Day 60- Betrayal

"That would be thirty-three, ninety-five ma'am," I handed her the bag and the bill and she left the store after giving me a calm smile.

Stretching my hands in the air, I could feel love fill in my lungs. The world around me suddenly turned so happy and beautiful. It was like rainbows were covering the sky, like unicorns were roaming the streets and like there were a million cupids scattered around to pair the perfect couple.

I twirled around my place and sighed dreamily as flashes of my one and only played in my head like a melody from a gramophone.

I took out my phone from my pocket and decided to message Jellal, however, right then a couple of items like candy bars, snack packets and a bottle of beer were deliberately placed in front of me.

I sighed, placed my phone back in the pocket and began scanning the items.

"It's twenty-three, fifty," I quickly trashed all the items in the bag and handed it over to—I stopped in my tracks as she stood in front of me with hands crossed and heels restlessly knocking the ground.

"Lucy?!"

"Long time no see, Erza,"

--

"So...when were you back?" I asked, hesitantly glancing at her.

We came to the park since Mira Jane said she would take care of the store.

"Yesterday," Lucy said, letting out a little sigh.

"Oh...Um, well, how are you?"

"Good, and you?"

Somehow, the air between us was thick. As though I was being pulled in some black hole.

"Yeah, I'm doing just fine."

"Good to hear."

I'm not sure if Lucy acted this way before. Her coldness is really getting to me.

"How was your trip, Luce?" I asked.

"To Okinawa?"

I nodded.

"It was pretty good. I met someone there. We are dating now."

"Oh? That's...kinda unexpected but congrats Luce!"

She slowly turned towards me, grabbed my hand and inclined her head a little, "I'm sorry Erza, for leaving without saying anything to you..."

"Lucy?" Her grip became tighter.

"I was just angry and frustrated that the guy I loved, loved you and it was just too much for me at the time..."

"Lucy, it's alright--" I overlapped my hand with hers, "I understand and I'm sorry too for that."

She shook her head, "I should have talked it over with you, I just...I shouldn't have just gone to Okinawa like that...I'm sorry Erza, I came back cause this guilt was eating me up. I missed you so much Erza and I wanted to go on this Okinawa trip with you but--"

"Lucy! Luce, it's okay, I understand and you don't need to apologize...I know you were angry."

"I, uh, met someone there," She finally looked up at me, "He's a really good guy, names Natsu, and the moment I met him I realized that my love for Jellal was just some kind of, what do you say, um...not really love. Maybe It was just a like cause he looked handsome but now I really know what true love means."

"I'm glad you met someone you love, Lucy."

She lightly nodded, "But...do you still love him? Jellal?"

"Why do you ask?" I asked timidly. My cheeks were getting warm by just thinking about him. My heart skipped beats and the longing for him became more impatient.

"Erza, there's something you need to know."

"Eh?"

"It's about Jellal."

"About Jellal...? What about him?"

Lucy looked uncertain, she pursed her lips and avoided looking at me.

"Lucy, what's wrong? What about him?" I asked again.

"Erza," She exhaled, "There's this girl I met in Okinawa and she said she knows Jellal..."

"And?"

"And...How should I say this to you, Erza...Jellal doesn't have much time..."

--

The streets were darkening; the moon was bright enough to shine upon the cloudless sky. I breathlessly ran to Jellal. A heavy lump of sadness and worry clenched my heart like a cold blanket, like the cold winter night.

How could Jellal hide something like this from me...?

I held back my tears and ran and ran and ran. Jellal's house seemed so far away when in truth, it wasn't. It was taking way too long for me to reach him, or maybe it was just that the time was moving too slow for me...

Seeing the world around me, I felt I was the only one moving fast while everyone was enjoying their time in their pace.

Finally, I anxiously stopped in front of his door and rapidly rang the door-bell a couple of times. I bent down a little to catch my breath, but no matter how much I try to inhale, my agitation would leave me out of breath.

There was no response from the other side so I kept ringing it, again and again and again, when eventually, I heard the door click open.

My eyes were wide and my breathing became slow. It was a moment where the door will open and I will see Jellal in front of me; confused and surprised because he doesn't really want me to come to his dorm since there are other guys living with him as well but the thought of him just staring at me for those few seconds in shock makes my heart race.

The door creaked open and I straightened my position.

"Yes? Who is it?" A voice of a girl echoed in my ears and in front of me stood a cute looking girl with long blonde hair, and long lashes that would make your eyes look bigger. She looked so pretty but...what was a girl doing in a boy's dorm?

"Who are you?" She asked tilting her head.

"Oh, uh..." I smacked my lips, "I'm here to meet Jellal..."

"He's not here right now."

"What?"

"Have a nice day," And she slammed the door on me. Like What the hell...

I frowned and turned around, at once, pulling out my phone from my pocket. I dialed his number and waited for him to pick up.

It rang once. Then twice. Then thrice and when I was finally going to hang up, he picked up.

"Jell--"

"Whoever this is, Jellal is not here," Said a coarse voice of a girl (The same girl who opened the door, I suppose) and she furiously hung up.

Who is this girl anyway?

I called again but this time, the phone was switched off.

I know peeking in others people's house is a crime, but when it comes to a mysterious girl showing up in the love of my life's dorm, the crime becomes a necessity.

I peeked inside but couldn't really see much. Just the couch and a tiny kitchen and...the girl standing in the kitchen and—Jellal?!

I saw Jellal walking towards her to the kitchen.

They were talking something.

She laughed.

He smiled.

Then he laughed.

Why is he laughing? Who the hell is she?

Then...he walked closer to her.

She took another step towards him.

And then he hugged her.

She wrapped her hands around him.

He placed his head on her head.

She closed her eyes and they were still.

They were so close to each other...

Maybe I cried because my vision was blurry. I don't even know what to feel right now; sadness, hatred, annoyance? My mind is blank and perhaps, all I can do now is run away. Run away from all this betrayal but I don't want to because I don't know yet if what I'm seeing is true or not. I want to believe it's a lie. All of what I saw...it must be a lie. There must be a reason. A plain, perfect reason Jellal has to give me.

I wiped the cold tears away with my sleeves and headed to the door again.

I was about to ring the doorbell but stopped. My fingers won't let me press me the buzzer. Something was stopping me. I don't know if it was my heart or my mind but I turned around and walked away from the door.

Jellal is sick...He doesn't have much time to live...that's what Lucy told me but is he really? I'm doubting that now...That girl, I can't get her out of my mind. Who is she? What is her relation with Jellal...? Are they close?

How could he hug her like that...?

This is wrong. Everything is going wrong...I..I can't feel anything right now...I don't know what to feel right now...

He—He can't do this to me...

Jellal...don't you love me?

Was what happened yesterday all a lie?