Cana's house looked like it always did. Any possible surface was littered with empty alcohol bottles. Lucy was already there trying to clean up before the party. Loud rock music was blaring out of the large speakers in the living room. I headed into Cana's room to drop off my bag and found Cana standing at her closet trying to figure out what to wear.
Finally, the brunette sighed. "Fuck it," she said, pulling a random bikini top and pants out of her pile of clothes. "If I have it my way, they won't be staying on long anyway," she winked at me as she disappeared into the bathroom.
When I heard the shower turn on, I busied myself by looking through Cana's extensive nail polish collection, finally settling on a dark cherry red shade. I took the bottle and headed back into the living room, plopping myself on the couch.
Someone clicked their tongue behind me. "Honey, those nails need so much more work than just a paint job," it was Cana. I forgot how fast her showers were.
"I don't have time for a whole manicure," I huffed.
"Then I know what we're doing tomorrow!" she sang, hopping over the back of the couch to sit beside me and ignoring my protests. She grabbed a bottle of beer seemingly out of thin air and popped the cap off it before she started drinking.
I stuffed the bottle of nail polish into the pocket of Gajeel's jacket, deciding there was no point in painting my nails if we were going out for manicures tomorrow.
The bottle left Cana's mouth with a pop! and she looked at me.
"Whose jacket?" she asked curiously, and I blushed.
"Gajeel's," I muttered.
"SPILL IT!" she yelled, sloshing beer down herself as Lucy and Erza came running.
"There's nothing to spill," I muttered. "He gave me a ride home cuz of the rain and let me borrow his jacket."
"Why are you still wearing it if it's 'nothing'?" Cana pressed on.
I mumbled under my breath.
"What was that? I couldn't quite hear you."
"It feels right!" I snapped.
Thankfully, people started arriving, so she didn't press the issue anymore.
In less than an hour, the house was packed. I found myself leaning against a wall, a plastic cup of one of Cana's "special punches" in my hand, scanning the room. Jet and Droy had gotten bored of bothering me and were off raiding the snack table.
Suddenly, a hulking shadow loomed over me. Gajeel had found me.
"Should stick to me, Shrimp," he grinned. "Yer too short to be off on yer own."
I glared at him. "Don't be rude," I said, hitting him lightly on the arm.
"My jacket suits ya," he said in a low voice, leaning down close to me. "C'mon, let's get outta here," he said, picking me up with ease and tossing me over his shoulder. I felt my skirt blow up and squealed.
"Gi-hee," he laughed.
He finally put me down when we got outside to Cana's back yard. He sat down on the back porch and left space for me to join him.
I sat beside him but kept space between us, not wanting to get too close too quickly. He took a sip of his beer and shook his shaggy hair out of his face.
I couldn't help staring at him. He really was gorgeous.
"See somethin' ya like?" he smirked.
I mumbled. "Maybe."
"Gi-hee," he gave that damned laugh.
"Sh-shut up! Stupid Gajeel!" I huffed and looked away.
I felt his large arm drape over me and pull me to him.
"Don't be so shy, Shorty. Let loose."
I let myself relax in his embrace and it felt right.
As the night went on, I became more comfortable around Gajeel. We danced, talked, and laughed.
Around two in the morning, people finally started leaving. Gajeel and I were sitting on the couch as Erza and Lucy started cleaning up. Cana was passed out on the kitchen table. Laxus saw her and sighed, picking her up to carry her to her bedroom.
I yawned and leaned against him.
"I should get goin'," he said. "Got a busy day tomorrow, Shrimp."
I pouted. "No," I whined, still a bit drunk.
"Shorty, I'd love to stay, but yer drunk. I'll see ya at school," he pushed me off of him and gently laid me down on the couch. "Get some sleep, Shrimp," he whispered, slipping a piece of paper into my pocket.
That's the last thing I remember before I fell asleep.
The next morning was awful. I had a pounding headache and my mouth felt like it was full of cotton. My eyes were glued shut by eye makeup and sleep. I pried them open as I sat up and looked around. The house was in pristine condition. Erza didn't stop until it was clean. She never gave up on anything until it was finished.
I got up off the couch and stretched, then snuck into Cana's room to grab my clothes. Once in the bathroom, I carefully laid Gajeel's jacket across the bathroom counter and stripped out of my clothes, waiting for the shower to heat up.
I suddenly remembered he'd put something in the pocket and quickly pulled it out. It was his number written on a scrap of paper. It looked like our Biology homework. I felt my heart flutter and wrapped one of Cana's towels around myself before I ran through the house looking for my phone.
I finally found it plugged into a charger in the kitchen. God bless Erza and her punctuality.
I quickly plugged Gajeel's number into my phone and texted him a simple good morning and a smiley emoji before remembering my shower.
I lathered up with Cana's pumpkin body wash and used her face wash to clean off my makeup.
When I felt clean enough, I got out of the shower and dressed in the pajamas I'd packed and pulled on Gajeel's jacket.
I checked my phone and my stomach flipped as I saw he'd responded.
"Mornin' Shrimp," the text said. "Glad ya got my note."
I don't know how much time passed before Cana, Lucy, and Erza woke up. I spent the morning texting Gajeel and working on my homework. I know, I know. What kind of nerd brings homework to a party?
I found out a lot about Gajeel that morning. He had a cat named Panther Lily. He was in a band with a guy from a rival school. He worked with metal to make jewelry and household items. He even said he'd make me something, if I painted my nails the colors he suggested. He wasn't a bad guy at all.
"Someone's in love," Cana teased as she joined me on the couch. "Tell me all about it. Is it tall, dark, and pierced?"
"Maybe," I said, answering another text.
"Ooo," she cooed. "Tell me about it at the salon," she insisted, pulling me up with her. "But first coffee!"
