The Firefly Effect | jerza

17:00

Lucy and the rest of the decorating squad had certainly outdone themselves. Again.

Uni's ballroom was typically simplistic with nothing more than pale walls and a polished floor, but today...Today was the day to celebrate with red and gold; today, the twenty-second of March, was the day to celebrate the establishment of Fiore University.

I had taken Ultear's advice and worn a rich, blue evening gown with a fitted bodice adorned with bits of lace. Gold, iridescent sequins lightly embellished the top of the skirt, like rain droplets straight from heaven. The dress was ever so delicate and I felt as if it might tear upon a single movement. 

It is risky, wearing blue to a gold and red event, but I had figured many people would wear other colors- after all, red and gold together was considered flashy.

Majority of partygoers were now entering, Jellal, Ultear, and Gray among them. 

"High heels, huh?" Gray asks immediately. "God, I hate those. Are you trying to make me look short?"

"I hate them too," I admit.

"Then why wear them?"

"Because everyone else is." I shrug. "I don't want to look short."

I catch sight of Levy, standing awkwardly near the door with Droy and Jet, her ever-present companions. Levy, short as she is, doesn't wear heels.

Of course, she's not wearing them. Why be ashamed?

"I wonder...is it too late to take them off?" I murmur.

"And go barefoot? What if you stub your toe?" Lucy asks, horrified.

Yikes.

"I will never get used to seeing Ultear in a dress!" Natsu says loudly. He's Natsu. He loves to make an entrance.

"Neither will I," Ultear replies unabashedly. Her arm is hooked through Jellal's. I stare at it hard, pretending I have the force to unlink them. 

The background music suddenly slows and many people take advantage of this moment by pulling their significant other onto the dance floor.

I quietly creep away from my friends, who, naturally, pair off into couples. 

"Looks like you're the fifth wheel*," Gray comments, joining me. Together we walk to the other side of the ballroom where a bar has been set up. A male bartender offers me a glass of what looks like wine. I accept but don't drink it. I've heard enough horror stories about drinks being drugged at night parties.

"Fifth wheel...Is that a thing?"

Gray nods. "I know all about it." He gets the attention of the bartender. "Tequila, please."

"So soon?"

The raven-haired boy shrugs carelessly. "I've got nothing else to do." 

~ ~ ~

"It's nice out!" Lucy comments, smiling contentedly. The night air is crisp in contrast to the stuffy atmosphere inside. In the moonlight, her pale pink evening gown seems to give her an angelic sort of vibe.

"Yeah." I lean against the railing of the balcony. "Not all colleges are like this, you know." I shake my head with admiration. "It defies all odds, me being here."

I stuff my hands into the shallow pockets of my evening gown and wrap my cold fingers around the silver button. The smoothness of the trinket feels soothing against my hand. 

"What do you mean?" Her eyes remain closed.

"I applied to two schools. Magnolia College, the local community school, and here. I expected to go to Magnolia because it was all I could afford..but...I decided to test my luck and apply for a scholarship at Fiore University."

"Wait a minute," Lucy exclaims, righting herself and meeting my gaze. "You're not saying...you were one of the kids who got a scholarship?"

Once a school year, three kids get a full scholarship to Fiore University. It was rare, and a pretty decent achievement, but it wasn't something you could boast about- far too many jealous students lurked about.

"Wow. That's...that's amazing!"

I had told her one secret, why not tell her another one?

"Lucy...I think Ultear is..."

Lying.

Suspicious.

"...sick."

"Sick?"

"Yeah. I, uh, passed by her in the ballroom. I think she drank too much."

Lucy's forehead crinkles with concern. "Oh no. Should we get her?"

I nod vigorously. 

Why am I such a bad liar?

"Well, come on then." She heads over to the glass door leading back inside. I don't move.

"I..uh..I'll follow you in a minute." Lucy gives me a weird look but goes anyway. Relieved to have a little alone time, I plop into one of the nearby chairs and pull out my button. It's become a habit, a comforting action. 

A girl approaches me. She's unlike any of the other partygoers. She wears a navy blue shawl wrapped around her shoulders, concealing her hair, and casting a shadow over her pale face. Her dress is dirtied, and wrinkled; it's as if she'd suddenly appeared from a fairy tale.

"You can't figure it out without a key," she says in a muted voice.

"Wait, what? You mean this button?"

But she's already gone, like a lost phantom running free.

What needs a key besides a lock...?

~ ~ ~

As the hours fly by, drunkards begin to outnumber the sober. I find myself, still on the balcony, but surrounded by a group of intoxicated freshman. 

I also find myself facing a fairly drunk Jellal.

"Hello," he says with a weak smile.

"Hey," I reply back. 

He teeters forward and I have to grab him by the shoulders. "You drank too much. Again. Seriously?"

Jellal nods. "Seriously."

"Where did Ultear go?" I look around. The group of freshman is slouched in chairs. Other then them, the balcony is empty. "Ugh. Okay. Where's Lucy?" 

The blue-haired boy is staring at me.

"What?"

"Scarlet, scarlet. It's a funny, funny name." He catches one of my shorter strands. "Scarlet. It's the color of your hair."

"I know it is. That's why I chose it," I respond without much thought. Half of me is trying to prevent Jellal from toppling over. The other half is keeping an eye out for one of my friends because I know there's no way I'll be able to carry Jellal if he passes out.

"Erza Scarlet." He presses a kiss to my cheek. Seconds later, he collapses.

Typical, typical.

*A note about the phrase "fifth wheel"  It's a variation of the phrase "third wheel," which is English slang. For those of you who do not know, a third wheel is a person "joining a couple in a social context." For example, if Natsu and Lucy, as a couple, went to a party, and Gray tagged along, he would be considered the third wheel.