©Sunrisepainter: Once Upon a Time in Magnolia
Trigger Warning: Explicit language, cursing, violence and bullying in this chapter!
CHAPTER SEVEN: Rescue
The rest of the day feels like torture. I can't think about anything else but Levy. Sometimes, I can feel Laki's eyes on me. I can tell that she's worried as well. She has been asking me to tell Erza about the situation, but I refused. I am pretty sure that the person behind this is watching me. I don't know what they want me to do, but I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be amused if I asked the school president for help. I also can't tell a teacher. I'm on my own now. Furthermore, I still don't feel well. I'm dizzy and my head hurts. Not the best preconditions for going head to head with Levy's kidnappers, but I have no choice.
As soon as the bell rings I want to rush out the door, but Bisca holds me back. From her eyes I can tell that she knows the truth about Levi's absence and so does Alzack.
"Laki told us everything. Let's go together", he suggests.
I shake my head:
"No, what if it's really Salamander? You'll be in big trouble."
Bisca bites her bottom lip:
"Well, we can't let him terrorize us forever, can we?"
"Besides, Levy has been our friend since pre-school. We can't leave her in the lurch.", Alzack adds.
"Alright", I finally surrender. After all, it might be better not to be alone.
So, the three of us straight away head to the gymnasium of our school. Usually, the door is locked. But not today.
"Do you think it's okay to just go inside?", Bisca nervously looks around.
"There's no other way", I answer and bravely step inside the building. Oddly enough, I don't feel afraid anymore. Maybe, it's because I'm not alone this time. Maybe, it's because I'm no longer scared of Salamander. Maybe, it's because I'm only worried about Levy. I don't really care what happens to me, I just want to save her.
Inside the gym, the ceiling lights are switched off. The space is only dimply lit by the incoming sunlight trough the transom windows. It's awfully quiet. Carefully, step by step, we move towards the middle of the gym.
"It's so scary, don't you think?", Bisca whispers.
"If you're scared, you can hold my hand", Alzack offers with a flushed but determined face, "I will protect the both of you."
"Thanks, but I'm okay", I answer while I let my eyes wander around observing every inch of the gymnasium. From the corner of my eyes, I can see Bisca taking her boyfriend's hand with a soft and thankful smile.
"I think no one's here", I say, "let's take a look in the changing rooms, but let's hurry up. After all, Levy might be in danger", I answer, and my voice sounds a little harsher than I intended.
"I'm sorry", I apologize immediately, "I'm just so worried about my friend."
"Don't worry", Alzack says in a soothing tone, "we're going to find her, and she'll be okay."
I nod my head and lead the way to the changing rooms. However, there is still no sight of Levy or her kidnappers. Just some abandoned sport clothes and stuff from the cleaning ladies.
"Are you sure that's the right place?", Bisca asks.
"Yeah", I show them the photo, "there's only one gym on campus, right? They're supposed to be here."
They nod their heads simultaneously. I bit my lip. That's so messed up!
"Wait, let me take a look at the photo again", Alzack says.
"Don't. It's so disgusting what they did to her!", Bisca frowns, but her boyfriend doesn't listen to her. He stares at the photo for a couple of seconds and suddenly, he seems quite agitated.
"I know this place. The photo was taken in the equipment room over there", he points across the room towards a huge metal door.
"We didn't check that room yet", Bisca agrees. My heart starts racing. Without hesitation I head towards the room and yank the heavy door open. I'm met with pitch black darkness, but enter the room anyways ignoring the protesting noises coming from my friends behind me.
I made a mistake. A big one. Though, I only realize it when the door clicks behind me and I'm locked in.
"Lucy! Lucy!", I can hear my friend's voices from outside. I can't see anything and disoriented. Is the door behind me? Next to me? I don't remember. I curse.
"What nasty words from a stuck-up girl like you", a cold female voice says. I shiver. This feeling…it's familiar. Her voice too. It's cold as ice, but I recognize it somehow. Who is she?
