Stealing the Playboy's Heart

Chapter Forty ~ Waiting in the Stars

Lucy sat in the library at the school reading her text book, well she was trying to stay focused really, but it wasn't working. It had been three weeks since Natsu left. She had only heard from him once since that day. And even then the conversation had been very brief. Lucy had played it over and over again in her mind. 

"Hello?" She half heartedly answered her phone without even looking at the screen.

"Hello Princess," The voice of her pink haired lover spoke on the other end, "Are you surviving without me there?" She could hear the sarcastic tone in his voice.

"Natsu!" She yelled into the phone. "Where the hell are you?! Why haven't you called me before now?! I've been worried sick." Her voice cracked. She didn't mean for it too, but she was trying to fight back tears. She had been sick to death with worry about him since she hadn't heard anything in a week since he had left her the voicemail. 

"Don't fret princess," He spoke calmly into the phone, "I am in America right now. I promise I'll be home soon."

"America?!"  Lucy yelled again, "Why are you there?!" She thought about it for a moment and remembered that he said his family had moved there a few years ago. "Is your family ok?"

"Yes they're fine." He replied quietly, "I just had to come home for some family business. I wish I could talk longer, but I have to go. I'll see you soon. I just needed to hear your voice again. I love you Luce."

"I-I love you too, Natsu." She replied choking back tears. 

And just like that she hadn't heard from him again. She looked at her phone. It was already after five. Time to head home then, she thought to herself, it'll be getting dark soon. She gathered her things and headed towards home.

She had seen her friends very little over the past three weeks, but she hadn't been really in the mood to do anything with them. Honestly she never felt herself when Natsu wasn't at least near by. They had grown so much since they got together. And it had already been almost a year. It was so hard to believe that time had gone by so quickly.

"Lucy!" She heard from behind her as she was walking down the street. She turned around to see Juvia running up to her. "Where are you going?" Juvia asked as she bent trying to catch her breath.

"Oh I was just heading home," lucy replied with a sad smile. Juvia looked at her and grinned before she took her hand and pulled her in the opposite direction.

"Oh no you're not!" She giggled. "We're so tired of seeing you mope around so we're going to have a girls night! Dinner and drinks at the Sky Lounge."

Lucy looked at Juvia, "Uh, I don't know Juvia," She hesitated, "I have a ton of things to do at home. Plus, I need to take Plue out for a walk, and...."

Juvia cut her off, "Nope you're not getting out of this," Juvia grinned at her. She pull Lucy down the street to the little clothing shop on the corner. 

"What are we here for?" Lucy asked starring at the little store confusingly. 

"Well you can't wear that to the Sky Lounge," Juvia said as she opened the door and they walked into the store. Lucy looked down at what she had on. Juvia was right, jeans, a Metallica t-shirt, and her Nike's weren't going to fly for the Sky Lounge. It was a five star restaurant after all. 

They spent a few minutes walking around until Lucy's eyes fell on the cutest little dress. It was a pink vintage dress with a high waist A-line skirt that had a black sash around the waist that tie into a bow on her hip. It's so pretty, She thought to herself. She picked it up and held it to her body. 

"That is perfect for you!" Juvia yelled. She walked over with a pair of cute black heels and handed them to Lucy, "And these will go perfectly with them!" They spent a few more minutes shopping until Juvia found a cute little purple pencil dress and a matching pair of heels. The two girls walked over and paid for their outfits, then used the stores dressing rooms to change before heading out. Lucy decided to let her hair down instead of the messy bun she had it in. It looked a little more elegant with her hair down she decided.

When they got to the restaurant Lucy saw Levy waving from across the room. "Over here!" She yelled. Erza looked at Levy like an angry mother as she grabbed the girls' arm and pulled her back to the table. "Levy, that is not how you are supposed to act in a place like this." Erza scorned the little blue haired girl. 

"Yes, ma'am," Levy replied pouting. Lucy and Juvia looked at each other and giggled, Levy was so smart but she was always so full of life and happiness that Lucy couldn't help but feel a little better being around her. She looked around the restaurant as they sat down at the table. 

"This place is beautiful," Lucy said in awe of her surroundings. There was no roof on this restaurant and it sat high above the city so that they lights didn't shine into the building. There were candles on every table for lighting, but the only other light was the light of the moon and the stars in the sky. It honestly was the most breath taking sight she had ever seen. 

"Yes it is one of my favorite places to eat at," Erza said smiling at her friends.

"You only come for the strawberry cake," Levy mumbled seemingly still pouting from getting disciplined by Erza earlier. 

Lucy laughed. "Levy are the guys rubbing off on you?" She asked.

 Levy looked at her and realizing how she was acting she started to laugh, "Oh I hope not." 

"Ahem," Juvia cleared her throat and cut her eyes at Levy and Erza. What in the world was that about, Lucy thought as she caught the look that Juvia gave. "If you want to see the best view though you have to go out on the terrace." Juvia said standing up with and waving her in the direction of the terrace. 

"Really?" Lucy asked. She walked towards the terrace and stopped and looked at her friends. They were all watching her with big puppy dog eyes. What in the world? She thought, I have some really weird friends. She opened the door and walked out onto the terrace.

Juvia was right the view here was more beautiful then anything she could have imagined. The room was lined with different kinds of flowers that appeared to almost glow under the moon light. She looked up at the sky, it were as if the stars held the colors of the rainbows in the heavens. She gazed at them lovingly as the thought of her mother, and Natsu, crossed her mind. The two people in this world that had always truly loved her. 

She spoke up to heavens, "Mother, if you can hear me, bring him home to me soon. I need him here with me. I love him." She said trying to fight back the single tear that was threatening to fall. As she stood there starring at the sky she thought she heard a sound but she played it off until she felt the warmth of someone's hand take hers.

She looked down at the hand trapped hers and was pulling her towards them. She followed it up the body until her eyes fell on his face. She couldn't speak as he pulled her against him, cupped her face, and looked deeply into her eyes as he leaned his forehead against hers. "I love you too, Luce."