"They just look like ordinary people, in living color, and sometimes it is hard to tell who is a ghost."

-Chris Woodyard

An ordinary rainy morning, was what Gray would like to call it.

The launching rain missiles from up above splayed transparent blue splotches on colorful umbrellas pedestrians of the streets were carrying. Unfortunately Gray walked unprepared and was soaked by the third wave of arsenal.

"Fuck," the raven haired teenager cursed as he hopped over another puddle, "This rain is so damn bothersome-"

He was cut short by a zooming car that prevented him from crossing the street. Gray grimaced and watched impatiently at the vehicles that drove on the paved road with ease, as if to taunt him that he would never be able to reach his destination.

Any other day he wouldn't mind. Heck, who ever did like going to school?

But a certain incident that occurred just a few months ago had him left with no choice but to attend to Fairy Tail High, a place he had been previously skipping for an arbitrary amount of time.

"Come on, come on," Gray's patience started to wane as the pouring rain increased in both quantity and speed.

"Fun rain, huh?" a lifeless voice from behind echoed and Gray looked over his shoulder to meet a pair of almond colored eyes.

The stranger was clad in an orange tank and shorts that went down her mid thighs. She carried no umbrella to shield herself from the heavy downpour. Her blonde hair grew wetter by the ticking second but she showed no impulse to care for it. Rather, it seemed as if she was eerily content with getting wet, the expression she had on was no different than of a dead corpse; eyes drained of life and lips curled in a straight, horizontal, thin line.

There was something, other than her appearance, incredibly off about her that made his blood run cold.

"Y-yeah," Gray said, his eyes never leaving the relaxed expression of her face, "nice weather…say, aren't you going to catch a cold like that?"

She smiled and shook her head. "Nah, I'm used to it." Then her face darkened a shade of red. "A-aren't y-you the one going to catch a cold like that anyways?"

Gray cocked his head in confusion and the girl stared back, her smile still in its place and blush starting to lighten. When he looked down, he saw the pants he put on prior gone. Scarlet tainted the sides of his face as he undid the buttons of his school blazer to wrap around his waist.

"S-sorry! This happens all the time!" Gray stuttered but cursed himself as soon as he did.

Wouldn't he be thought as a bigger weirdo for saying that? Nice going.

The blonde giggled, waving a reassuring hand. "It's alright. I've been around pretty weird people before. Name's Lucy. Lucy Heartphilia."

His heartbeat slowed and Gray scratched his head, embarrassed at her kindness and understanding. No one he knew was so accepting of his stripping habits, let alone a stranger. And though it should creep him out that someone he just met was eager to accept that disagreeable part of him, it comforted him.

"Gray," He shook the girl's offering hand, "Gray Fullbuster."

Then they let go, not another exchange of words between the two took place. Not that Gray minded, he just met the girl.

Pitter-patter, pitter-patter, went the drizzling rain. His eyes were about to sting from the liquid that dripped and just as he was about to step backward, something brushed his shoulder and the unbelievable happened.

Lucy ran out into the streets. Just as a truck was about to turn a corner.

"She can't be doing this…" Gray breathed as he watched the scene unravel before him. "this…this can't be-"

But as Gray feared, the truck never reached the corner of the streets. It went, instead, skidding into a shop building with the blonde somewhere entangled under its wheels.

A bloodcurdling scream was sounded through the roaring rain and blood spurted in a fountain-like mess. Red danced in the air and the dim grey light of the stormy morning illuminated the crimson droplets. A horrible stench streamed gently along the morning air to the noses of onlookers and Gray mustered much willpower from gagging, not only from the smell but the corpse that lay not far away from him.

Sirens of incoming ambulances soon dispelled the initial astonishment of the crowd and a wave of terror washed over them. Few people even started to scream and policemen came shortly to control the citizens. As officers drew out a notebook and pen to begin questioning those who had seen the suicide upfront, Gray slipped away, hearing nothing but the rapid beating of his heart.

"Gray, you're looking shirtless and shitty today," a student howled, laughter ensuing from the rest of the class but Gray didn't think any of it and plopped down in his desk, sweat still accumulating around his flawless skin.

There was no teacher present in the room as usual which bestowed him the honor of a couple of spitballs. He briskly brushed them off, not sparing his attackers a second glance which was unexpected. Normally their little target would put up more of a fight and it would ultimately end in their favor.

Not this time around when Gray had just seen the most mind numbing experience he'd ever encounter.

He slumped over his desk, uncaring the sticky wetness of the furniture that someone so obviously placed for him. Students around him whispered false lies about him and Gray buried his face even deeper. He was used to the bullying and teasing by now. It was part of an everyday cycle.

While he tried to recollect his thoughts, a student approached him.

"Gray-sama?" a feminine voice stirred Gray momentarily from his inner turmoil, "are you alright? Should Juvia-san get Gray-sama to drink?"

"No! Just leave me alone!" was what Gray wanted to scream.

Although Juvia Lockser was a charming girl who always expressed kind intentions, Gray had found it tiresome at times especially now since it was so clear that he didn't want to be disturbed.

Just as he was about to brush Juvia's second attempt of achieving his attention; he froze. There, standing by the opened classroom door, was Lucy, her blonde hair still in a mess and clothes stained blood red.

She scanned the chaotic scene once as though she was looking for someone and slowly her grey eyes stopped on him.

Gray swore her eyes lit up brown when she happily exclaimed, "You're here!"

Word count: 1071

Edited: ~06/28/12

A/N: Since this will be a story for when I'm in need of inspiration, chapters will most likely be released more frequently (with less words though) than how long I take with my other fanfic. I wanted to update my other [side] one but for some reason, I believe it got deleted...

Putting that aside, I hope this chapter didn't come across as uneventful since I'm aiming to get more said in little as possible. Let me know in your reviews, I'd be happy to oblige. (: