Erza was still thinking about the message she had sent.
As a result, she couldn't concentrate too much on doing her homework. She was sitting on her fluffy blanket lying on the bed, sipping warming tea with the flavor of forest fruit and ginger. Soon after, she looked at her social media. She saw offensive things about her in the comments below photos and posts.
Mirajane and Cana formed a group called "Fat and Ugly Erza".
There the whole school makes fun of her, for glasses, ordinary clothes, what she eats and drinks. They send each other diet links so they don't look like her.
The red-haired high school girl was not thin, but she was also not morbidly obese, and that was no reason to make fun of her.
She got annoyed slamming the laptop flap and curled up into a ball. The saddest thing is that she had no one to confide to at the moment, and she didn't want to tell Lucy about it either.
Erza's smartphone vibrated.
Breaking away from the vile reality, she checked what was going on.
It was a text message from Jellal, sounding like this :
"...Hi. It's very nice of you. It's much better already. ..."
The teenager's heart almost jumped out of her chest, because she felt relieved at the news that he was fine.
But she thought intrusively whether to suggest him to talk on the webcam. Taking that risk, she waited for an answer.
He agreed.
There was a connection between them.
-"Hello? Can you hear me? "-Erza asked
-"Loud and clear."- Jellal smiled slightly.
- "Oh, you are no different without makeup."
- "Yes, I know. I look like death."-He said sarcastically
- "Not. That's not what I meant! It's just ... You have interesting eyes. '' -She sounded like a slip-up.
- "And you are not so afraid of talking to strange men?"- There is a hint of flirtation in Jellal's voice.
- "What a stranger! You are my classmate ."- she replied
~ "Hahaha ... Take it easy. I just wanted to see how you react.
-"It was mean!"- She crossed her arms
- "Forgive me. It was stronger than me. '' He twirled his fingers on the fork.
- "Why is it dark at your place?"
-" I'm home alone. I was watching TV while eating dinner, but you wanted to talk so I turned it off. "-He quickly explained.
-`` What an honor for me. ''- She felt satisfaction
-" Are you alone too?"
- "Yes. My parents went out on a date."
- "Then you can be sure that they will not come back soon. They'll probably hit a hotel or something. ''- He laughed under his breath.
-"... ummm, maybe you're right."- She blushed.
-" By the way. Maybe you don't remember me, but I remember you."
- "Seriously? From where?"
- "From primary school. I was in the art class and I was designing a poster for a Maths Competition in which you participated." - He answered honestly.
- "Wait. I remember that poster! I didn't think it was you."
- "You had a nice two braids then and braces on your teeth."
- "Oh no! I was starting to be ugly then." -She cried a little.
-"What are you saying?"- He was deeply surprised at her words.
- "I hate myself."
- "Why?"
~" Look at me. Say what you see"
- "A smart girl who cries."
- "I'm sorry."
- "Don't worry, you really do not lack anything in terms of appearance. "
-"Am I not fat?"
- "Not at all. I don't know who fooled you."
- "I don't want to talk."
- "You don't have to, but I have a question for you."
- "Yes?"
- "What are your plans for tomorrow?"
- "None."
- "Then you let me take you somewhere?"
-" ...Of course. "
The next day, Jellal came to get Erza at the bus station.
He handed her a small red rose, bringing a sincere smile to her face. At first they went for a walk in the park. They told each other silly childhood stories and he mentioned that he had been adopted 9 years ago.
She looked at him with delight as he said how grateful he was to the woman who had put a lot of effort into raising him to be a decent man with principles.
On the way, they stopped at the Museum. There, Jellal showed Erza various works of art while explaining the Old Canons of Beauty. By demonstrating the sculptures and paintings of the Divine Women, he wanted to inform her that she is the One, Unique, Perfect As She Is.
No copy will replace an original that already exists!
The nineteen-year-old girl cuddled up to him with emotion, and he tenderly stroked her head. They both feel good and safe with each other.
When the blue-haired artist walked her to the house, he felt like kissing her, but in time his brain awoke from its sweet lethargy.
It is too early for such action. Instead, he hugged her tightly again and asked for another meeting, after school.
Her mother, seeing it all from the kitchen window, almost cried with happiness. She cares very much about the happiness of the child.
Several months pass.
The relationship between these young people is developing.
They do everything together: They study for exams, eat lunch at the same table in the cafeteria, sit in the library or at the school court.
Part of the class looks at them with obvious disgust, but Erza's friends wish them the best.
In early spring, she was a guest at Jellal's house.
He wanted to sketch her portrait, but this time he wanted to see her without her hair tied. With a casual motion, she removed the elastic from her scarlet strands.
His eyes saw a fire in which he wants to burn, and his thoughts drifted away somewhere into the universe, because both the sketchbook and the pencil slipped from his hands.
Jellal had fallen in love with her even more than he had realized. He was aware of her inner beauty, but now he saw the Real Majesty. A treasure that he wants to protect at the cost of his own soul and conscience.
After all exams, students signed the Graduate Book. On that occasion, Cana accosted Erza in the hall.
-"You look much better in loose hair!"
-"Erza, don't be provoked."- Lucy warned
- "Not worth it!"- Loke added
-" They're right." - Her boyfriend got in on this too
- "Don't be falsely nice to me, Cana!"
- "What did you say?" - Brown haired girl was in shock
- "Apparently you are deaf to excess plastic already, because your ears are pouring out!"
- "You're insolent!"
- "Insolently judge a book by its cover, instead of looking at at least two pages of its contents!"
Cana didn't know what to say, while Gray agreed with Erza. He must have gotten wiser after what happened to Jellal and even started liking him.
He announced that life is not only about prestige and Instagram-filtered selfies.
Without a word, Erza took Jellal's hand as she walked towards the school exit. They tossed their lockers keys behind them, forgetting about the High School Nightmare.
- "I'm proud of you."
- "Oh, really Jellal? Then prove it to me. ''- She felt more confident with him.
-" As you wish. '' -He lifted her up and kissed her passionately.
From then on, their feelings remain unchanged. They don't have to hide.
They may be the Black Sheeps in this grassland called life, but they have no need to pretend to be someone they are not.
The End.
