When Erza requested a private room for the library, she assumed it'd be a big enough room for several people to fit in. She'll have space to stretch when she needs a break. Jellal can pace around when he's desperately trying to solve a problem.
Once arriving to the library, Erza discovers that the private room is nothing like she expected. The tight room is only enough for a single round table and two seats.
She stands at the door while nervously peeking through the window. She can't decide whether to wait for Jellal inside or outside of the room. She settles with outside, unconsciously fumbling with the band-aid wrapped around her finger to pass the time.
"What are you doing out here?" Jellal asks curiously once he arrives with his school bookbag in hand.
"T-The door is locked," Erza lies with not much confidence.
"It should be unlocked," he responds, stepping towards the door and turning the knob. He tilts his head at her as the door opens.
"I guess I just turned the knob the wrong way." She avoids looking him in the eye, afraid to see his reaction when he sees the size of the room.
However, Jellal doesn't notice the tight space, waltzing in and picking his seat. He cocks a brow after noticing Erza still standing by the door.
"What are you doing? We have work to do, don't we?" he points out.
"Yes we do," she responds stiffly as she forces her legs to move and sit next to him. She tries to ignore the fact that the tips of their shoes press against each other beneath the table. She also tries to ignore how she can smell the subtle fragrance of his cologne. Three desks truly do make a difference.
But once getting into the groove, Erza is in full tutoring mode. The quiet room is filled with the sound of wavering papers and their steady breaths. She isn't even aware how long it's been until she hears the dreaded sound of Jellal's stomach.
"I swear I had a big breakfast so this wouldn't happen," he slightly apologizes.
"It's okay," she assures while setting her pencil down and reaching for her bag. "I actually brought something in to eat this time, too."
"You know there's a sign that says no food, right?" he comments.
"I didn't see it," she replies smoothly, placing a small box onto the table. She prays that it isn't ruined as she opens the lid, uncovering her surprise.
"Is that strawberry cake?" he asks incredulously.
She nods while sliding the box towards him and handing him a fork. Jellal doesn't think twice to take a bite of the dessert, his instantly eyes lighting up.
"This is amazing!" he declares. "Why haven't you bought this from the bakery before?"
Erza pauses before responding. Not a soul knows of this, but she decides it's about time someone finds out. "I made it," she reveals slowly. "Baking is my second hobby."
"That's amazing!" Jellal proclaims once again.
Her eyes widen with surprise. "You don't think it's lame?"
"Why would I?" he counters. "There's nothing lame about doing what you love."
Erza's eyes remain wide, a smile forming on her lips before she can stop it. As crazy it sounds, they do have some things in common after all. She isn't sure if it's a good thing, but does it matter?
"Did you hurt yourself while baking?" Jellal nods at her bandaged finger.
"Yeah, it was just a little cut," she assures with a shrug. "It's not a big de—"
Her words are cut short due to Jellal reaching over and gently taking a hold of her finger. Her body is frozen as she feels him give her finger a subtle squeeze before pulling away.
"You need to be more careful next time," he tells her.
"Don't worry, I will." She sends him a small smile. His words feel more special to her than they should.
Grabbing her own utensil, Erza reaches over to take a bite of her delicious cake. She can't hold back the large smile from spreading across her lips.
"There's a smile I haven't seen in a while," Jellal mentions.
"What smile?" She lifts a brow.
"There's a smile you have only when you're relaxed," he replies. "You know, you're pretty easy to read."
"How?" she nearly demands. Whether she would like to admit it or not, she has always made a conscious effort to close off her emotions until it became instinct.
"It's all in your body language," he explains simply.
Erza cannot believe all her years' work of concealment are being exposed right in this moment. "Tell me something I don't know, then," she commands.
"I knew strawberry cake was your favorite dessert," he states.
"How?!" she bursts out immediately, her eyes narrowing. "So, is it not your favorite?"
"It's not too bad," he answers slyly while taking another bite.
Erza instinctively leans forward, not being able to accept this. "Tell me something else."
Jellal views her for a moment before also leaning forward, close enough for them to see that their eye colors match. "There's another reason why you like school so much."
It takes all of her strength to not wince because he truly hit it right on the nail. "I-I guess being a host has taught you well." She miserably attempts to avoid the subject.
