Thank you, Bakugou."

   "Whatever." I reply. "Just don't ever mention it to anyone, especially not Shitty Hair."

   She just laughs. "Sure thing."