⌈ She didn't know. She would never guess that what happened would ever be possible. When she realized it, it was too late. She was tired… She had already suffered too much and she didn't get the ending she wanted. When she met him, she thought that her life would change forever, but for better. Despite their indifferences, she wanted him to be by her side. But that wasn't possible anymore…⌋
Two years ago
A wonderful day was starting. There was no rain, no wind, it was perfect. Perfect for her birthday. Erza got up from her bed, ready to start it. She took a quick shower and dressed up a beautiful black dress that she bought the day before. It fit her just right and it looked perfect with her flaming red hair. She grabbed an elastic and made an elegant hairstyle. Even she wasn't really a woman between women, she wanted to be perfect today, so she let that out. She put on some high heels and climbed down the stairs, to see her mom.
"Erza, baby, you're beautiful!" her mom said when she saw her.
"Mom please, don't start with that."
"Oh but why, sweetie? Why don't you like when someone tells you that you're pretty?"
"Because there's no need… I'll go prepare the things." Erza said, leaving the kitchen and her mom with a confused look.
"Ugh… I'll never understand this girl."
While Erza was preparing everything for her super party, she kept thinking about what her mother had said. Of course she likes when other people tell her that she's beautiful, but sometimes she would just avoid it. Everyone likes to hear those things, but she was tired of it. She didn't need all those compliments, she didn't even think that she was something special, she has a lot of friends that are a lot prettier than her, or at least she thought. Another thing that she doesn't like is when those things come from boys. She always thinks that they just want her for other matters. She always tries to be the most away from them.
When she finished her work, she heard her dad arriving at home and went running straight to him, having to take off her shoes to do that.
"Well, if it isn't my little princess!" her dad said, hugging her.
"Dad please, don't start with that too, okay?"
"C'mon Erza, I'm sorry but you know that I love playing with you. Besides, it's not everyday that someone turns sixteen." her dad said, smilling happily.
"Yeah… That's actually true."
After a long and tight hug, her dad got close and kissed her cheek.
"Happy birthday, my princess."
After two hours, the guests arrived. Erza had invinted everyone from her school. Wendy, Sting, Gajeel, Mirajane, Natsu, Levy, Lisanna, Juvia and of course, her best friend Lucy. They knew each other since they were very little and they became great friends. Lucy always understood her very well and always helped her when she needed the most, without even having to say it, because Lucy already knew her too well to figure out when something was wrong.
After saying her hello's to everyone, she went to the living room, turned on the rádio and everybody started dancing. She was so happy for turning sixteen. It isn't everyday that that happens and she could finally be treated as an adult. She could finally go to the cinema and watch those horror movies with her friends, without having to rely on an adult to come with them.
When Erza was feeling a little dizzy, she went sitting next to Lucy who was drinking and staring at Natsu with a passionate look.
"Hey, what's with that face? You look hipnotized!" Erza said, trying to catch her attention.
"Huh, what? W-What do you mean by that?"
"Nothing, but lately you're always staring at Natsu that way."
"Hahahah, at Natsu? You're kidding, right? I wasn't even looking at Natsu." Lucy looked away, trying to hide the fact that she was blushing.
"And do you really think that I don't know you too well to not believe in that? Just admit it, Lucy!"
"Admit what? There's nothing to admit... Natsu and I are good friends, only. Besides, you're the one that needs to tell me some things. Since summer started that I haven't heard a Word from you. I wanna know, c'mon… What happened? Anything interesting with a guy?"
Erza was begining to get a little sulky and turned away.
"I've told you that I don't want anything with guys."
"Oh please Erza, you know as well as I do that that is ridiculous! You need to find someone, you're not gonna want to stay alone forever, are you?"
"And what does that matter? I've lived too well alone until now, it doesn't matter if it keeps going."
"Urrrgh, c'mon Erza, I'm going to introduce you to some Natsu's friends and you'll see that you're going to be surprised by some of them!" Lucy said, smilling.
"I don't need that you introduce me to anyonce Lucy, I'm fine like this and that's it."
"Uff, alright! I won't insist anymore, if that's what you want. But know that I think that you're doing the wrong thing, completely wrong, you listen to me."
"Thanks for the advice Lucy, but I'll pass."
"You sure can be so unbearable! I'm trying to help you and that's the way you repay me?"
"Repay you? You haven't even done anything yet, how do you want me to repay you?"
Lucy kept staring at her friend, without knowing what to say anymore. She kept looking at the ground with an angry look with saying a word for a couple of minutes.
"Look, Lucy… I know that you want to see me happy. I'm glad, but you don't need to find a guy for me. If someday I'll have to, then let it happen, but right now it's not the moment. I don't feel like starting a relationship yet, understand?"
Lucy lifted her head and stared at Erza. After a few seconds, she noticed that she was defeated and smiled.
"Alright! It looks like you won again, huh? Okay, I won't find a guy for you, rest assured."
"Thanks Lucy. I'll go see if my mom needs something, I'll be back." Erza got up and felt Lucy's arm stopping her, making her turn around.
"But remember, if you need me anytime, I'm here, got it?"
"Hehe, yeah got it. Thanks, Lu-chan."
After a couple of hours having fun and dancing with her friends, Erza was begining to get exausted. It was almost time for them to leave, so she endured it a little bit longer. After all, it was her party. When they were all ready to go home, she noticed that Lucy and Natsu were talking to each other and laughing cheerfully. In the middle of the conversation, she saw Lucy looking at her and whispering something to Natsu. What was it? She decided not to worry about that now and that she would ask Lucy later.
After all her guests left, Erza went to her mom.
"Well, that was some party, huh Erza?"
"You can say it again, mom. After this, I'm totally exausted. When I get to my room, I don't even know if I'll be able to undress before I fall asleep."
"Oh no sweetie, you need to make na effort, you don't want to ruin that beautiful dress, do you? It was expensive!"
"Haha, I know mom." Erza said, kissing her mom's cheek.
"Erza darling, could you do me a little favor?"
"Sure mom, say it."
"Could you please take out the trash outside? I still need to finish some things here at the kitchen and I don't know how long that'll take."
"Sure mom, no problem."
Erza grabbed the trash and went outside. She crossed the road to the other side where the containers were. She put all the trash in there and when she was ready to get back, she heard to people, coming in her direction. It seemed that it were two men talking to each other. She wasn't liking it one bit, knowing where that would take and when she was almost crossing the road back, she realized that one of the men was her brother, Gray. The two of them got were getting closer to her and Gray stopped talking the moment he saw his sister in the middle of the street.
"What are you doing here, shouldn't you be sleeping?"
"Yeah, but mom asked me to take out the trash."
"Oh okay, I'll head home then." Gray said, passing by her with his friend.
"Humm, Gray? Don't you have anything to say to me?"
"Me? I don't think so, why?" Gray asked, looking at her with a smirk on his lips.
"Oh stop making fun of me, idiot!" Erza screamed, hitting his arm.
"Hahaha, happy birthday, sis!" Gray said, hugging her "Oh, that's right, I haven't introduced you my friend here. This is Jellal, my classmate."
"Hi, Jellal."
"Hi, happy birthday!" Jellal said, hugging her.
"Hey Erz, Jellal and I were just thinking about going around the city, wanna come?"
"Oh no Gray, I'm too tired, maybe another day, okay?"
"Sure, no problem! You two wait here, I'll just go get my bike and be right back!" Gray said, running back home.
Erza and Jellal stayed back, both alone for a while, waiting for Gray. The mood was a little quiet, but Erza didn't want to speak freely with a guy she barely knew, even if he was a friend of her brother. Besides, she didn't know what kind of guy he was and what intentions he has when it comes to girls.
On the other hand, Jellal wasn't the type who likes silence, he likes to talk with people, get along with them, especially with girls, but not in that way. He respected girls, always gave them the respect that they were worthy of and didn't want any girl to ever feel uncomfortable next to him, with fear that he could try something bad with them. He wasn't that kind of guy. While being a little tired of waiting for Gray and not feeling well with that mood, Jellal decided to finally say something.
