❛ forget about it !! ❜

☤

AFTER A WEEK of getting used to U.A. high school, I found myself already at the end of the week. I was working tirelessly to get everything in order before the new school year started. I had started to get to know the other staff. Cementoss, or as he insisted, Ken, was an excellent sounding board for my ideas

He didn't speak much, but that was alright. I used to use my colleagues to ask advice about where my research would head. He didn't know much, but I enjoyed the tea he made.

I was usually at the school for hours on end, taking over the recovery room with research equipment and papers. Recovery Girl, my predecessor, left excellent notes on the heroes. Everything was categorized on paper and on the computer. I wished I could meet her.

Everyone else I saw in passing. I didn't see Toshinori much. He was busy with his new pupil, I assumed. Aizawa was another elusive character. He seemed to be avoiding me on purpose. I asked Ken about this and he told me that he was always weary of newer people. Especially someone who wasn't well known within the hero circuit.

I told Ken about the inflexibility comment and all he could do was laugh.

"I'm not inflexible! Well, maybe a little bit. I don't cope well with change and—"

"That's inflexibility, Dr. Kataoka. Do not take what he says too seriously. He's testing you, like his students."

"Testing me?! I've been through every test imaginable, this doesn't feel quite like that."

After my work day ended on Friday, I had kind of forgotten about my night ahead. When I approached my apartment complex, I saw a group of three girls. Everything instantly hit me.

"Is that Doctor Sexy?!" A red headed girl yelled, lowering her sunglasses. I knew who it was.

Eiko was my richest friend. She went on to become a CEO for a huge fashion company. There, she fell in love with her assistant and they got married several years ago. Arguably, she was the most beautiful out of all of us. Her quirk was multiplication. Anything she touched would be repeated, which was excellent for her industry.

Her fancy clothing was enough to spot her from a mile away. She wore this suit set, with and added edge to it. A cellphone in hand, with a set of three suitcases next to her. Two other women were next to her, which happened to be my two other friends: Niko and Sara.

Niko had raven hair and dramatic green makeup. Niko was the most recently married of the three. She recently eloped with a waitress she met a couple of years ago and I was lucky enough to be the witness.

She was extremely hot headed, commanding respect within her career as a head engineer. Niko had this amazing ability where she knew how to use anything just by touching it. I was always wishing for her quirk whenever I had to read directions for literally anything.

"I'm so happy to be here! Your apartment is gorgeous!" Sara ran forward, her arms outstretched. I was engulfed in a tight embrace.

"Be careful! I may have some fluids on my coat."

"Fluids?! Have you met my children?" Sara didn't let me go.

Sara was a bubbly and charismatic person. She had this gorgeous light pink hair and round blue eyes. Before she was a stay at home, she was an employee at a pharmaceutical company as a biochemist. Sara was resistant to chemical burns of any type, which was extremely useful in her field. Her sweater and jeans combination screamed 'new mom.'

All of my friends were smart, gorgeous, and amazing beings. When we first met in our physics course, I thought they would hate me. Eiko accidentally signed up for physics thinking it meant 'physical', for the rest of us it was mandatory. Without Niko, I never would've passed. We became fast friends and roommates. The rest is history.

"You ready for a night you won't forget?" Niko said, a mischievous grin growing across her face.

"We know you're tired so we already made a game plan," Eiko said, her phone in hand. She had a Bluetooth device in one ear, her berry lipgloss distracting from her green eyes. "I've arranged everything, so you don't have to worry."

"Wow, you guys!" I said. "I would've just been happy with a pizza night."

Eiko huffed. "Now, we can't allow that! You just moved to a new city. So many new people to meet. And you need friends that aren't old and crusty," It was more demanding than encouraging. I smiled as they began shoving me inside.

"You are not crusty and old!" I protested.

"You see these forehead lines?! I've already made appointments for Botox."

The elevator shot up to the top floor, my friends oo-ing and aa-ing. I opened the door to my apartment, happy that I had finished unpacking the day before. Everything was perfectly organized, just as I liked it.

"Holy shit, May," Niko said, walking around my apartment and right toward the windows. "This is incredible."

"I didn't know they paid new doctors this much," Eiko touched my smooth light blue couch.

"I would kill for this kitchen!" Sara said, spinning around in a circle in the middle of my kitchen. I could feel my face heating up.

"I have so much to tell you all," I said.

"First! Before conversations," Eiko pointed toward my bedroom. "We must find the outfit that'll snag attention."

Attention?! That's not what I want.

Sara and Niko clapped their hands. I felt like I was twenty-one again. They dragged my arms into the room, Eiko vigorously rummaging through my closet. Sara sat on the bed next to me, putting her hand on mine. Niko had begun inspecting my bathroom for makeup. Then, I heard Eiko gasp like she had been stabbed.

I got to my feet quickly, putting my hand on her shoulder. "Eiko?! Are you okay?!"

"What?! None of this is— is this all business wear?! You promised me! You promised you would have at least one sparkly dress."

Why is she always this dramatic? I smiled sheepishly. "I never really went out in medical school. Remember? Nerd city?"

"Really? I couldn't tell," Eiko sarcastically swung her hips, gesturing toward the closet. Then, she perked up. "Lucky for you, I brought some of my new designs."

"Oh! Yay! You must give us a fashion show, May! Just like on your twenty-second!" Sara clapped her hands together. "I had to bring my own. I haven't exactly lost the baby weight." She blushed.

"Sara! You literally look like a goddess!" Niko called from the bathroom.

