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Aʟʟ I Eᴠᴇʀ Nᴇᴇᴅᴇᴅ
Chapter 12 - Swim Coach

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Monday came as fast as it could, leaving no room for the weekend to draw out. The teens, after their long day on Saturday, were sitting in homeroom; but 4/5 were only there...

Juvia, weirdly, was absent - the chair over by the window missing the girl sitting in it. Other classmates were happy that the Fiorean they could care less about wasn't there, but the four specific students? They were worried. Oh so worried, they wondered why she was gone.

Sick? Hurt? Who knows, her Father could've abused her and she just decided to sit school out - but why would she want to stay at that hell of a home?

The girl would never not go to school, because if she didn't, that'd mean staying at home - even if she was sick with a fever, she'd rather be at school than home. Even so, her Father never let her miss a school day and could care less if she was sick or not - she had to go, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

However, their worrying died down once she walked into the classroom--causing Porlyusica to stop her lesson and groan in annoyance at the girl whom was late. "Ugh, never be late again or there'll be consequences!"

Juvia flinched, clasping her hands together in front of herself "Sorry..." she ducked her head and flashed passed the short-tempered teacher. As she walked down the aisle where her seat was located, she looked over at Gray - whom was staring at her - and smiled, silently telling him she was alright.

Gray only looked away rapidly after her pleasant smile towards him. He didn't like her smiling at him one bit - it left a weird feeling deep in his stomach. They were rivals, but friends--enemies, but friendly. Plus, he was way more used to her glaring at him by now, the smile was just throwing him off.

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On Tuesday, the school day flew by with the excellence of a bird.

Nothing special went on - the test in Pre-cal was quite a literal hell, and the lesson in Porlyusica's class was agonizingly slow - but alas, the day was over.

Gray was walking out the school doors when suddenly he saw Juvia, rushing out of the doors with fast movements, as if late for something.

"Juvia!" Gray called after her, to which the bluenette turned around to the mention of her name, scanning the crowd of students to finally see that it was Gray who called her.

She walked up to him fast, waving as she did so "hey, what's up?"

This was weird...the girl wasn't saying any rude comments to Gray, and she was smiling--again!!!

"Uh..." he was flustered, really. It was weird without her snarky remarks, glares, and or comments on his appearance. Her face was unreadable and showed no sign of disgust--was she okay? "You look in a rush, what's got you excited?"

"Oh, nothing!" she says with another smile, causing Gray's mind to go nuts "Juvia just starts another job today and she needs to be there on time before the person shows up-"

"What job is it?" Gray asked, grabbing his backpack strap as he stared at the twinkling bluenette - although he knew about her story and how sad she should be, she showed no sign of sadness or regrets.

Juvia just scrunches her nose, "sorry, Juvia'd love to stay and chat, but she's afraid she can't... She has to get to her job, sorry, Gray-Sama...-" the girl covered her mouth as soon as she spoke his name with the added suffix, honestly surprised with how she had said his name-

She wasn't the only one, though. Gray's mind was going bonkers. Why was he Gray-Sama all of a sudden? "'GRAY-SAMA'...?" he asked.

"Sorry about that, too, Gray-s- Juvia means Gray-sa- Gray-sam- grr... G-G-Gray-Sama- Ugh, Juvia has to go...!" and with that, the girl was off.

Gray stood in stunned silence 'What the hell is going on...?'. He pushed away his thoughts as he began walking again, heading towards his home which would be empty when he returned; Wendy and Silver had to go to a private swim coach for lessons - for Wendy, of course. Wendy loved swimming and was able to get a coach whom would coach her with swimming, and once ready, the girl would be swimming competitively with her own self on a team along with her coach being alongside her.

Gray planned to go home and rest, play some video games, maybe, while he waited for his family to get back.

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An hour or two later, the door opened and in rushed Wendy to her brother seated at the table. The cute little girl hugged her brother with love, hugging him mercilessly as if he were to disappear. "Hey, Wendy...how was swimming? S'your coach good?"

Wendy pulled away and nodded her head, a big bright smile on her features "my coach is SOOO awesome and sweet like candy!!"

Gray raised a brow with a smirk, "so your coach is candy?"

Wendy scrunched her nose and slapped her brothers' arm, a laugh coming from her mouth "no, silly!!! She's a sweet person! I love her!"

"It's a girl?" Gray asked, returning to his homework which he had been working on before he was bear-hugged.

Wendy nodded once more before walking away, "she's cute, too! I think she's a perfect match for you!"

Gray dropped his pencil and looked at his sister as if she had just come from an insane asylum "perfect match?"

Silver walked into the kitchen and sat next to Gray, "she's a cutie, but princess, you can't just match your brother and your coach up without them going on a date!"

Gray just shook his head and rolled his eyes once again returning to his school duties "whatever you say..."

Wendy giggled as she too sat down at the table "really, Gray! She's a good match!"

Nodding, Gray took it as a joke and smiled "sounds good, can't wait to meet her," he said that with total sarcasm, smiling wider once he got hit on the arm once more by his adorable little sister who wanted to be taken seriously.

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The next day, things got even weirder.

At lunch, the 4 - with the addition of Levy whom was busy chatting with Lucy - were sitting, eating like usual, when Juvia showed up--setting down her lunch tray on their table. She had on a warm smile and sat as if she had done so for years; Levy and Lucy stopped talking and looked at the bluenette silently, the rest of the table questioning what the girl was doing as well.

