Many days had passed with me hardly talking to Jellal. We only ever communicated if we really needed to and when our friends were there. I spent half of my days feeling sad and lonely (which probably wasn't healthy). It was a very tough and depressing time but it also made me focus on me. Mest invited me to the gym one day so I went, and after that, it became a weekly routine for us to go to the gym together. It was good since it made me get fit (especially because of all the self-pity cake I've been eating). I also had a lot of shifts at work so I was earning money well.

These next few days were going to be girls' days, starting with today, Friday afternoon. Lucy, Juvia and Levy all insisted that we spend some days together and I didn't see why we shouldn't – although I did think they wanted to cheer me up for the moping about I was doing because of Jellal and they were sick of me being sad.

"Come on, Erza. You have to try on clothes as well," Lucy said.

We were in a clothes shop at the mall, trying on clothes – well, my friends were trying on clothes but I was sitting on a chair just watching them. Lucy was standing in the open doorway of her changing room, wearing a blue top that she was trying since it was on sale.

"No thanks," I replied. "I'm having fun watching you guys."

Juvia poked her head out of a changing room. "This day was for you to let loose and have fun. Watching us try on clothes is not fun."

"Yes, it is."

Juvia rolled her eyes, ducking back into her change room. Ruffling around was heard in the three change rooms.

"Some people enjoy different things. We shouldn't force her to do anything she doesn't like," Levy piped up from inside her dressing room.

"Thank you, Levy," I said.

"No," Juvia said as she stuck her head out again. "Erza loves shopping and we used to try on clothes all the time in high school. So, try this on." She threw something at me and I caught it.

I inspected the material and saw it was a dark blue top with spaghetti straps. It was a top that I saw Juvia take with her to try on in the dressing room before.

"Go on, Erza. And when you've got it on, show us, okay?" Juvia said.

I couldn't be bothered arguing anymore, so with a sigh, I stood up and walked into one of the empty fitting rooms. I closed the curtain, took off my top and slipped on the new one. As I twirled around in front of the mirror, a smile appeared on my face. The top was slightly a crop top and it showed off part of my stomach. It was a nice top and I liked it.

"Erza? Are you done yet?" Lucy asked from outside.

"Yep," I replied.

I opened the curtain and stepped outside. Lucy, Juvia and Levy were all waiting there for me, dressed in their own clothes and carrying various ones from the shop on their arms.

"Wow. Girl, you look good," Juvia said.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yeah. You are so buying that."

"What? I'm not wasting money on this."

"It's not wasting money. We're here on a shopping spree. Besides, you can use it to seduce Jellal," Juvia wiggled her eyebrows cheekily.

I blushed as red as my hair and self-consciously wrapped my arms around my tummy. The mention of my fiancé made me sad. It was like I was homesick and he was the home I missed so badly. I don't know how much longer I can go on without him. Well, maybe I was over exaggerating just for the sake of dramatics but I really do feel like he's the one.

"Don't tease her like that," Levy said in a hushed whisper. "We said we weren't going to talk about Jellal."

"No, we said we weren't going to talk about him yet. We can't avoid the subject forever," Juvia replied.

Lucy abruptly stood up. She grabbed my hand and the pieces of clothing she tried on. "We are going to buy these. Then, we're going to the next shop, okay? No more talk about you-know-who for now."

I didn't bother complaining as Lucy dragged me to the counter. She insisted on paying but I refused and we paid for our own garments. With a spring in her step, Lucy led us to the shop next door, which happened to have only club-like outfits, ones we probably didn't need any time soon.

"Well, I guess we'll skip this store," I trailed off, waiting for my friends to agree.

"Actually," Lucy linked her arm through mine to pull me into the store. "We definitely need stuff from this shop because we're going to a club tomorrow night."

"What? I didn't agree to that," I protested.

"Too bad. We're having a girls' weekend and you are coming with us whether you like it or not. So, start finding something to wear."

I groaned and followed her to a clothes rack, which was full of sparkly tops.

"How about this?" Lucy asked, holding a sequin crop top against her chest.

"For me or for you? 'Cause that thing hurts my eyes. It's brighter than the sun," I replied.

