Happy Sunday! Wowie I really need to start finding a better length because these chapters are becoming longer and longer *sheepishly smiles* oh well~ I hope you all enjoy the latest installment of What The Heart Wants!
Chp. 4: Welcome to Magnolia University!
The second time I awoke was far more pleasant than the first. There was no sweating or rapid heartbeat and I couldn't be more grateful. Waking up afraid you're about to die is certainly not on my top ten ways to wake up. Mornings were already a bitch in my book.
Levy waving a large cup of coffee in front of my nose however definitely was.
"Lu-chan," She cooed sweetly. "It's time to wake up now!" Her singsong tone had a dopey looking smile on my face as I reached my hand out, drawn by the promise of caffeine.
"Gimme." My voice was still heavy with sleep and I felt my brows furrow together when she didn't immediately relent.
"Nuh-uh, you have to sit up if you want this. Unless you feel like paying for the comforter when you spill coffee all over it again."
I felt myself shudder at the memory of having to pay two hundred jewel at the last place we'd stayed after I had attempted to get my morning caffeine fix while still laying down. Stupid flimsy coffee lids. An audible groan left my lips as I pushed myself up on my right elbow to look at her. The snicker she'd been trying to hide suddenly became visible and I stuck my tongue out at her childishly as I snatched the sweet drink from her evil clutches.
Okay, maybe that was a bit dramatic but hey, I did already say that I'm not a morning person.
Despite the fact that I had somehow woken up to Levy's teasing once again I offered her the sweetest of smiles that I could muster after the first bit of hot liquid passed my lips. Contentment filled my entire being as I sat up fully, rubbing the palm of my free hand against my eyes. Attempting to clear away the remaining sleep. It was then that I felt the slight puffiness and remembered my previous run from only a few hours before. My eyes snapped open quickly as it all came rushing over me like a crashing wave.
'Who was that man?'
'Or, erm, well…presumed man. He'd been a good head taller than me and with shoulders that broad I could only assume that he was somewhere around my age. I wonder if I'll ever come across him again…' At the thought I could feel my cheeks heat up in a strange blush that was slowly burning a trail of fire down to my neck. 'Ack! What if he's also a student at Magnolia University?! Gods I hope that he doesn't recognize me if he is! Seeing as I ran away like some skittish animal when he tried striking up a conversation. Wait, wait! Of course I did! I mean common, it's not like I know anything about him! He could be a serial killer or a generally crazy person! Running around past three in the morning. I mean, really, who does that? Oh, wait…'
Suddenly I was pulled from my inner ramblings by a slim hand being waved in front of my face. I felt myself blink a few times before meeting Levy's curious gaze.
"Lu-Chan, are you feeling alright?" Her brows had come together in a furrow as she pressed the palm of her hand against my forehead. "Your face is all red…"
"Ack!"
The noise slipped from my mouth as I struggled to come up with a good excuse for my seemingly unwarranted blushing; but Levy could already tell that I was scrambling for words. So no matter what I said the likeliness of her believing me was basically nil. That woman could sniff out lies better than a bloodhound.
A sigh left my lips as I set down my drink on the nightstand and turned to face her, folding my legs neatly at my side.
"Well, I kinda had a run in with someone last night and I was just remembering it." I answered truthfully before putting my hands up like I was surrendering as the color slowly drained from her face. "Wait! Not like that, I swear nothing bad happened! Just…lemme get washed up and I'll explain everything."
The last bit left my mouth in a rush and I tugged on my bottom lip with my teeth as I waited for her to nod before making my way to the bathroom. I could feel her eyes on my back as I quietly closed the door behind myself and let my head knock back against it. A barely audible groan slipped past my lips before I gave myself a quick shake and turned on the faucet. Quickly I splashed my overheated cheeks with cold water which helped bring me back to my senses. My eyes slowly raised to meet my reflection in the mirror. The soft brown gaze that stared back at me seemed too bright to be my own and I quickly looked away.
