Sweetheart

39

"Aina dear, I don't understand why you're stressing about this so much. You already completed the project. You just have to present."

"The presentation is the worst part! I heard he asks all these questions and I don't know how we're gonna prepare for that. So please let us practice with you."

"I agree with your mom. You're way too serious about this, sweetheart."

"And you're too relaxed about it! We need to get a good grade on this."

Natsu rolled his eyes and set the diorama down on the dining room table. Kelia laughed quietly at the bickering and clapped her hands to gain their attention.

"You can practice a couple times, but don't push yourselves too hard. Just remember that the presentation is only part of the grade, Aina."

"Yeah sweetheart, you're gonna bust a blood vessel."

Aina glared at Natsu and ran up to her room to grab the notecards. She shoved Natsu's portion into his hands and sifted through hers. Natsu looked down and sweatdropped when he saw that each index card was completely covered in writing. He silently read a couple sentences and groaned.

"Aina, there's way too much on here. I can't even get through one, let alone...Jesus, why are there twenty-seven index cards just for me?!"

Kelia pinched her nose and grabbed the cards from both of them. She sifted through them and saw the (overly) detailed notes that were scribbled for them to read.

"Dear, you're doing this again, but please make it easier for both of you to present. You can't even handle thirty index cards with your nerves."

"But--"

"No buts. You're projecting your stress again. Remember, you have to--"

"Practice my self-soothing techniques and relaxation coping skills," Aina mumbled. "I know, mom."

Natsu looked between the two and asked for an explanation.

"You know that I'm a therapist. She needs help with stress a lot, so I used my position as her mom to force her into a healthier lifestyle."

Natsu took one look at Kelia's smug smile and started laughing. Aina puffed her cheeks out and grabbed the notecards back from her mom. She sat with her legs crossed on the floor and kept looking back and forth from the cards to the diorama. She started tossing cards off to the side and erasing notes from other ones. She handed Natsu a pile of eight cards.

"Better?"

Natsu took one look at the cards, noticing the abundance of words still present.

"Uh, not really. I still can't get through the cards like this."

"What are you talking about? I cut the cards so there's only a third left."

Kelia studied Natsu for a moment before walking away to make a phone call.

"Mom, where are you going? You have to help us practice!"

"This is important, dear. I'll be right back."

Aina groaned and spun around to face Natsu. She crossed her arms again and gave him a hard stare. The pink haired boy looked at her sincerely.

"Aina, I'm serious. I can't get through them all."

She looked down and sighed before tugging him down to the ground.

"Well we better get working then."

"On what?"

"We're starting the notes from scratch."

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