Suddenly, there's a clicking sound and I'm blinded by lightning. After my eyes have gotten used to the light, I can see two people in front of me.
One of them is a girl with blue curly hair and blue eyes. She would've been a very beautiful girl if it had not been for the wicked look on her face and the cold aura surrounding her. Juvia Lockster.
Next to her is a bulky, muscular guy. I remember his name as well: Gajeel. Gajeel the iron fist.
I gulp.
"Why did you lock me in? Where is Levy-chan? Why are you doing this? Did Salamander send you?"
"Stupid girl!", Juvia snarls, "sly bitch!"
I know how dangerous they are. Unpredictable. And I'm on my own. Nonetheless I try to find a way out of this situation:
"I already told Salamander to leave me and my friends alone! I'm going to tell Erza again!"
Gajeel just laughs:
"Salamander might be afraid of the president, but I'm not. I don't care about that bitch at all!"
I feel my knees getting weaker and my temperature rising. I'm sure it's not only out of fear. I really feel sick. My vision gets blurry and it's getting harder for me to talk.
"Please", I beg them now, "where's Levy- chan?"
"Surprise, she's now here anymore. Now that you're here, we don't need her anymore", Juvia says with her emotionless voice.
"How is she?", I ask with tears in my eyes.
"If I were you, I would be worried more about myself", Gajeel moves closer towards me with a creepy grin on his face, "I can't wait to mess up this pretty face of yours, little girl…"
"Wait a moment, Gajeel", Juvia says in sharp tone, "Me first!"
I'm panicking. They definitely didn't come here to talk. However, I still don't understand why they're doing this to me?
"Why didn't Salamander come himself?", I ask softly, "I mean he would have loved to see me suffer…"
"Stupid girl. It seems she's still thinking that we're here because of Salamander", Gajeel snickers. Juvia doesn't look amused at all. Her eyes are fixed on me and the familiar shivers are back once again. Suddenly, it hits me.
"It was you", I stare at her in surprise, "you were watching me all the time. Back then at the infirmary and at the pool. You took my clothes. It was you all along. But why would you do that if Salamander didn't tell you to?"
"Don't try to fool me, bitch", Juvia whispers dangerously as she walks towards me, "you know exactly what you did, sly fox."
"I- I don't know", I stutter. I back off until my back bumps into the closed door. Juvia's face is just inches away from mine. Her eyes have a lunatic glimmer in it.
"You tried to seduce him, you little slut! You think just because you act all perfect and innocent, he would fall for you. But guess what, bitch! He's not that easy! And I can no longer watch your dirty little games. Today you'll pay for trying to take what's mine!"
I stare at her in disbelief. What is she talking about? What games? Who did I try to seduce?
"Don't look at me with that fake clueless, big eyes", she hisses and without a warning she smacks me. I feel the sharp pain on my left cheek and my knees finally give in. The world starts spinning as I crash down to the floor. Hot tears run down my face and make my face burn even more with pain.
However, that doesn't make her stop. I scream as she roughly grasps my hair and jerks my head back so that I have to look at her. The pain is unbearable.
"I'll make sure you'll stay away from him forever!"
In the back of my brain a faint memory starts resurfacing. It's from my first day at school when Levy told me all about the Dragon Slayers. About Salamander. About Gray Fullbuster. And about Juvia Lockster.
She's heads over heels for Gray. She lashes out at every girl that comes close to him.
At the same time as realization hits me, Juvia slams my head onto the floor. For a moment everything goes black and then a pain as if my head was split into two. I taste hot, thick blood. I choke.
Her voice is shrill and hurts my ears:
"You dirty little slut will never ever look at my Gray again!"
I try to speak, but there just some gargle sounds coming out of my mouth.
"Please, Juvia, let me take the next blow! It's so long ago that I made someone beg for their life!", I hear Gajeel's disgusting voice somewhere in the background.
"Shut up! I just needed you to take her stupid friend. I don't need you anymore!", Juvia snaps back at him.
