It was Friday morning. The alarm went off and both girls got up. They had the nine a.m. class together, English Literature.
"Ok Lu-chan, I'm going to take a quick shower, start picking your clothes or we'll be late!"
"Oh come on Levy, I don't take that long…"
"You and I both know that's a complete lie." Levy let the door shut behind her as she put the water running and started taking off her pajama. When she felt it was warm enough she got in. She heard clothes being thrown and Lucy raging on about something, probably saying that she didn't have anything to wear.
"Hmm, let's see what I have to get done today… Class until one p.m., then lunch. I have to go to the library… Maybe I'll stay there and work on the paper, get a little study done since Saturday I'll only have the morning off…"
Levy exited the shower and put the towel around her. As she got out she saw Lucy waiting by the door and behind her there were clothes. Clothes everywhere.
"You were right ok? I'm a mess." Lucy was glooming on her way to the bathroom. This always happened when she couldn't figure out what to wear although she looked great in anything.
The weather outside was a little cold so Levy grabbed a pair of jeans, high Brown boots and a turtle neck Orange sweater. She packed up her bag and made breakfast as she waited for Lucy to get out of the shower.
"Come on Lu-chan, we're gonna be late!"
"I'm coming, I'm coming! Where's my bag?" Lucy looked at the pile of clothes on her bed and looked back at Levy biting her lip. Levy just sighed and went on to help her. They both dove onto the pile.
"Found it!" Levy was panting. "Now let's go!"
The girls rushed to class eating their breakfast on the way. The barely made it.
Gajeel couldn't sleep. Not when a few inches away his roommate and his girlfriend were fucking. Loud.
So he got up, took a shower and decided he'd go to class for once. It was English Literature. Perfect, he would be able to sleep then, just as he wanted to.
He got there and was glad because it was almost full. It meant he would go unnoticed while sleeping. He sat in the back and crossed his arms over the table putting his chin above them.
The professor arrived and started the lesson.
"Good morning class. Today we'll be analyzing one of John Keat's poems, «La Belle Dame Sans Merci». I'll read it and then ask you questions. The students who chose to respond will get a grade so if you want to answer just put your hand up. Alright, let's begin."
Gajeel thought this might be a good time to start dozing off. He was starting to fall a sleep. Suddenly… Was the professor talking about fairies? Maybe he was already dreaming…
"… I met a lady in the meads,
Full beautiful -a faery's child,
Her hair was long, her foot was light,
And her eyes were wild.
I made a garland for her head,
And bracelets too, and fragrant zone;
She looked at me as she did love,
And made sweet moan.
I set her on my pacing steed,
And nothing else saw all day long,
For sidelong would she bend, and sing
A faery's song. …"
Gajeel was almost sound asleep when he heard a loud thump. Someone must have dropped their books. He cursed under his breath as the boy at his side let out a whispered "I'm sorry". The professor was talking again. He already finished reading the poem.
"Now my question for you is. What is the significance of «La Belle Dame Sans Merci»?"
Only a few people put their hands up. Most of the class knew the professor didn't like obvious interpretations. He liked people who could see past the obvious. But he also demanded they would back it up, and not everyone could do that.
Gajeel figured it would be a good time to go back to his rest. Sending a warning look to the guy beside him, not wanting to be interrupted by the sound of fallen books, he snuggled his head in his arms.
"You! What is your name miss?" The professor seemed to be talking to someone on the other edge of the room.
"My name is Levy McGarden sir."
"Then please miss McGarden, gives us your answer."
"In my opinion, the references to "faery" and "elfin" suggest enchantment or imagination. The lady, symbolizing imagination, takes him to an ideal world. The knight becomes completely absorbed in the pleasures of the imagination – the delicious foods, her song, her beauty, her love or favor. But the imagination or visionary experience is fleeting; the human being cannot live in this realm, a fact which the dreamer chooses to ignore. The poem is about the relationship of the real and the ideal. The knight rejects the real world with its real fulfillment's for an ideal which cannot exist in the real world. In giving himself entirely to the dream of the ideal, refusing to let go of its pleasures, he destroys his life in the real world."
Gajeel let out a growl of annoyance under his breath. He was trying to get some sleep but instead had to listen to some smart ass interpretation of some poem. Since he was already in a bad mood everything made him mad for no particular reason. He just wanted some rest, was that too much to ask?
Levy knew this poem very well. It was on of her favorites by John Keats. She could nail this.
As the professor read the poem she listened carefully. Taking notes of the arguments she was going to use for any questions he may throw her way.
When he finished he started by asking some basic questions. What did the title mean, what is the stanza structure, how was the poem divided. Levy didn't want to waste her chance in those, she wanted the opportunity to tell him her interpretation. When he finally asked she got up so quickly that her chair almost fell. She put her arm up violently. Lucy giggled, thinking how cute Levy looked when she was excited like this.
"You! What is your name miss?" He pointed at her. She told him her name and he asked for her answer.
Her interpretation was different from the most common ones. She didn't think of the fairy looking woman as a femme fatale who would seduce men and then kill them. She thought the meaning had to be deeper and it had to do with the knight himself. How he wanted to live in a perfect world, denying his own reality, losing consciousness of what is real and what is not.
