MEANT TO BE | GRUVIA

28

Juvia sat on her bed, her knees tucked into her chest. Her arms were wrapped around them. She looked at the necklace laying in front of her. After dinner and opening a few presents, she went to her room.

"Juvia?" Jennifer asked, knocking on the door.

"Come in," Juvia said quietly. She hugged her knees tighter as her mother entered the room.

"What's wrong?" Jennifer asked, sitting beside her daughter. "You've been in here a few hours."

"I'm fine," Juvia lied. She was really upset about Juvia, but she didnt want to tell Jennifer that.

"Did Gray get you this?" Jennifer asked, picking up the necklace. "It's really pretty."

"Yeah," Juvia replied shortly. She couldn't believe that he gave her such a nice gift, then completely ditched her. Ultear said they dated before, and something happened before she left. Did they kiss? Confess they still like each other? What happened?

"If you're sure you're okay, I'm going to go wash some dishes." Jennifer kissed Juvia's forehead and left the room.

Juvia turned her lamp off and sat in darkness.

X

"Welcome back, everyone," Miss Molly said. "I know it's rough coming back from break on a Monday, so we'll have a free day. You can work on your crayon drawings tomorrow."

"This is Okinawa," Lucy said, setting another picture down on the table. Since all the other tables were filled, she just pulled up a stool between Lisanna and Gray at the head of the table. She would stay there all year.

"It's so pretty," Lisanna said. She looked at the clear blue water and white sand. They really did a good job at cleaning up.

"Yeah," Gray agreed. He looked over to Juvia for the tenth time that day. She didn't even talk to him at all during Christmas break. He came over a few times, but Jennifer said she was sleeping and not to wake her. It seemed like Jennifer didn't know exactly what was wrong, but knew that something was. She even asked him if he knew anything.

"Oh, this is Erza," Lucy said, setting down a picture of a baby dolphin. Lisanna practically melted. "And here we are at the beach." She set down another picture. Juvia was wearing her bikini, smiling. Another girl her age was beside her. In the background, a brown haired man was talking to one of the scientists.

Juvia rolled her eyes when she saw Gray staring at the picture. 'Probably looking at her body,' she thought.

"Who is that man?" Gray asked, pointing to the brown haired man. Juvia snapped her head to him. He wasn't looking at Juvia, but the man in the background.

"He funded our cleanup in Okinawa," Lucy said. "Marco Lockser, I believe."

"What?" Juvia asked, grabbing the picture. Her eyes were wide with disbelief.

"Do you know him?" Juvia asked.

"Lucy, that's Juvia's dad," Gray said.

"I thought Juvia was Jennifer's daughter," Lucy said. Jennifer did say she lived in Japan before moving to Magnolia. She never mentioned her ex-husband, so it was a possibility.

"Yeah, it's him," Juvia said coldly, throwing the picture to the table. She crossed her arms and looked away.

"We need your help," Ciel said, making everyone at the table look to him. He picked Juvia up by her waist and carried her over to his table. Lucy, once again, thought they were such a cute couple.