"How do you feel know, little bitch? Do you think Gray- sama still wants someone as ugly as you?", she whispers in my ear and giggles evilly, "look at you all bloody and bruised up. However, it's not enough…."
I can feel something cold on my neck. I can't move my head to look at it, but I know what it is anyways. A knife. I'm close to fainting, but I try my best to keep conscious. I don't want to give up so easily.
"You want to kill me?", it's still hard to talk because of the blood coming from my mouth and my voice is barely a whisper, but I don't silently want to accept my fate, "go ahead. Go ahead and kill someone who did nothing wrong."
"Liar!", she screams and presses my head down with her knee. It's getting harder to breathe, but I can't stop myself from talking.
"Do you think Fullbuster will love you if you kill me now?", I ask.
"Shut up! You don't even know him!"
The knife scratches into the sensitive skin under my chin. I don't feel the pain anymore. I'm on the verge of losing consciousness.
"You don't know anything!", Juvia screams, "I'll make sure no boy ever looks at you again!"
For a moment, I feel relieved when the pressure of the knife on my neck disappears. But then Juvia grasps my hair again with one hand and the knife in her other hand. She slowly cuts my hair and makes it as painful as possible.
I'm too exhausted to do anything. Usually, I'm not the type of girl who cares too much about her appearance. However, my hair is special to me. My father often has told me that I have my mother's hair. I'm very proud of it. It's one of the things that reminds me of her and I especially grew out my hair to make it look exactly like hers.
It's not that it wouldn't grow ever again, but the moment Juvia cut it, it was the same as if she cut me off from one of my most treasured memories about my mum. She didn't kill me, but something inside of me died.
Through the pain, the tears and another fit of dizziness, I can hear Juvia laughing again.
"Oh, are you crying now, little slut? You lost your beautiful hair? That's only the beginning! I'll make you suffer even more!"
She lifts the knife again and I'm sure she's going to cut my face now. However, at the same moment, there's a loud banging noise. Juvia stops in her tracks. The banging gets louder and I can feel something hitting my back. Juvia screams and I can also hear Gajeel roaring with anger.
The last thing I see before I finally black out, is something which looks like a bright bickering flame.
"Gosh, you make me sick! I already told you everything!"
"I swear, if you have something to do with this…!"
"You don't trust me, right?
"Well, you have to admit that it's hard to trust someone like you!"
"Someone like me? What do you mean? Just because I'm not the perfect student you expect me to be…."
"Please, would you mind to shut up already or I'm going to throw you out! Both of you!"
I abruptly open my eyes and stare at the white ceiling above me. I blink a few times. In my head there's a throbbing and my mouth is dry as hell. Before I know where I am, a face appears in front of me.
"Oh, you're finally awake, honey. How are you?", Miss Evergreen smiles down on me. It's the first time I see her a little worried.
"What happened?", my voice sounds hoarse and croaky. I lift my upper body up and feel a sharp pain in my forehead.
"Don't move too abruptly. You might have a mild concussion. Let me check that first." While Miss Evergreen crosses the room to get some equipment out of the small glass cabinet, I'm finally able to notice the other people in the infirmary.
Cana nonchalantly rolls back and forth on Miss Evergreen's office chair. She grins and winks at me:
"Welcome back to life, blondie."
Next to her is Mira, but she doesn't look as cheerful and carefree as usually. I notice the deep frown on her forehead, her flushed cheeks and her squinted eyes fixed on something to my right. I move my head and see Mr. Strauss leaning on the wall near the window with his muscular arms crossed in front of his wide chest. He angrily returns Mira's gaze. The air between the two of them is surely tense. Why did they fight?
Before I could ask anything, Miss Evergreen briskly clasps my chin and turns my head towards her. I'm blinded by a flashlight for a few moments so I have to squint my eyes.
