The next morning I woke up to something rough and damp licking my face. Squeezing my eyes shut tighter, I heard my annoying alarm going off on my phone.
"Ugh, is it morning already? And what is-oh!" I said turning off my alarm then patting whatever was licking me. Felling soft fur beneath my fingers, I opened my eyes slightly to see Lily looking down at me.
"Morning, Lily. Thanks for waking me up a minute before my alarm. I could've used that minute." I whined burying the side of my face into my pillow and pulling the covers up towards my chin.
Lily nudged my face with his and started pawing at my cheek, meowing at me.
"Ok! Ok! I'm up! I'm up!" I groaned slowly sitting up. Rubbing my eyes with my hand, I let out a big yawn and stretch, before sliding out of bed.
"Come on meanie. I'm guessing you woke me up because you're hungry." I yawned again, picking him up off my bed, carrying him to his food bowl.
His dish was placed beside my desk, full of food he didn't eat last night. I guess Gajeel feed him before we came over to stop the fight.
Lily munched on his food, making a lazy smile curl my lips. Running my fingers through my tangles, I started to get dressed for the day.
I spent the rest of last night working on my costume. It's almost done, just need a few accessories and it'll be finished. Now, I will have to spend my entire time in class daydreaming about what would happen if I go vs. what would I do if I don't go. Why can't I make a decision? I'm making this more complicated than it has to be.
I sighed as I fixed my headband in my mirror, before walking out of the bathroom to grab my bookbag and keys.
"I'll be back soon Lily," I said bending down to pet his head. I was giggling at his purring and him nudging my hand to pet him more, when there was a knock at my door.
"Hm. Must be Lu-chan." I said walking to the door. Opening it, I was shocked to see crimson eyes looking down at me.
"G'morning shrimp. How's Lily?" He said letting himself in, walking straight to Lily.
"Wha-What are you doing here? And so early at that."
"Wanted to make sure, Lily was cool."
"He's fine, now get out of my room!"
"Oi! Why're ya kickin' me out? I just got here." He said picking Lily up, placing him on the usual spot on his shoulder.
"That's the point! You can't just come walking in here, you know!"
"I don't see what the big deal is. You having a rough mornin' shrimp?"
"Stop, callin' me shrimp!" I snapped. Why am I so upset right now? Why is my heart beating so fast? Is it because, I'm glaring at this giant in front of me?
"Woah! Do you need some coffee?"
"Coffee?" My ears perked up at the sound of delicious bitter caffeine, heating up my body.
"Ah, you're one of those."
"One of what?" I asked starting to get offended.
"The, don't talk to me until I've had my coffee, type." he said with little smirk.
Lowering my head, I studied my carpet thinking if I really was like that. I do drink coffee quite often but not everyday. Only when I've had a rough start to my morning or need a pick me up, so I guess he could be half right.
"I do need a pick me up, because I stayed up pretty late last night."
"You seemed a little tired when I left, so I thought you'd go straight to bed. Why you stay up?"
"Oh…uumm. Just studying that's all." I said trying to cover up the fact that I was working on something completely different.
I was pleased and relieved that he bought my lie, suggesting that we should leave soon before class starts. Agreeing, we said our goodbye's to Lily before heading to the coffee shop that was conveniently located near the academic buildings.
We walked together, talking about what he had planned for today and the 5k run that was being held later on today. We had to go around a few people due to a few students, setting up and preparing the campus for it.
"Do you put on the zombie make-up yourself?" I asked, trying to hide my excitement of the smell of coffee beans and sweets, as we entered the tiny coffee shop.
"Hell no! I get Juvia to do that crap! I don't know to how do it."
Juvia? Oh right! His childhood friend. I hope I can meet her soon, so I could ask her some questions about Gajeel. But wouldn't that be invading his privacy? If he wanted to tell me, then he would just tell me, right? Ugh, why is this so hard? I've never had such a difficult time, figuring someone out.
