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So it could've been worse. She didn't really have any bad teachers. And Lucy, Erza, and Juvia were all in at least one of her classes. The first day had gone well, for the most part, except for her near-collision with the ground in the morning. Levy groaned in embarrassment as she pulled her work uniform from her cubby.
She tied the apron around her waist, adjusting the scratchy blue fabric on her neck. She worked at café, in order to pay for her father's expenses. Mirajane sat a cup of tea in front of her, smiling at the girl. She pulled up a chair, smoothing her skirt as she sat down. "How was school?" Mira had graduated from the same school Levy attended, and she had opened the shop a year ago after her graduation from college. Levy smiled in appreciation and took a sip of the tea, hissing a bit as the hot liquid scalded her mouth.
"Huh…. a lot of homework for the first day. I guess they weren't kidding when they said junior year was hard." Mira nodded in understanding, and slid an envelope across the table to Levy. "What's this for?" Levy drew the stack of bills from the envelope, eyes widening as she thumbed through them.
"Your paycheck! Nice work for the past month." Levy stared at Mira.
"This…this is too much! I should've only made half of this!" She hurriedly tried to hand Mira back some of the money. Mira shook her head, expression sobering.
"Your family's in a bad place. I want to help." She paused. "And Levy… if anything happens with your father, make sure to come to me for help. I know he's not taking your mother's death very well." Levy swallowed, a lump in her throat.
"Thanks, Mira." She pushed the bills into the pocket of her pants.
"Also, take the day off. It's the first day of a school year. Hang out with your friends." Mira pulled the apron off Levy, ruffling the girl's hair and pushing her out the door. She sighed as she watched Levy walk down the street. Her life had been rough for the past three years. What with her mother's death and father's alcoholism. It was the least she could do to help her financial situation even a little bit.
Levy fingered the money in her pocket. Mira had always been generous to her, she knew. Without her job at the shop, she would probably be homeless.
Levy shivered, hugging her arms around her. It was only late afternoon, but the summer warmth was fading fast. She made a mental note to bring something warmer the next day.
"Hey." Levy jumped, head turning towards the voice. It came from the alley, and she could faintly see a shadowy figure in it. She took a step away, hands tightening on the straps of her backpack. The figure moved, and she could see a man's face, shadowed by a large hooded sweatshirt. "You shouldn't be wandering around here, little school girl."
Levy felt her panic rising, body tensing up. She couldn't get robbed. She needed that money. The man walked faster, and Levy turned, breaking into a run. She prayed she was faster than the man. Her house was still half a mile away.
Levy could hear pounding footsteps getting closer behind her, and her breath caught in her chest. She rounded a corner; feet skidding as her momentum almost carried her into a person. Her head snapped up, dreading who would be here.
It was him.
Gajeel looked down at the girl. Her face was flushed, eyes wide with fear.
"What are you doing here?" He growled, red eyes boring into hers.
"I just-" He cut her off,
"It isn't safe to be here, even in the afternoon." His eyes locked onto the man rounding the corner, and then onto the girl in front of her. Of course she was being robbed. She was probably 90 pounds, you would barely have to touch her to knock her over. "Go home."
She drew herself up to her full, rather unimpressive height. "I am going home. I live that way." She pointed down the street. Gajeel's eyes followed her finger, eyebrows locking together. She lived down there?
The girl pushed past him, slowing down to mutter a quick thanks as she hurried down the street. She was definitely weird. He shot a final glare at the would-be-robber, who was still lurking around the corner, and shoved his hands in his pockets, walking towards his own home.
Levy yanked her front door open, hands still shaking slightly from her encounter with the mugger. Her house was quiet, the rooms dark. She walked to the living room, praying her father had moved, that he had gone for the job interview at the grocery store.
He hadn't.
Her father was still lying on the couch, in his grease spotted clothes. The amount of beer cans had increased around him, and one was raised to his mouth. Levy strode up to him, yanking the can away from him. "Why didn't you go?" Her voice was quiet, but she felt a deep anger in her that she hadn't felt in years.
He laughed drunkenly, hand groping the table for another beer can. The tab popped, and he took a long swig of it. "They wouldn't hire me anyway, its fine! I have my daughter to work for me." At least he was a little more lucid than this morning. At least he knew his wife was dead.
"Dad- I have school. I have a life. I can't do this forever. We're going to run out of money!" He waved a hand around in the air.
"There's other ways of making money. I'm sure you'll figure something."
Levy turned her back on him, running to her room. Opening the door, she collapsed on her bed, and did something she hadn't done in years. She cried, tears running down her face, her body shaking with wails. She couldn't do this.
Levy cried for her father, for her mother, and for her life. She didn't know what to do. At this rate, she'd lose everything.
And as the moon rose in the city, a young girl cried, heart aching for her mother's warm hand, for her mother's love.
This was a little shorter than I would've liked, but hopefully the next chapter will be longer. And have more Gajevy.