"So, how many years do you do today?"
"Sixteen, why?" Erza asked, looking at him with a suspicious look.
"Nothing, just to know… Is something wrong with that?"
"N-No, it's not. Sorry… I didn't want to be rude, it was just force of habit." Erza turned away, embarrassed.
"Force of habit? You mean that you do that a lot of times?"
"No, not really. I mean, most of the time it's always with guys…"
"Why's that?"
"I don't know… To be honest, I never did. It's hard to explain." Erza sat down on the roadside, tired of waiting for her brother.
"Wanna try?" Jellal asked, smiling.
Erza lifted her head and looked at Jellal. Why did he want to know it? It was properly something very interesting. Besides, it wasn't something that she wanted to explain to a toally stranger guy that she didn't knew one bit. Even if he was her brother's friend, she didn't know if she should trust him right away. She didn't know a thing about him, just his name. She didn't know his thoughts or who he would tell after he knew it. She couldn't take that risk.
"No, forget it, it doesn't matter."
"Alright, if you say so…"
A couple of minutes had already passed since her brother went to get his motorbike. Erza was starting to get nervous, but she knew that her brother wasn't the type of being hurt so easily and he knew how to take care of himself, so she just let time pass. Jellal was tried of standing there, waiting, so he joined Erza and sat down on the roadside as well. Erza knew that she was being a little rude again, so she decided to take the initiative this time.
"So, how long do you know my brother? I never saw you with him before."
"Oh, I'm new at the college. I entered one week ago. Your brother was the first one who spoke to me."
"Yeah, he likes to get along with everyone, especially with new people. He doesn't like when they're being left out." Erza said, smiling happily.
"Then I see that I have to thank him. Thanks to him, I got used to the class with no problems. Your brother is the coolest."
"Why did you change schools? Didn't you feel well in the other one?"
"Humm, let's just say that I had some trouble."
"What kind of trouble?" Erza asked, confused.
"It's hard to explain…" Jellal said, lowering his head.
"Wanna try?"
Jellal looked at Erza who was smiling and suddenly they both started laughing.
"Nah, never mind. It doesn't matter."
"Hehe, alright now we're even."
They kept laughing for a good time when Gray finally arrived next to them.
"Sorry, there was a little problem with the bike, I wasn't being to turn it on." Gray stopped for a second and noticed their faces "Are you guys feeling alright?"
"I think so." Jellal said, looking at Erza and smiling.
Erza returned the smile, but didn't say anything, not yet believing that she was being able to talk to a guy that she just met, without being afraid of what he could try to do with her.
"Well, we'll be going now." Gray said, grabbing Jellal's helmet and throwing it at him "And you go to sleep, Erz, you look like a zombie."
"Shut up, Gray! You're the one that's going to look like a zombie if you keep going out every night."
"Oh never mind, when you turn eighteen, you're not going to want anything else." Gray said, smiling, putting the helmet on and sitting on the motorbike "C'mon, Jellal."
Jellal gave Gray a waiting sign and before he went to Gray, he turned to Erza and have her a kiss on the cheek.
"Even if your brother says that you look like a zombie, you're one of most beautiful zombies that I've ever seen."
Erza looked at Jellal with surprised eyes and she was speechless. Jellal got away from her and went to her brother, sitting on the motorbike behind him. Erza stayed there without saying a word, watching them as they left and when she finally came back to herself, she realized that it was getting cold and she went running back home.
When she arrived, she saw her mom sleeping on the couch, probably tired because of all her duties. She thought if she should call out her dad to help her getting mom to her room, but she finally decided to let her mom rest. She picked up a blanket and covered her mom with it.
She climbed up the stairs, opened up the door and dressed up her pijama. She laid down on her bed and the only thing that came to her mind was those last moments with Jellal. For the first time she didn't feel uncomfortable next to a guy she barely knew. Of course, he was her brother's friend, so she shouldn't worry, but even so after what happened to her four years ago, she couldn't take the risk. She couldn't let that happen again. She couldn't…