"As I expected", I hear the nurse's voice, "the pupils only slowly react to the light. You have a cold and a mild concussion, too. You should rest for a couple of days. If you still feel dizzy after that, get another health check at the local hospital. Don't move too much, drink a lot of water and take some cough medicine."
I slowly nod my head.
"What happened?" I repeat my question. "I mean I only remember that Juvia cut my hair, but what happened to her? And Levy? Where is Levy?"
"Miss McGarden is fine. Her brothers took her home for now. She has to recover for a few days before she'll be back at school", Mr. Strauss says in a soothing tone, "as for Miss Lockser, she'll surely be punished for her actions this time. And so, will the rest of the Dragon Slayer's, especially Mr. Dragneel. I have enough of them and their mischief. I'm sure the principal thinks the same."
"How many times do I have to tell you that we don't have anything to do with it?", Mira exclaimed angrily, "it was all Juvia by herself. She's the mad one."
"If you're not involved this time, why we're you and your friends in the gym at that time I found Miss Heartfilia?", Mr Strauss frowns.
"We only wanted to help. Gray noticed that Lucy- chan behaved strangely this morning, I mean weirder than usual. So, we kept a close eye on her. After school she was suddenly gone. We looked for her, met her friends and they told us that she was locked inside the gym with someone. We heard Juvias's voice and Natsu broke inside the room to save Lucy-chan. Luckily, we came at the right time. Upon seeing Natsu all angry, Juvia and Gajeel run away. We don't know where they are now…", Mira explains.
I don't know if I should believe her not. Why would Salamander save me? Wasn't he the one who liked seeing suffering me the most? Wasn't he the one who told Juvia and Gajeel to go after me?
Mr Strauss doesn't seem to be convinced as well because he only huffs and shakes his head.
"Please solve this problem tomorrow. My patient needs a lot of rest and it would only stress Miss Heartfilia to get caught in your family business", Miss Evergreen intervenes.
"It's not family business!" Mr Strauss and Mira say at the same time and glare at each other.
Miss Evergreen sighs and speaks to Cana instead who looks quite amused by the whole situation:
"Could you please take Miss Heartfilia home? She can't stay in the infirmary at night and I don't want her to go on her own in case she faints again."
"No problem", Cana shrugs her shoulders and rises from the office chair.
"Do you think you can walk?", she asks me. I slowly get up. My head is still spinning so I have to support myself against the bed. Quickly Cana and Mira are by my side and take me in the middle between them. It feels safer now and I can walk a few steps.
"I think it'll work like that", I say.
"Alright, see you tomorrow", Miss Evergreen waves her goodbye.
"We'll talk at home, Mira", Mr Strauss grumbles without looking at his sister. Mira doesn't answer. I give her a side glance as she helps me walking through the door. Her jaw is trembling. So, she isn't as cold towards her brother as I thought. There must be more to their fight than just the things that happened today but I'm not in the position to ask her about this.
Moreover, I'm distracted by something – or rather someone – else as soon as we're on the corridor. Next to the infirmary door no one else but Gray Fullbuster is leaning against the wall. His face as indifferent as always.
"Oi Gray, why ya still here? We told ya we're gonna take care of our little princess!"
"I need to talk to her", he says, his eyes only fixed on me. I feel the heat rush to my face.
"If it's about –", Cana starts, but with one gaze he shuts her up. The two girls look at each other, then Mira shrugs her shoulders and gives me a comforting smile:
"We'll wait for you at the school entrance. If he bothers you, just call us."
I kind of don't want them to leave me alone with him. I don't know what it is, but after all that happened it feels quite wrong even looking at him. However, the other girls don't seem to notice my uneasiness and leave us alone.
I gulp as I feel his eyes on me, but I don't dare to look back at him.
"Are you okay?", he asks.
"Yes…", my voice sounds shriller than usually which makes my cheeks burn with embarrassment, "well, I feel fine for someone who almost got iced."
