Gruvia: High School Love-Struck

44 | Troubled Waters

<Natsu>
I did tell Lucy that I would swing by her house didn't I? It looked like she wasn't there, when I looked up to the dark second floor window. I really couldn't knock on the door and risk the confrontation of her parents. Nah, maybe she went to sleep early.

As I was turning back around. I heard loud doors bursting open behind me. I looked back to see the distressed Heartfilia's.
Automatically I raised both my arms in the air, I didn't do anything!

"N-Natsu? Is that you? I thought we heard Lucy." Lucy's mother ran over to me, with her dad trailing behind out of the house.

"Did Lucy not come home yet?" I questioned.

"Thought you kids were breaking curfew." Her dad thought less of me. "She's not with you?"

"N-no, I was just coming by to see if she came home yet." I responded, even though I knew that she would be home by this time.

But that's not the problem was it? Lucy didn't come home. Something must of happened to her on the way. Suddenly I couldn't breath regularly. My mind halted and set ablaze in panic.

I whipped out my phone and dialed her.
The ringing kept me on the edge.

"W-we'll have to call the police..." Lucy's mother grew pale in worry.

She's not picking up!

"I-I'll go look for her." I assured.

"What can you possibly do? We don't even know where she is." Her father barked.

"Argh?! I'll find her! Just...just believe me." I seemed to startle the both of them.

I started to run down the same way I came in through. The same path Lucy always takes home. I'll find her...I know I will.
••••••
<Juvia>
It was around 11:45pm when I left the house to head to the 24/7 convenient the store to pick up some ice bags. Apparently Gray-sama liked crunching on them while he works.

I had nothing else to do, so I insisted to pick them up.

On my way back, I saw a blonde lady walking rather slow. She wore the same school uniform as I did...wait. That's Lucy!?" W-what was she doing out this late?

"L-Lucy!" I called her out.

"Huh? Juvia, is that you?" She turned around with an exhausted expression. "Can you lend me your phone?"

"S-sure..." I placed the bags on the ground. "Why is Lucy out so late? Why are you still in your uniform?" I asked as she held the phone.

"Ah...I got into a mishap. Long story..." She sighed.

Then my cellphone lit up in her hands. It was Natsu who was on the other end.

"Well....I'm going to be scolded." She handed the cellphone back to me.

I took it and answered.

"Yes, hello?"

"Juvia! Lucy went missing-"

"Natsu, she's alright. She's here with me right now." I interrupted him.

"W-what?! With you right now? Put her own." He demanded. His voice scratchy and stern.

I awkwardly handed it back and Lucy slightly smiled. Whispering to me that Natsu was going to start yelling... And he did.

Lucy distanced the phone away from her ear and scratched her head, giggling quietly at me.

While Lucy was on the phone, I picked up the bags and held Lucy's hand and ended up dragging her back to my place.

Even Gray-sama was surprised by the sudden company. Before we knew it, everyone else had shown up at the front door, including Natsu.

"You're such a dunce!" Natsu embraced Lucy.

"At least she's okay..." Gajeel spoke.

"Ughh, Lu-chan! You scared us!" Levy sobbed.

"What even happened to you?" Erza asked.

Everyone was pelting Lucy with questions and comments that she was drowning in all of it. Instead we all convened into the living room and I poured everyone glasses of tea.

And we did end up calling her parents and said that we were to bring her home soon. Thank goodness there's pep rally that will take up half of the school day. I guess we'll all end up skipping the morning rally and sleep in the library.

"Alright...where do I start?" Lucy sat down on the couch besides Natsu. She looked at all of us and rubbed her temples. "Okay, so I was heading home after I hung out with Juvia. Natsu called me and I said I would go home next. On my way home, there was this guy-"

"Guy?!" Natsu jumped in concern.

"Yes, a guy." Lucy poke his forehead.

"He was way too close to the side of the busy road and when I caught his attention...he started acting weird." She went on. "He hung to me like a monkey on a branch and said that he was going to marry me...yeah."

"Why I oughta-"

"Natsu, please." Lucy placed her hand on his lap. "I rejected him but he ended up getting more touchy and I dropped my phone and he accidentally stepped on it. It cracked."

Levy frowned.
"What a creep."

Gray-sama nodded his head.

"That explains why nobody could reach you." He pointed out, "so what happened after?"
It looked like Natsu couldn't stay content.

"He insisted on buying me a new one and he wouldn't let me say no. I went along with him, we happened to bump into his friends. Shit happened, and bam, now I'm here." Lucy sank into the couch.

"Let's get you home..."Levy patted her back.

"We should all head home now." Erza said aloud, "or we won't be able to wake up tomorrow." She stood up and stretched her arms.

Once everyone was at the door and put own their shoes, both Gray-sama and I waved at them goodbye. Not before long that everyone left and I had to clean up all the glasses on the table.

Gray-sama wrapped his arms around me suddenly and I almost dropped the glasses. I didn't have the energy to complain but, I knew Gray-sama didn't want to hear me nagging. I liked it anyways, Gray-sama's warm hugs.

"Goodnight."