She's In Your Court

Chapter 4: Dancing is Like Making Love

And you play it coy, But it's kinda cute.
When you smile at me you know exactly what you do.
Baby don't pretend, that you don't know it's true.
'Cause you can see it when I look at you.

...

Juvia Lockser wondered what she had ever done wrong to deserve getting stuck with a five-year-old goofball trapped in a hot basketball star's body. The times she tried to make a conversation, Gray would twist her words and insist that she liked him, which was obviously not the case. Okay, maybe. Maybe, she liked him a little bit. Also, she liked his body a little bit.

"Levy? Am I cursed?"

Juvia fixed her hair in front of the full body mirror. She pulled her blue locks into a bun, leaving a few baby strands astray.

"What do you mean?"

Levy emerged behind the counter, dropping a stack of magazine on top the marble counter. The young assistant huffed. A smoke of dust irritated her sensitive nose.

"Why do I have to be paired up with that guy?"

"You mean, Mr. Gray?"

My Star Can Dance's assistant writer stacked the magazines neatly on one side and took another set from below the counter.

"Don't call him that."

"Why not?"

Juvia turned away from the mirror and walked toward the young writer.

"It reminds me of that book."

"Which book? Oh!"

Levy blushed at the realization. Both Juvia and she read that book, not together though.

"Didn't you like Christian Grey?"

"Don't remind me."

Juvia rolled her eyes. Her mind wandered over the Fifty Shades trilogy she kept in her book case. That one made her reach for ice. The room's temperature shot up to a hundred. The steamy scenes from the book and the movie played in her mind in vivid images.

"Eh, a-a-anyway. Why was I even paired up with him? Is there no one else?"

"I honestly don't know."

Juvia grabbed Levy's shoulders and spun the surprised Shrimp to face her. She wanted to look into her friend's eyes to see if she was lying. Levy McGarden was telling the truth.

Juvia sighed in defeat and let go of the surprised, and honestly a little scared, Levy.

"Is it too late to change partners?"

"Probably..."

Juvia faced her with hopeful eyes. She would jump at the opportunity of getting rid of that Hoopster.

But Levy intentionally kept the answer hanging.

"No." she finished.

Levy let out a hearty laugh. It wasn't everyday she could tease the woman who kept calling her Shrimp in High School. Revenge of the Shorties.

Juvia glared at the woman. She was enjoying Juvia's misfortune too much.

"Why are you so against it? When I found out you were going to be paired up with Mr. Gray, I was so excited for you I screamed at my head writer!"

Juvia could see Levy's frustration. Well, she ought to feel lucky, shouldn't she? Considering that... Juvia wondered for a second. Should she tell Levy the truth?