The Firefly Effect | jerza

9:00

When the fire alarm goes off at three in the morning, students are going to be pissed.

"It has to be South Campus," Lucy groans, referring to the area where the sophomore dorms reside. "Always us."

Our entire sophomore class stands in the designated "gathering area," huddled together in our pajamas. Half the kids look like their asleep- the other half look like their high on caffeine. 

"It doesn't look like a fire drill this time," I whisper. I step closer to my roommate and she wraps an arm around me as we attempt to retain body heat. 

"I don't care," Lucy mumbles, burying her face against my shoulder. "I wanna...sleep..." 

~ ~ ~

"I'm breaking up with you," Lucy decides, turning away from Natsu with disgust. 

Natsu's weirdo roommate, Gray, appears to be on the verge of ripping the salmon-haired's head off of his shoulders. I don't think I will stop him this time.

"It was an accident!" Natsu says, pouting. "And you can't break up with me! I'm your soulmate!"

"I can, actually." Lucy sighs. "Fine. I won't. But wait 'til the rest of the school knows you woke them up before sunrise because you burnt a piece of toast!"

"Lucy," he whines.

"Don't give me those puppy dog eyes," the blonde snaps. "Why were you cooking at three a.m. in the first place?"

 "Don't look at me!" Natsu argues. Everyone looks at him anyway. He's the idiot who burnt the toast. "Jellal's dorm is right across from mine and I heard him get up...I was just curious!"

"I couldn't sleep" Jellal defends. "because I was craving blueberry pancakes."

"But why would you even let Natsu cook in the Residence Hall Kitchen with you?" I ask Jellal. "You know how reckless he is!"

"I didn't even let him cook!" Jellal protests, waving his hands wildly. "He was toasting bread. One slice!"

The conversation continues to go in circles. And not once do I forget my soulmate is seated beside me. 

~ ~ ~

I enter the lab and take a seat beside Mirajane. Professor Clive gives me a strange look but carries on talking about today's topic: dissecting a cow's heart.

"Mirajane," I whisper, pulling out the list Jellal and I put together last night. I smooth out the paper and push it toward her. "Do you think Lisanna knew any of these people?"

She glances at the list and says, "Call me Mira. Not Strauss. Not Mirajane. Mira"

It's already a big enough change going from "Strauss" to "Mirajane." Now "Mirajane" to "Mira?" As if I'm her...friend. I watch as she inspects the names. 

Keep your friends close. Keep your enemies closer. If Mirajane is pretending to be my friend, then she's doing a pretty good job.

"I haven't heard of any of these people," Mira says, handing me back the note. "Where did you get the list from?" She narrows her eyes. "Don't you dare lie. I want to know."

I decide talking about black markets and belladonna is not a good idea to discuss during biology class so we exchange phone numbers and a promise to meet up at Fairy Tail tomorrow morning.

~ ~ ~

North Campus is always empty.

It's the part of campus that borders the neverending pine woods. There are no shops or classes, only a row of lonely trailers which were abandoned shortly after the expansion of the West Wing. Some students claim the ghost of Ms. Mavis Vermillion, first principal of Fiore Univ, resides among the shadows.