Lucy's POV
I slowly open my eyes and wait until they adjust to the lighting. Once they do, I look at my alarm clock.
7:00am. Ha! I beat my alarm clock!....
I sighed.
Am I really getting excited just for that?
I mentally sigh at my childishness. Pulling the covers up and over me, I make my way to my closet and take out my uniform. After that I go to my kitchen and make toast with scrambled eggs.
When I finished, I heard knocking at the door.
Ughhhhhh way are there people here at this hourrrrr.
I walk over to the door and slowly open it. But then someone come's in quickly and hugs me. I freaked out a little and asked.
"Um, hey there little girl? I-I'm sorry but I think..." it felt kind awkward but she eventually let go.
"Oh right, you don't know me yet." She stood back and bowed. "I'm Wendy. Natsu's little sister." She had a cute smile on her face.
"W-Wendy?? What are you doing here?" I asked as I kneeled to her height.
"Since you live near our house we thought it would be fun to pick you up for school." She said with an innocent smile.
"Wait. 'We'?" I asked with an eyebrow raised. As if on cue Natsu comes into view with a big grin on his face while scratching the back of his head.
"Hey Luce. You ready to go?"
"It was all Natsu's idea." Added Wendy. I chuckled and stood up.
"Yeah, just let me brush my teeth and we can leave." I said while heading to my bathroom. "Just wait in the living room until I finish." I added.
Getting my tooth brush and toothpaste I quickly brush my teeth and look at myself in the mirror making sure my hair was fine.
There I go again being self conscious about how I look.
I sighed and made my way out while taking a last glance at my mirror.
"Ready!" I say with a smile. Natsu and Wendy were teasing each other and when I entered the room they stopped what they were doing and smiled.
"Yeah lets get going Lucy, don't want to be late for school right?" and with that said we left my house and started walking.
~
It was silent at first and a bit awkward so Wendy decided to break the silence but I think she made it worse.
"Lucy-nee, when are you and Natsu-nii going to start dating?" She asked right off the bat in an innocent voice. Natsu and I looked at each other with tomato red faces. I was about to say something but Natsu beat me to it.
"L-Lucy already has boyfriend Wen." He answered a little off. He had a smile on his face but was somewhat forced like last time.
What could he be thinking?
"Aw, but I still think you two should be together." She said with small pout. I chuckled a bit.
"Oh and that reminds me, Luce." Said Natsu catching my attention.
"Yeah?"
"What did you and Gray, um...talk about yesterday?" I was caught a bit off guard by his question.
"Well, he was just telling me about how you guys met is all." I looked at my feet as we walked.
"Oh, that's fine. Thank god." He murmured the last part. I was a little confused as to why he said that but I just shrugged it off.
"Yeah, I feel like he's starting to trust me a bit more." I said mostly to myself.
And speaking of Gray...
"Yo! Flame brain, Lucy! Over here!" He called us over to the usual group of friends. Wendy said goodbye to us and then made her way to her friends.
"Ohayō minna!" Natsu and I greeted.
"Ohayō!" They responded.
"What's up flame breath?" Said Gray.
"Nothing much ice princess." Answered Natsu with a grin and fist bumped him.
It's nice seeing them not fight for once.
Then Gray turned to look at me.
"Hey Lucy-chan, how ya been?" He asked while ruffling my hair playfully. I giggled a bit before responding.
"I'm fine, thanks for asking." I started fixing my hair once he stopped.
I smiled whole-heartedly at him but then I felt a dark presence behind me...
dare I turn around?....
"Ohayō Lucy." Juvia said with a forced smile on her face.
"O-Ohayō Juvia." I stuttered.
"May Juvia speak to you in private?" She asked between her teeth but still with the same smile.
"But the bell is about to-" I was cut off when Juvia was already dragging me into the girls bathroom.
*RINGGGGGGGGGGG*
"Ring." I finished my sentence a little to late.
Oh well, at least I have and elective the first hour so its not that much of a big deal.
"What are you to my Gray-sama???" She asked with desperation clearly in her voice.
"W-What?? Nothing! Were just friends, nothing more." I defended while waving my hands back and forth.
"Are you sure??" She asked looking at me dead in the eye.
"Yes I'm sure." A moment passed by and Juvia was debating weather or not to believed me.
"Pinky promise?" She extended her arm to me with her pinky out. I sighed and said
"Pinky promise." I wrapped my little finger around hers and she gave me a slight squeeze before letting go.
"Good." Was all she said. She leaned her back on the wall and slid down to the ground making her sit on the cold tile floor. I wasn't going to just stand around so I did the same and took a seat next to her.
"Are you okay?" I asked seeing as her facial expression became somewhat of a frown.
"W-what? oh, no, no Juvia is fine." She answered with the same forced smile she used before. I didn't like seeing her like this so I stood up and dusted off my skirt.
"Where are you going?" She asked. "They won't let you and Juvia enter the class since Juvia dragged you out and made you late. Juvia is sorry about that." She apologized.
"Don't worry, my class was an elective anyway." I said dismissively. "Come on." I reached my hand out waiting for her to take it but she looked at me with a confused look.
"What? Where?"
