Let the Rain Fall (Gale, Nalu, Jerza )

The Pain of the Stage

"You're right! We just found out Hachi was pregnant with Takumi's baby!" We rushed into my apartment, crept into my room, and began to watch the rest of the episode on my laptop. I was glad Lisanna wasn't that bright when it came to changing topics. The last thing I wanted to do was talk about Natsu.

The next day at school, I braced myself by hiding behind my cousin for most of the day. I could see Natsu and his friends laughing hysterically in the corner of the hall, which was good. He wouldn't notice me. "Lucy! Lucy!" A familiar voice called out. I turned around, and my heart stopped. It was Mrs. Dragneel, or Principal Grandine at school. No, no, no! I forced a smile and waved, and soon I was embraced by her. She held me tightly, just like the way she used to when I was a kid. She pulled away and smiled. "Oh, it's been too long since we've done that, hasn't it.?" She asked.

I nodded. "It sure has." Mrs. Dragneel hasn't changed at all. She still wore her blond in a bun with two pencils stuck inside of them. She aged a little, but still looked under thirty five. "How have you been since...you know?"

"I've doing fine, thanks for asking," I said politely. I didn't want her to know that I cut ties with Natsu; it would break her heart tremendously. "Well, I didn't come here to go through memory lane! I came to ask you if you were interested in auditioning for a musical."

"A musical?"

"Yes, a musical. Mira told me about you being part of Fiore's theatre troupe, and I think you would be the perfect person to play the lead actress."

"What play?" I asked. This was all so sudden. Yesterday was my first day and I'm already asked to be part of a musical? This school does not play around. "Ah, it's The Corpse Bride. Oh, how I love that musical."

Really? But it's so dark? "Maybe I will," I said. The bell rang, and I looked down at my schedule to  see what I had next. "I've got to go! I have Drama next."

"Oh, tell Natsu I said hi!" She chirped. I paused. Wait, what? I looked back at Mrs. Dragneel. "But I thought Drama was only for Juniors and below?"

"Oh, heavens no! It's for both Juniors and Seniors!"

Oh God, why are you so cruel to me?  Natsu was in drama too! Wasn't calculus enough! I forced a smile once again. "I will." She smiled and walked away. I released my smile and sighed. I hated lying to Mrs. Dragneel. She was too sweet to be lied to, but I knew it would hurt her more if she found out that Natsu and I weren't exactly on speaking terms. She was like a second mother to me when we were kids and thought of me like her daughter. It only seems like a lifetime ago that Natsu and I were eating cookies on his porch and his mom bringing a glass of milk for the both of us. The way she smiled always made me smile.

To bad that was a lifetime ago.

Natsu P.O.V

"Dudes, I think Juvia likes me," Gray whispers to Elfman and me as we enter the auditorium. I shook my head with disapproval. "You've just noticed that? She stares at you all the time at lunch."

"She does?"

"Yup," Elfman sighed. "She'd be pretty hot if it weren't for her heavy accent."

"I like her accent! It sounds pretty," Gray muttered, blushing a little. I laughed hysterically. "Dude, I think you like Juvia too!" Gray's eyes widened, and his face flushed pink. He quickly averted my eyes from mine in embarrassment.  Both Elfman and I laughed even more as we sat down  in the front seats. I suddenly heard familiar voices behind us. "Let's sit here! The seats are filling in fast!"

"Alright, alright! I swear, I'm never giving you sugary cereal for breakfast ever again!" My eyes widened when I figured out the identity of the voices. I slowly turned around and saw Lisanna and Lucy sitting directly behind us, giggling. I gasped loudly, catching the girls' direction. Lucy's eyes widened, but she quickly looked away. Lisanna coughed. "Awkward."