Halloween morning.
I woke up early to screaming and giggling in the hall. Lisanna and Mira had come over to help decorate. Cana's party was going to be held at the dorm. Gajeel was coming to pick me up to go to the festival early so I could meet Wendy and we could walk around before his band played. Laki and Kinana had approved my outfit the night before when I got home from my date with Gajeel and had insisted on taking me to get my nails freshly filled in. I ended up with black nails with tiny red sparkles in honor of the holiday, in the almond shape again but slightly longer. Kinana and Laki both got purple stiletto shaped nails, Kinana's a couple of shades darker.
I was wearing a black dress with mesh sleeves and a mesh collar that buttoned at the neck, with fishnet tights that had a flower pattern running up the sides of the legs and heeled boots. Evergreen did my makeup again with black eyeshadow and eyeliner sharp enough to kill a man and blood red lips. I popped in some vampire fangs and tied my hair up in twin buns. It was Halloween after all. Gajeel and I were both dressing up as vampires.
I didn't know how late I'd be out and thought about taking my bag so I could get some homework done, but the idea quickly left my head. I'd be with Gajeel and his pseudo-sister Wendy.
After we ate the day before, we had walked around downtown and looked in some of the shops there and he told me more about her. Her mother had disappeared when she was little, leaving her utterly alone. After she was taken to Cait Shelter, she found Carla. Gajeel said they'd been inseparable since.
Someone knocked on my door, bringing me out of my deep thoughts. I opened it and Laki was standing there.
"Your man has arrived," she said, suppressing a giggle.
I felt my cheeks heat up. "Shut up, Laki," I snapped, grabbing my purse and Gajeel's jacket off the hook by the door.
Downstairs, I stepped into the kitchen and grabbed a few water bottles from the fridge. It was warm for October and we'd be walking around for a while before Gajeel's band performed, we were sure to get thirsty.
I hurried outside to meet him. Peeking at me through the driver's side window was the little black cat with a scar over his eye that I'd seen in so many pictures. I could hardly contain my joy. I loved cats, but the dorms didn't allow pets. I all but ran around the front of the Jeep and climbed up into my seat.
"Hello, Lily!" I cooed as the cat curiously eased his way off of Gajeel's lap and over to me. I held out my hand so he could sniff it and he purred and nudged me with his forehead. "I didn't know you were bringing Lily," I said to Gajeel as the cat climbed into my lap and curled up there.
"Pets are always welcome at the festival," he explained as he pulled out of the driveway. "Especially black cats. Halloween, ya know."
The town had transformed overnight, almost like magic. There were black and orange garlands, fake spiderwebs, skeletons, and jack-o-lanterns everywhere. Candles seemed to float in midair, the strings holding them to the streetlamps invisible in the daylight. When we got to Cait Shelter, a little blue-haired girl and a judgmental looking white cat were waiting at the door.
Gajeel parked his Jeep and turned off the engine. We both climbed out and walked to the entrance to meet Wendy. Panther Lily trotted along behind us. Carla, Wendy's cat, peered at him curiously.
"Ya ready to go, kiddo?" Gajeel asked the girl, rustling her hair with a grin. She seemed to light up in his presence.
"Yeah!" she happily exclaimed, before shyly peering at me beneath blue bangs. "Oh. Hello," she mumbled.
"Don't be scared of the shrimp, kid," Gajeel beamed. "Levy doesn't bite. 'Sides, she wanted to meet ya."
"That's right," I smiled gently. "I've heard so much about you, Wendy. Gajeel's told me a lot."
She smiled tentatively. "It's nice to meet you."
"Don't forget, Gajeel," an older man called from the doorway as we walked back to the Jeep, "her curfew is nine o'clock."
Gajeel waved. "Don't worry, we'll have her back before then."
"Bye, Mr. Roubaul!" Wendy called, waving happily from the backseat as Gajeel pulled out of the driveway.
"Alright, kiddo," Gajeel glanced in the mirror to look at her, "you wanna get something to eat first?"
"Can we get candy apples?" she asked quietly.
"Anything you want, this is your day."
We spent the morning and most of the afternoon walking around the festival, trying all the snacks we could, and buying a few souvenirs. Around 8:30, we ran into Kinana and Erik, and Gajeel excused himself to drive Wendy home and drop Panther Lily off at his apartment.
Erik had to meet Orga and Rufus to set up their equipment, so Kinana and I were left alone. We walked around a few more stalls. Most of the parents with young children had left hours ago for trick-or-treating, and a lot of people from school were already at Fairy Hills for Cana's party, but there was still a sizable crowd.
We sat on a bench, chatting and sharing a funnel cake.
"So!" said a mischievous voice behind us. "Have you done it yet?"
Laki wedged herself between us. I blushed beet red.
"Laki!" Kinana hissed.
"What? It's all anyone's talking about. Will Gajeel be the first to break Levy?"
I glared at her. "It's not like that. He's very respectful. Besides, he has responsibilities and so do I."
Laki sighed. "We all have responsibilities, doesn't mean we can't have a little fun. And maybe a little pain."
"You sound like Cana," I muttered.
She faked being offended. "Take it back."
"Hey, Shrimp!" a familiar voice called out.
"Oh, thank God," I sighed with relief. "I'll see you guys later."
I hopped off the bench and went to meet him.
"You okay? Ya look red," he blinked.
"I'm fine," I said quickly, trying to cover my face.
"Gihee," he snickered. "Yer friends teasin' ya?"
"No!"
"Don't worry about it, I heard all the rumors, too," he said dismissively.
I frowned. "Well I don't appreciate it. It's not like I haven't thought about it, but we're seventeen, and there are more important things to worry about," I said without thinking.
"So ya thought about it, " he teased.
I flushed and turned away from him. "It's not like that!"
He grabbed my hand and pulled me into his warm embrace. "Don't be embarrassed," he mumbled against my hair. "I thought about it, too, but we don't have to do anything yer not ready for."
I looked up at him, feeling tearful suddenly. "Gajeel," I whispered.
He brushed his lips gently against mine. It was soft, barely a kiss, but it still sent shivers down my spine and I felt flutters in the pit of my stomach.
My first kiss. It was perfect. It was like a dream.
He pulled away, and a metallic taste lingered for a second.
I blinked, and tried to figure out why he would've cut such a wonderful moment so short, until I saw Orga walking toward us. I had completely forgotten he had a gig here.
I pouted.
"Don't worry, Levy," he grinned. "Plenty more where that came from."
