CHAPTER 5: Preparations

It has been days since Sting confessed to Lucy in the library. The blonde beauty had been shocked by the confession that she didn't give Sting a direct reply and just left after awkwardly laughing it off. During the next day, Lucy deliberately tried to avoid meeting Sting. Although, of course, it was impossible given that they were classmates. But Lucy had her ways. She would leave her chair quickly, she'd hang around Levy more, or she'd just keep herself busy reading a book.

The avoidance was obvious for Sting and he felt a little hurt. He'd see Lucy and they'd lock eyes for a second. She'd smile at him but she would quickly leave so that she wouldn't have to make conversation. At some point, Sting felt regretting that he had confessed. But it's too late since the damage had been done.

Seeing the obvious avoidance of the blonde, Natsu couldn't help but wonder why Lucy act the way she does with Sting. He wouldn't admit it out loud but he's cool with it. He wishes it to stay that way, if possible. But then again, who is he to make such comments. So, Natsu didn't ask Lucy or Sting. He just watches from the back.

The weekend passed by quickly and Lucy was still appalled by Sting's 'I like you very much, Lucy Heartfilia' spill. She hadn't told her friends about it for fear that they'd fuss over it and make it more awkward with Sting. She tried discussing it with her mom, but she couldn't own up to the story. Instead, she said it was her friend who was experiencing it. Of course, her mom knew better, but she didn't question it. She just gave a piece of motherly advice.

Walking to school before sunrise, Lucy thought deeply about her mom's words.

"Before making any decision, always look into your heart. Listen to it and understand what it is telling you. There will be no perfect answer for every situation. It's a matter of how you will deal with and confront it. Just be honest and be real to yourself and to the person. You understand, Lucy?"

Groaning to herself, Lucy felt annoyed for being confused. The fact that she doesn't know what her heart is telling her, she feels lost and felt like she's running in a circle. She knows that she needs to confront Sting about the confession. She can't keep avoiding him and make him think that what he had done was wrong. The truth is he didn't do anything wrong. She's just conflicted with the idea that someone likes her, while the person she likes, likes someone else.

Arriving at school as early as six in the morning, Lucy knows that many of her friends are still on their way to getting out of bed. So, she doesn't expect any of them to be around. But when she noticed a few swimmer athletes entering the pool area, Lucy remembered her blue-haired best friend. So she sneaked in and tried to find Juvia. Lucky for her, the young blunette was around, stretching.

"Juvia!" Lucy whisperingly called, "Juvia-chan!"

The bluenette finally turns around, looking around the area with furrowed brows.

"Juvia-chan!" Lucy called again, waving her hand. Finally, it caught the attention of the swimmer.

"Lucy-chan! What are you doing here?" Juvia smiled before she skipped toward the blonde, "Our class doesn't start before 7:30. What are you doing here?"

Lucy sheepishly smiled at her friend after she pulled away from their embrace, "Uhh…I just woke up too early, I guess. I decided to just come to school earlier,"

Juvia looked at the girl skeptically before grinning back at her, "Alright then. Stick around while Juvia does some laps,"

"Sure…" Lucy trailed behind the swimmer and looked around as she enters the pool area. Some of the athletes she saw were doing their own warm-up as well, making Lucy curious whether the bluenette had some competition coming up.

"Are you sure it's okay for me to hang around? I think you're having some training," Lucy whispered but Juvia just chuckles and dismisses the blonde's worry.

"Of course, it's fine Lucy-chan. Don't worry, Coach Aquarius isn't coming yet this morning, but she insists that we do some laps every morning and afternoon as part of our preparation for the upcoming event next month," Juvia leads the blonde to a bench where her stuff was all settled. Lucy immediately sat on the bench and watched her friend pull out her swimming gear.

"So, what's bothering you?" Juvia smirked as the blonde was surprised by the sudden question.

"Huh? Why do you think like that? I'm perfectly fine…" Lucy denies it as she looks away from the bluenette, trying her best not to give away her expression.

