Lucy Pov

"Hey girls, look!" I pointed at Gray and Meredy.

"Ew..do they shop at the dump?" Erza sneered. Everyone laughed.

"What do you want?" Meredy spat.

"Us. Nothing?" Levy clicked her tongue.

"Not from you anyway." I added.

"Excuse me. We need to get to class." Gray tried to walk around us.

We moved so he couldn't. "Why bother? You can never get scores like ours." Levy boasted.

"At least we don't cheat." Meredy spoke softly but I caught every word.

I stepped forward "What did you say?"

I expected her to pull back but she pushed forward. Jabbing her finger into my chest.

"I said..." she dugged her finger deeper. "At. Least. We. Don't. Cheat." She said with each word she jabbed me in the chest. Anger was boiling in me.

"Get your filthy finger off me." I snarled through my teeth.

"And if I don't?" She said smugly.

"Meredy." Gray's voice, warning her.

"Listen to you boyfriend. I wonder how Juvia would feel if she knew her beloved best friend stole her ine true love?"

I knew I hit jackpot. I could tell her blood was boiling. And I was enjoying it.

She was about to fight back. Ready.

There was a slap across my face. And I found myself lying on the floor.

I looked up. Raging. Standing there with his hand still out was Gray.

"Don't you dare talk about her like that." He spat.

I looked over to Erza and Levy for help.

They took a moment but stepped forward and helped me to my feet.

"She was your best friend too." Meredy mumbled, barely audible.

"Was." Erza stressed.

"You don't remember do you?"

I was now interested.

"What do you mean?" The anger was fading away.

She chuckled. I was starting to be afraid.

"She saved you when you were bullied. Don't you remember at all?" Her voice was a mixture of anger, sadness and disbelief.

I shook my head, I felt the rest do the same.

Her voice was stsrting to shake.

"She was the one who saved you at the playground when you three were being bullied." The tears were welling up in her eyes. "Even up to the end she never blamed you guys for anything."

"Why would she blame us?" Levy pipped up.

Meredy let out a sad chuckle. Gray was listening intensely.

"You were the reason that she bullied Gray. Even though she have always had a crush on him." Meredy explained, not looking at Gray. I guess even he didn't know about this.

"Meredy?" Gray moved closer to her.

"She had always seen the good in you yet...." the tears started.

There was a heavy feeling in my cheszt. What is this? Guilt? Regert?

I was too stunned to say anything.

Meredy picked up her things and shived pass us. Gray followed behind her.

"Lucy?" Erza asked cautiously.

"Is what she said true?"

"I don't know. I don't remember." Levy looked away.

"Why can't we remeber?"

Gray Pov

"Meredy wait up!" I chased her down the now empty hall. Class must have stsrted already.

Meredy walked to a corner and leaned against the wall for support. Her tears streaming down her face.

She slid down the wall and curled into a ball, head buried in her knees.

"Meredy." I lifted her head. "It's okay. You're safe now."

"Gray..." she wrapped her arms around my neck and buried her head in my chest.

"Meredy are you okay? You seem to be
Running a fever." I let go and pressed my hand against her forehead.

"You're burning up." I touched her neck. "Since when?"

"Last night." She choked and started to cough.

"Come on let's tell the headmaster so we can go home." She nodded. The tears have stopped but they still stained her face. I helped her up.

I suported her weight and started to walk towards the office. She coughed occasionally.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"It wasn't serious. I thought I'll be fine."

I chuckled. "You're just like her. Know that?"

She laughed and shook her head.

"Gray.....my head hurts." Her stepped were becoming uneven.

"Hang in there Meredy."

Her books dropped and I jerked to hold her up.

"Meredy? Meredy?" I shook her.

"Damn it." I mutter under my breath.

I looked around, I search of some help. There is a class nearby. I started to walk.

"Let us help." The trio was in front of me.

"No. Get lost." I pushed pass them. They followed, trying to help.

"I said get lost."

They actually looked sad but I ignored it.

I knocked in the door.

"Excuse me. I don't mean to interrupt. But my friend just fainted and I need some help."I struggled to keep Meredy up.

"Oh dear!" The teacher gasped.

"I will help." A white hair guy volunteered.

"Thank you, Lyon."

With his help we manged to reach the office and got permission from the headmaster to return home for the day.