A GaLe Story: The Summer We Met

Chapter 5: "Sting?"

We read for another hour before we heard a knock. I got up and answered it so Lu could keep reading. Natsu and Gajeel stood there.

I let them in and Lucy looked up. They apologized to us and Natsu started begging Lucy to lift his punishment. I'd forgotten that she wasn't giving him any kisses for a week. It was really funny how he begged, and it showed how cute they really were as a couple.

"Wow Levy, I should remember not to get on your bad side. I was out for half an hour." Gajeel said from behind me.

"I don't think you would've done it if Natsu had remembered that I know self defense. Think of it as his fault." I answered back.

"That Flamethrower set me up! He's getting enough punishment from Bunny Girl though, so I'll let it go for now." He admitted.

Natsu eventually gave up, and we all took a walk on the beach like I wanted. Lucy thinks this could be a daily thing. A quick walk on the beach in the morning then go to the amusement park here or something like that for the rest of the day.

We were walking along the waves letting the water soak our feet, when two guys came over to talk to us.

Natsu and Lucy greeted them, but Gajeel looked a little uncomfortable.
I don't know them, but if Gajeel didn't know them then they can't be from school can they? But I know Gajeel doesn't have many friends. I stepped back a little to hide behind Lucy and Gajeel. My shyness was taking over again.

Two girls came over too. I looked at the boys more closely. One of them looks familiar. Then I remembered.

"Sting?" He looked over to me. "Who are you?" He asked. My heart broke in two. I ran back to the room crying. My own brother didn't remember me.

Lucy's POV:

That dumbass. I don't use curse words often. But he went too far. I gave him a death stare. "I know Levy changed a bit after you left, but you changed way more, and she still recognized you. I thought you said you visited her when you came back, too. You're a liar and a mean person, Sting." I turned to Gajeel and Natsu. "I'm going after her, you two keep Sting and Gray away from her. Juvia and Yukino come with me." I demanded.

Gajeel's POV:

He made Shrimp cry. No one makes my friend cry. That Sting guy was in shock. "L-Levy?!" He kept repeating.

Natsu glared at him. "Sting, I thought you were a good brother. Levy's changed ever since you left. She almost always stays inside, reading. She does have any friends except me, Lucy, and Gajeel outside of school. She does no after school activities. She's super shy. It's a miracle Lucy convinced her to go on this trip considering she didn't know who Gajeel was before this. She only goes out to get groceries or go to any sports games me and Lucy have. She's too shy to even cheer, but it makes us happy that she's even there considering she's very awkward around people."

I looked at Natsu shocked. Sting was about to cry, it looked like. That guy Gray was uncomfortable.

I never knew that Levy was like that. I knew she was shy, but I didn't know how serious this was. I now know why Lucy was so worried when she asked me to come.

Flashback at Gajeel's house to before Lucy asked Levy to go on the trip:

"Come on please, you gotta help us man." Natsu asked him. Lucy and Natsu wanted a favor, something about Lucy's 17 year old little sister.

Lucy looked very upset. "Levy is very shy. She distances herself from everyone but me and Natsu. I want you to go on the trip with us. I'll bring Levy, and I want you to help her overcome her shyness. I'm afraid she'll be like this forever!"

She looked about ready to cry. I don't like when girls cry. "Fine. I'll help this Levy girl. I got your back, Bunny Girl. You too Flame brain."

Natsu smiled his signature grin. "Thanks man we owe you. Be nice to her, got it? Don't drive her away."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah yeah now outta my house so I can pack."

End of Flashback:

Poor Shrimp. I glared at Sting. "So you are Shrimp's brother?" I demanded.
He looked confused. "Shrimp? Oh you must mean Levy. Yeah I'm her brother. A bad one though. I made her cry and I lied to Lu. Now I can't even see them." He looked down, not trying to hide the fact he was upset.

I scoffed. Natsu stepped up. "Why did you lie to my girlfriend Sting?"

He sighed "Me and Lev were close to each other when we were little. It broke her heart when I left to study at another school. Since it was in a different place, I had to move. I haven't seen her in 2 years. When I got back, I thought she would be mad at me and ignore me, so I didn't want to hurt her when she figured out I was back. Lucy wanted me to talk to her so I said I would, but was too scared so I never did. I told her not to mention me to Levy because 'she didn't want to be reminded of when I left.'"

Natsu and I shook our heads in disapproval. That guy named Gray did too.

Juvia's POV:

"Lucy-san, Juvia wants to know who that girl was." We were running after that little blue haired girl. Lucy demanded that Yukino and I come with her. I guess it was because we were girls and could help.

Lucy stopped and turned around. Yukino ran into her and fell on the sand. Lucy panicked and apologized.

She looked back at me. "That was Levy, my little sister."