"Very well Miss McGarden. You looked past the obvious and found a deeper meaning on what was written, the subject was indeed caught up in that enchanted world and the fairy could be his own delusion so that he wouldn't have to come back to reality. It's a great interpretation. You get a B plus."
The professor gave her a quick smile and a nod. Guess that meant she did a good job, but still she felt a bit disappointed, she was aiming towards the A.
"Let that be a lesson to all of you. There are no wrong interpretations, if you read carefully of course. It will only depends on the person that is reading and how they can relate to the poem." He looked at the time. "And that's all the time we have for today. Have a nice weekend."
Levy's classes for the day were over. She actually kind of enjoyed it. After English Lit she only had two other classes, Written Expression and Introduction to Ancient History.
It was lunch time and Levy had already asked Jet and Droy if they wanted to join, since Lucy and the girls went to the mall to shop for tomorrows party. Her best friends were happy to oblige.
Not many people were at the cafeteria. Probably because it was Friday and most of the students had no problems on starting their weekend early.
"So guys…" They all sat down "… What are your plans for this weekend?"
"I'm visiting my parents! Finally! I miss my moms cooking so much…" Droy's eyes were glowing. Levy smiled, it was cute.
"I'm going to a competition upstate with the track team. Pretty sure we're gonna win!" Jet was completely excited. They would probably win. Jet was one of the best runners out there.
She was happy for her friends, but she was happy for herself too. As much as she loved them she knew that if they went to the party she wouldn't be able to let herself go completely.
They kept talking about a bunch of random things. When Jet started doing impressions of his teachers Levy couldn't keep the tears from laughing. And because they were having so much fun together she forgot about the time, and then she checked her cellphone.
"Shoot! I have to go, I need to go to the library. I'm so sorry guys, I have to go."
"No problem Lev, we'll walk you there!"
"Hey dude… Hey!"
Gajeel felt someone touch him.
"Come on, wake up!" He lifted his head and blinked.
"Where the fuck am I?"
"In a class room, in building seven. I'm guessing you've been here since first period… But we're having a class so it would be best if you could take your nap somewhere else."
Gajeel looked at the guy with one brow raised and a mad look on his face.
"Who the hell you're think you're talking too? I sleep wherever the fuck I want."
So this guy woke him up and still had the audacity to tell him he needed to leave? This was being a really bad day, so this guy might want to shut up and not push him.
Afraid of doing something he might regret, he got up, grabbed his stuff and got out. As he was walking the halls he distractingly passed by some girl who was staring and hoping he'd look back. When he didn't she followed him.
"Hey! Hey Gajeel! It's me, Kendra!"
The girl was smiling and her voice sounded excited. How annoying. He looked at her, turned around and kept walking. Her smile faded so she grabbed him by the arm.
"Hey, I wanted to talk to you, you never answer my texts…"
He sighed. The feeling of deja vu was overwhelming.
"Look, I don't have the time or the patience to do this right now so I'm gonna give you to you straight. I don't remember who you are, I'm sorry. We probably got drunk and slept together, but that's what one night stands are. One night stands, ok?"
She just stood gawping in shock. Reality hit her in the face. Hard. Like iron. Then he left without looking back.
Gajeel crossed campus, he wanted to reach the dorms fast, he wanted to spend the rest of the day sleeping in peace. But he heard a voice calling from a distance. "Oi! Gajeel!"
"Oh fuck, not another one…" Thinking it might be another girl he fastened his pace trying to escape, but whoever was calling kept following.
"Gajeel! Hey, it's me, Lily! Why are you running away?"
He turned around. It was his best friend, Lily.
"Oh hey Lil, thought you were some girl…"
"You might want to acknowledge that you have a problem. You sleep around too much. I mean if it's getting to the point you need to hide from them…"
"Yeah yeah, look Lil I'm not in a good mood today so let's talk tomorrow, alright?"
"Oh ok, sure! I just wanted to ask something about the English Lit paper."
"OH FUCK, TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT THAT! When is it due?"
"I should've guessed. It's due next week, on Monday."
"I have a party this weekend… Crap."
"Well, if I were you I'd go straight to the library and start working. Don't try to do it in the dorm. You'll fall asleep for sure."
"Arggg, FUCK, THIS IS SUCH AN AWFUL DAY!"
"You brought this on yourself. You should have started sooner."
"Lil just shut up! Ah fuck, I need to go… I don't even know what it's about!"
"I'll give you my guidelines, mine is almost finished. I'm sure you can pull off something. Crappy, but something for sure."
"Funny. Let's train someday, I want to see how many teeth you'll have left for your annoying smiles."
"Oh, let's do that please. I'm sure you'll keep getting as much laid after I crack that awful face. Anyway I have to go, and so do you. Good luck Gajeel. If you need anything text me."
"Yeah, thanks Lil, talk to you later."
Gajeel looked at the list of guidelines Lily gave him. There were at least twenty instructions. "This is too much! How am I supposed to have this thing ready for Monday?!" Gajeel started making his way back. Now he had to cross campus again. He had to go to the library.
He let out a growl of frustration and punched the wall. Stupid, crappy, annoying, fucking day. A miracle had to happen for it to suck less. And maybe Gajeel was walking towards that miracle.