Fear's Lingering Shadow

The next day was a blur, but I was relieved that nothing out of the ordinary happened. I was still shaken by the encounter with Shigaraki, but I tried to focus on the tasks at hand. Mina and Ochaco, however, seemed to notice the faint bruise on my neck. As we walked to class, Mina sidled up to me, her eyes scanning my neck. "Vesper, what happened to your neck?" she asked, concern etched on her face. Ochaco chimed in, "Yeah, it looks like you got hurt." I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. Before I could say anything, Aizawa-sensei appeared, his eyes narrowing slightly as he took in the scene. "Ah, girls, what's going on?" he asked, his tone neutral. Mina asked, "Vesper got hurt, sensei. What happened?" Aizawa-sensei's expression turned guarded. "Don't ask. It might not be the best for her to say what happened." Mina and Ochaco exchanged a look, and to my surprise, they didn't press the issue. Instead, they nodded, their faces filled with a mix of curiosity and concern. The rest of the day passed in a haze, but I was grateful that my friends didn't push the issue. I was still on edge, my mind replaying the encounter with Shigaraki. The next morning, we gathered in the courtyard, our hero suits at the ready. As we boarded the bus to head to the USJ, I felt a knot in my stomach. What if Shigaraki showed up again? What if something happened to my family? I tried to push the thoughts aside, focusing on the task at hand. We were here to take a test, after all. But as the bus pulled out of the school grounds, I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in my chest. The ride to the USJ was quiet, with everyone lost in their own thoughts. I gazed out the window, watching the scenery pass by. The trees and buildings blurred together, but my mind remained fixed on the what-ifs. As we arrived at the USJ, the bus doors opened, and we poured out, our eyes scanning the surroundings. The familiar landscape of the USJ stretched out before us, but I couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation. Aizawa-sensei gathered us around him, his eyes serious. "Alright, students. Today's test will be a simulation of a real-world scenario. You'll be divided into teams and will have to work together to resolve the situation." I took a deep breath, trying to steel myself for what was to come. I was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead, but I couldn't shake off the feeling that I was being watched, that Shigaraki was waiting for me just out of sight.