Chapter 5

With the first week of class over a few of my classmates decide to take a celebratory trip to the mall. I have to look super cute! It's the first time in a whole week that I get to actually go out and not be wearing that dang uniform. I get to use my closet and I'm so excited! I've pulled out my washed out skinny jeans that make my booty look voluptuous. Pairing that with my tank top that has a fire extinguisher on the front that says "For when I'm mad" and an umbrella on the back with "For when I'm sad". Shoto got it or my birthday last year and I absolutely love it.

"Diya, Shoto, your friend is here." I was so distracted trying to pick the right pair of shoes that I almost didn't hear when Endeavor called. I pull my hair up in a high pony and snatch my classic converse and trot downstairs.

"Thanks, dad. We'll be back later." I grab Shoto by the arm and basically yank him out the door. "Hey Draeson! Thanks for meeting up with us on the way. It's so much more fun to walk as a group." I link arms with both of them on either side as we start walking down the sidewalk. "Who are we meeting there anyway? Did Hagakure decide to come with?"

"Oh…" Draeson took his phone out of his pocket and scrolled through it for a moment before looking back up at me. "I'm not sure. I guess we'll see when we get there...or not." We burst into laughter and Shoto just looks at us like we are crazy.

"Get it? Cause she's invisible?" I poke him in the side with my elbow as if doing so makes it funnier. But it did for Draeson and I, at this point we are teary eyed from laughing so much that I had to physically stop and hold my stomach.

"Sometimes I just don't get you guys." I can tell he's trying to play it cool. He might not find it as funny as we do but he definitly thinks its chuckle worthy. If we were at home he totally would have laughed. That's one thing I don't like about my brother, I think he tries to hard. He worries to much about what people think of him. This coming from the same girl who almost died because I thought Draeson was going to bust me out about liking Bakugo. But we aren't talking about me right now.

At the mall we can see Koda and Hagakure in the front entrance. I sprint from our small group and meet up with them before Draeson and Shoto have a chance to stop me from running in the mall. Koda's a little shy so he almost cringed when I swooped in for a group hug but he's slowly opening up. At least to Draeson and I that is. He doesn't talk very much but he whispers sometimes.

"I'm so happy you guys came with us!" I'm really excited to be out and about just hanging out with my new friends. "We should totally check out that gear store! I want to get some ideas for our hero costumes." I know we submitted our forms before the semester started but we're going to be able to make adjustments soon.

"That sounds like a great idea!" Hagakure chirps as we start skipping off that way leaving Koda with the boys. They all start following us over anyway but at least this way they can get some guy time that Shoto is always complaining about. He's always going on and on about how I'm always in the middle of the conversations and how I dominate the topics. It must be my overbearing personality that my bio dad always said I had.

We're looking at some gauntlets that could help me regulate and boost power to my water streams. It would allow me to use my fire to adjust the temperature of the water I'm producing. That could be crazy useful. I'm totally going to have to request these on my update form.

"Hey Draeson! Check out these boots!" They were black heavy duty boots with jet propulsions for quirks similar to Iida's. "Do you think Hatsume could make boots like this that would work for Bakugo's quirk like his gauntlets? It would totally help with how he propels himself around!" I couldn't whisper any louder if i tried. I'm trying my best to keep my excitement at bay seeing as Hagakure is in the very next aisle. "His birthday is next week. Do you think he would like them?" I hope he thinks so.

"I think it's a cool idea." I got so excited I could have exploded. I pull my phone out to take some pictures to show Hatsume when she straight pops up out of nowhere. She starts going crazy rambling about the boots as she takes them from my hands and throws them all around. She's talking so fast and so much nonsense. Then as quick as she arrived she snaps a photo or two then vanishes. The only thing I'm left with is a vague idea that she agreed to make the boots or at least try. In the wake of the commotion I notice something over Draeson's shoulder. It's a blonde blob off in the distance and another familiar red blob.