Why did I look so hopeful? Lucy Heartfilia does not go around getting this flustered by random strangers. In fact, she is not one to get this worked up over a man ever. So this blushing and stuttering bullshit needed to stop.
Placated by my own rational I looked back to meet my gaze again and nodded sharply before I grabbed my toothbrush and toothpaste and started scrubbing away. Once I'd finished cleaning my teeth I grabbed my brush from the vanity and gently started pulling it through my long, golden locks before snagging a white ribbon and sectioning off a bit that I tied into a high side ponytail. I swiped on a bit of mascara before deciding not to go through the rest of my normal beauty regimen. After all, our only plans were to move into our dorm so most likely I'd be getting a little sweaty anyways. No need to get dolled up for that. I could always shower once we'd settled.
Feeling infinitely more confident I returned to the main room and began digging through my suitcase for a suitable outfit.
"Sooo, are you going to just tell me or do I need to drag it out of you?" Levy's inquisitive voice called from behind me. I turned to glance at her over my shoulder and smiled sheepishly.
"Ah, sorry Levy-Chan!" I giggled before turning back to pull a baby pink halter top from my bag. "No it's alright I'll explain everything. No need to pull teeth. Why don't you start getting ready as well while I tell you?"
I didn't need to look at her to know that she had offered me a shrug. Having deemed my response suitable.
"Sure thing Lu-Chan!" Her chipper voice would never fail to put a smile on my face. I heard her softly padding to the bathroom as I continued to dig through my clothing. A scowl made its way onto my face when I couldn't find my white pleated miniskirt. Where was that damn thing?
A noise of victory left me as I pulled it from the depths of my bag and fished out a white bralet and some light silky underwear. White thigh highs were the next thing I grabbed and as I started changing out of my running clothes I explained what had happened the night before.
"Alright, so I decided I wanted to check out the city's park for my run last night. There's a little lake so I figured I'd feel right at home…" I could hear Levy's little 'mmhmm' from the bathroom as I slipped into my outfit. "It was gorgeous really. Not as nice as the one by Porly's but good enough. Anyways, when I was running around the furthest point someone else came running out of the woods."
I slid my thigh highs on and peeked towards the open door of the bathroom to find that Levy had turned towards me and was now leaning against the doorframe, one perfectly manicured blue eyebrow cocked in surprise.
"Well," She mused pushing off of the door to adjust her signature orange headband. "That's new. So what happened with this mysterious stranger?"
I straightened before making my way over to the bed nearest to the window. She joined me, sitting on the bed next to it, her eyes staying trained on my face as I continued to speak.
"At first I was nervous because I've never come across anyone else on my runs. I thought that maybe they were running away from something but then I realized they also had running gear on." I took a swig of my coffee before holding it closer to my chest. My gaze dropped to the lid like it might have the answers to all my life questions printed on it. "Then my body just kind of froze up when they noticed me and the big weirdo started jogging over! By the time they were close enough I had realized that it was a man, probably about our age, with the craziest onyx colored eyes I've ever seen…I mean really, I felt like I was going to fall into them with the way he was looking at me."
Levy gasped and I looked up to see her clasping her hands together, an overly excited look on her face. Figures, Levy has been waiting for a man to catch my attention for almost five years. I laughed at her expression and gave a small shake of my head as if to say 'sorry, it's not what you think'. Her face fell as she scowled at me in an accusing way.
"You ran away didn't you?"
"Well, what were you expecting?!" My cheeks were alight in a blush again and my voice sounded indignant at best. I didn't mean to snap but I was finding that the more I thought about the mystery man the more flustered I became and it was pissing me off! "That I would stay and get to know him under the moonlight?"
The expression she shot me told me her reaction: 'DUH!'. I rolled my eyes and took another sip of my slowly cooling beverage. Mmm, raspberry.
"So…what exactly did he say that made you so skittish?"
"Erm… 'Yo'." I offered her a sheepish expression as I waited for her to start laughing at me.
"Let me get this straight…" Her eyebrows raised as she spoke and she seemed to be at least attempting to hold her stern expression together. "You stand there and ogle each other under the silvery moonlight for gods knows how long and then when he offers you a greeting you turn and high tail it out of there."
The way she said it made it clear that she wasn't asking a question but stating the disappointing facts. I grumbled incoherently into my cup before knocking the rest of the contents back and glaring at the floor like it has personally offended me.
"…Yes…"
At this point Levy let her façade drop and began openly laughing at my otherworldly awkwardness. A blush was blooming on my cheeks but I masked it with a scowl and chucked my now empty cup at her, earning me a high pitched 'Hey!'. I rolled my eyes again before sighing and picking at none existent lint on my skirt. I knew Levy meant well and that she understands my reasons for being nervous but she's also been reminding me more and more often lately that it's been ten years since I ran away from home and my father has yet to find me.
Of course, it was certainly helpful that we spent about nine years living in the woods but it wasn't as if Levy and I never went into town. We were, after all, enrolled in the local high school. Although during our years there I had been using Levy's last name: Mcgarden. Porlyusica was old friends with the principal so he hadn't asked too many questions about Levy and I's sudden enrollment. Before that point we had been taught all necessary material by Porly herself. But when we both reached fifteen she had said she was tired of dealing with our shit all day. A small giggle left me at the memory. Levy shot me a quizzical look but I waved her off.
"So, does this mean that the park is to be avoided at all costs?" Levy asked with a small, teasing smile.
"No, of course not. I really enjoyed the trail there." I crossed my arms as I regained my normal confident air that I carried when it was just Levy and I. "I'm not going to keep one chance encounter with someone I'll mostly likely never see again keep me from doing what I want."
She offered me a megawatt smile and a cheer of 'That's the Lu-Chan I know!' before she bounced to her feet and began collecting all of her items from the bathroom. With a stretch and a sigh I started to do the same. The excitement of getting to move into our new dorm pushed all thoughts of strangers with piercing gazes and handsome smiles out of my mind. Soon enough we were all packed up and ready to check out of our room. I smiled at the promise of adventure as we shut the door behind us for the last time and made our way down the stairs to return our room keys.
Once outside Levy was nearly bouncing in place as she waited for me to extract my sunglasses from my purse. Grabbing hold of our belongings we quietly began making our way towards the University. A comfortable silence fell over us before Levy broke it with a question.
"So, are you excited to be starting Uni in only a week Lu-Chan?" Her free hand swung by her side as she peered up at me, my light brown boots giving me a few extra inches.
"Of course! I can't wait to see what the libraries like." A dreamy expression overtook my features and I knew she had a similar expression on her face. There was nothing quite like the smell of books to calm me. I would rather have been surrounded by large tomes than people any day. That was most likely a byproduct of my lonely childhood. Levy's mother had been a librarian and her father a professor so she also grew up with a love of literature. A sad cloud passed over me at the thought of a tiny Levy losing both of her parents to nasty complications due to influenza. I understood the pain of losing someone you cherished all too well. Damn cancer.
"You would be excited about the one thing that makes most students groan." Levy giggled. Her eyes glittering with mirth as I was pulled from my thoughts.
"What?" I retorted, arching a blonde eyebrow. "Like you aren't just as excited as I am?"
"Well of course!" Her snort was accompanied by an eye roll. "But I'm also excited at the prospect of making some new friends! I'm getting a little tired of a certain ex-Heiress I know…"
"HEY!" My voice became shrill at her jab and I momentarily forgot we were in public as I stomped my foot. Immediately blushing profusely when a few eyes turned to us.
She snickered at me lightly before laying a placating hand on my left forearm and patting gently. I snorted back at her, my embarrassment fading. I enjoyed Levy and I's teasing, it made me feel as though I could just possibly be a normal teenager. Well…young adult by that point I supposed. Although I didn't feel like one on most days. I was forced to grow up quickly and as such missed out on the child like wonder and activities that most others got to enjoy. Levy knew that better than anyone and I didn't doubt for a moment that that was why she poked and prodded at me so often. That and she just enjoyed watching me get worked up...The jerk.
I smiled at her fondly as she looked around at all of the different shops we passed by. Her eyes lighting up as we passed a tiny pastry shop. Her eyes found mine with a silent question in their dark brown depths. I smirked and gave a little shake of my head.
"Let's explore Magnolia once we've settled in." I offered when she pouted at me. "We should be arriving at campus within the next ten minutes. Didn't you want to see our dorm first?"
Her slight irritation at being deprived of a sweet treat-and probably more caffeine-was immediately forgotten once I mentioned seeing our new home, an enthusiastic nod meeting me instead. I smiled when she started to tug on my hand impatiently.
"Common slow poke!" She laughed as she started to run. "I'll race you there!"
"Hey-wait a sec!" I yelped, startled as I was tugged forward. By the time I had regained my footing she was already off. A trilling laugh trailing behind her. "Like you could ever beat me."
I smirked to myself before starting after her. Event toting my luggage I easily overtook her and peeked back as I passed to stick my tongue out before turning back and dashing away. Her sputtered protests somehow still reached my ears, sounding a lot like 'damn your long legs'. Within five minutes we'd reached the campus edge and I slowed down before turning on my heel to wait for Levy to catch up. When she finally stopped next to me she appeared slightly winded. After taking a moment to catch her breath she glanced up to shoot me an irritated look. I couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out at her mildly disheveled look.
"You're the one who wanted to race." I offered, fully aware that I was being entirely unhelpful. She lightly knocked her fist against my shoulder and snorted before grinning brightly.
"Common," Levy giggled as she fixed her headband. "Let's go get our dorm assignment."
I nodded enthusiastically as we began making our way towards the main building, enjoying the silence that fell over us. I found myself staring at the scenery of the campus that passed us by. The buildings were made of old brick and there was a long walkway that lead from the front gates up to one we were headed towards. As we walked the wheels of my suitcase made a light clunking sound. A lush green lawn surrounded us on either side, maple trees scattered throughout. The leaves were still a vibrant green and a tiny smile made its way onto my face. I could just imagine myself curling up at the base of one with a good book. Excitement thrummed in my veins at the prospect, making me feel giddy.
There were several other students around us. Some just sitting and chatting while others were perched at smooth cement tables that had matching benches. To our right I spotted a small group of people playing with a Frisbee. There were five individuals. Three males, and two females. Even with the distance between us I could tell that all of the guys were fit. After a moment I realized that they were all wearing matching t-shirts.
'Must be from one of the Frats.' I mused to myself before I saw something that made me stumble, my eyes going wide. One of the guys who had his back turned to us had the most beautiful shade of rose colored hair I'd ever seen. My heart skipped a beat as I felt a nagging from some dark, long forgotten corner of my mind.
"Lu-Chan?" Levy's concerned voice broke my concentration and I turned back to her so fast it nearly gave me whiplash. "What were you looking at?"
Unable to speak I pointed wordlessly at the group I had just been staring at. My eyes were nervously trained on the toes of my boots. I couldn't bring myself to look in the direction I was pointing and quickly snatched my hand back to fiddle with my purse strap. After a moment I peeked up at her only to find that she was blushing, a new emotion flickering across her features as she looked at one of the group members.
After another long moment she seemed to shake herself back to reality. Her blush deepened when she noticed that I was watching her curiously. Her expression turned to something akin to a mixture of shock and embarrassment. She quickly grabbed my free hand and started tugging me forward, mumbling something unintelligible under her breath. Despite rational thought telling me to just keep moving, I found myself peeking over my shoulder only to find that the pink haired man I had been staring at was watching us. I flushed and quickly brought my attention back to Levy who was still muttering to herself. My heart was doing weird little flutters in my chest and I suddenly found myself growing increasingly irritated. What the hell was wrong with me all of a sudden? I'd met plenty of gorgeous men before and none of them had ever made me act so off. A slight glare narrowed my eyes and I snorted with disdain.
Levy peeked back at me and I offered her a smile. She returned the gesture and once she had turned back around I shrugged my shoulders. Attributing my strange behavior to what happened last night and being slightly nervous about being somewhere completely new. Even though something told me that that was a lie.
Regardless I refused to suddenly become some timid, blushing mess any time I came across a guy, even if he was devilishly handsome. I felt myself blanch at the turn my mind had taken before shoving the thought far, far away. I was still mildly irritated as we made our way inside to the Registrar's office. But quickly found myself perking up at the friendly greeting we were given by the gorgeous woman behind the desk. Her hair was long, slightly wavy, and silvery white in color. She kept her bangs out of her eyes with a pink bow. Dark blue eyes lit up as we got closer and for a moment I was awestruck by her beauty. Then surprise washed over me once realization set in.
"Hello there," She smiled as she greeted us enthusiastically. "My name is Mirajane, how may I help you?"
I already knew who she was however. Mirajane Strauss, the model who posed for Sorcerer Weekly. Gorgeous by anyone's standards; not to mention someone I'd idolized for years, and now she was sitting right in front of us. Smiling like we had brought the sun with us when we walked in. Even though I tried I couldn't stop myself from gushing.
"You're the model from Sorcerer Weekly!" I bounced excitedly, a child-like glee shining in my eyes. Levy looked at me with barely contained surprise. Not shocked that I recognized the woman in front of us but that I was actually talking with her amicably. "Wow, I never would have expected that I would see you here."
She giggled lightly and grinned at me.
"I'm a student at Magnolia University!" She stood and politely offered me a slender hand which I grasped enthusiastically. "Are you two incoming freshmen?"
Levy and I both nodded and I momentarily caught the fond way Levy smiled as she looked between the two of us. A knowing sparkle in her eyes.
"Yeah, Lu-Chan and I were hoping to figure out our dorm assignment!" Levy responded as I dropped Mirajane's hand that I'd been holding for far longer than was probably deemed socially appropriate. I smiled sheepishly when she giggled at my antics. But I didn't feel any real embarrassment at the friendly look she gave me.
"I can get that for you." Mirajane cooed before quickly pulling out a large folder that she then began to leaf through. "What are both of your full names?"
"Levy Mcgarden and Lucy Mcgarden." Levy responded quickly while I looked away hoping that they had missed the slight nervousness in my eyes.
As soon as I'd turned eighteen I had actually legally taken Levy's last name so that when we enrolled at the University no questions would be raised. I was also praying that it would make it harder for my father to find me. Any paper trails for Lucy Heartfilia had ended as soon as I became a legal adult. But a small bit of doubt still nagged at me. If anyone from my past were to find me it would only be a matter of days before my father's personal militia was pounding down my door. A light shiver raced through me at the thought.
"Ah, so you're sisters then?" Mirajane looked between the two of us, a few papers clutched in her grasp. I could tell that she was surprised by the fact that we both had the same last name. Levy and I shared a look once we realized this.
"Well…" My mouth was moving before I could stop myself. "Not exactly. Levy and I became family at a young age so when I turned eighteen I legally took her last name."
My voice shook a bit by the time I was done speaking and when I looked back to Mirajane her face seemed to contort in anger. But it was gone so quickly that I wasn't sure if I had simply imagined it or not.
"Sometimes water is thicker than blood."
My eyes widened at the white haired woman in front of us. She smiled softly, as if she understood my fear, and I could feel my heartbeat rising. My throat started to thicken and I nodded before looking away. Willing myself not to start tearing up in front of a stranger. Levy grabbed my hand and I found myself thanking every god I knew for the millionth time that the tiny bluenette had come into my life.
"Anyways, here are your dorm assignments. You'll be staying in Fairy Hills. It's the all-female dorm on campus. There's a map there too…" Her voice trailed off as a thoughtful expression crossed her face. "But you know that thing can be a little confusing to read."
Levy and I looked at her curiously as she began neatly stacking the remaining papers before tucking the folder back into its correct filing cabinet. She fixed us with a motherly smile and cleared her throat.
"I would hate for the two of you to get lost so why don't I just take you there?" Her eyes sparkled as she looked between the two of us. I could feel my mouth opening to protest but she was already pushing out her chair. "I was about to go on break anyways!"
The way she said it left no room for discussion and I found myself nodding while she made her way around the counter. Only to emerge a second later through a door to the right that just now seemed to appear. Once she was finished locking up she leaned over the counter and snatched a 'Be back in 30 minutes' sign before turning to face us. Our assignment papers still firmly in her grasp.
"Well then, let's go find your dorm shall we?" She smiled as she reached out to grab my hand which Levy had released in favor of fixing the hem of her shirt.
For a moment I simply stared at our joined hands in shock but quickly found her gaze when she offered a reassuring squeeze. I thought that she would let go once we started moving but instead she simply started pulling me towards the doors that Levy and I had entered only a few minutes prior. I glanced back at Levy who was watching the whole spectacle, not even attempting to hide the amusement on her face.
Heat crept into my cheeks as we made our way back out into the warm sunshine. Far too distracted by Mirajane still firmly holding my left hand to bother with feeling weird about the contact. She hummed a soft, happy tune as she walked along the pathway between the building we'd just been in and the left side of the lawn. I knew that I should have been embarrassed by the fact that I was basically being toted around like a toddler but instead a small smile curved up the corners of my mouth. Mirajane glanced back and then tugged me up to walk besides her, a tiny giggle leaving her lips.
"So you said the two of you are freshmen, correct?" Her gaze darted to mine before she looked away again.
"Yeah," I kept my gaze forward to ensure that I wouldn't trip over anything while I talked to her. My clumsiness liked to makes its appearance at the worst times. "Levy and I are originally from Joya but we wanted to move away from home for college."
I silently added that it was actually even further away from Minstrel where I had been born. I'd wanted to get far away enough from my estranged father that I could feel relatively safe trying to lead a normal life. But to be completely honest I wasn't sure I would ever achieve that, even if there was an ocean between us. Too much could happen far too quickly in the twelve hours it would take to reach Magnolia by train.
"Oh wow, really?" Her eyes widened in shock when she looked back to me. Obviously wanting to ask another question but choosing to bite her tongue instead. "Magnolia's awfully far away from home for you then. How are you liking it so far?"
"I love it!" I couldn't stop my eyes from lighting up as I responded. Truly having fallen in love with the town in the three days that Levy and I had been there. "It's really different from home but everyone we've met has been very kind and I like all the nature around the area. It's beautiful."
My smile grew wistful as I recalled the lush forest that surrounded Porlyusica's cottage. A small pang in my chest made my smile falter but I quickly pushed it away.
"If you think it's pretty here you should take a trip to the Capital soon!" Mirajane gushed excitedly. I could feel myself warming up to the woman quickly and instead of shying away I decided to embrace it. Levy had said she wanted to make some new friends and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. "It's only a short train ride away compared to the nine odd hours the two of you must've traveled."
Again I could hear another question lurking beneath the surface of her words but she continued speaking as if it wasn't there. To be quite honest I was surprised that she hadn't broken and asked why on Earth we'd traveled so far away for college yet. My fondness was growing by the second and I promised myself in that moment that I would explain the reasoning to her someday. Mirajane really did seem like the kind of person one could put their trust in.
"Well, I'm a junior here." She continued. "My little sister, Lisanna, is actually a freshman this year as well. I could introduce the two of you to her if you'd like."
"That would be wonderful!" Levy's excited voice chimed from behind us. Mirajane and I looked at each other before slowing so that Levy could join us in walking to Mirajane's left.
"Geez, sorry we left you in the dust like that Levy-Chan." I mumbled apologetically when she came into view. The guilt I felt was instant. "Really…"
"Lu-Chan!" Levy started, her tone demanding my eyes. "Please. Don't worry about it, it's not as if I felt left out." Her chocolate brown eyes were warm as she held my gaze, sincere beyond words. I could tell by the way that she was looking at me that she would never feel left out as long as we were together and I felt my expression softening. It was true after all. As long as Levy and I had each other everything would be alright.
"Kay." Was my murmured response.
Though my voice was soft I was well aware that she could tell from my eyes that I had heard her unspoken words. She smiled brightly at me as Mirajane watched the two of us interact. Instantly seeming to understand the bond that we shared. Best friends that were as close as sisters. Her own smile was brilliant as she walked with us, seemingly right at home.
"By the way," Mirajane giggled as we all faced forward again. "Please call me Mira! Mirajane seems far too stuffy between friends, don't you agree?"
Levy and I both flushed happily before giving a resounding 'Aye!'. I giggled along with Mira then as she neared another building that was set back behind the campus. It was longer than it was tall, only five stories at the most but the building itself must have taken up at least an acre and was built in an 'L' shape. There was thick green ivy growing up the walls but rather than make it look overgrown it took on a magical aura. Much to my delight there was a lawn in front of this building as well with a few more maple trees scattered throughout and a large willow tree in the center. I heard the gasp leave my lips before I could stop it at the sight of the majestic tree. Instantly memories of sitting beneath a similar willow with my mother as the warm summer breeze billowed through the grass flooded my mind. A small, sad smile crept across my face before I focused my sights elsewhere. Mira was looking at me curiously but I wasn't paying attention, prompting Levy to respond in my place.
"Lu-Chan's favorite tree is a willow." Her voice was soft and I knew that she was also thinking of the memories I had shared with her when we were little.
"I used to play with my mother under one when I was little." I offered.
My tone was wistful even to my own ears and Mira tightened her grasp around my hand in response, causing me to look over at her. Her deep blue eyes held a sadness similar to my own and before I could stop myself I had wrapped my arms around her neck in a tight embrace. She only paused for a beat before her own arms slipped around my waist as she pulled me closer to her, her temple pressed against the side of my head. When we stepped away Levy looked like she was about to burst into tears. Her bottom lip was trembling but her eyes were alight with so much joy that I couldn't bring myself to fret over her too much.
I gave a little laugh as I wiped away the tears that had gathered along my lash line. Feeling slightly embarrassed that I had just embraced someone that was still a stranger, even if it didn't feel like it. I could hear father's reprimanding words ringing in my ears and I bit my lip as more tears threatened to well up. Mira seemed to notice my internal struggle despite my trying to hide it and she reached for my hand wordlessly once again as we started towards Fairy Hill's main entrance. In that moment I got the distinct feeling that I would be able to hide what I was feeling from her just about as well as I could from Levy.
"It looks like you two are located on the third floor." Mira spoke as she glanced over the papers in her left hand. She smiled brightly as she looked between Levy and I. "That's a great spot, not too many stairs but high enough to still give you a good enough view of the grounds!"
Her cheerful disposition lifted my spirits immediately and I felt relief rushing through me like a soothing wave. Pushing away any thoughts of the life I was still fighting to escape. We paused as we got to the bottom of the stairs that led to the front door and Mira released my hand. She took a small step back from us and handed off the papers to Levy.
"Well, I should probably head back but it really was such a delight to meet the two of you!" She offered a little wink before speaking again. "I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot of each other."
Levy grinned brightly and I offered a smile of my own as she turned to leave. Levy and I were just about to ascend the stairs before she came running back over to us.
"Oh wait! Wait just a moment!" I turned back to face her and felt the urge to giggle at the sheepish expression that she was wearing. "Actually, I've already invited Lisanna to come out with me and some of my friends tonight. Would you two mind joining us?"
I felt surprise take over my features, my mouth opening a slight bit at the fact that Mira had genuinely meant what she had said. Not that I had assumed that she was being flighty but I had honestly thought that it just seemed like the polite thing that people said to one another. I'd never imagined that she would hold so fiercely true to her words. Of course, with time I would learn just how fierce Mirajane Strauss could be when it came to the people she cared for.
"Wow, yeah that sounds like a blast!" Levy could barely contain her excitement as she responded. Bouncing in place slightly. "Why don't you take my number and text us when you'd like to meet up?"
Mira nodded, her eyes lighting up as she collected Levy's phone from her outstretched hand and entered her number. Then she offered a wave as she made her way back towards the Registrar's office.
"Don't forget to come tonight or I'll just have to come find you and drag you out with us!" She called over her shoulder, flashing a devilish smirk that made chills run up my arms. Somehow I had the feeling that she wasn't kidding about that. "There are some people you definitely need to meet along with Lisanna!"
Levy looked at me with a quirked eyebrow taking in my equally stunned expression.
"You think she would really do that?"
"Yes," I nodded before laughing. "I most certainly think that's exactly what she would do."
"Cool." Levy's answering chuckle was just as joyful. "Okay common then, let's go see our new home!"
Once we had gotten inside and collected our room keys we practically ran up the stairs. Levy gave a call of joy as she found room 310 and inserted her key, unlocking it with a smooth 'click'. She swung open the heavy wooden door with a flourish revealing a small but homey living space. There was a plush looking light grey couch pushed against the wall to the left with an oak coffee table sitting in front of it and another armchair besides that nestled in the corner. Next to that was what, I presumed to be, one of the bedroom doors. As we stepped inside I noticed another door about five feet to the right of the first one and a small galley style kitchen on the right side of the room with a breakfast counter separating it from the main room. There were two oak stools tucked beneath the slightly protruding edge. On the wall next to that was another door, which ended up being the bathroom proving my earlier presumption about the other doors correct. As well as another smaller door that was a closet with an ironing board folded up inside. The floor was a light colored linoleum designed to look like wood.
Overall it was far nicer than I had been imagining and my mind started to spin with all the different ways Levy and I could make it uniquely our own. Levy seemed to share my thoughts as she let out a low whistle before closing the front door behind her. It shut with a heavy thud as she moved out towards the middle of the room without bothering to lock it behind her.
"Wow, there's even ample wall space for a decent sized bookshelf." She cooed, clasping her hands together in delight. I nodded at her sentiment before glancing at the door next to the armchair. She caught my gaze and followed it before letting out a little chuckle. "Do you want the room furthest from the kitchen Lu-Chan?"
"Yes please." My answer was immediate and she laughed at the obvious excitement rolling off of me but I couldn't bring myself to care as I made my way towards my new bedroom. Once I pushed open the door I was elated.
It was decent size with a small closet and twin bed that was slightly raised off of the floor. A fairly large oak desk with a rolly chair was situated up against the wall shared by the door. I noted with an approving smile that there was a good amount of room for a few shelves on the wall as well as a bookcase.
A small pout twisted my mouth when I noticed that the bed had been pushed to the far corner of the room but quickly got over my mild disappointment when I gave it a little push and realized that it wasn't bolted to the floor. Without a second thought I maneuvered the bed so that it was sitting under the window, which took up a good portion of the furthest wall from the door; flooding the room with natural light. Nudging my luggage over to the closet with my foot I flopped down on the bed and rolled onto my back before gazing out the window. It would be easy to see the stars from here at night. A soft sigh drifted past my lips.
"I miss you so much mom." My voice was barely a whisper but my words seemed to echo around the room, making it feel empty. Making me feel empty.
My eyes drifted down towards the lawn and stopped when they landed on the willow tree. The leaves were gently swaying in the breeze and I rolled to the left just enough to push the window open. Inhaling a deep breath through my nose as I let my eyes fall shut, the air smelt like fresh cut grass and the beginnings of fall. I could feel the weariness seeping into my bones and took in another deep breath to try and block out the heavy sensation. Instead focusing on relaxing every muscle in my body, allowing the last of the summer breeze sweeping through the room to gently lull me to sleep.
Yeaaa like I said that was a long one! A little over 7,000 words but I honestly had a blast writing this. And look! New character! I hope I did Mira justice. Lucy's going to find her hands full with Mira in this story let me just tell you. Please review and let me know what you think. 5 reviews will get the story out sooner! Otherwise I'll see y'all on Sunday :-)
As always. Best,
SB