Erza paced around the coffee shop with her thumb and index finger holding her chin. She was dressed in black steel toed boots, dark blue skinny jeans, and lastly a black pullover sweatshirt. Her hair was out and untouched, falling past her hips. They had scheduled their cafe meeting for that Thursday afternoon, only three days after their encounter.
"Erza honey, stop pacing like that. You'll scare away the customers." It was Evergreen and Juvia's shift tonight, the light brunette pushed up her glasses and slightly leaned on the counter. Looking over the scarlet haired girl, "Can I get you some cake so you can sit yourself down?" Evergreen didn't like it when someone was pestering her like that, and Erza knew it. The cafe worker gestured for the scarlet haired girl to sit herself at seat that neared the back of the counter, making it so that Erza could practically see everything behind the register counter but people who were coming in couldn't immediately see her.
"Care to tell me why you're walking back and forth all over my floor?" She asked, with her arms crossed. Evergreen is the official owner of the cafe and often worked afternoon shifts to make sure her place was still intact and everyone was actually doing their job. Considering she often gave work to young teenagers trying to support themselves. Erza sighed, she had come fifteen minutes early to give herself time to escape if she wanted to. "I'm just waiting for someone, we have some homework to get done and a test to study for." Erza mentally slapped herself for using the basic schoolwork excuse. Evergreen wanted nothing to do with the underground business, but since she was dating Elfman who was siblings with the Demon Spawn, she couldn't really get away from it. Erza tried to keep her out of it as much as she could.
"Where's your books?" She nagged, the red head cut a small piece of her cake with the side of her fork. "He's bringing his own and a laptop, I could easily do my work online while he uses his binders." Erza thought she did good, she wasn't used to coming up with excuses on the spot but she felt that she was semi convincing. "It's a he?" Evergreen exclaimed in a high pitched voice like a typical mother. Erza took a large bite of her cake and nodded, she watched as Evergreen's face lit up. "My little scarlet is growing up so fast!" Erza smiled at Evergreen's excitement, despite her being only twenty-four she was the mother figure that Erza never had. Before Erza was living on her own with Juvia, she was living with Evergreen who always made sure she was cared for before tending to her own needs. Evergreen was the one who actually helped Erza and Juvia obtain their apartment, having it in her name while the two coughed up rent money.
Erza's head snapped up and peered over the counter when she heard the bell ring on the door, she saw the light blue hair and she came to realize her fifteen minutes ended a while ago. Evergreen turned her head to find what Erza was staring at, she looked the blue haired boy up and down, he was dressed in a gray long sleeved shirt and black joggers. The light brunette turned back to Erza, "He didn't bring any books, you don't have to lie to me. Have fun on your date." She said with a wink. Erza mouthed a thank you right before Evergreen turned around to take care of things in the backroom. Nice play Erza, nice play.
She let out a small breath and stood up from her chair and walked over to him, crossing her arms. "You're late." He replied to her in a blunt tone, "By nine minutes." She scoffed and began walking near the door, gesturing for him to follow.
Once she opened the door to get outside she instantly felt her nerves become at ease, whatever stress or fear she had from facing him vanished by being out in the open. The cool early fall breeze made her long scarlet locks dance in the wind, she turned to face the reason she showed up in the first place. "I suppose you have a lot of questions." She started to say as she began to walk down the semi busy street with him at her side. She glanced into the windows of shops, waiting for his response. "Just a couple."
"Shoot." She said while peering into a boutique she so desperately wanted to go in, she had cash on her but she was here for Jellal. Not herself. "Why do you show up every few days with new injuries?" Was his first question, Erza sighed. She would have to jump into it immediately, she didn't prepare a speech or a certain way to speak her words. She was going to wing it like she did everything else in her life.
She stopped walking and turned to look straight at him, "I"m an underground boxer." The four words came out smoothly, she said it quick and loud enough for only him to hear. Didn't expect it to be that easy. "You mean to tell me, that you spend a majority of you nights getting messed up?" He spoke, not sounding too convinced. Messed up? I win most of my fights you know...She said in her mind. "I was gonna take a wild guess and say you were abused." He replied. "I live with a roommate and..." She trailed off. "Isn't underground fighting..illegal?" He asked. "I don't know...is water wet?"
"I guess that was a stupid question." They continued to walk down the street where several more stores and boutiques began to take light. Erza shook her head and said 'no' to a lady trying to sell her knock off designer scarves. "I started to get into the business when I was thirteen years old. Fighting was always an interest of mine considering it's a necessity to learn how to defend yourself. I developed a skill for it and began working out more and practicing to better my technique, I started to take a liking in the extra income so I continued." She started off, Jellal gave her his full attention. He never expected that someone like her was capable of being a part of such a cut throat and life risking business. "What about your parents? What happened before you started to support yourself?" He asked, knowing that it was bad enough for a thirteen year old to even take interest in such a thing. The environment of fighting and illegal activity was no place for children.
"My dad...I never met him. My mom is fending for herself, so I lived with the owner of that very cafe you keep going to. Evergreen always took care of me and made sure I was good, she even helped me get my apartment." She replied smiling, grateful for everything that Evergreen has done for her. "That's rough." Erza didn't think so, she thought that she was lucky for someone to step in for her like that. "Fast forwarding to two years later, at fifteen years old I stand as the Champion of the girl's division in this particular business. I live with my bestfriend and I have plenty of savings to support myself." She took pride in her independence, she knew that she was no ordinary fifteen year old girl.
Jellal looked at her with a blank expression. "Hm."
Erza felt something inside of her almost snap when she heard the sound. She looked at him in almost a glare, "I just told you all of that, and you don't have the courtesy to give me an actual response?" Her voice was almost at the level of shouting. "You had me come here and te-.." Her harsh words were cut off by him embracing her, the scarlet haired girl's eyes went wide as she hugged him back. "I'm kidding." He said in a soft tone in her ear. "You've had it rough." Understatement of the day. She thought.
They separated and Erza crossed her arms, gripping her biceps. "Thanks for listening and I'm sorry I kept pushing you away." Jellal ruffled a hand through his hair, "You can make it up to me buying me a coffee this weekend."
"Is this your way of asking me out?" Jellal raised her chin with his fingers and looked her in the eyes. "Damn right Scarlet."
...
"It's nice to see a new face carry that title." Erza heard Sting's voice ring in her ear from behind. She was watching the male fight between Gajeel the iron dragon and Cobra, she had come tonight just to kill some time before she went home to chill. "I guess so." She replied without looking back. "Just so you know, you pissed off a bunch of people by winning that fight. Everyone was betting big money on Yosei, not to mention her pride is tarnished and she's royally pissed off." Sting said, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "They'll get over it and I'll manage." Erza watched as Gajeel took the win for tonight and she began to take her leave. "I would hope so." Sting said after her.
The scarlet haired champion began to walk out, unaware of the two fighters that were watching her in the above section.
"That little bitch got me out of a lot of money." Yosei snapped as she peered out the window watching the fighter until she was no longer in sight. "She shattered my title as undefeated." Minerva hissed as she sat on the black leather couch with one leg crossed over the other, she raised her martini up to her lips and took a sip. Yosei tapped the window with her long silver acrylic nails that she got done recently. "We'll just have to make her aware of what the underground business is really capable of." Minerva picked her head up from resting on her fist. "And how do you suppose we'll do that?" She asked, her interest being sparked. "We'll corner her and show her what a true champion really is."
...
Chapter seven is done, I feel like I've been doing a good job with updating. I used to never update this consistently, I start school tomorrow so I will try to update as often. Depending.
Anyway, please review! They keep me smiling (:
