Picture Perfect: a Gray and Erza lovestory

CHAPTER 9: THE PARTY

Loud music, alcohol, party people, sand, and everything else you can think of in a beach party. It was just 8:00 in the evening but most of the people are already drunk. At the bar, Baccus is challenging Toby in drinking, in which he is obviously winning while the poor dog lover can barely lift his arms due to severe drunkness. Watching them are Bisca and Alzack, and Ever with Elfman.

Gray is walking around with a bottle of beer in hand, enjoying the environment. He passed by the group of people dancing around in front of the made up stage where the dj or band might be playing the music. A certain red hair caught his attention within the dancing crowd. 'Oh God, is she drunk?' he thought to himself as he moved towards her.

"Hey!" Erza shouted as she spotted him, she is drunk, really drunk.

A man who is also drunk grabbed her wrist and tried to dance with her, as drunk as she was, it seemed she also wanted to. This annoyed Gray. The man started to touch her where he shouldn't. Gray got mad thinking that if Erza is in her right mind, that guy might have been in the hospital right now, but then Erza is not in herself, so Gray decided to grab her and tale her away from that guy.

"What's the big idea!" The guy shouted at Gray.

Gray gave him s fiery glare, this caused the guy to back off and back to the crowd to find someone else to danxe with. Erza's eyes are almost closed, her arm around Gray's shoulder, while her other hand carried a bottle of beer. Gray took the bottle and threw it away.

"What's your problem Fullbuster!" Erza shouted.

Gray assisted her in sitting down the beach and calmly replied, "You're drunk, you're letting a guy take advantage of you, and you are abusing yourself with this too much alcohol"

"Whatever."

Gray looked her straight in the eye seriously, "it was you who said that we are in a team, I'm just concerned" somehow this struck Erza, and decided to listen to Gray, "Now wait here I'll go get you some coffee to sober you up a bit."

While Gray was on his way to the coffee shop, he passed by a passed out Toby and a seemilngly still sober Baccus who is challenging Elfman and Evergreen in drinking, with his manager who seemed that she doesn't care about her talent talking to a random guy. He noticed that Bisca and Alzack are not there anymore, he figured that they might have gone back to their cottages. As he reached the coffeeshop, he spotted Wendy sitting at one of the tables drinking coffee, laughing with a man someone who looked way older than her.

"Hey Wendy," he called out because he was interested who is with her.

Wendy turned around and surprised, "Oh Gray!" she stood up as well as the guy with her, "Umm Mr. Doranbolt this is Gray Fullbuster, he is our team photographer, Gray this is Mr. Doranbolt the manager of this resort."

Gray suddenly reached out his hand, "Hello Sir! This is a really nice resort."

"Just Call me Doranbolt, anyway I hope you guys would like the scenery here for your photoshoot." Then he lowered his voice, "Good luck with your shoot with the rain woman."

Wendy giggled and whispered but enough for both men to hear, "Doranbolt don't be like that, she might hear you." Wendy giggled more even lightly slapping the manager's arm, "and mind you she's a paying customer, so be kind."

Gray raised an eyebrow. 'Is Wendy flirting with this guy?' he tought since he saw Wendy as a very innocent and shy girl. He thought that she seemed to be the demure type compared to Lucy, Bisca, or even Erza...'Erza' he thought. He suddenly remembered why he came to the coffeeshop. "Well I haven't really met her so I don't know what to expect...anyway I need to go, someone needs coffee really bad. See you back later Wen and see you around Doranbolt."

"Ok Gray," Wendy answered, "anyway our call time tomorow is 1:00pm. The most awaited photoshoot."

Doranbolt again reached out his hand for a handshake,  "See you around Gray, nice meeting you."

As Gray turned to the counter,Wendy and Doranbolt started talking and giggling again. 'She IS flirting with him, sneaky little girl'. He went to the counter and ordered Cafè lattè with 50% sugar and an extra shot of espresso. He was surprised he remembered what Erza ordered when they first met at the coffeeshop, 'that was so my unlucky day, if I didn't spill her drink that day we might be in better terms that what we have now...wait what am I thinking?'

"You seem so deep in your thoughts," a woman said looking straight at him leaning at the counter beside him. Gray recognized her, who wouldn't? "Juvia Loxar," she said as she reached out her hand

Grat was astounded, "y-yeah I know," Gray also extended his hand, "Gray Fullbuster, photographer for Urbane."

"Oh so you are my photographer, sorry I was not able to be at the photoshoot earlier, celebrities need beauty rest."

'Ok' Gray thought "I don't think you need beauty rest Miss Loxar, you are already beautiful."

"Oh thank you!" Juvia giggled, "are you sure you are a photographer? you look too good to be one."

"Unfortunately Miss I am just a photographer."

"Maybe I can make you to give me a private photoshoot sometime," Juvia uttered as she touched Gray's bare chest, "ooh this seems nice."

Gray sweatdropped, 'oh God is she flirting with me?' he thought. He started thinking about things when the barista handed him the coffee, and again he suddenly remembered Erza 'shit I almost forgot about her. I hope she is still doing fine' Eventhough he was having a time of his life with a gorgeous celebrity and with a possibility of getting lucky with her, he decided to leave and go back to Erza. "I'm sorry Miss but I need to go, I-I'll see you tomorrow at the shoot?"

"oh why go so soon, aren't you enjoying my company?"

Gray turned around as he was about to leave, "n-no of course not Miss, I just need to be somewhere."

"Is it more important than being with a celebrity like me?"

"Well not really, but I...um...I'm really sorry, I'll just see you tomorrow ok?" Then Gray suddey left. Juvia looked pissed. 'Did I just blew my chance with a famous celebrity?' Gray thought, 'I just hope I'm right in choosing to go with HER'.

Gray reached the beach, good thing Erza still is where he left her. Sitting with her knees on her chest, looking down  on the ground, face half covered with herong red hair. "Hey I'm back!" Gray announced with a smile on his face, "Cafè lattè 50% sugar with extra shot of espresso...this is your usual right?"

Erza reached for the cup and uttered a "thank you" but Gray noticed that her vouce was different, trembling. It is as if she was just crying.

"Are you crying?"

"No I am not!" Erza denied

Gray just sat beside her, "I'm here to listen if you need someone to talk to..."

Erza sobbed but did not say a word, until she cried all the hurt in her heart. She leaned towards Gray's chest ashe wrapped his arms around her, hoping to give her comfort.