"Oh, stop being so dramatic," Juvia said. "That's nothing compared to lights in a night club." True that. And that was exactly why I didn't want to go. Not to mention that it was probably going to be full of horny guys.

"Ooh, I like this," Levy said from a rack next to us.

She was looking at a dark blue dress and after being urged by the other girls to try it on, she headed to the changing room.

After almost half an hour, we finally left the store. They kept being picky about what I would wear and I ended up buying a red mini-dress. I probably wasn't going to wear it ever again but at least it wasn't that expensive. My friends bought multiple outfits and let's just say, we spent a whole lot of cash today on this shopping spree, but I had to admit, it was fun to just let loose and hang out with my girlfriends.

Once we dropped all our new items at home, we went to McDonald's for dinner. We had planned on going to a restaurant but since we used up so much money, we decided on something cheap. As we ate our burgers and fries, I found myself getting nervous under the stares of my friends.

"So, it's about time we talked about you-know-who," Lucy announced. "We're your best friends and we're always here to support you, so we want you to tell us what's going on between you and Jellal."

I choked on a chip and let out a cough. "Wow. You really dived straight into the deep stuff."

"Erza. You've been avoiding Jellal for days and I know it wasn't nice that he didn't like Mest or whatever, but shouldn't you guys make up already?"

The thing was, it wasn't my place to tell them about Jellal struggling with school. I would just have to work around that, I guess. 

"After our...fight, I realised that he was stressing about something else and those pent up thoughts must have just directed themselves to me 'cause it was probably the easiest way to let out his emotions," I vaguely explained, and they gestured for me to continue.

"So, did you forgive him?" Juvia asked impatiently. "Are you getting back together? Having a huge wedding and having a thousand, cute babies?"

We all shared a laugh, but then they resumed staring at me with serious faces, as if I was going to spill a juicy secret.

"Yes, I forgave him. But, he's pushing me away so he can sort out the thing he's struggling with. I noticed that, so I decided to respect his decision and give him some space too."

"Wait, what is he struggling with?" Levy asked curiously.

I took a long sip from my soft drink, deliberately trying to avoid the question but they kept pestering me.

"I shouldn't say. It's his personal business," I finally told them.

With clear disappointment but also understanding, they nodded their heads and changed the subject.

"So, how long do you think you have to wait? You guys are going to be fine soon, right?" Lucy asked.

"I don't know. I hope it'll be soon," was my reply.

I really hoped that Jellal would quickly get on top of his studies. I know that was probably mean but we had a promise to keep – our date at the beach before the end of the month. There were times where I thought about confronting Jellal and offering to help but I know that it's something he has to do on his own. People have pride and when something goes wrong, they don't want others to know or give pity. Besides, I wouldn't be able to understand his work but his classmates would, so I just pray that they help him well, which they have so far because I can see Jellal looking relaxed and like himself more and more every day.

"That's good, because you guys are perfect for each other," Lucy said.

"Yeah, and don't forget that if you ever need to talk to someone or vent your emotions, we're always here for you. That's what friends are for," Levy added.

I thanked them, smiling at them with sincere appreciation. I loved my friends and I was grateful that they were there for me no matter what. It's like what anime characters say; friendship is the most powerful thing in the world. Alright, let's skip the cheesy stuff.

In the evening the very next day, I was standing in my dormitory in my "club outfit", which consisted of the red mini-dress which shined brighter than a diamond, and silver high heels. My scarlet hair was curled and my face was covered in a light coating of makeup.

Next to me, was Lucy, Juvia and Levy in their club dresses that we bought yesterday. It was fair to say that we all looked hot but I was feeling quite self-conscious as I was showing a bit too much skin for my liking.

"Do we really have to go to a club?" I asked Lucy for the millionth time.

"Yes," she replied with an eye-roll. "You're probably going to go to a club sometime in your life so you might as well start now. Almost everyone goes to clubs and what I can tell from movies and books, the "trustworthy guides to life", a perfect girls' night out is at a night club." She mocked quotation marks with her fingers when she said 'trustworthy guides to life'.

Juvia, tugging on our blond haired friend's arm, whined for us to hurry and just leave, so that's exactly what we did.