"Niko's right, Sara," I said as I followed Eiko to her massive suitcase. Without warning, a slew of dresses were shoved into my hands. My glasses went askew on my face.

"They're all in your size! I stole your dress from Niko's wedding, whoops," Eiko seemed very pleased with herself.

"Alright, alright."

The next couple of minutes were centered around me, which I was never comfortable with. Now that I was the only single friend left, they were determined to present me like a show dog. I tried on every color dress until I slid on the scariest dress Eiko had brought.

I knew this was the one she had planned all along. It was black, extremely short and extremely low. This had Eiko scheming all over it. I walked out, the thigh high boot heels a little constricting on my thighs.

"I don't know about this one, guys," I said, but they all screamed in unison excitement.

"You look so hot, May!" Niko said. "If my wife came out looking like that, we wouldn't leave the house."

"Niko!"

"Sorry, it's true."

I adjusted my chest, trying to get used to the look in the mirror. "I mean, I guess. I haven't shown off this much skin in such a long time. My cellulite—"

Sara, in a hot pink jumpsuit, stood next to me in the mirror. "Sh, no one's going to look at that. You look like the best bowl of ramen in town, you understand me?"

When did she become so inspirational?! Motherhood.

Eiko and Niko had changed too. Niko was in an emerald two piece and Eiko barely had any clothes on at all. The dress was so skimpy, I could barely figure out what was covered.

While we did our makeup, Niko brought out the alcohol. We drank and sang along to songs that brought us back to our college days. I ended up forgetting to tell them about my new job at UA highschool. By the time I left the house, I was already dizzy.

We got to the club before I even realized it. Sara was right, she was throwing ass just like she promised. Eiko had connections and got us into the VIP section. There were several pro-heroes around, the others giggling in excitement.

The purple and blue strobe lights were blinding. My drinks began to run together, remembering how good it felt to be drunk. The bass of the club distracted me from my worries.

I didn't even think about the men that I danced with, I didn't remember much of anything about the club. I had let my hair down for the first time in a while. I was glad I put in my contacts, otherwise I would've absolutely lost my glasses. The spinning of the room was intense, faces blurring together.

In the corner of my eye, I could see a familiar face. I was really drunk though, so I wasn't sure. Then, Niko yanked my shoulder, leaning into my ear and whispering.

"Oh my God! Present Mic is looking at you!"

"Hmm— I kinda look good, don't I?" I slurred in my drunken haze. I was beginning to get so hot in that damn club. I giggled, my feet floating above the dance floor.

"Stop! No way, he's coming over here." I could see the blur of the blonde man heading over. He looked rather nice, but I honestly don't remember what he was wearing. He was talking to everyone, wearing sunglasses. I remember thinking, what kind of jackass wears sunglasses inside? In hindsight, this was a disaster.

"Dr. Kataoka? Didn't take you as a party girl," his voice reigned over my friends. "Kinda dig it!"

"She's not!" Niko yelled over me. "Wait— how do you know him?" Her eyes widened.

"We work together. Your friends are hot too!" he said, then pointed to the bar with finger guns. "You ladies want a drink? It's on me!"

All of my friends screamed in excitement, asking me fifty questions, but I was so out of it. I leaned over the side of the dance floor, the railing providing an ample support. I exhaled, putting my hand to my face. Couldn't feel it. I squeezed my lips together, then I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Hey, Doc, how're you feeling?" Yamada asked and I whirled around, feeling myself lean to the left. His hand steadied me.

"Better than-n... ever, you? Wait— oh no, you're going to tell everyone," I was talking without control, my words running all together without much sense. "You be loud, but keep this a safe quiet secret."

He laughed. He looked a little bit more casual with his hair down and a sleeker suit. His personality didn't leave though, loud and boisterous. But I wasn't sure exactly what he looked like, I saw three of him at one time. I took a sip of another drink. "Secrets ain't my style, Doc!"

I pouted, the music causing me to zone out. I swayed to the beat, not noticing the eyes on us. People knew who he was, but I didn't give a single shit for once! I was sh-wasted.

"Question," I started, pointing a finger at him. "Why does Aizawa hate me? I didn't... didn't even do anything!"

"Yo, what?! Hate you?!"

"Yeah! He looked like—" I put on a mad face, leaning too far forward, waving a finger. "— and then said 'you stupid inflexible lady!' But smarter. I can't stop thinking about it."

Yamada erupted into more laughter, steadying me once again. Looking back at it, he was being incredibly tolerant. I was super annoying. Without responding, he plucked the drink from my hand and placed it on a tray.

"Anyone ever tell you that you worry too much? Feel the music, Doc!" His voice smooth against the harsh bass, loud and excited. I laughed and he extended his hand, leading me to the dance floor.

After that, I didn't remember a single thing. Somehow my friends and I got home. I woke up in my bed, surrounded by my friends. I was so incredibly thirsty and hungry. Then, after I had adjusted those initial feelings, my stomach dropped.

I rummaged around for my phone, carefully trying to make sure I didn't wake up anyone. I swung my feet off of the bed, flipping open my cherry red phone.

>> (3) NEW MESSAGES

hizawgehw
' had so much fun with you last night. I was right, you should've joined me as a promoter ;)'

— ' attached: 2 images '

>>

Oh god! I looked at the images he sent. They were two selfies of Yamada and I in the club. He was smiling with his arm around me and I looked like I was on another planet. I continued scrolling through my phone.

>> (2) NEW MESSAGES

Me
' this aiwasf??

mean-3y
' Hello? Who is this, how did you get my number?

— ' seriously? Hello? Hizashi, if this is you, this isn't funny.'

>>