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.

Rumors of a ghost don't stop me and Lucy from heading over to North Campus with nets and glass jars. It's a tradition my friends and I have- two days before winter break, we leave our dorms three hours before curfew and catch fireflies. Whoever catches the most fireflies gets to choose where we travel during the break. Last year, it was Jellal.

This year, it will be me.

There are only three people who show up.

"Where's Ultear?" Lucy asks at the same I say, "Where's Mirajane?"

I had invited her and her younger brother as a sign of peace.

"No clue. Laxus and Elfman didn't show up either," Gray informs us. 

"Neither did Gajeel and Levy," Natsu adds.

"Levy and Ultear are pulling an all-nighter," says Jellal, taking a net and glass jar from me. "Some English project."

We wait until everyone selects a net and jar. Then, Lucy says, "This year's rules: You can't pass the Great Pine."

The Great Pine is a dead tree, only a few yards into the woods. We had decided to enforce this rule after Levy had fallen into a ditch and couldn't climb out.

"If you kill a firefly, you're disqualified," I chime in.

"No tampering with anyone's jar," Jellal says. 

Everyone looks at Natsu.

"The time limit is one hour. Begin!"

~ ~ ~

Majority of fireflies seem to gather at the edge of the woods so that's the first place we run to. Except for Gray, who makes the newbie mistake of hunting fireflies near the trailers. Maybe he's hunting for ghosts instead.

I easily spot the light of a firefly to my left. Setting down my jar on a tree stump, I begin to creep toward the flying insect. Much to my disgruntle, Natsu runs by and I lose sight of the firefly.

"I caught one!" Jellal shouts from somewhere in the woods.

"I'm not going to let you win this time!" Lucy yells back.

"I caught one too!" Natsu boasts, waving his net around in triumph. "I'm all fired up now!"

Fifty-nine minutes pass by quickly and I find myself with only twenty-four fireflies (not counting the dozen that escaped the jar.) Firefly hunting isn't just about catching- you have to make sure you secure them properly too.

With only one minute on the clock, I find a firefly flitting around near the Great Pine. I take a step back, aim my net, and-

I hear footsteps coming from up ahead.

Is someone cheating? They shouldn't be hunting for fireflies past the Pine...

I squint into the darkness. Something silver gleams in the grass. I crouch down and cautiously prod it with my net. Seeming harmless, I pick it up and examine the object. 

A silver button with odd lines etched on it. Shrugging, I pocket the trinket.

~ ~ ~

"The timer went off two minutes ago, Erza," Lucy tells me as I exit the woods. "You're disqualified."

"Sorry," I murmur. I hand back my net and jar without further argument.

"Jellal's the winner," Natsu says sulkily. "Again."

"I know exactly where we're going this winter," the blue-haired boy says with a smile.

The button in my pocket feels warm against my leg.

~ ~ ~

It's manipulative of me, but I want to see Jellal's heart. He must be mistaken. It's not violet, it's lavender or periwinkle or plum. 

Ultear would never lie. Neither would Jellal.

I tuck away my guilt and boldly tell Jellal, "We should have a cooking party. To celebrate before winter break."

"A party as in 'all our friends will be there?' Or a party as in 'just the two of us?'"

Refusing to blush, I decide to come clean with the truth. "I have some questions to ask. They're...um...personal."

"Sure. Tomorrow evening?"

"Sounds good."

There's no way I'm going to end the night on such an awkward note. 

Grinning, I whisper, "Someone's got to teach you how to cook. Everyone thinks you're the reason the fire alarm went off." 

I nudge his arm teasingly. "Now you're literally the hottest guy in the school."

Whoops. I think I said too much.