It was my first time going to a club and I was quite nervous. Was it going to be like the movies – with flashing lights, loud music and people everywhere? I would've preferred going with Jellal for my first time but I guess that wasn't going to happen.

We went to a nearby night club that friends from Lucy's class recommended. When we got there, I was shaking from the cold and my nerves. The other girls seemed fine but I could see nervousness in their eyes. It was a small entrance way in the nightclub and we were accepted in without a problem. Down the small hallway we went, music from ahead echoing through the walls. Then it opened up to a huge room with a high platform to the left and a bar to the right. A DJ played music on the other side of the room and colourful lights danced around the room in a rhythmic beat. People were packed all around the place: dancing, drinking, or just talking.

"Come on! Let's dance!" Lucy screamed over the loud music.

She dragged Levy and I to the mass of dancers, while Juvia trailed after us. We mimicked the bodies around us, dancing as they did with our hips moving side to side and our arms doing its own little dance. The music pounded in my ears as we danced, but somehow, it made me relax a bit. My hands held the hands of my friends as we all jumped to the beat of the music. It was sweaty and hot being pressed up against several bodies but I was thankful there wasn't any dirty men around me.

After a while, Juvia signalled for us to go to the bar. We carefully made our way over to it and sat down on the bar stools in front of the long table.

"What can I get for you?" the bartender asked us.

We all looked at each other, completely unexperienced in these sorts of things. I decided to take charge, leaning forward and closer to the middle-aged man.

"Can I have a beer, a light beer, please?" I asked.

"Same," all my friends said loudly.

"Sure," the man said, obviously used to people like us who've never been to a club.

He disappeared and returned soon with three glasses filled to the brim with what I could assume was beer. I honestly had no idea what to order and I'm just glad that he understood. Hopefully, the beer wouldn't get us too drunk because I did not feel like waking up with a hangover tomorrow morning.

The three of us picked up our drinks and clinked them together.

"To girls!" Lucy cheered.

"To friendship!" Levy added.

"To getting drunk and having fun!" Juvia yelled.

"To life!" I finished.

In unison, we put the glass to our mouths and experienced the first buzz of bitter alcohol down our throats. I threw my worries and hesitation to the wind – 'fuck it!' – and drunk the whole glass at once. Juvia was the first to finish her glass and slam it on the bench, followed by me, then Lucy, then Levy.

"Woo!" Juvia cried, standing up from the stool, her feet stumbling a bit. "Let's dance!"

"I think I need to rest a bit more," Levy said.

"Me too," Lucy groaned as she leaned against the bar, her eyes drooping closed.

I remained quiet, trying to clear the hammering in my head from the booze and the loud music.

"Fine. Erza, you're coming with me," Juvia didn't give me a chance to protest as she dragged me back into the throng of people.

We blended in with the young adults who danced around with friends and partners. All around us, were a variety of people: people in revealing outfits – most likely trying to get laid, people completely covered up – looking very uncomfortable, and people just going crazy – like yelling-and-waving-their-arms-around crazy. It was a new experience and as adrenaline bounced around in my bloodstream, I found myself enjoying it – living in the moment

"Hey, Erza. I'm going to the bathroom. I'll be back," Juvia shouted over the music.

I nodded and she left, squeezing her way out of the crowd. Standing in the middle of a whole bunch of strangers by myself made me feel lonely and worried but I ignored the feeling as I let loose and continued dancing.

Suddenly, I felt a pair of arms wrap around my waist – unfamiliar, male arms. This annoyed me but also made me a tiny bit scared. I took in a deep breath and prepared myself for action. In one swift motion, I turned around and swung my arm up to punch them in the face. A hand caught my fist. I let out a gasp.

A guy around my age had his hand clenched around my fist as he smirked at me, making me want to punch his face even more. He was a dark-skinned man with brown hair that stuck out in every direction. He wore two big, red-brown balls for earrings and had a golden bandana with an eye-like symbol tied around his forehead. A gold band was wrapped around each bicep and a shiny, golden bracelet decorated both wrists. He had a thin, yellow cloth around his neck, which seemed to go down the side of his chest to his back where it then dangled freely. Finally, the only proper clothing he wore was a pair of maroon shorts, meaning his defined abs were exposed to the world.

"Excuse me," I snapped. "Can you please let go of my hand?"