My laugh sounds hollow. The corners of his mouth don't even twitch so I immediately stop laughing, too. Jeez, this feels so uncomfortable! I just wanna go home…
"I'm sure Juvia will be punished once Erza heras about it", he sounds serene while saying this, "our presidents seems to be fond of you, so I have no doubt she'll revenge you."
Suddenly I feel rising inside me:
"Why should Erza get involved in this? It has nothing to do with her!"
He raises an eyebrow but doesn't answer.
There was so much more I want to say.
Juvia is despicable, no doubt! But he's also no better. Everyone at school knows about Juvia's feelings for him, so shouldn't he talk to her and clearly tell her how he feels? Even if he doesn't feel the same, shouldn't he be honest with her? She's obviously thinking that there's something between them or she wouldn't do things like that. What if more girls get hurt? Juvia is ruthless.
However, I'm not in the position to meddle in their relationship. Gray might have saved me a couple of times, but we're not friends.
So, I close my eyes, take a deep breath and try to hold back my anger.
"Look, there shouldn't be stuff like "an eye for an eye" but justice by lawful means. Juvia should be punished by the head of the school and no one else."
"Well, you're a goody-goody always playing by the rules, aren't you?", he snickers and I kind of feel offended by this remark. Yet, I'm too tired to shoot back at him.
"Call me what you want to. I just want to forget about today and go home. And…" I ty to pick my words carefully before continuing, "I think it'll be best if we don't talk to each other in the future. It's not you, but…um…you're friends with Salamander and I don't want to give him any more reason to…well…hate me…"
"You're still afraid of him? Even though he saved you today?"
"I'm not afraid and I never was! I just don't want to be associated with him or any of his friends no matter how he was involved today. By the way, I don't even believe you that Salamander helped me." I can't look him in the eyes because this is only half of the truth. And Gray sees right through me.
"Natsu is not the real problem here. You don't want Juvia to think we're dating or anything", he says bluntly. Of course, he knew the reason why I got harassed today. I glare at him:
"You seem to be quite delighted by the fact that there's a girl literally going crazy for you. Let me just tell you one thing, I don't really care about Juvia going after me, but she dragged my friends into this. So, I want to minimalize every potential danger for them by cutting ties with you if there were even any in the first place cause the way I see it, Juvia has no reason to see me as a threat at all."
I can't read his facial expression at all. His eyes are as blank as ever.
"And I if you might excuse me, I'm going home for now!"
With that I slowly turn around and stumble towards the exit. To be honest it's a little shameful because after saying all this I wanted to leave with more dignity. I can feel his eyes on my back. Cold, ignorant eyes. I don't know why but as soon as I round the corner the tears won't stop falling.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
I listen for the sound of my alarm clock for more than two hours now. After the unpleasant conversation with Gray, Cana and Mira had taken me home. Fortunately, they didn't ask anything and they didn't even mention today at all. Cana had searched my fridge for alcohol while Mira seemed to have scanned everything in my room. They went to all of my bookshelf, messed up my kitchen when trying to cook something to me and to my relief finally left after an hour.
However, as soon as their laughing, chatting and shouting was gone, I was left with dark thoughts again. I am tired as hell but I just can't tame my monkey mind.
I worry about Levy the most. Everyone said she was fin but I want to see it for myself. I want to talk to her so badly. But it's the middle of the night and I'm sure she needs as much rest as me.
Outside I can hear the soft sound of rain dripping on the pavement. Apart from that I can only hear the wind rustling in the trees. I shudder as I feel the cold draught from the open window.
Wait. A draught? How? I'm sure Cana and Mira closed the window before they left. I'm pretty sure.
Alarmed I sit up straight in my bed, my eyes fixed on the bedroom windows. Its's pitch dark in my room, but I can clearly see the curtains swinging back and forth. I gain a faint suspicion and therefore switch on the lamp on my night table.
I was right.
In semi- darkness it looks like the top of my arm chair is on fire and yet it's only a bunch of red hair sticking out from behind the backrest.
Shoot!
End of Chapter Seven
