The moment our eyes met- [ON HIATUS]

Chapter 59

JUVIA'S POV :

Swimming has always been my favorite sport. I swam because the water was my freedom, my release from my ordinary life, my own heaven on earth. While swimming, I was a bird, able to glide and fly in the blue. 

But today, I was not the free bird that finds its peace in the warm water. Today, I couldn't relax and just feel the water on my body because my mind was clouded of questions and was running in mile to find answers.

I emerged to the surface of the water to let out the breath I was holding in and took a deep breath before diving in again. Legs kicking the water smoothly and arms sliding across it, I swam to my destination.

Gray was Blue eyes. All this time, the person I was searching for was under my eyes. The familiarity and the gratefulness that I've always felt whenever Gray was by my side and the safeness of his arms, even before knowing him well...it all made sense now.

He was Blue eyes. Of course he was Blue eyes. But him being Blue eyes also meant that he was Eagle. Because I first met Blue eyes as Eagle, after the race—the race which Gray raced and won and not watched as he told me.

That night, after the party, despite our fight, he was the one who saved me from those men. He saved my soul that night. That explained how his chain was tangled in my dress. But the next day, he behaved as nothing happened. All this time, he knew I was searching for him. From the beginning when I met him in Gajeel's apartment he must've recognized me. Yet, he hid from me and refused to let me se him, he refused to let me know the truth.

Why? Why hiding the truth from me ? 

I came the surface again as I took another breath, before immersing in again.

Are you sure you know your friends well?

The mysterious message. And that photo. The photo of Eagle—Gray with Laxus...I opened my eyes to stare widely in the pool fighting back the urge to gasp in the water.

Gray is Eagle. Eagle is a Black Rebel. That is Gray's a Black Rebel. And if Laxus and Gray were Black Rebels, my friends would've surely known this. At least, Erza, Natsu and Mira would know.

My heart thumped in my ears as I realized it then, the painful truth hitting me like a jolt of water, making my stomach twist and turn in ways I didn't know it was possible.

They lied. All this time...they lied to me.

My eyes prickled under my goggles and I forced myself to focus on swimming. My legs kicked the water much forcer as my hands slide through it like a sharp knife.

I was angry, hurt, and...betrayed.

Why? The word was echoing in my mind like a broken record as I searched for answers, a way to convince myself, desperately.

I trusted them more than my life. I trusted him. I revealed him my most vulnerable secrets, my darkest moments. I bared my soul for him. But, he easily lied to me—because yes, hiding the truth is called lying. I believed my friends, and as much as tried to convince my self otherwise, the truth was right in front of my eyes and I couldn't keep denying. They lied to me. They didn't trust me enough to entrust their biggest secret to me.

Was I not a good friend for them? Was I not good enough?

The thought hit me more than anything. The pain I was feeling was suffocating. I've already felt this, when I found out about Jose a year ago. Only, it was ten times worse now. Because, I loved them more than I had loved anyone and they're my family.