Nen lay on the ground, tears falling down her face and rolling onto the hardwood floor with a plop. The envelope in her hands crumpled in her fist as sobs racked through her.

Her father looked on from his quiet spot in the hall, watching through the slightly opened door. He had wanted to bring her some cake but was giving her time to absorb the news. The message continued to replay.

All of her hard work over the years, all of the blood, sweat, tears, bruises, broken bones, long nights of studying, hard days of fighting, all of it had gotten her right where she wanted to be.

Nen was crying from releif and joy after being accepted into U.A. Highschool.

"Alrigh, alright," he father chuckled as he opened the door wider and flipped on the lights. he set the cake on her desk and crouched down next to her. He rolled her onto her back and she covered her face with her arm, embarassed. "Come on, stop crying." He told her teasingly. "You gonna cry on your first day too? maybe you should go stand over the flowers and water them for once." Nen laughed at her father before sitting up.

"I made it. I did it! I did it all on my own!" She sniffed and wiped her eyes. lauging. "All that hard work...thank you for believing in me, papa." Nen continued to wipe her eyes when her dad's strong arms pulled her in for a hug, startling her.

Nens father, while he loved his daughter deeply, was never one for affection, preferring to work with his cold, hard machines. Slowly she wrapped her arms around him and breathed in. She could smell a little b.o. and grease, no doubt she would have some smeared on her face again. To her surprise, he began to shake a bit. Nen pulled away and looked at him. Tears were starting to escape and he grunted and rubbed his eyes.

"Damnit, Nen." He told her softly. "I just...I'm proud of you. You've grown so much." He put a heavy hand on her shoulder and she looked at his crystal ue eyes hidden under the grey of his thick eyebrows. "You remind me of her more and more."

Her mother.

"Do you think she would have been proud?" Nen asked. Her father gave her a small smile and ruffled her brown hair.

"More than words can describe." he assured her before standing up and grabbing the cake. "I wasnt sure you'd get in after what you told me, so I stocked up on cake." Nen lit up and took the plate. "Get some rest. Tomorrow we start practicing again!"

"Shouldn't I just wait until school starts up?" Nen asked around a mouthful of chocolate cake. Her father looked at her sternly.

"This school is no joke, Nen." He warned her. "It will test you in ways you cannot prepare for. So it is best to be prepared for what you can anticipate." She swallowed hard, her stomach sinking. Nen had let herself believe getting in was the hardest part. Was she really ready? "Enjoy your cake. I'll see you in the morning. Congrats on getting in."

Nen sat on her bed, cross legged. in her hands was a small picture frame. Three beaming faces peered up at her.

Her father was much younger looking, with hardly any grey showing. His eyes were as blue as ever and for once she couldnt see a smidge of grease or oil on him. His arm was around a beautiful woman. Her blond hair was in a relaxed braid that fell over her shoulder. Nen admired the hair and began to fiddle with her own braid. Nen had always envied her mothers hair, wanting to trade it for her dark brown. She had her father's hair and smile, but the warm eyes shining from her mother matched her own. A small splattering of freckles were tossed across her nose, something neither of her parents had.

In her mother's arms, a small girl in a sunny yellow dress had a smile brighter than the sun.

They were a happy family, a family everyone dreamed of, but all good things must come to an end. Nen kissed the picture and set it on her nightstand.

"Good night, Mom." She whispered into the dark room. "I promise I will make you proud!"