Hooray chapter 2! Well then. This is a pretty good, I tend to have a hard time focusing on these kinds of things for too long. But I will persevere XD

Chapter 2:

BEEP BEEP BEEP.

I jumped up in bed, nearly falling out of it as my alarm clock went off. I quickly hit the button to shut up the infernal beeping and glanced groggily at the time. 5:00 in the morning… I flopped back down in my bed. It's way too early to be getting. I mean… sure, it's only an hour earlier than usual, but it's an hour I could be sleeping.

Goddess, WHY am I doing this again? Oh yeah, that's right… because of HIM.

Previous Night~

"So I hear you've been going to the mine a lot lately," Gray commented, scarfing down some baked corn.

I twiddled my fork on my plate, "Yeah, but I can't get very far…" I sighed.

Gray looked up at me curiously with those blue eyes of his. "Why's that?" Shocker: he even stopped his corn munching to ask me that. I blushed faintly, Goddess knows how he loves his baked corn…

"Well… I get too tired…" I explained, a little embarrassed. "It takes too much when I have to divide my energy between smashing rocks and digging for a way to get deeper in the mine…" I looked up to see his expression, but he merely nodded.

I continued, "It would be fine if I only had one thing to do, but I'm only one person, y'know?" I smiled at him despite myself. I then looked at him again, but he had pulled his hat down to cover his face. He does that often… I wonder why?

He then looked back at me, smiling, "I have an idea."

I furrowed my brow suspiciously. "…And what would that be?"

"Let's go to the mine together tomorrow!"

I blushed at the sudden request. "W-why?" I took a drink from the glass of juice beside me in an attempt to hide the blush.

Gray smiled again. I blushed again. Why does he have to have such a great smile? I took another drink of my juice.

"You said so yourself," Gray explained, "If you only had one job to do it would be easier, right?" I nodded. "So if we go together, I'll handle the rock smashing and you can cover the stair finding!"

I stood up suddenly, slamming my hands on the table, a smile plastered on my face. "We can to way farther in the mine!" The idea was exciting! I looked at Gray happily, but he had tilted his hat down again. I hate it when he does that.

He then also stood up smiling. "Ok then, it's settled. Tomorrow at 5:30 we'll go to the mine!"

I stared at him silently, then sat back down. "Nevermind, I'm not going."

"What? Why not?"

I stood up again. "'Why not?' It's too early! You may be a sleep deprived masochist, but I'm not!"

Gray sat down and crossed his arms over his chest, closing his eyes. He let out a sigh. "Fine. I guess you can't do it after all."

I stared at him, flabbergasted. I had such a strong urge to yell at him. To tell him I could SO do it. Tell him I'd do it RIGHT NOW. …But that's exactly what he wanted me to do. Goddess, he knows me too well… I sat down, defeated. "Fine… 5:30…"

Gray opened his eyes again and smirked. "Great. 5:30 it is, then."

I slithered out of bed, completing all my morning tasks in a zombie-like state. By the time I was finished, it was a minute before 5:30. I sat down; half-hoping Gray would be late to give me a chance for ever 5 more minutes of sleep. But of course, I can't be that lucky. Not even ten full seconds after sitting down, there was a knock at my door. Must be Gray.

"Go away…" I called out, curling up on the couch.

Gray opened the door. I can't believe I forgot to lock that thing…

He walked over and stood above me. "C'mon. Let's go," he demanded, but I didn't budge. He crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm serious. Let's go…" But I still didn't budge. He sighed. "So be it." He then reached down and wrapped his arm around my back, the other under my legs as he lifted me out of my seat.

I immediately started flailing about, blushing profusely. It was just too much. I could feel his strong arms, holding me quite capably, and even better, I was being squeezed against his chest. Goddess help me, my heart was beating a million miles a second. "Gray put me down!"

"No way."

"Why not?"

"You'll escape."

"I promise I won't! Just put me down!" It was too much for me. "Putmedownputmedownputmedown!"

He sighed and set me back on the ground. I smacked his arm as soon as I was free of his grasp.

"Ow!"

"Let's go," I demanded as I abruptly exited my house. Behind me, Gray smiled. "Yes, yes…" He closed the door behind him and followed me outside.