"Well we have about 30 minutes left until our next class and I remember on the school map here was a playground on the elementary side. I always thought it was unfair the we don't have one so what do you say we go take a look?" I asked with my hand still stretched out.
"But what if they catch us walking over there?" I though about it and than answered.
"I'll make something up on the spot. Don't worry." She still looked a bit hesitant. "Come on, I feel like my arms going fall off." I joked. She let out a small chuckle and then finally took my hand with a small smile.
She dusted her skirt and walked down the hall.
We were about foot away from exiting the building and heading to the other one when someone stood in front of us.
"And where do you ladies think you're going?" Asked the teacher known as Ms.Porlyusica. I panicked a bit at first and then thought about what I was going to say.
"Oh, I was going to see my friends little sister because he was to busy to see her." I explained.
"hum...alright, but why is she here with you?" The teacher asked looking at Juvia.
Shoot! There I go again being selfish and only thinking about getting myself out of this mess.
I turned to look at Juvia and she look a bit scared and with hint of betrayal on her face.
Damn it the only thing I can do now is...
I leaned close to Ms.Porlyusica and started whispering my excuse.
"And that's why I need at least someone with me at all times." I said the last part out loud.
"Oh, Alright then. Go on." She stood aside for us to leave. I bow and head out with Juvia trailing behind me.
"The playground is right over there." I said while pointing to the place with bright colored slides, swings and se-saws.
She followed me and we went strait to the biggest slide. We were laughing and playing like little children and and then we made it to the swings. We played a lot and soon we got tired and sat for a while.
"By the way, what did Lucy tell the teacher to let us go?" Juvia asked with confusion and curiosity written on her face.
I can't lie to her, it wouldn't be right..
"A secret for a secret?" I asked. She raised an eyebrow while thinking about it.
"Sure." She responded. I began explaining and it only took a few minutes. She was bit speechless once I finished.
"Please don't tell anyone." I pleaded.
"Don't worry, Juvia can keep a secret." She said with a kind smile. A moment passed by and I asked.
"Not to be pushy or anything but what's your secret?" What once was a smile turned into a face of concern.
"Juvia hasn't always spoken in third person." She started while looking down at her hands.
"What made you speak that way then?" I noticed that it was kinda rude what I asked. "But if you don't want to answer that, its okay." I waved my hands dismissively.
"It's fine. If Juvia's going to tell you then Juvia will tell you everything. But Juvia will talk normally. Juvia will explain why later." (A/N: The author got lazy XD)
"Okay." She inhaled and then exhaled before speaking.
"When I was in fifth grade at phantom lord elementary, my father was diagnosed with cancer and passed away. Like any little kid, I was very sad and would often cry myself to sleep. But my mother...She was the one who took it the hardest. She would only ever talk to me when she needed to."
"That's terrible." I reached my hand out to hold hers for comfort. She nodded and placed her hand on top of mine continuing her story.
"One day she came home drunk and started screaming at me. She never laid a hand on me but the things she said were hurtful. She would never say my name again and so much time had passed by that I felt lonely...sometimes I would even forget my own name, thats why I started speaking in third person.
As time went on, I decided to move in with my Aunt Meredy. I studied at Phantom lord high school and Gajeel's used to study there too but by then he got out of Phantom Lord and transferred to FT Academy and he would always tell me about how it was so cool and fun, so I built up the courage to ask my Aunt Meredy if I could transfer, and she did. That's why you see me here now." She finished with a smile.
"Wow." Was all I could manage to say.
"Yeah, now I have a new life here and I'm happy for that."
"And have you ever thought of speaking normally now that you're not so lonely anymore?" I asked. She was a little taken back by my question at first but then returned to her calm face.
"It's been so long, and it would be a little awkward at first." She said while thinking about it.
"Well, I can see you talking to me as if it were nothing." I said a little jokingly. She raised both her eyebrows at the realization.
"Yeah, I guess I can. But for now I'll just talk to you like this."
"That's a start." I said with a kind smile on my face. "And have you ever wanted to visit your mothe-"
Thump Thump...
No, not now..
Thump Thump...
"J-Juvia, don't get scared but remember what I told you before?" I said with urgency in my voice.
"Y-Yes, what's wrong??" I fell on my knees and held my chest as if I was holding it together so it wouldn't explode.
"M-My bag....The medicine and water bottle..g-give me it...quickly!" Everything was getting blurry but I could vaguely see her digging though my bag and handing me a zip-lock bag.
I sat up with Juvia's help and swallowed practically everything in the bag. After a moment I could feel my heart beating at a regular pace.
"T-Thank you Juvia." I panted as my heart regulated itself.
"Lucy, I think you should go to the hospital." She said while standing me up to sit on the swing again.
"No, it cost too much and I would need my father's money, meaning I would lose the bet. I can take care of myself. I just need to hold on for a few more months." She looked at me with a worried expression and then sighed.
"Alright, does anyone else know about you condition?"
"Other then the teachers?...No one."
"Then if you need help with anything related to this, please don't hesitate in asking me please. I don't want to lose anyone else.." She said the last part in a low voice. I smiled at her kindness toward me.
"Sure, Thank you Juvia."
I was lucky this time but I the next time this happens I won't have any more medicine. Damn it!
Little did I know what was coming for me in the future...
♪Scarlett-Red♪
Edited*