"I know you, Lucy-chan. When something bothers you, you barely sleep well, then later you'll start wanting to walk around. Hence, why you are here at school at this hour," Juvia then chuckles when Lucy blushed for being caught red-handed.

Lucy sighs as she realizes there was no point in denying, "Alright…something is bothering me…"

"Hmm, let Juvia guess, Lisanna? Natsu?" Juvia then trails off before adding, making a wild guess, "Sting?"

Lucy suddenly looks up at her friend with wide eyes. This made Juvia chuckle as she thought that she had guessed right. Stretching her arms upward and then side-to-side, Juvia kept her eyes on the blonde as she said, "Levy-chan mentioned to Juvia that she noticed that you have been avoiding Sting. Any particular reason?"

The blonde didn't answer immediately and just stared at the bluenette. When Juvia headed towards the edge of the pool and sat down, Lucy thought her friend would drop it. But then Juvia half turned and jumped in, keeping her eyes on her, "Lucy-chan?"

Lucy sighs again before giving up her silence, "Sting said something to me last Thursday…" she then paused, trying to find the words to explain the situation without dropping the word confess. It felt like it was a big deal. And she doesn't want to make it one, "Something that really took me by surprise. I just don't know what to do with the information,"

Juvia tilts her head, completely clueless to the story of the blonde, "Um, Lucy-chan, why don't you start from the beginning. Juvia needs context about the story," Juvia then chortles.

Lucy bites her lower lip, feeling conflicted about whether to admit it or not. Seeing that there was no point in hiding the truth, Lucy finally gave up and told the whole truth.

"Sting confessed to me," Lucy blurted out, which Juvia didn't get it immediately until it clicked to her.

"Wait, what?" Juvia suddenly pulls herself up from the pool and stood on the ledge. If coach Aquarius saw her, she'd be dead meat for not starting her laps yet. But, she needs to get the whole story of the blonde.

"He confessed to you like…telling you that he liked you or something?" Juvia bafflingly sat next to the blonde, who slowly nods her head and kept it down after. "What did you tell him?"

Lucy shamefully looked at her friend with a pout on her lips, "That's the thing, Juvia-chan. I didn't say anything or answered his question. I just…awkwardly laughed and walked away."

"What?" Juvia was astounded by Lucy's reaction before chuckling at the image she saw in her head, "Lucy-chan, that's cruel,"

"I know!" Lucy whined before face-planting herself with her hands, "That's why I have been avoiding him. I don't know what to tell him or how to explain what I did…"

"Oh, gosh…" Juvia sighs in exasperation, baffled at the blonde's situation, "That's tough…and a hell lot awkward,"

"I know…" Lucy whimpers before looking at the bluenette, "Do you have any suggestions on how I'll fix this?"

Juvia thought for a moment, glancing at the pool. The water was softly waving, giving the blue-haired swimmer a sense of calmness, "Well, what do you think of his confession?"

"I'm…shocked," Lucy exhales deeply, trying to sort out her emotions, "I thought Sting was never interested in people. But he said, he had liked me since last year,"

"Really?" Juvia was amused with the detail. She then hums to herself before she asks again, "Do you like him?"

Lucy glanced at the blunette, thinking hard about her response, "As a friend, I guess, I like him. He's funny and considerate. I just…I just haven't pictured him in a romantic sense."

"Do you want to see him in a romantic sense?" Juvia asked, returning a rhetorical question, "I mean, looking at the way he treats you, it all makes sense. Juvia notices how Sting cares for you and wishes to get to know you better. He lights up when you smile at him and he listens well when you talk,"

Lucy looked at Juvia with a little surprise in her eyes, "So, are you saying that Sting should pursue me?"

"What Juvia is saying is that you should give Sting a chance," Juvia then shrugs her shoulders, "I mean, there is nothing wrong if you both get to know each other well. Unless…"

Juvia trailed off, making the blonde curious. She then saw the blunette tilt her head and grimaced, as if she was supposed to know what it meant. "What are you talking about?"

