The Shadows of Tragedy

Chapter 25

The next day Natsu started handing out fliers which were written to say that Erza's family was hosting a party at the old house. One where the theme would be 18th century and the guests would have to dress in costumes based off of the time period. Gray had pull a lot of strings but he managed to book Sabertooth to perform that night. The members of the house were all very excited...Well almost all of them. Erza was very nervous about attending. She hadn't really been to a party in so long and she wasn't sure how she would react to everything. She thought about not attending at all. Gray was very disappointed when she told him this.

"It's nothing personal I just..I just don't do parties." She said.

"But Erza I'm throwing it for everyone in the family." He said. "It's to make us all happy for at least a little while. You never really do anything to enjoy yourself."

"I can't afford that luxury."

"Can't or won't?"

"You don't understand Gray. I'm a recluse. I make people uncomfortable."

"You didn't make that professor who came by earlier uncomfortable. Speaking of which have you talked to him recently?"

"I'm supposed to call him tonight. To confirm if I'll go to dinner with him."

"You're going to tell him no aren't you?"

"I think it would be best if I didn't start having a love life now."

"I think you should. I'm not saying you should be serious with this man but you should go out. Do something different, something that could give you a little joy."

"You're very kind but I can't. He wants to have dinner tomorrow night and Romeo needs-"

"Juvia will watch Romeo."

"I don't feel comfortable leaving him at night."

"Then I'll watch him with her. Better yet I think I'll take them out for something fun."

"Like what? What do you mean?"

"Well Romeo's been talking about seeing this picture show at a drive in movie theater, I'm not sure what that is but it sounds very amusing. Juvia and I could take him."

"I never let him out after dark before."

"He'll be perfectly safe with me. I wouldn't let anything happen to him."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

Erza looked at him with great uncertainty. But she did trust Gray and deep down she so desperately wanted to get to know Professor Fernandes better. He seemed like such an interesting man.

"Okay. I'll go out tomorrow night."

"And you'll come to the party?"

"I don't know about all that. I mean I don't think I'd fit in and what would I wear?"

"There are plenty of dresses  in the attic for you to choose from and I...I kind of slected something for you to wear." 

"Really? What is it?"

"Wait right here for a moment."

He left the drawing room and a few minutes later he returned with a medium sized velvet black box. 

"I was really hoping that you would wear this to the party."

Gray opened the box and inside of it was an antique yet exquisite diamond necklace. 

"Oh it's beautiful." She said in awe.

"It belonged to my mother. I had always hoped to one day give it to my sister when she became a young woman but...But that never happened. Still you're very much like a sister to me and you don't really have any jewelry and my mother always said that every beautiful woman she have her own special jewel."