"So, why do you like it so much?" he asks nonchalantly, although they both know he's fully intent on receiving an answer. Not only that, but the truth.
Erza leans back against her chair, not quite sure where she should start. It's then when she realizes that lately, she has been unsure of so many things, including Jellal. It's scary, but also exhilarating. The realization is what brings her to respond.
"My mom verbally abused me when I was a child," she explains with a tight throat. "The only place I was able to run to was school. It took me away from everything. In middle school, Makarov ended up finding out. He allowed me to stay in the building after hours to keep me safe."
Jellal is expressionless and silent; Erza doesn't know if she should stop or continue. She's about to dismiss the topic, but he speaks first.
"Do you still live with your mom?"
She shakes her head. "Social services found out once Makarov did, and they removed her from the house. I live by myself now."
"Aren't you supposed to have a guardian? That's the law, isn't it?"
Erza nods, a hint of a smile skimming across her lips. "Yeah, Makarov is my guardian."
Finally, Jellal's expression changes into a perplexed one. "Wow, I didn't think that would happen. So, you stay with him?"
"Makarov knows that I can take care of myself," she replies. "He visits my home every so often."
It's back to being silent. Erza definitely knows she revealed way too much about herself, but she's happy that she did. It feels good.
"I suddenly have a lot of respect for you," Jellal eventually speaks again.
"T-Thanks," she stutters, taken aback by his words. Her happiness is only increasing by the second. It's enough for her to take the first step towards her curious thoughts. "So, why do you work as a host?"
"I don't have a family, so I work in order to support myself," he answers casually. "It was the only place that was hiring at the time, so I went for it. I don't have time for school because I'm too busy being a host."
Erza vacantly blinks for a couple of seconds, hardly registering his heavy answer that was delivered quite too lightly. A part of her wants to console him, but she senses that he doesn't need it. Right now, all he needs is support.
"I support you," she says, her words sounding much plainer than she wanted them to.
"Thanks," he chuckles, easily recognizing it.
"I hope the cake helped you feel motivated," she admits.
"Your words are all I need."
A small smile begs Erza to form on her lips. Never has she heard such sincere words in her life.
"Anyway, let's get back to work," he tells her while returning to his notes.
With that, they continue the next half of their mentally taxing tutoring session. During their short breaks, Erza's thoughts are completely elsewhere. She never thought it was possible for a bond like this to form. Are friendships always this sweet?
After three hours of nonstop cramming, the sunset shadows appearing across the walls announce the end of their session. Jellal is visibly relieved as he hangs his head back on his seat; Erza massages her hands from all the notetaking she did today.
"I never thought this day would end," he groans as he forces himself to sit up. "And now I have to go to work."
"Don't forget to review tonight," she reminds him firmly.
"Can I take the leftover cake?" he asks, completely ignoring her words.
"Of course," she nods. She can't help but stifle a laugh as his eyes light up while he happily takes the box. Watching him, she asks her thoughts. "Hey, are we friends?"
Jellal pauses for a moment. Erza holds her breath as she views him. Did she say the wrong thing?
But eventually, a smile spreads across his lips. "Not during your professional environment," he slightly mocks her, reaching over to playfully ruffle her hair. "But when it's over, yeah. We are."
Erza peeks out from under her messy hair, her smile matching Jellal's—his words make her a lot happier than she thought it would. But even then, she feels a swirl of discomfort in the pit of her belly.
"Alright, I need to go before I'm late to work. See you on Monday," he tells her quickly before heading out of the private room, leaving the door halfway open as he leaves.
Erza can sense the warmth of the room drifting out through the creaked door. Some part of her wants to close it so she can save this moment and feeling for as long as she can, but she's too dazed by her wandering thoughts to move.
She can still feel the tips of his shoes tapping against hers every so often. She can still feel his eyes gazing into her as she revealed everything about herself. She can still feel his hand ruffling her hair. She can still feel the anxiety when she asked if they were friends.
Is this how a friend feels like? This deep, aching feeling? Erza can't help but feel that something isn't right.
She isn't aware how long she has stayed in her spot since Jellal left until she finds that the sunset shadows have disappeared entirely and the room is chilly. She pats her cheeks in order to regain some energy, then begins to place her belongings into her bag. Once her eyes fall onto what is left on the table, she freezes.
