OK Then

Chapter 9

Everyone had to pack up their stuff a few days later, the next train being the only one back to Magnolia for three weeks. Juvia kept giving Gray small grins and giggles, the boy rolling his eyes and shrugging back a though he thought she'd gone loony. God, she practically clung to him the entire ride back, chatting his ear off about finals and New Year before Gray began to give her pointed looks.
"We can't celebrate in the train car, Juvia," he said, "so keep the excitement inside till we get back to school."
He placed a hand on her head and smirked, making her smile and hug him. Or strangle him. Both actions felt the same at the moment.
"I'm sure gonna miss that place..." Wendy said, resting her elbow on a windowsill before letting out a sigh. "We always leave so soon!" Lucy whined, Natsu responding with a heavy "yeah" before clutching his stomach in sickness. Carla huffed, crossing her arms before lecturing Wendy about going to see it next year anyway.
Juvia beamed at her friends, facing out the window as the dense snow cluttering--no, painting the scenery of trees and high, rolling  hills turned to a large silhouette of a city weighed down with powdery white. Juvia pressed her face to the window like she did when they travelled away from the city, climbing over Gray before whispering, amazedly, for him to look too. "I can't when you're on me like that!" he yelled, muffled, as Juvia tried to look at the city in closer detail. She blushed and sat back down before he could get even more upset. She hated seeing him upset; she feels guilty and worried, like, with that knot in your stomach that makes you over think things like what to say, do, make, take away, when they'll forgive you, and all those terrible things. Juvia clutched the hem of her jacket.
"Being an S-Class is such a drag." Erza said, closing her eyes in annoyance, "Somehow, the student body hasn't authorized that request for better alarm systems or even presented them to the rest of the faculty board. The rest of the year is just going to be tapping my foot and waiting for an answer."
"Well, the board did set aside a fund to repair the East wing of the auditorium for the S-Class spring play."
Erza rolled her eyes, groaning as Jellal leaned closer and smiled. "And they added more recipes to the campus bakery, like you had asked."
The redhead allowed herself a smile and a twinkle of an eye. 
Juvia tilted her head in confusion, turning to a shirtless Gray to ask what an "S-Class" is. "Is it an advanced program?" she inquired, playing with the ends of her hair as Gray let out a breath. Newbies. Gray shook his head, leaning his head against his fist. "An 'S-Class' wizard is just a fancy nickname for a senior. Ya know, Senior-Class." Gray drew out those last two words as though the first explanation wasn't good enough.
"Yeah!" Levy said, licking frosting off her fingers as Gajeel and Lucy reluctantly forked over 1,000 Jewel each. "They get to go on a lot more jobs, too. High-end things, nothing like just fixing a broken water pipe or helping a school club or taking care of a minor monster. They get to go and really test out their magic against powerful, almost  legendary creatures. Erza once fought a siren, lucky thing." she smiled, turning to Lucy and sticking her tongue out, rubbing in her Dare victory.
"But the Disciplinary Committee and student council are doing nothing about the extracurricular activities and clubs' special events put on by S-Class wizards. The play I volunteered to direct and star in wasn't even given a breath of notice!" Erza huffed, slumping in her seat. "That's 'cause you can't act." Natsu sniggered, only to be overtaken by a jolt in the train car, making him nauseous, and a punch to the forehead from Erza. 

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Juvia walked, rather skipped, with the rest of her Fairy Tail dormitory-mates back to their building. She waved goodbye to everyone else, unpacking her stuff and reaching under her bed to unwrap one of the bars Gray gave her. Gray-sama is amazing, Juvia thought as she gingerly bit into her treat. Gray-sama always takes such good care of Juvia! Nice and cool. Gray-sama really is cool, of course he is--he's an ice mage!
Juvia scarfed down her energy fix, dressing in her school outfit(for identification) and taking some checked-out books and maps back to the Crocus Library before they became overdue. She had studied prior to their trip, so these had little purpose for anything other than entertainment now. Maybe she'd ask Gray to look over the philosophical sciences section at Hargeon Hall, or maybe read over the psychological magics documents at the Shirotsume Library. Oh! The social analyzations division at the Clover Library, Gray would love that. 
If he wasn't so socially distant. Damn.
Juvia sighed, walking down the hallway to exit and find her way to main campus. Maybe Gray-sama would like evolution of war lances, or combat technique. Ahh! Yes! Juvia will try to find 'The Hand of Magick's Time: Ice Strategy to Improve the Winter Skill'. Gray-sama would love that! And, just maybe, an encyclopedia of cultural battle armor for Erza-san. Maybe Juvia will give their New Year presents early, go to downtown Magnolia while she still has a few days off. 
Juvia would like that.