Secrets - NALU

Chapter 26: Picnic and Memories

Lucy's POV

"Why don't we all go on a picnic?" Levy suggested one morning. Over the course of the past months, she had gotten closer to Gajeel, which surprised all of us.

"I'm in." I perked up at the idea and leaned back against the school chair. We decided to eat inside the cafeteria since it was too hot outside.

"I'm in as well!" Juvia joined in, and her sudden speech change made us turn towards her.

"Since when did you stop speaking in third person?" Erza bluntly asked as she sipped on her kid sized apple juice box.

Juvia tied her hair in a high pony tail as she proceeded to say, "Well after spending time and talking with my Gray, it just suddenly stopped. Oh and no big deal, but he asked me out a few days ago."

Erza choked on her apple juice and Mirajane assisted and patted her back for support. "I knew this would happen!" Mirajane squealed in her seat.

"Congratulations! Have you guys held hands?" Erza grinned and leaned in closely to study Juvia's reaction.

Juvia began playing with her fingers and blushed, "Y-Yeah. We held hands for about an hour at the movies."

"I'm the only single one in the group!" Levy pouted and turned to face away from us. We all giggled and assured her Gajeel would come around soon.

Our gossip and chatting was cut off as soon as all the guys joined in with us.

"Hey babe." Jellal swiftly pecked Erza on the cheek, and sat down beside her on the white plastic bench.

Gray, Laxus and Gajeel followed after and sat down next to us.

"Where's Natsu?" I asked as I searched around the cafeteria for him.

"Detention. He hasn't done any of this week's assignments." Laxus informed me as he ate the school lunch, which were chicken nuggets.

"Anyways we were planning on going on a picnic this weekend, can you guys join?" Juvia asked.

"I can't since I'll be working." Mirajane shrugged and turned to Laxus who shook his head, "I'll be away for the weekend to visit my grandfather."

"Jellal and I actually had plans this weekend, sorry." Erza added.

"I guess it's just us." I stated the obvious, knowing Gajeel and Gray would go.

.

"Faster!" I commanded Natsu as he ran up the hill , where our picnic was going to be hosted.

He huffed, "This is my best."

"Ha! What a wimp! I'm better than you, freak!" Gray yelled across from us who had Juvia on his back as well.

Both Natsu and Gray glared at each other before sprinting to the top.

"I got here first!" They both yelled at the same time.

"Jokes on you, Shrimp and I got here first." We all turned to see Gajeel and Levy sitting under the rainbow cherry blossom tree. Levy had her nose in her book and Gajeel was leaning next to her.

This caused a dispute between the three of them, and they argued on who got there first.

.

After spreading the red checkered picnic blanket on the ground, and setting up the food, we enjoyed a hot brunch and sat together enjoying the view and the cool breeze.

"So how did you become a general, Lucy?" Gray asked in between bites of his sourdough sandwich.

I perked up from my smoothie, "Well one day the King invited owners of the top successful companies to a celebration. They were allowed to bring family memebers and such, which is why I tagged along with my dad. Anyways, that's were I met a friend, named Yukino. I was about fourteen at the time-,"

"Wait, the one party hosted during Christmas eve at his mansion?" Natsu interrupted.

I hesitantly nodded my head and lifted a brow in confusion, "How did you know that?"

He stood up from his spot next to me and shouted,"I was there too! The king was was in a navy suit right?"

I violently nodded my head, "I don't remember seeing you though."

He whined in response, "You mean we met four years ago and we just NOW started talking?"

"Anyways! There were some thieves in the mansion. Yukino and I followed the suspicious trio and stopped them. We got them to follow us, and led them to the king himself. In the end, the king was surprised by our keen senses and told us to keep in contact. About a year later, he formed a team of generals. He contacted me and I proudly showed up to the meeting, where I was told I was going to be one of them. From there on, we pretty much trained and went around town patrolling and keeping evil away."

"And that's why I'm always safe with Luce!" Natsu wrapped his arms around my waist and rested his head on my shoulder.

"What about Erza?" Gajeel asked.

I tilted my head in thought, "Well looking back, she was picked because at a young age, she had already successfully stopped crimes around town. She created a name for herself and that's how she became known by the king."

"How did you all meet?" Juvia asked Gray, referring to Natsu and Gajeel.

"I met these idiots in kindergarten. I fought Gajeel on the swings one day. Natsu cried like a wimp because he didn't want to be without Igneel."

"I did NOT cry!" Natsu kicked Gray on his thigh, making Gray push him aside.

"Gray would hold Natsu's hand and walk him inside class so he wouldn't cry." Gajeel roared with laughter.

Both Natsu and Gray slightly blushed at this and quickly denied it. Juvia's eyes started forming tears, "That's too cute."

I nodded my head in agreement, "How about you reenact it?" I winked at them multiple times.

Gray and Natsu both looked at each other and back at me, "Never."