From Rags to Royalty [Jellal x Erza]

The Runaway

TWO DAYS LATER . . .

"Natsu." Jellal calls, "Natsu, wake up! We've got to be in court today!"

Natsu groans and pulls the comforter over his head. "I don't wanna!" He protests.

Jellal rolls his eyes at his friend's childish behavior. "Will you just get up!"

Natsu groans again and kicks frantically under the covers, as if relieving his frustration. Once he finally decided he had enough, he sits up in bed.

His pink hair was a mess and there was dried drool near both corners of his mouth.

"You look terrible." Jellal comments. "Freshen up." With that being said, he left the guest room.

Jellal walks back to his own room, his dream from the previous night constantly on his mind.

Jellal's dream (his P.O.V.):

I was sitting on a bench outside of school, waiting for a friend. If I had known that she was going to be this late, I would've just waited for her at her house.

Oh well.

"Jellal!" I looked up and saw my dear friend Erza running towards me. Her scarlet hair swayed in the wind. "Sorry, I made you wait so long." She apologized.

"It's not a problem." I assured her with a smile, standing up.

I have a confession to make: I have had a crush on Erza since I met her five years ago in eight grade. We're seniors in high school now, about to graduate.

When I first met Erza, I had just recently moved to Magnolia. I didn't know the town or the people. Everything was new to me.

On my first day of school at Magnolia Middle School, I felt lonely. It was the middle of the year, so everyone already had friends that they hung out with. A few girls came and talked to me, trying to be friendly. I got the usual, "Hi, you're new here right? I'm so-and-so, nice to meet you. If you need anything don't hesitate to hang out with me and my friends!"

It was nice of them to do such a thing, but it didn't help me make friends. It was only a suggestion.

That was until I met Erza. Erza Scarlet.

She was in my gym class. I was sitting on the bleachers, isolated from the others, when she approached me with an authoritative presence.

"What's your name?" I remember her demanding.

"J-Jellal." I stuttered because she kind of scared me at that moment.

"Jellal, huh?" She smiled, "Come, Jellal. I want you to meet some of my friends." She held out her hand, and after a minute, I took it.

It was the way she approached me, the way she smiled at me, and the way she looked at me that made me develop feelings for her.

But after all these years, I've never told her. And graduation is three weeks away.

"Erza! Jellal!" Our friend, Natsu, grinned at us as he saw us enter the classroom.

"Hi, Natsu." Erza greeted.

"Boy, can you guys believe it?" He sighed, "We're graduating in three weeks."

"I know right." Erza chuckled, "Seems like yesterday when you got your leg caught in the swings on the playground."

"H-Hey!" Natsu exclaimed, his cheeks turning pink. "You promised you'd never bring that up again!"

"So," I spoke up, earning their attention. "what are you guys planning on doing once you graduate?"

"I'm gonna become a fireman!" Natsu grinned.

"And I would like to become an engineer, so I'm going to college." Erza said.

"Here in Magnolia?" I asked, hoping the answer was 'yes.'

"No." She shook her head. "I would, but there's a university in Bosco that has a great engineering program."

My eyes widened. "Y-You're leaving?" I asked. She nodded her head with a sad smile. E-Erza's leaving? My heart felt like it had been overdosed with fear.

I became scared of the fact that Erza was leaving me in Fiore by myself. I was scared that she would be so far away from me and that I couldn't see her. I was scared of the fact that she was going to leave without knowing how I felt about her.

I have to tell her.

After first period, I gently grabbed Erza's arm and pulled her out into the hallway. I took her to a corner in between two sets of lockers.

"Erza, t-there's something . . . that I have to tell you." I said. My hands were shaking and I stared at the floor, my eyes darting from side-to-side.

"What is it, Jellal?" She asked, slightly worried after seeing me look so nervous.

"I-I just wanted you to know that . . . t-that w-well, . . . I-I sort of, maybe, . . ." I drifted off, becoming frustrated with myself. I felt my face heating up.

"Jellal, are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine!" I insisted. I took a deep breath to calm myself down. "What I was trying to say was . . . I-I like you, Erza, a-and not as a friend. I wanna be more than a friend to you."

I glanced up at Erza and saw her cheeks red, with her eyes wide. "R-Really?" She stuttered. I nodded in response.

She seemed to calm down before she smiled at me. "Then I'd love to be your girlfriend."

Now, it my turn to blush and be shocked. "Seriously?" I gasped. She chuckled softly before getting in her tiptoes, placing her hands on my chest and bringing her lips toward mine.

S-She's going to kiss me!?

End of dream

Or so he thought.

He woke up before the kiss actually happened. But he was constantly thinking about how similar the dream was to his current situation.

He can't really tell when he started to like Erza, but he knew he had developed feelings for her even though they haven't known each other long.

Maybe this was just a crush.

Either way, he wanted to tell her before something even worse than this scandal happened.

And hopefully, hopefully, she would return his feelings.

Two hours later, at noon, everyone was gathered in the courtroom.

Everyone except Lucy.

"Where is Miss Heartfilia?" Judge Dreyar asked, looking around the courtroom.

Everyone looked at each other, but couldn't come up with an answer. No one knew where she was.

"Judge Dreyar!" A bailiff calls, entering the courtroom.

"What is it, Elfman?"

"Your grandson informed me that Miss Lucy Heartfilia is no longer in the country."