Juvia sighs, "Unless, Natsu…"

"Oh…" Lucy slowly looked away from her friend and stared at her fumbling hands, "I don't know…Maybe I should stop liking him. I mean, I shouldn't be liking him in the first place. I'm just his best friend…"

Juvia suddenly loops her arms with the blonde, snapping her out of her thoughts, "Lucy-chan, there is nothing wrong with liking your best friend. But if you think that it's time for you to move on, then you should do it. But Juvia wants to remind you,"

Lucy looked at her friend intently, "If you are giving Sting a chance, I hope it's not because you want to spare him the feeling of rejection or that you're trying to find someone to replace Natsu in your heart. If you are giving him a chance, I hope it's because you truly want to get to know him."

The two ladies were then silent. Lucy took in Juvia's words sincerely and she agrees to her opinion. At the end of their conversation, Lucy smiled at her best friend and embraced her. Soon enough, Juvia started her laps while Lucy remained in her seat, contemplating on her own.


The first period came and Mr. Conbolt, the adviser of section 3-A, arrived in their homeroom class on time. His students were inside already but many of them were still standing and chatting away. As soon as Mr. Conbolt stood by the teacher's table, he dropped his things and successfully startled the students, capturing their attention.

"Alright class, please settle down," Mr. Conbolt then waited for all of his students to take their seats, "as you all know, every school year we hold a school festival. We have at least a month and so to prepare for this event. We do this for two reasons, first is to welcome the students back, and second is to invite possible new students for next semester."

Everyone then cheered as they heard the news. Students knew that every school festival lasts for three days, in which students engage in fun activities prepared by their school clubs.

"Now, as tradition, each grade level has its own café, talent show, tour guides, and main activity program. The junior students are always assigned to do the school play as their main activity. So, each section chooses an activity to do. And to be fair, we, your advisers did a random draw."

Students cheered again and happily laughed as they began to chatter among themselves, daydreaming of what they'll want to do during the school festival. Mr. Conbolt suddenly felt bashful as his students may turn sour at his next news.

"So," Mr. Conbolt bellows loudly, cutting out the noise of the class, "we did the draw this morning. Section 3-B will be in charge of doing the tour guide for incoming new students."

The students hummed in agreement. Levy glanced at Lucy behind and smiled at her. They both smiled at each other knowingly as they agreed that it was fit for the section given that Erza was there.

"For section 3-C, they are assigned to do the talent show—"

"Yes!" a student exclaims and soon most of the students shouted in glee as they thought that they were spared from doing any talent presentation.

"I'd rather do a theme café than sing!" another student shouts over the crowd, to which Mr. Conbolt sarcastically smiled.

"Now, for us…" Mr. Conbolt starts, barely getting the full attention of the class, "We'll be doing the play,"

Everyone was still cheering, not listening to their adviser. When suddenly, a lone student thought she had misheard their dark purple-haired teacher.

"Sir!" the brown-haired student raised her hand and then stands up when she was regarded, "Did you say we're doing the play?"

Everyone in class slowly becomes silent, curious, and frustrated by how their classmate was being ridiculous.

"Jian, what are you talking about?!" one of the students hissed in annoyance.

"Um, yeah…" Mr. Conbolt then smiled sarcastically at the brown-haired student and then at the student who commented. All of the students' eyes turned wide as Mr. Conbolt continued, "Section 3-D gets to do the themed café. We'll be doing the play,"

"WHAT?!" all students bellowed, almost shaking the walls of the room.

"NOOO!" most of the boys screamed, except for Natsu and Sting, who just cringes in annoyance about the loudness of their voices.

Despite the whining, somehow, the majority of the girls welcomed the thought of doing the play. They started talking about the previous play last school year and how fun it looked to dress up and do makeup.

"Alright boys, calm down," Mr. Conbolt raises his hands and waves them around to cut the noise of his students, "You don't have to worry because the play isn't going to be the typical Snow White story…"

Students looked at each other as they whispered among themselves, "The play is going to be an original screenplay by your…student council president,"

Levy and Lucy looked at each other again and they both had stunned looks. They weren't expecting this news as the redhead didn't mention anything about making a script.

