Sweetheart

105

"You're an asshole."

Natsu's head whipped up to the sudden voice, and when he did he spotted a pissed looking Aina standing in the doorway.

"Well hello to you too, sweetheart. May I ask why you chose to insult me in the first second you see me?"

"Your friends messed with the control panel for Levy's debate last night."

Natsu held an amused smile and asked how it was his fault if he was in the hospital.

"I'm not in control of my friends' actions," he cooly responded.

"Now normally you aren't," she spoke before narrowing her eyes, "but you are when you tell them exactly what to do, especially when it's something that I know only you know how to do."

At her words, a small smirk crept on his face.

-------

Folding her feet under her as she sat, Aina picked at the grass by her father's grave.

"A lot's been happening, dad."

Silence followed, but (like many times before) it didn't phase her in the slightest. Every detail was revealed to the stone, and she ended up talking for about an hour.

"And you'll never believe..."

The breeze passed, blowing strands of curled hair into Aina's face.

"...and then Sting..."

Her smile slowly disappeared to a frown, and soon she was crying.

"It was so scary," she sniffled. "It was just like what happened to you...and I just..."

Small hands gently ran across the top of the stone as she said her goodbyes.

"Love you, always."

-------

"My dear salutatorian, I believe I owe you three dollars for lunch yesterday."

"My lovely valedictorian," Aina playfully answered, "I'm not making you pay me back three dollars."

The two giggled amongst themselves as they continued on their path to history. Once they crossed the threshold, the pair spotted Sting and Mister Neekis speaking quietly at the teacher's desk.

Levy inched closer to Aina and spoke lowly, "What do you think they're talking about?"

Aina did the same as she explained, "Ever since his fight, Sting's been trying even harder in this class."

"Is it working?"

"He got a B- on the last test."

"Is that where he's been going during lunch?"

"Before school, during lunch, after school. Sometimes he'll come during Mister Neekis's prep."

"Uh, doesn't he have bio then?" Levy hesitantly asked.

The conversation, though quiet, seemed to be picked up by the blond, telling by the subtle "sh" motion to the pair when the teacher was not looking.

"Oh boy," Levy sighed. "Isn't he failing bio?"

"I mean, his bio teacher doesn't even bother helping him because she thinks that he's part of that 'trouble team' or whatever she calls them. And then she wonders why he's failing."

The starting bell rang, and everyone slowly wandered into the classroom, taking their seats and gathering materials for the lecture that was sure to come. Sting made his way over to his seat behind Aina and set his backpack down next to his feet.