It was Deku's first day at royal High school, he was nervous, and was breathing heavily like someone who ran a thousand mile in one minute.
He made sure that he kept walking close to the wall, as he made his way to his class, a habit he had developed while at his former school.
In the class, everyone was instructed to take their seat as the teacher was about to begin his lecture.
"Good morning everyone" he began
"Good morning sir" they all replied.
"Today will be taking word problems on quadratic equations, but before we start, I'll like our new student to come out here and introduce himself to the class." the teacher said, pointing at Deku. This was a thing he did with first-timers only.
At this moment Deku's heart was beating rapidly to the point he could feel it in his throat, his legs became frozen with fear, as everything seemed to have paused in motion.
"Deku.." the teacher called, in his thick masculine voice.
"Sir!" He responded.
"Come over here and introduce yourself to the class". the teacher said.
So he slowly picked himself up from his seat while still breathing rapidly, he began to walk staggeringly to the front of the class.
Now in the front of the class, Deku used his middle finger to adjust the glasses on his face, while still looking down at his feet.
"Hi... ev..eryone, my name hissss De..ku " he stated as he swallowed his saliva in-between his words.
"And ermmm...I'm... eight years.. young.." he continued but was interrupted by the class outburst of laughter.
And without thinking, he raised his head and made immediate eye contact with his classmates who were still laughing. It was the scariest thing he had ever seen or felt, his heart increased in its beat, his legs were trembling, his eyes were watery,indicating tears to come, but he struggled to holdd them back, soon he felt dizzy from trying to hold his tears, he was pained and was about to burst into tears ..when he heard a bold voice say
"That's enough!!" It was his teacher ,on noticing what was happening to Deku. He then walked towards Deku and stood by him. And then gave the class the "eye".
..
The eye
as the student called it, was a fierce look the teacher made whenever he was upset, and whoever is on the receiving end of the eye would know the teacher's full wrath.
...And just like that the class was calm
"That's no way to treat a friend," he said.
He bent down to reach Deku on an eye-level as said to him,
"There's no reason to cry or be shy, everyone here is just like you. We are all friends, just try not to cry. okay?, and remember I'm with you so be brave. "
Deku nodded.
"Now return to your seat, so that we may begin".
He said to Deku with his hands still in Deku's shoulder, and a powerful smile which caused Deku to smile back.
And that was the beginning of the end for Deku's shyness not because his teacher became his friend, but because his friend was his father, and his father became his mentor.
Thanks for reading.