Sunday passed quickly. Some late arguments with Gray, homework... and a few hours spent thinking about the white-haired girl in Natsu's dream. To be more specific - Mirajane.

Natsu kept denying everything that happened. He knew her and it was impossible. She couldn't be there, not after what happened all those years ago...

'She looks just like her! But no, no, it can't be her... I must be going crazy, yeah, that must be it...', he thought grimly before falling asleep.

~next day~

Natsu groggily woke up at the sound of his cat continuously meowing.

"Urghh... What now, Happy, can't ya' see I'm sleeping?..."

Happy looked at him with a 'Are you fucking kidding me?' look in his eyes and motioned his paw to the clock.

"Oh, it's 7:46...", he stated calmly. Suddenly, realization slapped him straight in the face. "Wait... IT'S 7:46! Fuck, I'm late!", he yelled, jumping out of his bed.

Happy made himself comfortable as he watched how Natsu struggled to put his school uniform on, desperately checking the clock second by second. Stuffing a slice of bread in his mouth and packing another, Natsu nodded at Happy, his cheeks bulging. He paused in the doorway and gulped the bread down, rushing to the door, grinning ear to ear at his blue cat.

"See ya' later, Happy!~..."

Happy seemed to roll his eyes as he moved slowly to Natsu's bed to take a nap. Typical.

Meanwhile, poor unfortunate Natsu struggled to not be late for school while munching on the other slice of bread.

'Damn, I must look like one of those school girls right now... Hopefully, nobody will jump from the bushes to take snapshots of me...', he mentally groaned.

~some time later~

"I MADE IT!", Natsu yelled, slamming the door open.

His classmates ignored him, except a scarlet-haired girl who rushed angrily at him and smacked his head.

"NATSU DRAGNEEL! You're late!", she growled.

"But Erzaaa!", he whined. "It's only 8:01!"

"I know! And everybody is supposed to be in class at 8 o'clock sharp!", she menacingly glared.

Natsu shivered, expecting another painful punch or kick from the red-head. To his enormous surprise, she calmed down and sighed.

"I'm forgiving you this time... But only because it's Monday and the beginning of a new week! But next time, you will be punished properly. That's a promise", she said coldly, then went back to her seat.

Natsu breathed in relief and moved quickly to his own seat next to Gray.

The scarlet-haired girl was Erza Scarlet, also known as Titania, or, in Natsu's words, the scariest thing he ever saw since the day of his birth. She was a member of the Student Council and suggested most of the rules in that school (and also punished harshly anyone who dared to break them). She was childhood friends with Gray, familiar with Natsu. Erza was most annoyed by the people who had the habit of being late, something Natsu was actually very gifted with, and the only times she forgave this kind of people were at the beginning and end of the week. Erza was a good student, and had pretty good grades. Loved to help people. Very fond of any living being in the school, no matter how annoying they might be. Now back to the present.

Natsu was Gray's deskmate in the back of the class, much to his liking. Thus, he had someone to chat when he was bored and the teacher wouldn't be able to notice him straight away.

"Oi, late again, ashes for brains?", Gray laughed.

"Not my fault, ice freak", Natsu pouted. "I was busy."

"Doin' what, idiot?"

"Sleepin', what else?!"

Gray facepalmed, and wanted to reply a snarky comment, but right then, the door opened and he was forced to shut up as the art teacher, Mr Reedus, entered the class.

"Bonjour, students", Reedus said in his usual French accent as the students rose from their seats.

"Good morning, Mr Reedus!", they replied. Natsu's voice was heard the best, as he was always yelling the greeting,

"Sit down. I want to present to you a nouvelle student. S'il vous plaît, greet her properly."

Some guys wiggled their eyebrows. "So we have a chick, huh?", some of them mumbled.

A beautiful girl with long, white, flowy hair falling gracefully on her shoulders timidly entered the classroom. Natsu paled.

"Mira...?", he subconsciously mumbled, staring at her. Gray raised an eyebrow at him.

"Hi everyone... my name is Mirajane..."

Natsu furrowed his eyebrows. He couldn't go through the same thing as yesterday again...

"Hi Natsu!", she waved at him, smiling brightly and all eyes turned at a frozen Natsu.

"Oh, you know Monsieur Dragneel?", Mr Reedus raised his eyebrows. "Then I shall let you seat next to him. Monsieur Fullbuster, move next to Mademoiselle Scarlet and let our new student stay in your place, s'il vous plaît!"

Gray shivered as he hesitantly moved his things and himself on the empty seat next to the scariest creature alive, also known as Erza.

"What was your name again, ma chérie?", Reedus asked again.

"Mirajane St-Saint, teacher..."

Natsu was a bit relieved when she hid her real name. That's what he needed right now, a riot made of all the people who knew her before she... He bit his lip. No way he wanted to remember that now... But still, it was his fault that she-

"-...Natsu?", a warm voice made him snap out of his thoughts.

"Huh? What?", he turned to the source of the sound.

"You weren't listening, Natsu?", Mirajane scolded him and sighed. "I was asking if you're okay with having me seat next to you. We can always ask Reedus to move me somewhere else. I don't want to annoy you..."

"What? You won't annoy me. I'm just a little... upset...", he sighed, looking down. "I first I thought I was... delusional, ya' know? I mean, it's my fault you weren't here all this time..."

"It's not your fault, Natsu", she smiled reassuringly. "What happened, happened. Now we must focus on what it is now..."

"I know...", he sighed with a small smile. "But it's hard to focus on the present when the past suddenly smacks you in the face full power when you least expect it..."

"Enfants, please, stop talking!", Reedus scolded. "You have all the time in the world to chat. Now focus on my lesson..."

"Sorry boss!", Natsu yelled.

The whole class, including Reedus, burst in laughter, while Erza glared at him for interrupting class.

But Mirajane still needed to speak to Natsu privately, about things nobody else needed to know... The day wasn't over yet. And somebody was watching...

Bonjour! = Hello!

Nouvelle = New

S'il vous plaît = Please

Monsieur/Mademoiselle = Mr/Ms

Ma chérie = My dear

Enfants = Children/Kids