"Erza?!" Natsu suddenly shouted, asking their adviser. He then physically shivered as he imagined Erza being the director and how she'll torture them if they didn't act the way she wanted.

"Uh, yes. Ms. Scarlet volunteered herself to create an original play, and so she'll be the director as well…given we don't have a choice," Mr. Macao says the words softly as he turns around and shivers as well.

And right at that instant, the door to the classroom suddenly slides open loudly, startling the students. Erza stood there with a glint in her eyes, eyeing the class and their adviser.

"Just in time," Mr. Macao uttered as he smiled at the student, who bows her head in respect, "Ms. Scarlet, you may take the floor. I have just explained to them about their task."

"Thank you, Mr. Conbolt," Erza then stood up straight before entering the classroom with poise and confidence. Everyone in the room then sat properly and remain silent. Macao couldn't help but raise a brow at his students, then roll his eyes as he realized that his students were more scared of the red-haired president than him.

"Good morning 3-A, I am Erza Scarlet. I will serve as your script-writer and director for this play." She then bows down halfway, then stands up straight again, "And I will be assisted by Jellal Fernandez, who is my co-director for the play."

The blue-haired boy with a birthmark on his face was then spotted next to the redhead. He stood taller than Erza but was able to make himself less imposing. He then bowed to everyone while he carried bundles of papers that looked like scripts.

Some of the girls in front then giggles as they stared at the handsome vice president. Erza couldn't help but turn her head towards the chattering and almost made her glare. But when Jellal looked at her with a soft smile, Erza quickly looked away, a little flustered.

"Alright, quit it!" Erza exclaims, making the students stiff at the commanding voice, "To make everything fair, we have here a bowl of names of the characters that you'll get to pick."

A male student then raises his hand, "Is there a chance that the boys get a female character?"

"If your lucky, yes," Jellal replies.

Some of the students then groan in annoyance, to which Erza just rolls her eyes. She still couldn't believe that students still prefer getting a stereotypical role.

"Anyways," Erza sighs, "I'll give you the summary of the story. So, basically, this is a story about a princess who was trapped in a castle by a sorcerer and took her place in the real world. When the princess was able to reach out in the real world, asking for help, two princes were on their way to help her. However, the princess didn't know that the castle was cursed and that when one enters, no one can get out unless they break the spell. So the two prince gets stuck as well in the castle."

The two SC officers began to walk the side aisles and handed the scripts, "That's the basic summary of the play. But to understand better, read the story and you'll enjoy it." Erza then handed the short story to the student in front of her.

"The actual script will be handed in later this afternoon during the script reading with Erza. Tomorrow will be the start of the acting workshop and practice for the play." Jellal added as he continued to pass the stacks of paper.

After Erza handed the papers she held, she walked around the classroom again and let students pick a slip of paper from the bowl. Each slip of paper had different roles, such as character role, design and props committee, costume committee, music and lights committee, and posters committee.

"Lu-chan! What did you get?!" Levy asked enthusiastically as she stood up from her chair and ran up to the place of the blonde beauty.

"Uh, I don't know, I haven't checked yet..." Lucy said as soon as Levy was by her side. She just stared at the piece of paper on her desk, "It's weird…I feel nervous about it,"

Levy then laughs along with her friend. Soon, Erza stepped up to them and inquisitively asked, "What did you girls get? I'm so excited,"

"Erza! How come you never told us you were writing a script?!" Levy then hip-bumped the redhead, making the president laugh.

"I wanted it to be a surprise," Erza then places her hands on her hip, "Well, it would suck if my section got the play. I really wanted you guys to do it,"

"What? Why?" Lucy amusingly asked.

"Hm, let's say, you guys were my inspiration," Erza then chuckles along with her friends, "So, what did you get, Levy?"

