Hidden Beneath

Chapter 20: Makeup Is Not Reliable

"Okay class you can go ahead and work with your groups!" Ms. Mira directed. Quickly everyone made their way around the class to find their groups. 

"Uh, hi...guys," Juvia greeted her group awkwardly. Slowly she sat down with Gray's cold and watchful eyes on her. "So what are we working on today?" Juvia asked with a big smile painted onto her face . 

"Well," Lucy began. "We have like a week left to do this, but most of it is done. All we have to do is finish putting the information onto a poster and then I guess double check that all the information is correct," she continued.

"Aye sir!" Natsu saluted causing Lucy to roll her eyes at his childish antics.

"Alright so whose doing what?" Juvia asked. Suddenly they all turned to look at her.

"Uh w-well," Lucy began her eyes flickering all over her face and neck. "You could uh..." Lucy paused to clear her throat and continued. "You and me could rewrite all the information onto index cards in smaller paragraphs. You k-know?" Lucy asked her voice shaking a bit.

"Yeah, I can do that," Juvia responded. "Are you okay?" She asked. 

"Yeah, I'm fine," Lucy responded. "Really," she reassured. Then she turned towards Gray and Natsu to tell them their parts in the assignment.

"Okay," Juvia responded. 

Ugh! Juvia thought. Levy probably blabbed to them! This can't be good! 

"So, uh we're all gonna be meeting at my house again today," Gray announced. "You all can come right?" Gray asked staring at Juvia, not being subtle at all that he expected her to come no matter what.

"Uh," Juvia coughed. "I can't come," she murmured as she continued to rewrite the information onto the index card.

"Why not?" Gray ground out narrowing his eyes.

"Because I have stuff to do that I am not obligated to tell you all," Juvia answered calmly.

"Yeah, well I'd like to know," Gray stated. "In fact, I think we would all like to know why you're ditching us not to do work."

"I have a job at 8-Island," Juvia responded. "Plus, all I have to do is rewrite words right? I can do that on my own. Then we can meet up again and we can all assemble the project," she ground out.

"Calm down Juvia! You don't have to get all bent out of shape," Natsu stated. "And you work at that restaurant? Don't you have to wear a maid costume or something?"

"You know what? I'm sorry. I'll stop by later after I finish work," Juvia apologized ignoring what Natsu said.

"Fine," Gray replied. "What time?" 

"Not sure, but it'll probably be really late," Juvia responded. Then everything became silent except for their fellow classmates working.

~

The rest of class no one spoke. Then when the end of the day finally came Juvia rushed out pf the class as fast as she could. Quickly she stopped by her locker and grabbed the things she needed and threw in the things she didn't.

Then she ran. 

She didn't care if she ran into people. They could yell at her and be mean. Whatever! Right now she needed to get away from the person behind her. As she ran she could hear  the stomping of feet behind her.

No, she thought as she was running.

"Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me, sorry," Juvia shouted as she slid past people.