The continuous ringing sound on the other line echoes in Juvia's ear as she tried to calm down her nerves. She'd been trying to call the same number over and over again but nobody's picking up her calls.
She sighed with a deep frown etched on her face; her eyes glaring at her mobile device like it wronged her dearly.
Maybe it's the wrong number?
But she's certain it's the right one.
There were very few times that she called that number in the past but she's completely sure that it's the right one and there's no way it would ring if the number had been changed.
Then why the hell are you not picking up!? She exasperatedly sighed trying to breathe out the heavy feeling inside her chest. It's been months. She badly needed to make that call to settle things. Just one successful call and a serious talk would definitely ease the agitation in her heart.
As days passed she's feeling more and more restless and nervous.
Once again she tried to call the same number but still heard the same ringing sound and then the voicemail. How many voicemail had she already left and not even a single return call ever came. She'd been trying to call since Levy talked to her at the pool but just like then, no one's answering.
What could have happened?
She knew her calls are unexpected and probably not welcome but can't that damned bastard just answer one call or at least send her one message?
Deep in her thought she almost jumped when the device in her hand went off ringing.
At first she thought she's finally gonna get the return call she needed but then saw Gray's name on the caller ID.
A sad smile formed on her lips before composing herself and cheerfully pressed the answer key.
"Gray!" She sweetly said his name.
"Hey, Juv," he greeted her. "Were you talking with someone? I was trying to call a few minutes ago but your line was busy."
There's nothing but pure curiosity in his voice but Juvia's heart lurched. "I –uhm… I was calling at home…" not a lie but not completely true. "Uhm, do you need something?"
For a second Gray was quiet before he worriedly asked, "Are you okay? Did something happen?" Just by the tone of her voice he could tell that something is off. In the few months they're dating he's not used to hearing her sound so nervous.
They'd been officially dating for about four months now and they are quite inseparable and during that short period of time Gray already knew almost everything about Juvia's actions, gestures and tone of voice to know if something is bothering her.
"I'm fin—"
"Juvia," he affectionately cut her off. "Tell me, what's wrong?"
Juvia sighed and tightly closed her eyes as if trying to hide her thoughts from him though he can't actually see her. "Nothing. It's just something about my uncle," she breathed out, another half truth.
"What about him?" Gray is seriously worried now. Juvia rarely talk about her family back in Oak Town or her life there before transferring to Magnolia. Hearing her say anything about her uncle could be considered something big. "Does he want you to go back?"
"No," she murmured with a grave look in her eyes. That would be the last thing she would ever consider. "He doesn't even want to talk to me so why would he want me to go back?"
"Were you trying to call him?"
There was a long pause after that question and Gray heaved a sigh. They never really talked much about Juvia's uncle or what happened between them. All he knew from what Juvia told him is that her uncle –who is the only relative she has – severed all ties with her after her eighteenth birthday. Why? She never told him and he's not one to force to know such information if she's not yet ready to talk about it in which Juvia was thankful because she's certainly not yet ready to say anything about it.
Juvia swallowed hard before saying her next words. Those words would be the first direct lie she's ever gonna tell him. "Yes," she said. "I was trying to call him." Her right hand tightly closed around the band hanging on the chain around her neck.
Taking Juvia's tone for sadness over her unsuccessful attempt to talk to her uncle, Gray decided to just cheer her up and not ask any more questions. "Don't think too much about it. How about I pick you up to have dinner?"
"Don't you have practice 'til 10 tonight?"
Lately Gray had been busy with hockey practice after school because Snow Fairies -Magnolia University's hockey varsity team -got into the final games. As the team captain he can't miss any practice.
"Coach decided to give us some time to relax for today that's why I called you," Gray said. "I want to go out with you. God knows when will I be free again and I miss hanging out with you," he added sofly.
Juvia let out soft laugh. "We just saw each other earlier during lunch."
"That's different." He chuckled. "I wanna spend the night with you," he added in a low voice that can make her heartbeat falter.
"I would love that," she sighed. "So are you going to pick me up after my last class or should we meet up somewhere?"
"I actually want to cook for you. I need to go get some groceries. Would you mind going to my place by yourself?"