"No way," she whispers in disbelief. "He forgot his notes!"
Erza facepalms—of course he would leave his notes when his thoughts were focused on the cake. She can't stand the thought of giving Jellal a free pass for tonight. He is not going to skip a night of reviewing.
Not wasting anytime, Erza rushes out of the room to go to his work. Since she still has recurring nightmares of her barging in with her school uniform, she stops by her home to change into something acceptable. She also doesn't want her appearance to reflect badly on the club—again.
Because it's a Saturday night, the club is packed. Erza has no choice but to stay outside in line, being surrounded by the type of women that she always avoids making eye contact with. After twenty minutes, she is finally inside with only a few people in front.
It isn't until now when she notices the soft music playing throughout the club. Now that she's somewhat familiar with the place, she's able to notice all kinds of small details.
"You're back!" Hibiki enthusiastically greets her, blinding teeth and all. "Beautiful dress! Where did you buy it?"
"Hey, Hibiki," Erza replies. "Where is Jellal?" She catches Hibiki's hesitant expression before it fades. "I just need to give him his notes. I won't be the way I was last time, I promise."
"Okay," Hibiki accepts, although still slightly reluctant. "You can find him in the main area."
"Thank you," she responds with as much gratitude as she can offer. To prove she won't be as aggressive this time around, she takes steady steps into the main area. The smell of cologne and perfume burns her nose as she scans the area.
It doesn't take long for her to find Jellal at a table. It's difficult to not pay too much attention to how great he looks in his suit. Erza is about to call out to him, but her voice stays scared in her throat when she finds out who he is with. He speaks to a guest and holds onto her chin. It appears they're about to kiss.
Erza's chest suddenly feels ten times heavier and it hurts. It's a completely different feeling compared to the aching from before. She stays frozen in her spot until she can't bear to watch the sight of it anymore. She strides right up to Jellal, clearing her throat to gain his attention. She tries to remain her composure as he raises his gaze up at her.
"Erza, what are you doing here?" Jellal asks with large eyes.
"You forgot this," she states plainly, nearly slamming his notes onto the table. She takes a deep breath before hastily turning around to exit the club.
Jellal surges up from his seat, finding her scarlet hair flowing behind her. He instinctively grasps her wrist to prevent her from taking another step.
"What are you doing?" She whips her head back in bewilderment.
Jellal opens his mouth to respond, but after realizing where they're at and who they're in front of, he changes his mind. "Here, come with me."
Erza watches him as he sends a signal to his coworkers before being taken to the back of the club and into a private lounging room. The smell of cologne is only stronger here, but the music is actually audible compared to the main area. This is definitely where Jellal gets his music taste.
She keeps her eyes withdrawn to the floor, staring at his shoes and forbidding herself to look up. Her wrist feels warm in his hold, but she finds herself tugging it away from him. Her heart sinks when he releases it.
"You're dressed nicely," Jellal casually says after a while.
Erza lifts her head and sends him a scowl—is he not understanding the situation? However, it's in this moment when she recognizes why he doesn't and won't ever understand. This feeling inside of her isn't inside of him.
"I don't even know why I showed up here…" Erza's voice trails off with sudden confusion. "I'm leav—"
"The way I treat my guest is for show," Jellal cuts her off. "It's not real."
Erza has to clench her fists to conceal her emotions. "It didn't look like that way just now," she responds evenly.
"So do you want to see something that's not for show?" he counters.
She's quiet, not knowing how he could prove it. Then suddenly, she feels her body being pulled into a warm, protective embrace. Her arms are stiff by her sides, unsure whether to allow herself into the fervor or block it all out.
"This is real," Jellal states. They're silent for a moment before he softly continues. "You're full of kindness, brightness, and warmth. You know that, right?"
Erza presses her lips together—not because she doesn't want to ruin the moment, but because she truly has no idea what to say. All of her thoughts are going everywhere and anywhere. She can't stop herself from saying her only constant thought.
"I think I like you," she blurts out.
"Oh, I know you do," he replies.
Erza's pulls back from his arms with wide eyes. "How do you know?"
"You're easy to read, remember?" he remarks. His eyes are bright, causing Erza's heart to skip a beat.
She then blinks in response, not understanding how possible it is to be this oblivious. She wonders what else Jellal knows about her; probably things she doesn't even know.
Before Erza's able to stop him, Jellal brings her back into his chest. She has never been hugged this way in her life. She smells his scent as she breathes, feeling the subtle thump of his steady heartbeat.
She wants to stay in this position forever. If she was brave enough, she'd wrap her arms around his waist. She can't help but feel disappointed when he begins to unwrap his arms around her. Chills scatter across her body from the release of their body heat.
"I have to get back to work now," he admits.
All she wants to say is stay, but instead she reluctantly nods. "Okay."
"Thanks for the notes." He sends her a hint of a smirk. "I'll make sure to use them tonight."
"You better," she replies.
"Get home safe," he tells her gently.
Erza feels like she is floating as Jellal ruffles her hair before returning to the main area. She stands there for a moment, alone. After a couple of minutes, she realizes—he never said he liked her back. Did he forget in the heat of the moment?
Although it's extremely easy to think every negative thought possible, Erza uses all her willpower to avoid it. She needs to wait. Perhaps he isn't ready to say it yet. She is prepared to wait as long as she needs to because she knows he would do just the same.
With that, she sneaks through the back of the club with a smile so wide, her cheeks throb even as she goes to bed that night.
Five days have passed since Erza told Jellal she liked him.
She thought she could handle waiting for his response, but the wait is a lot more agonizing when he is acting extremely casual during the tutoring sessions.
On the first day, she can't keep her legs from bobbing beneath her desk while waiting for Jellal after school. She isn't sure how to react when she hears the door open.
"Makarov seriously kicked my ass today," Jellal sighs as he saunters in the classroom.
Erza pauses—she wasn't expecting that to be the first thing he says to her after her confession. She pretends to continue writing notes on her paper.
"Does he really give you that much work?" she asks without raising her gaze.
"Yeah, and I don't get any breaks," he adds with another heavy sigh. "So, what's the schedule for today?"
"Notes, of course," she responds, handing him another group of paperclipped sheets. Her heart leaps into her throat as they make eye contact. She feels as though he's staring into her soul.
The silence between them as they work feels much tenser than usual. Although she wants to speak to him, Erza begins finding herself dreading for when Jellal stomach rumbles and it's time for their break.
She has absolutely no idea what they can talk about; however, her fear never becomes reality. It's already five o'clock and she hasn't heard his stomach once.
"Why didn't your stomach growl today?" Erza asks while he picks up his belongings.
"Makarov ended up giving me an extra snack today," he answers with a smirk. "See you Wednesday."
Once alone, Erza releases a sigh she didn't realize she was holding in until now. This awkwardness between them—she hates it. She hopes that the next time she sees him won't be as tense as today.
On the second day, Erza finds him at the entrance of the office as she delivers the daily stack of papers. It's unusual for them to see each other anytime besides their tutoring sessions. They're quiet for a second before he points at the board near the door.
"That's where the list of scores for the midterm will be posted, right?"
She nods wordlessly, unsure of what to say. She slowly opens her mouth. "We only have eight more days to cram."
"Eight more days of your great tutoring," he corrects, opening the door for her to enter the office. "Sorry I haven't been joining you for lunch these past couple of days. Makarov is making me eat in his office until midterms are over."
"That's okay," she assures, a section of her chest warming up at his words. "Keep working hard, okay?"
"I'll try," he answers.
On the third day, Jellal casually acts the way he did on the days previous. And on the fourth day, he acts just the same. By the fifth day post confession, Erza decides the best option right now is reverting to her cool as a cucumber lifestyle.
She knows that if she doesn't, her patience is going to dry out. She needs to set aside everything, especially since Jellal is acting as though nothing has happened between them. She wonders if he forgot about her confession. She also wonders if it even happened.
But with only five days left until the midterm, Erza knows she can't focus on trivial things like this. This midterm is a make or break for Jellal. For the next five days, she needs to be in full midterm mode.
"No breaks. No talking. No excuses. Just reviewing," she states firmly on the last few tutoring sessions.
"Yes, Erza-sensei," Jellal replies smoothly, clearly not affected by her tone.
Every part of her wants to lecture him on how crucial it is for him to take this seriously, but she decides to keep her thoughts to herself. She knows he is going to feel the pressure eventually. And on the day before the midterm, Erza witnesses a Jellal she has never seen before.
"How long does the midterm go for?" he asks.
"About four hours," she answers.
"Do we get a snack break?"
"Eat a snack before it starts."
"Can we use the bathroom if we need to?"
"I don't advise it."
"Do you really think I can pass?"
"You can do it," she responds with no hesitation. "You've been preparing for this exam for weeks. I know you can do it."
Jellal taps his fingers across the edge of his desk as he thinks. "I'll try my best, I guess."
"As you should," Erza replies with a content smile. She's about to end their final tutoring session, but he beats her to it.
"So, this is it, huh?"
"It's been interesting while it lasted," she admits. "I'm sure you're a little relieved, right?"
"Not as much as you'd think," he responds vaguely, standing from his seat.
Erza's heart pounds in her throat as she watches him walk towards her. She can't remember how to breathe as he gently places his hand on top of her head.
"Thanks for working so hard for me," he says softly. "It really means a lot, Erza."
"I'll always be here for you," she says, looking at his sturdy shadow imprinted on the floor. Disappointment floods through her veins when it begins to move; however, her entire body freezes once she feels her chin being gently tilted up.
She's met with Jellal's eyes that seem much warmer than usual. She can feel his body heat radiating off his fingertips. She isn't able to look anywhere but his lips as they slowly part.
"Thank you for giving color to my life." His voice is so low, it nearly comes out as a whisper.
"You gave color to my life, too." Her voice comes out faint as though she's afraid someone will hear them.
A gentle smile forms on his lips before he takes a step back, removing his hand beneath her chin. "Alright, I have to go to work. I'll see you later."
Erza is quiet as he leaves. The word later holds so much uncertainty; it causes discomfort to swirl in her chest. Her throat begs her to call out to him, but she resists the temptation.
With the ghost of his warmth still lingering on her skin, Erza tells herself that all she needs to do is focus on the midterm and hope everything works out the way it should.
It's a school tradition for the faculty to post a list of students' names who passed the midterm. It's not fancy nor is it acknowledged much, yet it's the only thing Erza can think about. She thinks about the list before, during, and after the midterm.
Once the exam is finished, there's a part of her that aches to visit Jellal at his work to ask about his thoughts. But after remembering the situation she found him in when she did unexpectedly visit, she dismisses the idea.
As the next day arrives, Erza can't help but walk past the office every couple of hours to see if the list has been posted. She takes every chance she can get from her teachers to run their errands. She clenches her fist at each of her failed attempts.
But finally, it isn't until the end of the day when Erza catches a teacher posting the list on the wall. Her pace immediately quickens, wanting to be the first person to read all the names.
The list is organized from the highest score to the lowest—Erza's heart sinks further and further into her stomach as she reads each name off. With all the work Jellal has done these past several weeks, she was positive he'd at least be in the middle of the list. She begins to lose hope by the end of the list.
But then, there it is. The final name.
"What are you grinning at?" Jellal asks, walking out of the office. "Are you happy to see you're the first name on the list again?"
"You passed the midterms!" Erza proclaims happily, grinning from ear to ear while throwing her hands up in the air.
His eyes widen at her sudden burst of energy, but also out of disbelief. He reads the final name on the list. "We did it," he speaks in awe.
"You did it," she corrects him with matching grins. The air between them buzzes with high energy, but the moment is cut short due to a hand yanking Jellal back inside the office.
"Get back to work!" Makarov commands him.
Erza laughs under her breath, not being able to control her excitement. There's a jump in her step as she returns to her classroom, but by the time she's at her desk, all of her energy is gone.
Now that midterms are finished, she no longer needs to tutor Jellal. Every day after school is now only for herself. She's unsure of what's going to happen from now on—will things with Jellal continue or just disappear?
And as though these past several weeks never happened, Erza finds her life falling back into its normal routine within the next week. The teacher lectures, assigns a worksheet, allows the class to work together if they need to, and takes it in when they're finished. This is what it's like every day.
Erza knows she's supposed to be content, but she's not.
