Nalu~ The artist and the playboy

Chapter 11

"What happened to your shirt?!" Levy exclaimed.

"I spilled my drink," I laughed, lying easily and ignoring the dark feeling in my stomach from doing so.

"Isn't Lucy cold?" Juvia asked and I shrugged.

"I'll get used to it. I'm fine." 

They let the topic drop thankfully as we noticed the guys jogging over, I noticed Natsu first, he had rushed to the bench after looking at me, grabbing his jacket then rushing over to the bleachers.

"You're so clumsy Luce," Natsu laughed handing me his jacket in which I gladly took with a smile.

"Good thing you're around then huh?" I question, quickly putting on the jacket that was extremely oversized but was warm. This was his football jacket. It smelled like newly cut grass...and Natsu's cologne. I leaned over the railing, stretching out my arms enveloping Natsu in a hug.

"Good luck... not that you need it," I whispered into his ear, as Natsu smirked.

"Are you trying to be romantic?" Natsu asked when I had let him go from the hug.

"Oh shut it and get out there!" I exclaimed with a large smile as Natsu nodded.

"Yes ma'am," He laughed, running off to the field with a wink.

The game, just like last time was full of cheers, boos and lots of screaming from us girls. After the game, when we were waiting for the boys to leave the locker room, just as they had walked out, from the corner of my eye I saw white hair, except, it wasn't Lisanna, this girls hair was longer, I turned to look at her before gasping.

"Mira...?" I questioned as she seemed to have the same look on her face that I had; pure shock. 

"Lucy...?" She had questioned the same time I had before her eyes teared up.

"Lucy it's been too long!" She had suddenly yelled, pouncing me with a hug as I started crying too.

"What have you been doing all this time?" I asked voice shaky.

"I am now a public school teacher!" She exclaimed as I looked at her with shock.

"Fairy Tail High?" 

"How'd you know?" She asked

"Erza said you were on the council but I didn't know if it was actually you!" I shouted happily.

"You two know each other?"  Erza asked us two, looking between the two of us.

"I was Lucy's homeschool teacher until I persuaded her dad to let her go to middle school. Finally-" She clamped a hand over her mouth, "-Uh sorry!" She looked at me with eyes wide. 

"They know" I gave her a smile

"Oh~ Phew..." She sighed.

"Anyways, yeah I was her private teacher until erm... I think 4th grade?" She thought for a minute. "No, half of 5th grade too." I nodded when she added on.

"So you've known each other for awhile?" Grey questioned as Mira and I nodded.

"Well, technically I didn't start teaching her until she was 7, so 1st grade, but yeah, a while." Mira thought.

"How was Lucy as a child?" Natsu asked, and I could tell everyone was curious. Mira looked at me as if looking for permission and I gave her a sad smile as I attempted to push out memories.

"Well. She definitely didn't act like a 7-year-old would... At first, she never talked unless she was with Aquarius, her cat. When I did hear her talk... it was sad. She was hurting-" I shuffled uncomfortably- " That's when I learned about her mother-" 

"Hey, uhm... I'm actually kind of hungry? Let's go to Taco Bell," I suggested, wanting to leave the conversation as my mind ached.

"Good idea, let's go." Gajeel agreed, seeing how I was clenching my fists at my side. As we walked, they had all started talking, an idea to change the subject thanks to Grey and Natsu, but I was focused on something else.

__Flashback__

I was 4 years old, skipping down the hospital hallway, happy to see my mom. Dad said she was only a little sick, and that she would be okay if we were all happy, so I did my best to be happy. I told mommy jokes. I told mommy how much I loved her. I drew her pictures. So how would today be different? As long as I was happy mommy would be okay!

I walked into her hospital room to see a machine beeping.

"Mommy? The machine is beeping really loudly" I tried to get my mommy's attention.

"Mommy?" I questioned, dropping my stuffed bear. I rushed to her, to see her eyes closed.

"Mommy wake up! It's no time for naps! The machine is beeping!" I tried yelling.

"Mommy it's so loud... It's really loud... mommy my ears hurt... MOMMY!" I tried and tried, but she wouldn't wake up. Suddenly nurses and doctors burst into the room.

Noise. Noise. Noise. Everywhere, people shouting... Why are they taking mommy? Daddy? Where is daddy? Daddy can fix mommy. Mommy said that if she saw me and daddy happy that she would be all better.

"MOMMY!" I cried, reaching out for the bed that she lay on, it being rushed out the room. I screamed as my dad rushed to me, picking me up saying it would be okay, that the doctors had to fix mommy like they did on T.V.

But mommy never woke up. They said that a stone in the ground would represent her. That she was going to a better place. They said that she would be watching me. They said she was happy. But dad wasn't happy. Could mom be in a better place if dad was so angry about her being gone? 

"I NEVER WANT TO HEAR YOUR VOICE! YOU DISGRACE!" Dad had shouted. If I don't talk will dad be happy? Is dad sick too?

Soon a strange teenage girl was told to teach me.

"Hello, Lucy! I'm Mirajane but you can call me Mira!" She had cheerfully stated. Was she being happy to make her parents feel better too? 

I simply nodded. Don't talk. If you don't talk dad will smile again, if dad and I are happy then so if mom. So I need to make dad happy.

This strange girl would start teaching me a lot of confusing things. One day, she had told me,

"Hey, Lucy. I heard about your mom. Hey I know it's hard but guess what, your mom would want more than anything for you to be happy and for you to smile, and if you want to talk you can." She had told me.

"I can...?" I found myself asking, causing her to gain a large smile.

"mmhmm!" She nodded.

Then my best friend, my cat, Aquarius died. She didn't get a stone though. I had to get a rock for her instead. Dad said that she didn't matter. That I wasn't allowed to have friends so it was for the best. Dad would hit me if I cried over her. But I was sad. Just like how I was sad when mommy left. 

__End of flashback__

When I had realized that we arrived at Taco Bell I looked up. 

"Hey Luce... you okay?" Natsu asked when everyone went inside, promising to order us food.