"Sure, sweetheart," the guy said, letting go of my hand, only to wind his arms around my waist and pull me in close.

I struggled to get out of his grip but it was too strong. Honestly, the guy was kind of hot but his cocky smirk irritated me.

"Please let go of me," I said through gritted teeth.

"Come on, babe, don't be like that," he grinned.

I gave him a sarcastic smile. Then I counted down: 3, 2, 1. I slammed my knee into his balls and as his hold on me loosened, I stepped back. Thankfully, he didn't make a move on me again, but he didn't go away either.

"I guess I deserved that," he said, not looking the least bit sorry. "I shouldn't have held you like that without permission. How about I make up for it by taking you out on a date? It'll be my way of saying sorry."

I stared at him in disbelief. "What makes you think I want a date with you?"

"I'm hot. You're hot. We should be together."

"No, thanks," I replied with annoyance laced in my voice.

I turned to walk away but he pulled on my arm, causing me to face him again.

"Let's just get to know each other better. My name's Ajeel. What's yours?" he asked.

"Not interested," was my reply.

"You look like you go to university. What university do you go to?"

Does this guy not take a hint? His pestering was really getting to me now and I just prayed that Juvia came back soon... or she most likely ditched me, in which case I was screwed.

"- I go to Alvarez University -," Ajeel continued.

The mention of 'Alvarez' caught my attention. From my knowledge of that university, I knew that the school was trying to take down Fairy Tail Uni and I'm guessing the students were just as evil. Of course, I wasn't the type to judge a book by its cover but right now, Ajeel was proving to me that their students were bad.

"I go to Fairy Tail University," I interrupted him.

He stopped talking at once, staring at me for a few seconds. Then he grinned that infuriating grin where he thought he was better than everyone.

"Well, that sucks for you. That school's gonna die soon; you better transfer to Alvarez while you can," Ajeel said.

"I'll never go to a place as bad as Alvarez. You can try to take down our school all you like but you're never going to win. I'm in our school's choir and this year, we're going to beat your choir," I replied.

His smile grew wider. "How funny. I'm in my school's choir as well. And every time, we beat your school. You have never won and you never will."

"Just wait and see. You won't even know what hit you. You'll be like "oh no! What hit me? Is it cats or angels?" But no, you won't even know what it is."

"Fine. Let's make a deal. If we win, you become my girlfriend."

I see, he was going for that approach. Clearly, I shouldn't agree to it since our school's never won before so our chance of losing was probably around 99% (because nothing's impossible). But even if the odds were against me, I always liked the thrill of a challenge, even if it was nearly impossible to win. So, I was going to go for that 1%.

"Alright. What would I get if we win?" I asked Ajeel.

"You're going to lose," Ajeel replied confidently.

I mentally rolled my eyes at his arrogance. "Okay, but if we win?"

Ajeel took a moment to think it over. "Our school won't trash your music room, art room, and basically your whole campus the day after the Regionals competition, which we were planning to do."

My eyes widened. They were going to trash our school? Isn't that illegal?

"Shouldn't you just not trash our school, full stop?" I asked.

"Nah. It'd be fun and if we did do it, your school would lose a lot of money to fix the facilities and everything," Ajeel said, an evil glint in his eyes. "But, I'm giving you a chance to stop that from happening. Agree to the deal and I'll stick by it if you do. And if you don't agree to the deal, you don't have any proof that I said we're going to trash your school so you can't stop us."

Nervously, I bit my lip. He was right; I could tell people but they couldn't do anything about it because there was no evidence. Or, I could just stop it from ever happening – but that was a slim chance. What should I do? Risk being his girlfriend and have our school trashed or on the rare shot that we win, stay engaged to Jellal and save my school? Or just not do the deal and try to get people to listen to me and do something? It would be safer to say no to the deal but I liked to live on the wild side. Then again, the fate of my school rested on my shoulders.

I don't know if it was the alcohol buzzing in my body or my recklessness, but I said something that couldn't be taken back.

"Deal."

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I am very sorry for the long wait!! I've just been studying and studying (and maybe watching a bit of anime). Please VOTE and COMMENT!!! I want to know if you guys are liking the story. Thanks for reading  :)