The lingering scent of sweat and victory hung in the air, a testament to the day's grueling sports day. Even now, hours later, the echo of cheers seemed to vibrate beneath my skin. But the adrenaline had long since faded, replaced by the dull ache of exertion. We, the esteemed Class 2-A, were tasked with cleaning up the aftermath, a duty we undertook with a strange mix of camaraderie and tired resignation.
Gathering stray bottles and crumpled programs, my gaze drifted across the now desolate stadium, a stark contrast to the vibrant chaos of just hours ago. It was then that I saw her; Diamond, leaning against a stack of hurdles, her dark hair shimmering under the stadium lights. A small smile played on her lips as she noticed me.
"Hey, it's been a while," she began, her voice a soft melody in the quiet space.
I nodded, a pang of guilt hitting me. We had been caught up in our own lives lately, and our usual banter had waned. "Hey, yeah. Uh, congratulations on winning again," I offered, referring to her team's victory in the obstacle race.
She beamed, her blue eyes sparkling. "Yeah, it was nice, thank you."
"So, how's Momo?" she asked, a hint of playful curiosity in her tone.
"Good, we're really good," I replied, a genuine smile tugging at my lips. Momo was, without a doubt, one of the best things to happen to me in this life.
Diamond nodded, her smile widening. "Good, I'm glad."
We fell into comfortable chatter as we worked, the awkward silence of distance gradually fading. It was good to talk again, like catching up with a long-lost friend. Then, a nervous flutter crossed her face, her cheeks flushing a delicate pink.
"Hey, what is it? You have that look," I said, my voice laced with concern.
She hesitated, her gaze darting around before she whispered, "Uh… I… I slept with… um… I slept with Ryan…"
My eyes widened, the trash bag I was holding slipping from my grasp and falling with a soft thud. "Holy shit, Diamond, you did what!?"
She looked mortified, her blush deepening. "I know, I know, but we were in the moment, and it happened…"
I sighed, running a hand through my white hair, my freckles standing out against my pale skin. "Shit, was it consensual? Did you use protection, at least?" My overprotective instincts kicked in immediately. The thought of Diamond getting hurt or having her life potentially derailed by a careless mistake was enough to make my fists clench. It was something I experienced with my own younger brother Izuku, though he was less likely to date someone in the group.
Her head bobbed in a flurry of motion, her eyes wide. "Yes, we didn't drink or anything, and we both wanted it."
I exhaled a breath of relief. "Okay… uh, are you guys dating?"
She shook her head, her expression a mix of confusion and hope. "I don't know…"
"Damn it, Diamond…" I groaned, my hand massaging my forehead. "Please try and figure this out… Don't just let it hang in the air."
"I will," she promised, her eyes serious.
We finished cleaning in a comfortable silence, the weight of her revelation hanging between us. She walked over towards where Ryan was helping to put away the hurdles, and I could practically see the nervousness radiating off of her.
A few minutes later, she came back, her cheeks flushed a deep red, and her smile as bright as the sun. "So?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.
"It's official…" she grinned, "We are together!"
I beamed and pulled her into a hug. "Congrats! I'm happy for you!" Thankfully, we were all so close that dating within our friend group felt surprisingly normal. It was like a vortex, we all just kind of…clicked. It was no surprise that most of us were dating within that circle.
After cleaning, I decided to stay in my dorm tonight, rather than head home to my family. My room was a sanctuary, but as I walked down the hallway, I heard raised voices coming from one of the rooms. The yelling was unmistakably coming from Katsume's dorm. I leaned against the wall of the doorway and listened for a moment, catching snippets of angry words. I knocked before pushing the door open.
The sight that greeted me was jarring. Katsume stood with his face contorted in anger, his fists clenched, while a cowering Katsuki was backed against the wall.
"Woah, woah, what happened?" I asked, stepping between them and gently pulling Katsume back.
He sighed, brushing his hand through his brown hair, and said something about Katsuki bragging about having sex, claiming he was trying to prove a point.
I went silent for a moment as I comprehended what he said. "Kats, maybe there is a better way to do this…maybe sex ed lessons?"
His shoulders slumped, and he nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right."
Looking at Katsuki, I spoke, "Look, sex is a serious thing. It's nothing to take lightly. You don't need to do it to prove a point."
He rolled his eyes but sighed, and I knew I had made my point. "Katsume, we can teach him and the others about safety. I'll talk to Aizawa-sensei about it tomorrow, okay?"
He nodded, then sent Katsuki back to his room. I went to mine, took out my journal, and decided to write my third entry. Thankfully, our dorms were on the second floor, and we all had private bathrooms. After a shower, I climbed into bed. Maybe tomorrow would be better since it was the weekend. I could only hope.
I flipped to a new page and began to write, the pen scratching against the paper:
Third Entry - February 12th
Today was another rollercoaster. The sports day cleanup was surprisingly eventful. Finding out about Diamond and Ryan was… unexpected, but I'm glad they're happy. And Katsuki… well, some people need a crash course in basic respect for others. I need to talk to Aizawa tomorrow about teaching the students about safe sex. I never thought that would ever need to happen, but it seems like it is an important topic for the students. It's almost like I need to take care of these young ones, like a parent. I truly hope tomorrow will be a day of rest.
I sighed, closed the journal, and set it on my bedside table. The weight of the day settled heavily on my shoulders as I finally drifted into a restless sleep, my mind racing with the day's events and the challenges that lay ahead. The weight of my past life always seemed to creep up on me at the oddest of times. Maybe I could finally embrace this life.