Fantasy

Juvia's parents died when she was just five years old. With no relatives around, she ended up in an orphanage. Of course, as a young kid who just lost her parents, she would be sorrowful and despondent. Adding to the fact that she was a shy little girl, it was difficult for her to get along with the other kids. She was even bullied at some point. Until she met Gajeel.

Gajeel had been in the orphanage since he was two. He was a troublemaker so the sisters didn't like him very much. And since he has a scary face and bad personality, as per the rumors, the kids were afraid of him.

He unintentionally saved Juvia one time from a bully and since then she has followed him around. He had been annoyed at her in the beginning, and he had tried every trick for her to stop bothering him, but Juvia was a stubborn child. From the moment he had saved her, she knew he wasn't a bad person, so she had decided to be his friend.

Eventually, everything worked out. Although his words weren't the most pleasant, his heart was, and she knew he cared for her.

It was proven when someone came to adopt him.

Juvia tried her best to appear happy for him even when she didn't want him to go. She thought he would always be there so it was a shock for her to find out it was possible for them to be apart. He was her only family. But she didn't want to hold him back from getting his own family he deserved. So she could only pretend to be joyful.

Her smile was wide, her acting was impeccable… or, so she thought.

Gajeel placed his hand on top of her head and said, "You look ugly, silly."

Juvia balled her eyes out. How could he say that when he would be leaving her?

"Don't cry now. You're coming with me."

Her tears halted instantly.

Gajeel brought her with him, and they were both adopted by Jose Porla, a rich, bored businessman. He didn't have a wife nor an interest to have a wife, so he has no heir. He took a liking to Gajeel when he visited the orphanage and decided to adopt him to be an apprentice of some sort.

Juvia could safely state that everything she has now was owed to her adoptive brother, Gajeel. Therefore, when he was expelled from school and was forced to transfer to another, she didn't hesitate to accompany him. Even with his rage.

If she left him alone, it would only worry herself so might as well tag along. She could also keep an eye on him, so he could avoid trouble that follows him all the time.

In their previous school, someone even formed a gang called Phantom Lord and erected him as the leader. Naturally, Juvia joined for fun. After that, all sorts of crazy rumors spread which had no truth in them. Like how they tortured some students from another school after defeating them in a gang fight, or how they would make someone suffer if he or she pisses them off. The rumors were so ridiculous, she could hardly understand why almost everyone believed them.

The only activities Phantom Lord ever did were play games in an internet cafe, riding bicycles in the evening (since it was way cooler), playing cards at an abandoned building, et cetera. Still, no one was convinced by it and the members stopped explaining.

Gajeel enjoyed his effortless, notorious reputation but Juvia did not. Because of that, she was never able to make friends with the girls and no boy was brave enough to ask her out. Except, Bora, that… that rouge.

So in addition to monitoring her brother, she would also try her best to make friends in this new school.

But never in her wildest dream did she expect to be in the same school and class as her crush!

Juvia had met him a few weeks ago. In one of her saddest moments, he appeared like a ray of sunshine, easing her worries and making her heart flutter. Ever since that fateful day, she had been determined to find him. But he was wearing a common uniform with no distinctive features, like a logo of his school or something, so her efforts had been futile. Who would've thought she would find him where she least expected to? This was clearly kismet!

There were only a few students around and the teacher had not arrived. Juvia gathered her courage and approached him. He was writing something on a paper, so when she stopped a few paces away from his seat and her shadow loomed over him, he looked up, frowning.

"Juvia Lockser," she introduced herself with a smile. Oh my, he looked even more handsome today!

He raised an eyebrow as if conveying how that concerned him. With how he reacted, it was clear he didn't remember her anymore. Maybe in his mind that time, what he did for her was just an act of impulse with no importance whatsoever. But it was different for her.

She used to be pessimistic, thinking something bad would always happen. But ever since that incident, her outlook in life changed. She now believed that in every despair, there is hope, she just needed to look around her.

It also didn't bother her that he forgot about her. She would just have to make sure, this time, he would never forget her.

"Your name?" Juvia asked when she realized he had no intention of introducing himself.

"Gray Fullbuster," he replied as he looked down on the paper again.

She shrugged at his dismissive attitude. It was normal, they were strangers. Eventually, they would get along and be friends, then… then they would be lovers!

Oh Juvia, stop thinking ahead!

Juvia was about to sit beside him since there was no indication that someone was sitting there, but he stopped her.

"That seat already belongs to someone," he said, looking at her coldly.

She blinked innocently. "We can buy a seat at this school?"

He pressed his lips, obviously annoyed. He must've thought she was ridiculing him but it was actually a genuine question from her. She had been told by her brother that at times, she has little to no common sense. At times.

Juvia chuckled at Gray's expression. Why she found him cute at that moment was beyond her comprehension. He seemed to be also surprised by her reaction, since he started staring at her like she was some sort of puzzle he had yet to solve.

"Juvia will find another seat, then, Gray-sama," she stated, still grinning.

She was about to walk away when she felt a tug from her bag. She turned to see him holding the keychain in her bag. He promptly let go when she took a glimpse at it.

"Uh," Gray started, looking awkward as his other hand caressed the back of his neck. His cheeks were a bit flushed, probably from embarrassment, "sorry for being rude," he apologized in a low voice while looking anywhere but her.

S-so cute!

Juvia beamed at him. "It's okay."

He must've been reserving the seat for his friend. She also had that habit whenever she and her brother were in the same class. And maybe he was also feeling a bit under the weather since she noticed he had been scribbling nonsense on the paper. He must be troubled by something. The least she could do was understand.

"You can sit in front of my des-"

"No. Juvia will find another one," Juvia unintentionally cut his sentence off.

Before he could say something else, Juvia had already escaped. No way would she sit in front of him. How would she steal glances at him if he was sitting behind her? No can do! And since it would be hard for her to refuse the second time, she bolted away.

Juvia found a seat two blocks behind him, near the back of the room. She giggled stupidly as she stared at his figure, indulging herself in a fantasy that they would have their happily ever after soon.