"Shrimp! You ready to order? I already did mine." he asked snapping me out of my thoughts.
"Oh! Yes! Can I just have black coffee. Thank you."
"You don't need anythin' sweet for that?" he asked as we moved away from the register to wait for our drinks.
"Nope."
"Hmm. You're tougher than ya look." he smirked, making my face heat up. My stomach felt weird again and my heart started feel like it was swelling with something. I can't tell what it is, because I've never felt this before, but it feels nice.
With our drinks in hand, we exit the tiny coffee shop, with my heart not calming down with whatever emotion I was feeling earlier.
"Where's your class?" I asked taking a sip of the bitter liquid that I enjoyed so much.
"I don't have class for another hour."
"What? What are you doing still up?"
"I wanted to catch you before you left for class, so I could check on Lil'."
Scrunching my eyebrows together, and squinting my eyes, I looked up at the tall guy suspiciously.
"What?" he asked confused.
"How did you know what time I have class?"
His eyes went wide and his cheeks tinge a slight pink before fading. "I didn't know, I was just assuming since you're so smart and you do have classes all day."
"How do you know I have classes all day?"
"Shit! That's not what I'm saying! I'm just guessing shrimp! Even if you didn't have class soon, I still would've came over at the same time."
"And woken me up? You was prepared to deal with that?" I asked with a little smile, as panic flashed on his face then went away just as fast as it came.
"Pfft. You ain't nothin' compared to my dad and uncle. It's like waking up a pack of dragons."
I stood there for a while smiling at his comment with my eyebrows raised. "A pack of dragons?"
"Hey! You've never done it so, you wont understand."
"Ok. I have to get to class before I'm late. I'm still suspicious of you though, Gajeel Redfox!" I waved bye, as I walked in the direction of the building my class was in. But I wasn't to far away to hear him curse at himself, saying, "Dammit. Way to go, Gajeel."
I giggled to myself, but then realized a question I thought a few days ago. Could he really be stalking me? He couldn't, he wouldn't….would he? It would be really hard for him to hide since he's so tall and big, but not impossible.
After classes was over, I sat outside with Lucy, watching the campus come to life with an Apocalyptic theme. There was students and faculty running around giving orders and setting up. Sitting on a bench, I swung my legs a little as I told Lucy about my morning.
"So you think he's stalking you?"
"No! That's not what I meant. What I mean is, I think he's seen me before."
"But you haven't seen him." She said with a little smile. I knew exactly what she was thinking and it wasn't good.
"He doesn't like me, Lu-chan!"
"I don't know! The evidence is hard to deny Levy."
"What evidence?"
"The evidence of the fact that he might be your stalker."
"I highly doubt that." I pouted crossing my arms over my chest."
"Ok, hear me out. He knows, Jet and Droy. He knows your class schedule-"
"Supposedly."
"Supposedly, he knows your class schedule aaaanndd he was conveniently located outside our dorm when you attacked him."
"I didn't attack him. I was simply exhausted to the point of not knowing what was going on." I continued to pout.
"Still doesn't defeat the point that he was outside of our dorm."
"I thought the trail for the 5k goes around our dorm."
She looked confused for a second, then placed her index on her chin, thinking. "Maybe, I'm not really sure to be honest."
"So there's no prove that he did it on purpose!"
"Actually there is! They posted a map of the running trail around campus so we can see if he did it on purpose or not." She said standing up quickly searching for one of the maps.
I started to instantly panic. I really don't want prove, I don't want to find out if he was "conveniently" located or not. I just want to forget I ever said anything, and finally decide if I'm going to the Halloween dance or not.
"Found one! Lets go, look at it!" She said grabbing my hand, pulling me out of my seat and dragging me to one of the bulletin boards.
"I don't want to see it Lu-chan!"
"Come on, Levy! Lets see if he's your stalker." she said smiling big as she continued to drag me. We stopped in front of the tall board, but I looked away as soon as the map came into view. I don't want to know…..right?