1.20 – Locker Room : peeking not allowed

The sound of ripping fabric seemed to echo through the hall. It didn’t rip off from her completely, but she remained standing a dozen feet away, and her outfit now looked like something a person could buy in a sex shop. The sides were torn open, showing everyone the side of her thighs, the six pack she had on her belly, and the side of her bra. It was somewhat ripped around her arms too, which, while still feminine, were slightly toned.

The momentum attack did move her out of the bounds, so Nathan won, but he reckoned it wasn’t his biggest problem right now.

Nathan slowly moved his eyes to meet Alicia’s, and he had never seen her pupils so large. She gave him a death stare, her glare going straight into his soul. Her cheeks were beet red, her body so tense that it seemed as if she was trying to push on something. Her chest didn’t even seem to rise and fall with her breathing. And without a word further, she turned and walked straight into the women’s changing rooms.

“Leave it alone, students. It’s not the first time or the last time that your costumes will get ripped. Better get prepared for that.” Deadlock shouted, trying to get some of the attention away from Alicia. “Nice battle you two! Good strategy and coordination! I’ll leave some pointers for you in your email, just like I do for everyone. Names?”

Nathan gave him his name, and Minato did the same before they stepped away.

Nathan didn’t plan that; didn’t even think that was possible, but he should have considered it. Of course he wanted to hurt her less, and so he selected her clothes, and then it just ended up like this. What an idiot he was.

He also pointedly ignored how pretty Alicia looked. He never saw her so exposed, though he knew that she was toned already. It made sense if she trained to be a superhero for her whole life and had the kind of food each day that she proclaimed she did.

“Good job, dude! Was that a plan? Man, I wish I had your power.” Minato suddenly came closer, slapping him on the back.

“No, I didn’t know that would happen,” Nathan said, still shocked.

“Really? Mmm, I kinda doubt that.” He said. “But sure, buddy.” He laughed and grabbed Nathan, pulling him to the side.

They would have to watch the other students now, but Nathan couldn’t really focus. He felt bad for what he has done. Surely she knew that he didn’t do it on purpose, right? But with Alicia one couldn’t know for sure.

He looked around, really looked around. All of the students were either standing in line, watching the next battle that was about to happen, or they were sitting on the wooden benches near the wall. There were only a few of those. It was a seat reserved for those who had their scruffles sooner.

Everyone that could possibly be here was here. Nathan took a deep breath. This was not something he was looking forward to, and made him jittery, but he would do it either way.

“Minato, hold my spot here.”

“Whatever you say, captain. And in return, just teach me that trick next time.”

“You don’t have a power like that. You would probably have to bite off the clothes, and as I said, I didn’t do it on purpose.”

“Whatever you say, buddy.” He then tapped his chin, grinning with the weird, large mouth of his. “And I’m just kidding. They don’t let sexual deviants into the academy, don’t worry. Just the type of humor that’s popular around my parts.”

Nathan wasn’t sure whether that was the truth, but for the sake of keeping his mind sane, he would choose to trust that for now.

And so he headed towards the woman’s changing rooms. There was an apology that was due, and the sooner he got it out of the way, the better. He watched behind him as he stepped away from the training hall, and nobody seemed to be paying attention as he made his way here, so he went inside, pretending confidence as if he was supposed to be here.

Things like this made him feel terrible.

He looked around, and when he stepped inside, he knocked on one of the lockers that was just before a turn to the right. He couldn’t see most of the changing room, but only a slight part. It was good enough. ”Alicia, you here?”

“What do you want, Nathan? Jesus Christ, don’t scare me like that.”

“I came to say I’m sorry. Can I step forward so I can see you?”

“No, don’t. Please.” She sounded somber. He expected her to be mad, but this was somehow even worse.

This book’s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

Nathan, without much else he could do, leaned on one of the lockers, letting the quiet settle for a moment. At least she didn’t seem to be crying outright, but soft rustles of clothes told him that he really shouldn’t go in there for now.

“I didn’t want to do that. I thought I would just push you away and—”

“I know, Nathan, I’m not mad at you, not really. If you just let me be for a moment, then it’ll be fine. Okay?”

Once again, he was pulled away from his presumptions about her. He had to stop thinking of her like the Alicia from my superhero life. He was already mightily successful in doing that, so why did he expect her to blow up on him now?

“I just wanted you to know for sure. I know it doesn’t change the fact that—”

“I’ve been half-naked in front of our class and class 1-E, Nathan? I know it doesn’t. So excuse me for not feeling so good right now, but it’ll be fine. Everyone will forget eventually.“

She was silent for a moment, and then she continued. “I just hate the fact that I’m always the damn laughing-stock. Weak abillity that puts me behind my siblings. My parents….whatever. I’m not that smart, so I fall behind on academics. Then I try my damn best to develop my abillity, get into Ako Academy, and then this happens a second week in. It’s….something to process.”