"That would be fine."
"Okay, then, I'll see you later."
"See you later."
Juvia let out a sigh when the line disconnected. She's looking at her phone dejectedly not knowing what she should do next.
She certainly can't keep things as they are.
Sooner or later she'll have to tell Gray and without a solution to her problems she's terribly worried what would happen.
She sighed again and gathered her things to go her next class completely unaware of the eyes following her.
ΩΩΩ
Dread.
Juvia thought she already knew what that word means.
In the entirety of her life she thought she already knew what pure suffocating dread feels. Why wouldn't she? When her father died followed by her mother's murder, her time in the orphanage and the time she spent under her uncle's care – all of those were dreadful.
Lot of things happened in her life and she thought nothing as simple as seeing someone could make her feel like her whole world is spinning and she's being thrown in an unknown that she cannot escape.
But at that moment as she stood frozen staring back at the smiling face of the last person she wished to see at that time she feels the familiar claw of terror crawling fast from her feet straight into her eyes. She feels like she's suffocating and drowning in the very air that she breathes.
Her mind was screaming loud and her heart was racing like the devil himself was after her.
Nervously, she looked back at the end of the alley to see if there's familiar people walking around or if any of her friends were nearby to accidentally see her and most importantly, if Gray Fullbuster is anywhere near her and the man casually leaning on the wall behind him.
"W-why are you h-here?" she managed to asked the man in her shaken state. Why now?
Months of trying to reach out to him, endless attempt of finding an opportunity to talk to him and he decided to show up now.
Weren't she just trying to call him hours ago? But she didn't need him to be physically in front of her right now.
A frown creased the man's brow as he took in her rather shocked face. "Well, hello to you too, my love," he said with a smile that failed to put her at ease if that was his aim. "I thought you wanted to see me."
Juvia's eyes flared as she shot him a glare. "I. wanted. to. talk. to. you!" she exclaimed emphasizing each word that she said. "I said I wanted to talk to you—not for you to suddenly show up here!"
His eyes met hers and for the first time since she found him waiting for her outside the university – and after she practically dragged him into first dark alley that she could find. His frown deepened. "Talk to me… see me… it's the same thing. There's something you need to tell me and here I am now."
"Right!" She blurted out. "I was trying to call you months ago! I needed to talk to you months ago! But where the hell were you? You were not answering my calls or my messages!"
"Well, my dear, you very well knew that when I left you here to have your peaceful normal life it would be hard for us to communicate –and we promised not to stupidly call if it's not a matter of life and death – especially because we don't want your uncle bothering you the moment he learned that you are not with me."'
"Can't you –"
"You wanted to start over here and I have other things to fix!" he cut her off. "Didn't we agree that we will see each other again on your twenty-second birthday? You have Gajeel with you. I don't see what the urgency is for."
With her eyes tightly shut Juvia inhaled deeply. "Things changed and I need you to help me out."
Months ago she desperately wanted to talk to him. She needed to fix things with him. He's the only one who could help her now –just like how he was the only one who could help her back then.
"Ah," he nodded. "Is this about a tall man, dark hair – dark eyes?"
Her eyes widened. How did he know? "Sting—"
"Of course I know," he answered even before she could ask. He smiled as he moved away from the wall and walked towards her. "I'd been around town for days now, Juvi. 'Been watching you."
"What!?" she huffed.
"You knew me. I won't jump somewhere not knowing what to expect," his gaze travelled down from her eyes down to the chain hanging around her neck, one hand lifting up to touch the cold metal. "And I want you to know that I'm quite hurt that all the time you were sending me messages –insisting that I talk to you – you failed to mention that you found someone to be with in my absence."
"This is not the place for us to talk about this!" Juvia snapped glaring daggers at him. How could she have forgotten how infuriating this man is?
"You're the one who dragged me here!" he pointed out, an irritating smirk on his face. "Well, if you like, we can go back to my hotel."
"As if I'll—"
"What's wrong with that? You're with your lover all the time, why can't you go with me?" He asked nonchalantly. "Between the two of us, I have more rights to be with you and you perfectly know that, wife."
ΩΩΩ
It's been a while. This is short but I'll try to update as soon as I can.