"Oh. My. God. Draeson, be cool but hottie alert at 10 o'clock." I can't stress how cool we need to be right now and this doofus looks to his right. "Your other 10 o'clock."

"Right!" He quickly corrects himself and peers off into the food court at the two classmates who also chose today to come to the mall. He looks super excited to see him today. It was a total surprise! How were we gonna know that they were going to be here today.

"Be cool!" I hiss in his direction. "We can't go say hi if you can't be cool." I don't know if I can even say hi. When I see Bakugo I get really excited and flustered and super nervous. I mean I want him to like me so I can't be weird. How am I supposed to act normal when he makes my hands sweaty and my throat dry? Just stand there and say nothing like an idiot? I'm glad Draeson's here or I would never be able to walk over there. "Shoto, we're going to go get a pretzel. Do you want anything? Ok, be back in a minute!" I grab Draeson by the wrist and start walking before Shoto has a chance to answer and definitely before he has a chance to see who is also in the food court. He sure as hell wouldn't let me go over by myself if he saw.

"Bakugo, Kirishima, Hey! Didn't think we were going to see you here today." I think I pulled that off well. I didn't sound weird. Keep your cool Diya you got this. "What brings you to the mall today?" I direct that question more to Bakugo than Kirishima for obvious reasons.

"Bakugo just wanted to come today, so here we are." Kirishima chirps in. Bakugo wanted to come for no reason? Did he come because he knew I was going to be here? It's not like it was a secret we were coming today. While I'm mid-mental breakdown of reasons he would come today Bakugo immediately reacts when Kirishima said that. Bakugo got a little flustered, muttered something in audible and punched Kiri in the arm.

"Baka! We totally came for the pork cutlet bowl at the new ramen hut." Bakugo hisses toward Kiri in the most nonchalant way he can mutter. He then turns his gaze towards me, mutters a "catch you later" and starts toward the ramen hut. I'm excited and sad at the same time. So he did come for me? But now he's leaving...what do I do?

"Hey, wait up!" I trot away to catch up with him leaving Draeson with Kiri. A small wink only Draeson could notice. "I've been dying to try the new place to. Care if I come with?" I try to play it cool so he doesn't send me away. He paused to let me catch up and now we are side by side. I never noticed but he gives of a steady ray of heat. I has to be his quirk but it's very comforting actually. Like a portable space heater. I was so absorbed in my thoughts I almost didn't hear him when he responded.

"It's whatever. Not like I can stop you." He brushed me off like he would anyone else but he stopped so I can catch up so that has to be something right?

"So...your birthday is coming up. Do you normally celebrate?" I avert my gaze away toward the menu board. Be cool. It's just normal conversation, everything is fine.

"My mom likes to but I couldn't really care less." He orders and pays for the pork cutlet bowl and I order mine.

"Oh, so you don't like gifts and cake?" That totally came out wrong! "Not that that's what birthdays are all about but I mean…" God, could I be more awkward? "Like friends live for overdoing birthdays! You have to let me help you celebrate." He gives me the side eye as I pay for my food and we go get a table. "All of us...Kiri, Draeson, Shoto. Not just me that would be crazy…" I trail off with the most obvious laugh that he can totally see through. There is no way that he doesn't notice. I'm so pathetic I start eating way to fast. Half my bowl is gone before he breaks the silence.

"I suppose it wouldn't be terrible if you guys celebrated…" He gives a slight smirk, almost unnoticeable. "But don't get crazy, nothing fancy." He shoves my arm with his elbow to get my face out of my bowl. I was trying to hide. When he said I...no we could celebrate I got really excited.

"Trust me! You won't regret it! You've got the best party planner on your side." I'm trying not to seem too excited but I'm basically boasting.

"No parties...I said nothing crazy" He glares at me and I just stare right back at him. I'm not going to back down. I'm throwing this party. "...fine, throw your party but don't expect me to enjoy it." He totally caved, I've only seen him do that with Kiri, maybe he does see me as a friend after all. Not my end goal but I have to start somewhere right?