Be My Smile

Chapter 3 - Friends

"Hey!" she was smiling.

What do I do? Well, I guess I have to answer her, right?

"Hey..." I looked away as I tried to think of the reasons why she was here. With me. I couldn't think of anything, it just didn't make sense.

"Can Juvia sit?" did she talk in third person yesterday too? Whatever, I'll deal with that later. I nodded. She sat against me smiling.

"Juvia... Just wanted to apologize again for yesterday... She understands that she was a bother and... It won't happen again." she got up to leave. As she made her way to the door I realized that I wasn't ready for a farewell yet. I got up and followed her outside.

"Wait!" she turned and looked at me surprised. "Can we talk?" maybe it was a bad idea. Maybe I should just let her go. Yes, I know, it's always the same talk... But it is a hard decision.

"Sure." she was about to enter the bar again when I grabbed her shoulder. I don't think it's a good place to talk to her.

"Let's go to the park, ok?" she simply nodded.

As we walked I was trying to think if I had made the right decision. Yes, because I had decided now. I seriously hope I don't regret it. I took off my jacket and after a five minute walk we were at the park. I started talking.

"Why do you think you were a bother to me?" she looked at me confused. I can tell she wasn't expecting me to disagree with her.

"Because... Juvia has always been a bother. She... She didn't think it would change now."

"What? But you were with your friends, right?"

"I was... You're right..." she started tearing up. I felt a little guilty. We sat down on a bench. I wanted to hear her story.

"Look... I know I'm just a stranger and you probably think you shouldn't trust me, like normal people but... You came to the park at night, alone with me. I could be a killer, you know?" she laughed a little. Music to my hears.

"A killer would have killed Juvia instead of comforting her yesterday."

"I guess you're right. So... I'm sorry if it's too personal but... Why were you crying?" I tried not to sound too curious. I'm not sure if I succeeded. She started crying again and apologizing between sobs for no reason. I just stared at her. Waiting for her to talk. I didn't want to force her into telling me what was happening.

"Before Juvia says anything... She thinks it would be safer to tell this to a friend that to a stranger so... Juvia just wants to make sure... We're friends, right?" now I knew that even if I had decided to let her go, I wouldn't be able to say 'no' to her. It's risky. I know. But I also know that I will do anything to protect her from any harm. Who knows what the world is keeping from me this time, right?

"Yes." I smiled a little. Even if I looked away so she couldn't see it. It was still weird to think that I only comforted her yesterday and now she considers me her friend.

"OK..." she took a deep breath. "As a child, Juvia's parents left her at an orphanage. As you can guess, Juvia lived depressed there. With no friends. All the other kids said that Juvia was a Rain Woman and that they never wanted to play with her because Juvia would bring rain anywhere she went to. And then it got worse. The woman who took care of us died and was replaced by her son. And he was very different from her. He would beat us every day. And sometimes he would do other things to the older girls." my blood boiled with rage. "Fortunately, Juvia ran away before he did something like that to her. Juvia ended up with Gajeel. He is like a brother to Juvia." another deep breath from her. "But she always wondered what happened to her real parents. And now... Juvia wishes she didn't know..." she took a paper out of her pocket and handed it to me. The paper said that Mr. and Mrs. Lockser were killed in a car accident. "Juvia received that two days ago but she didn't want to tell her friends about it. It would only worry them. And Juvia doesn't want to be a bother. Now that she thinks of it... If you weren't there yesterday... Juvia could've had... S-She..." no... NO!