Juvia straightened her smile and looked at all of them worryingly "what? Does Juvia have something on her face?"

"N-No..." Lucy spoke up, looking to the bluenette with a smile "we're just surprised is all."

Juvia shrugged, picking up her sandwich and taking a bite "Why?"

"Well...for starters, you're sitting...with us?" Natsu chewed his small chicken wing as he stared at Juvia with an odd look, gulping down the carton of milk he had open long ago.

"O-Oh..." Juvia looked towards her tray and set her sandwich down, feeling overwhelmingly abnormal "sorry, Juvia can go sit somewhere else if you need..."

"No, it's alright," Gray said this time, looking at the girl in question "we just want to know why you're not sitting with your normal friend group?"

"Oh! That," Juvia gained back her smile and sat comfortably, looking at the four, with the addition of Levy - whom she had yet to properly meet "they were called in by Principal José. Juvia doesn't know why they were, but Juvia supposes they got into yet another fight."

"It happens regularly?" Erza asks, crossing her legs.

Juvia nods her head slowly, embarrassment was written all over her face "Juvia has to say the truth, but, yes..."

"Well okay. No matter what the reason, you're free to sit with us, didn't mean to make you feel awkward!!" Lucy says with the polite smile she always wore around Juvia, friendship warming Juvia's heart.

Juvia smiles widely, taking another bite of her sandwich, enveloping the nice warm feeling of sitting with those who she felt safe with - no offense to the rest of the Element four who were, in fact, not in the principal's office for what she thought of.

As lunch continued, Juvia was introduced to Levy and had a swell time laughing pleasurably and letting herself be whom she was meant to be.

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A week later - the following Wednesday - Gray was walking towards the swimming pools - his father had called an hour before school ended and asked for his son to pick up Wendy from swim practice, Silver having to work a longer shift at his job.

Gray wasn't too happy about having to pick up his little sister but was slightly joyous that he got to walk home with her. Wendy was the light of his world and he loved spending his moments with her - she was so gosh dang adorable and a joy to be around!

When he rounded the corner, he saw just the little girl he was looking for - but with a girl, much older than Wendy, by her side.

It shocked Gray. The girl standing next to Wendy looked familiar...like, from school...

"Gray!!" Wendy called once she saw her older sibling, running to him for a hug - the girl whom once was standing next to Wendy turned and looked with wide eyes at the sight before her.

"Hey! How was swimming?" Gray asks, forgetting all about the presence of the other girl.

Wendy smiled a wide one, placing hands on her brothers' chests "great! My swim coach says I have gotten better!!"

"Gray-Sama?" that voice was familiar to Gray and he just had to sweatdrop. However the world worked, or by unfortunate circumstances, of course, Juvia was coaching his sister of all people.

"Juvia?" Gray said back, standing up from his kneeling position, holding his sisters hand in his.

Wendy looked between the two with a twinkle in her eye "W-wait! Gray, you know my swim coach? Swim coach, you know my brother, Gray!?" she asked in excitement, the conversation they had a week ago ringing in her head.

Juvia nods and walks up closer to the two "Juvia's afraid she does," she looks to Gray with a beaming smile, "Hey!"

"Hey..." Gray says back with a smile, squeezing the little hand in his. "This is the job you were talking about? Swim coaching?"

Nodding softly, the 17-year-old bluenette smiled as she ran her fingers through Wendy's hair.

"That's cool, how though? I thought only adults could be coaches or something like that...?" Gray asks, changing his foot stance.

"Uh, Juvia guesses she qualified...she doesn't really know how. Juvia has been swimming ever since....yeah, you know..."

Gray nods in understandment "you must be really good at swimming competitively if you're allowed to coach-"

"She is! She is, Gray!!!" Wendy yells abruptly, bringing the two teens out of their conversation "she's so good, and as I said before, sweet and beautiful!"

Juvia blushed at the comment and patted the little girls' head, saying a quick thank you before Gray scoffed "thanks, kiddo. Anyway, how about we go home?"

"Can Juvia come!?" the teens froze at the little girls' comment, looking towards the sides awkwardly.

"Uh..." Gray trailed off, "I don't-"

"Juvia wishes she could, Wendy, really...but she has plans to do after this, so it won't work out."

"Bummer- It's okay though!! Maybe next time!!" Wendy says with a grin, reading the discomfort around them.

Juvia laughs awkwardly and pinches Wendy's nose, "well, you did good today cutie! See ya in two days!" Juvia started walking off, "bye, Gray-Sama~!" she says before disappearing from their sight after rounding the corner.

Wendy looked toward her brother, "see, you know her..." the little girl smirks up at her brother, making him uncomfortable "so ask her on a date!"

"Now that's pushing it, Wendy-" Gray says as he turns away and starts walking, Wendy following. "We're just friends."

"That's what everyone says, big brother..." Wendy, again, says with a smirk, holding her brothers' hand as they walked. "Just watch-- you'll end up falling in love with her, and then you'll date, get married - that would mean she'd be related to me!!! - and have children and name one after me!!!"

Gray rolled his eyes, "if I buy you ice cream, will you shut up?"

"Yup, but only because we both agreed that my prediction is true!!!"

"WE NEVER AGREED ON ANYTHING!"

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In 15 days...Halloween day will be here <3