The Princess of Fairy Tail High

I swear, this time I mean it

The massive crowd of kids looks even more daunting up close, all just for a list of names on a bulletin board. Even though I'm not pushing to get up front in the slightest, my body is shaken between other bodies looking for their name. I know I'm no where near the top fifty in my grade, much less top one hundred in the school, yet here I am. I turn around and push my way back out of the crowd, which had doubled in size. I stand next to Gajeel, who is looking down from the stairwell. From this vantage point, I can just make out Lucy's golden hair and her side-pony-thing. Next to her I see a bobbing blue head, which I'm assuming is Levy. They're nearing the board... just a little farther...

"YES!" We hear Levy exclaim, jumping so high that we can actually see the entire back of her head over the crowd. After struggling and wiggling their way back through the crowd, they come greet us.

"Well?" Gajeel and I ask our girls at the same time.

"First place in our grade!" Levy beams proudly. "Third in the school, beaten out by the seniors."

"But they'll be gone next year shrimp. You'll be first place in no time." Gajeel ruffles Levy's hair. She's so excited that she doesn't duck away, nor does she comment on the use of 'shrimp'.

"Lucy?" I ask, turning to her. She's not as thrilled as Levy, but there are no tears so I'm hoping for the best.

"Seventh in the grade, thirteenth in the school." She replies after taking a breath. I can see the excitement build in her eyes because she said it out loud.

"Congratulations Lucy!" I give her a big hug and then hold her at arm's length. "I knew you could do it."

"Hmm, one lucky number, one not-so lucky." Gajeel mutters.

"Since when were you superstitious?" I say, sticking my tongue out. "Anyways, that's crazy! Shall we-"

My question is cut off by somebody making a fuss in front of the lists. "That Heartfilia chick beat me out of the top twenty! She probably paid her way onto this list."

"Don't be ridiculous." A loud, clear voice rings over everyone's heads before I can open my mouth. Everyone's heads turn to see... Lisanna, walking towards the crowd. "Lucy is thirteenth in the school. It's not her fault you're twenty seventh. Maybe it's because she studies and works hard, rather than letting the competition and numbers get to her head. Or maybe it's just because she can retain all that information, whereas your massive ego fills your head with air."

The word ego shoots like a bullet through the crowd, and causes the whiner to zip their lips. Lisanna surveys the rest of the kids, daring them to comment. She meets our eyes for a second, before looking down and walking away.

I swallow, trying to remember what I was going to say. Lisanna just stood up for Lucy... "That's right. How are we going to celebrate? We gotta do something big."

Lucy moves her gaze from where Lisanna walked off and looks at me like I'm stupid. "Erza sent us all emails about having an end of the year dinner together. Or did you forget?"

I think about it, then roll my eyes. "I never check my emails. I've got too many unread already." Lucy shakes her head like what am I going to do.

"Good to know," she finally says with a laugh. "She made the reservation for the Saturday night after graduation."

"We have to wait that long to celebrate?" I ask with a small whine. Just as they start laughing at me, Cana walks up.

"C'mon, they're waiting for you." She drags us out of the main building and to the picnic benches outside of the dorms, where Gray, Juvia, Mira, Laxus, and Erza are sitting.