10 BROKEN HEARTS

FUCK, FUCK, fuck.

A bead of sweat sinked down the surface of your forehead, only just missing the wrinkled skin by your furrowed eyebrows.

With acute eyes, pupils trained on the screen before you, your fingers diligently tapped and nagged at the buttons in your hand.

It was a war against time, and all you could do was stare at a screen as your hands flexed and gripped desperately for the win.

Then, your character faded. Its figure flickered as it knelt to the floor, seeping out of view as it mumbled its last words.

"Ughh! No!" You groaned, immediately flopping back in your seat. "How?! All you did was button mash—I *know* the actual controls!"

Kaminari let out a loud chortle, which was also mixed with an unusual cheer. He stood up, throwing his hands in the air with a victorious grin. "What can I say? I'm just amazing." He replied cockily.

After the group met up and hung out at the arcade, it was agreed that you'd all walk back to Kaminari's house.

You spent the first hour losing countless rematches against him, even after you memorised each and every control. All he did was spam the same button.

When you first saw his... odd room, you found it endearing. Almost, cute...? If it were to be any other boy who had a room adorned with leopard print and tacky hat collections, then yeah, you'd openly judge and probably get the ick. But this was Kaminari—and that meant anything he had or did was automatically considered the right thing.

So, you ignored Mina's side eye when you walked in and smiled, complimenting his room.

After that, the group shared three boxes of pizza. You watched him gobble down an entire box and almost a quarter of another one. He was the biggest ick in the planet of all icks. In fact, no, he wasn't just an ick. He was the living embodiment of an ick. And yet, every 'icky' thing he did was so endearing. You were head over heels for him.

"Shit." Sero spoke up randomly, alerting you from your daze. You looked back, your eyes scanning over the raven haired boy as he sighed, his hand running through his hair exhaustedly.

"What's up, Sero?" You asked, meeting his eye as he faced you with a frown.

"I think I left my phone at the arcade." He mumbled, catching Kirishima's attention.

"Huh?! What?" The red haired boy snapped his head over, crumbs falling from his lips as he dropped his bag of crisps. "Are you sure? Let me check its location."

"I'm sure. I remember now. No wonder why I couldn't find it." Sero replied, peaking over Kirishima's shoulder as he typed in the phones location.

"You're right... at least it's still there. Maybe a worker found it or something." Kirishima said, stuffing his own phone in his pocket as he grabbed his jacket and slid it on. "We should get it back quickly, I'll come with you."

"Thanks." Sero replied, sliding on his own jacket.

Mina watched the entire conversation, her eyes drifting from the duo conversing about their phones, to you and Kaminari. She then looked over at Bakugo, who was hunched over on a chair, cheek rested on his palm as he stared at his phone.

An idea hit her.

The door of the house slammed shut as Sero and Kirishima left to retrieve the missing phone, leaving a short silence to follow in the room.

"Bakugo, you lowkey suck a mortal kombat." She stated randomly, and both you and Kaminari looked over at the two in slightly surprise. Everyone knew that pissing Bakugo off meant you were in for a long day, but challenging him? Mina would end up with blisters from pressing on the controller for ages.

"THE HELL DID YOU JUST SAY TO ME, PINKIE?!" Bakugo, as expected, reacted immediately, sitting up and snapping his head over his shoulder to glare at her.

"You heard me." She shrugged nonchalantly, a contrast to her usual self who would immediately cower under his glower. "Prove me wrong, then."

A malicious grin crept onto his lips at her words, and he stood up without another word, cracking his knuckles. "Oi, dunceface." He called, causing Kaminari to flinch at the sudden mention of his 'name'. "Where's your other monitor?"

"Uh... it's in the room just down the hallway and to your first left." He replied, watching as Bakugo made a swift exit and marched down the corridor towards the room. Mina sighed, scooting out of her previous position as she followed him. She sent you a small wink, hinting that she sacrificed herself for your alone time with Kaminari.

Her sacrifice won't be in vain.

"So, uh..." you started mildly awkwardly, and you immediately mentally cursed yourself. "I like your room...!"

"Really? Thanks! Mina doesn't really like it. She calls it tacky." He replied casually, leaning back in his seat. "I knew it was cool! She just didn't get it. Although, she doesn't really get me much. Not as much you get me."

"Oh?" You felt your cheeks heat up, your heart fluttering as your tummy did cartwheels inside. Your fingers squeezed the hem of your shirt, heart pounding in your chest as your eyes met the floor.

Was this it? Your fairytale moment? The moment all girls dreamed about, finding your handsome prince? Or would it be like being saved by a virtuous knight? Either way, however the moment goes, you'd be happy. Because wasn't that how all fairytales go? How all the girls would dream?

"Well... uh, I have a question." You pressed forward, refusing to meet his eye as you stared at your own feet.

"Yeah? Shoot."

"What's your type?" You asked, looking away so he didn't see the profuse amount of blush engulfing your face. "Like... in a girl?"

There was a short silence for a moment, and your hearts pace picked up by a tenfold. It was short, but it felt like the longest moment of your life. Gathering your courage, you turned your head to look over at him, only to see his... expression?

He sat there, looking up with his hand scratching the back of his head. His brows were knitted together, and he was thinking deep like it was the most casual question ever.

"Ehh... don't really have one." He shrugged. "I guess maybe... a girl who's nice? Nice and pretty?" He replied, before turning back to the game as if you were a friend asking about the type of girls he digs. Although... maybe that's all you were. Maybe you were reading into it.

Either way, you panicked, and pressed on. "Well... do you think I'm nice?" You asked, feeling your heart ache in your chest.

"Well yeah! Of course!" He answered, meeting your eye with a smile. You returned it, taking a deep breath, stupidly thinking everything was okay. "You'd make a good girlfriend for like... Todoroki or something. All the chicks dig him, right?"

Everything was not okay.

Everything shattered. Your dreams, your thoughts, your fears.

You didn't want to fall in love.

You didn't choose this.

You weren't meant to.

So why did it hurt so bad? Why did it feel like your heart was burning? Like your tummy was twisting?

Why did you feel so... empty?

You should've expected this. Of course, you're just his friend. You weren't pretty enough for him, heck, he probably liked someone else. You weren't his fairytale. Not like he is to you.

"I gotta go to the bathroom." You mumbled, standing up slowly.

"Alright. It's just down the hall."

You stepped out of the room and down the hall, an empty look on your face. No expression, nothing. Except, as soon as you stepped into the bathroom and the door clicked shut behind you, you let it all out. Everything.

And for the first time, you cried.

Not because you stubbed your toe this time.

Not because someone stole your hero calling cards.

Not because your mom didn't buy you that mango sorbet ice cream from the ice cream truck.

You cried over a boy. And it was the worse pain you've ever cried about.

You've always hated boys, men, just... males in general. It should've stayed that way.

It will stay that way.

——————