She misses the feeling of anticipation that consumed her when she thought of tutoring Jellal. She misses wondering what kind of conversations they'd have that day. She misses being spontaneous. She misses being with Jellal.
And now, she has no idea what will happen from here.
"Erza, since you're the only one finished with your worksheet, will you take these papers to the office?" Her teacher asks once again, appreciative twinkle and all.
"Of course," she replies, like always.
"Thank you for all your hard work," Mirajane tells her with a smile once she's been given the papers.
Erza returns the smile, though it has been much more natural these days. She's been smiling more often, after all.
Sitting in her designated chair, Erza reaches for her bookbag to begin another book. Lately, Makarov's door has been closed, which is the main reason she hasn't seen Jellal in days. But out of habit, she sneaks a glance into Makarov's office to look for him.
Expecting to be met with a closed door, Erza's breath hitches when she finds it's open today. And there he is—scribbling all over a sheet of paper as he works.
She isn't able to fight her smile as she returns to her book. She's more than happy that Jellal is still working strong, even after the stress of midterms. She's in the midst of reading through the first chapter of her book when a small wad of paper randomly lands on the pages.
Erza looks up in surprise, but finds Jellal working still. She curiously opens the ball—trying not to be too loud—and reads the note scribbled in his handwriting.
Is the book you're reading good?
Creating her own ball of paper, she writes back a message and tosses it his way without him noticing.
Very good. How's your work?
Another ball promptly lands on her book again.
Boring.
Her hand moves faster than her thoughts.
It'll never be.
A rush of joy floods through Erza with each note. Although there's a delay in responses, this secret conversation with Jellal is even more fun than a normal one. Another ball is tossed at her.
I need to tell you something.
Erza's brows furrow.
What do you need?
The wait for Jellal's response is much longer this time, but each time she flickers her eyes at him, he's still working on his assignment. As the time passes, she's afraid the lunch bell is about to ring. She feels that there isn't much time left, but then another note finally arrives.
Erza's heart pounds in her ears as the lunch bell rings, holding onto the note with a grasp so tight it wrinkles the paper. She's frozen in her spot until she feels a tap on the back of her head. She raises her gaze with dazed eyes.
"Want to eat lunch together?" Jellal asks casually.
She nearly jumps up from her seat. "I like you too!" she exclaims.
Erza doesn't realize how loud she spoke, but it's enough for the entire office to hear it. Suddenly, the room is filled with applause by the faculty members.
"I'm so happy for you, Erza!" Mirajane declares with tears swelling up in her eyes. "You two are perfect together!"
"Oh, I wasn't ready for this day to come," Makarov states as he peers out from his office, tears already streaming down his face. "You won't forget me, will you?"
"Of course not!" Erza responds, shocked by all the response. "I appreciate you all so much."
"Enjoy your time together!" Mirajane cheers, teary-eyed.
Erza sneaks a glance at Jellal to find his cheeks lit up as bright as the smiles. They connect eyes before his lips break out his own smile.
"Let's go before everyone else starts crying," he says before taking her hand and leading her out of the office.
And it's in this moment, Erza realizes she has developed a third hobby—spontaneously and endlessly falling in love with Jellal.
That's a wrap! My first Jerza story is complete~
There's a part of me that wants to continue this story... As I was writing it new ideas kept coming to my mind but I had to scrap most of them so this story could be complete :') What do you guys think? Should I continue this someday?
Little life update for you: I start college in exactly eleven days! I will be moving two and a half hours from where I live to study Creative Writing, can you believe it? Hopefully, I can improve my writing lots over the next four years! I'm so excited, you guys don't even know.
Additionally, I turn 18 on August 16 and I am finally going to be a legal adult. I'm shook, truly. I still feel like I'm a little kid that shouldn't even be allowed to drive yet. Ahh, it's wild.
Well, I'm not very sure what's going to happen from here. Who knows how crazy college life is going to be, especially since I could hardly manage having a summer job and writing.
Please, just know that no matter how long I'm gone, I will never forget about this website and you guys! This website has literally changed my entire existence on the Internet and it's because of you guys. It really means a lot. Thank you all so so much.
Until next time, guys! Thanks for reading and I hope to see you again someday!