thank you pyro-giraffe for proofreading the written versions of this chapter and chapter one :D
there's a mulan reference (kinda) in this chapter...somewhere
anyhow i hope you enjoy it!
A month and a half passed quicker than expected; I'm still yet to talk to my tablemate, and I never quite caught their name, which has made it insanely awkward. Although when I greeted him he would occasionally grunt, or just glare. Usually just glare.
I glanced up at the clock hanging from the ceiling in the hall, I'm twenty minutes early. Lucy and mom are butting heads again, and so to avoid getting caught in the crossfire I left early. I strode into the classroom expecting it to be empty, except for maybe the teacher of course. But surprise, surprise it was not. My tablemate was already there.
He was slumped in his chair, feet up on MY side of the table, and snoring – loudly. I sat down and pulled out my book as quietly as I possibly could – it'd be hell if he woke up. I pushed his feet over to his side so I could have some elbow room to read more comfortably. He snorted when I moved his feet. "Classy…" I commented flatly, I waited a minute to be I had not woken him before indulging into my book.
I had gotten so far lost into the world of my book I never noticed when class started and the teacher tried to pull my attention to her, nor did I notice when my tablemate quite unceremoniously yet comically snorted himself awake. And not long after his abrupt awakening, he - for the soul purpose of being spiteful, plopped his mud caked, oil covered, old, stinky, ratty shoes back up on the desk on MY BOOK. Mud and oil splattered across the pages staining them, I let out a surprised yelp.
"Gihi." He smiled maliciously, I panicked and back handed him across the face, hard. Hard enough the make his head snap to the side and class come to a screeching halt at the sound of skin hitting skin. I looked down blinking rapidly surprised at my own actions. Twenty-six pairs of eyes trapped us in their line of vision; I turned to look at my tablemate. The tension grew thick enough to cut with a knife when my eyes met his glaring over top of his hand covering his now bleeding nose.
The teacher sighed. "Go to the nurse's office, Gajeel." She handed him the hall pass and a paper towel.
"Am I not in trouble?" I asked the teacher timidly after Gajeel left the room.
"If you hit him hard enough to make his nose bleed quite frankly I believe he deserved it."
"Oh…" a relieved laugh escaped me.
The final bell of the day resonated through the building; I quickly packed up my things. I sent a text to Lucy, 'don't wait for me. I'm going to the library.' I looked over at the empty seat next to me; he never came back after I smacked him. I wonder why…
I heaved my book bag onto my back and made my way to the school's library. Inside it was quiet and smelled like, well, books. I dumped the books I had borrowed that week out of my back pack and onto a table to sort which ones were ready to be returned or not.
Eight in the return pile, one in the keep. "I need some new books." I mumbled to myself. I somehow – somehow – carried all eight books to the return bin all at once. I pulled out my lengthy 'to read' list out of my pocket and selected seven books that piqued my interest the most.
I searched up and down every shelf for the book entitled 'Those Who Ride the Wind' and of course I find it on the very top shelf, a foot out of my grasp. I stood up on my tip toes, a vain attempt but worth a shot anyway. I tried jumping but being five foot two trying to reach a seven foot goal proved insuperable.
A shadow was thrown over me from behind; I spun around to see by whom, my face colliding with a broad chest. I jumped back in shock. "What?" it was Gajeel, he crossed his arms. "Y'gon smack me again?"
"Only if necessary." I replied curtly, he seemed slightly taken back by my reply. "Sorry about earlier though I, uh…panicked." I laughed nervously. He raised one studded eyebrow skeptically at me. I turned back to the bookshelf to face the task at hand.
An arm lined with metal piercings reached up to the book from behind me with no trouble at all and plucked it off the shelf. "Do you want to read it too?" I asked shyly pointing at the book.
"No." he replied flatly.
"Oh…" I held out my hand. "Then can I have it?"
"No." he turned to walk off with the book. When I tried to snatch it away from him, he hoisted it up over his head out of my reach mockingly. I let out an irritated shriek, Gajeel held the book further up away from me. Fed up with his childish actions I grabbed a handful of his messy black hair and pulled him backwards, simultaneously kicking the back of his knee.
The human monument came crashing down not knowing how to counter my ludicrous attack. I snatched the book from his fingers before he could process what had just happened and retaliate. I sprinted in the opposite direction; I quickly gathered my other books and rushed to check them out.
"Hurry! Gajeel is after me!" I urged the librarian woman; I saw my own panic reflect in her face. She what was up and went exponentially faster.
I stuffed seven of the eight books into my bag; the eighth simply wouldn't fit. I hurried to reach the door, which was conveniently placed across the library, without being caught by man beast. Lucky unlucky me I failed to avoid running into him. He popped out of nowhere LIKE DAISIES.
I gave a yelp of surprise and terror; yet again I panicked. I chucked the book in my hand at his face, bullseye. It him square in the nose causing his head to snap back. I yelped again and snatched the book off the floor from behind him before scrambling out of the library. Where can I hide? The girl's bathroom maybe? I slowed down a bit to catch my breath.
"Oi! Shrimp!" a familiar voice called from behind me, making me jump. He was holding his hand over his nose, with some blood still escaping through his fingers. I inhaled sharply and took off again leaving Gajeel in my dust.
I skidded around the next corner; aha the girls' bathroom. If he dares come in here there shall be no mercy upon his soul. "Wow, very mature." He commented annoyed from the doorway. I stuck out my tongue at him teasingly.
"Come and get me if you dare!" I mocked.
"I might be a thug or whatever but I got morals." His hand was still covering his nose. "And I ain't NO DAMN PERVERT!" he shouted, more blood dripped through his fingers. "…Can you like hand me a paper towel though? This is getting annoying."
"Oh uh, sure." I gathered a wad of paper towels from the dispenser and handed it over to him, he grunted his thanks.
"You hit surprisingly hard, shorty." Gajeel commented I felt my face redden.
"Uh…sorry…again…" I looked down at my feet.
"Nah, don't worry 'bout it." He checked to see if the bleeding had stopped or at least subsided some. "I'm pretty used to it."
"I never properly introduced myself to you." I stuck out my hand. "My name is Levy McGarden, nice to meet you."
"Gajeel Redfox." He didn't shake my hand instead he showed me his blood covered ones as reason not to.
"So…you wanna go get coffee or something?" I asked timidly
"What?" I had caught him off guard.
"I asked if you wanted to go get coffee."
"But…why?" he raised an eyebrow at my question.
"I asked you if you wanted coffee not if you wanted to assassinate the president Jesus Christ. C'mon it's a yes or no question."
"Wait what time is it?"
"About six-fifteen, why?" I stuck my phone back in my pocket; a look of panic crossed his face.
"Shit I'm late!" he jumped away from the wall and bolted down the hallway; not even noticing when something fell out of his pocket and clattered to the floor.
