"You expect me to study alone?" I whine, throwing my hands up in dismay. It is a fact that I get distracted much too easily. At least with a partner, I know I can be on track. For the most part.
"Sorry, Erza. I promised Mr. Clive I would help with designs," Lucy says with a sigh.
"What designs?"
"For the Fiore Ball," she informs me. She grabs her pink purse and a stack of posters from her desk before making her way toward the door.
"Holy crap. When's that?!"
Lucy's brows scrunch together pensively. "Hmm...Two weeks? One and a half?"
"Where am I supposed to get a dress from?" I ask frantically. Clearly, my priorities are out of order.
"I'll handle it." She gives me a wink. "You focus on your exam because if there's one thing I can't handle, it's paying for your failed class."
"Luuuucy," I groan, smiling despite myself.
~ ~ ~
It turns out everyone's "busy."
Lucy and Levy are prepping for the ball, Natsu and Gray make useless study partners (the "cat incident" still gives me nightmares), and Jellal, after apologizing profusely, grudgingly admits that he has to drop something off at his house.
"As much as I enjoy our study sessions, Wendy's going to kill me if I don't return her DS," he remarks, waving a small, pink device.
"You stole her DS?" I gasp, feigning horror. "How dare you?"
"I know, I know," Jellal replies, hanging his head with shame. "I'm an awful person. But my DS is messed up and I can't afford a new one."
Unable to fight off a grin, I say, "I'll let you borrow my DS if..."
"...if?"
A flutter, like a butterfly's wing, deep within my chest.
"-if you can guarantee I'll get an A in math."
"Erza!" Jellal complains, eyes wide with laughter. "If you paid more attention-"
I suddenly notice a flash of dark hair behind Jellal.
Ultear...?
No. It's just Gray. He winks at me and mouths something.
F-L-I-R-T
All amusement fades. The guilt...Why do I feel guilty? It's Ultear who's wrong, not me...
What if she truly thinks Jellal is her soulmate?
"Well!" I say at last. "You'd better get going. Tell Wendy I said hi."
I whirl around and walk down the hallway. The cool spring air hits my face as I exit the stuffy building.
The beat of my heart returns to normal.
~ ~ ~
"Jellal told me you were looking for a study partner," Ultear says, slamming her textbook onto the seat beside me. I jump at the sound of her voice and nearly end up falling off my chair.
"Oh, uh, hi, Ultear. Yeah. You studying for history too?"
"Yep. I made a study guide if you want to take a peek." She pushes a pile of neatly typed papers toward me.
"Thanks." I read the papers intently, but unfortunately, my mind wanders.
She saw you and Jellal.
YOU ARE READING
The Firefly Effect | jerza
Fanfiction❝You'll never understand until it happens to you.❞ college au | fairy tail | jerza @ANIME FEATURED STORY