"I got…Wind fairy!" Levy beamed as she unrolls the paper in front of her friends

"Awesome!" Erza gleefully drapes an arm over her friend's shoulder, "And you, Lucy?"

"Um…" Lucy then shakingly takes the paper, "Let's see…"

Lucy then unrolls the paper and soon Levy and Erza leaned in to read the words. To their excitement, Levy screeched while Erza shouted out the words.

"Lucy is the princess of the lost fairies! Princess Ayana!"

Some of the girls were audibly heard moaning sadly while some clapped their hands. To Lucy's surprise, she couldn't help but groan when she realized she got the main role.

"Can't I be just a fairy or something?" Lucy then stood up from her chair and looked around, "Anyone who wants to trade roles?"

"Sure!" one girl shouted, but Erza quickly turns to the girl and eyed her sternly.

"No! No exchange. It's fair and square. Better luck next time," Erza then looked away smugly, and the girl groans in annoyance.

"Lucy, you can't." Erza then crosses her arms as she stared at her blonde friend.

"What's happening?" Natsu suddenly butted in, making the blonde flinch in surprise.

"Natsu," Lucy whined as she playfully pushed the pinkette back, "Why do you always do that?"

Natsu grinned at the blonde before looking back at Erza, "So, who did you imagine as the prince?" Natsu then winked at the scarlet-haired girl, making her blush.

"Shut up, Natsu. I didn't think of Jellal like that," Erza then scowls at the pinkette.

Natsu then laughs as he lets himself drop back to his chair, "I didn't say it was Jellal."

Coincidentally, Jellal stood behind the pinkette and asked, "What about me?"

"Jellal!" Erza suddenly exclaims, making the girl blush even more while her friends just laughed at her embarrassment.

Jellal just taps the shoulder of the redhead before looking back at the class and calling their attention.

"So, may we know who got the role of prince of the wind and prince of the water?" Jellal asked, looking at each student. When suddenly a hand raises in front of him. Jellal then smiled, "Alright, Sting plays one of the princes. Who did you get?"

All eyes were then on the blonde boy, even Lucy who was bewildered at the coincidence, "Umm…Prince Lucas, prince of the water,"

"Great!" Jellal then claps his hand before looking back at everyone again, "Who got Prince Edward, prince of the wind?"

All students looked at each other, wondering if they got it. The boys even rechecked their slip of paper. But they just shook their head as they muttered that they got a different role.

Levy then looked at the pinkette, "Natsu, what did you get?"

"Huh? Me? I don't know, probably props. Why?" Natsu said as he rocked his chair back and forth. But he quickly stops it when Erza stomped her foot and leaned forward.

"Natsu! Why didn't you open the paper?!" Erza then grabbed it and quickly unrolls it. She then sighs and turns to the class, "Natsu gets the prince of the wind,"

Lucy then gasps as Natsu bellows in surprise. Meanwhile, Sting curiously glanced at the blonde beauty and saw how her expression showed mortified. Sting couldn't help but scrunch his face as he became curious about the blonde. Everyone in class just claps their hand as they take in the information.

"Okay, 3-A, remember, all of those who got a character role are important to attend the script reading. Each one of you has an important role to play in the story so…" Erza then stared at everyone with a stern gaze, ending it with Natsu, "Don't you dare ditch or be late in the meeting,"

"Hai!" All the students exclaimed in response to the somewhat threat of their script-writer.

Soon enough, Erza and Jellal bowed to the class adviser and left the room. To his surprise, Macao Conbolt was amused to see his students a little more enthusiastic than moments ago. He then clears his voice and said to them, "Alright class, I wish you all luck. Let's not disappoint each other and your demon—SC President."

"Hai!" majority of the students in class chuckles a bit before they bowed to their teacher and watched him leave the room.

As the class waited for their next teacher to arrive, all of the students started talking to one another again. Everyone was beginning to be ecstatic as they talked about doing the play, except for one certain blonde beauty. Lucy just stared at her slip of paper while her blue-haired best friend rambled about the story of the play.

Why the hell is this happening?

To be continued…