Chapter 4
"Did you hear?"
"Hear what?"
"Lucy Heartfillia has some kind of thing with Natsu Dragneel!"
"What?! No way! How'd she get to talk to him?"
"I think he paid her to sleep with her."
"Probably."
"Hey! Who do you think you're calling a whore?! Lucy ain't no whore so you better watch your mouth if you know what good for ya!" Cana yelled at the two students who were gossiping making them scurry off in a hurry. "That's right! Run away you cowards! Run like the pussies you are!"
"Cana stop being so loud and annoying." Levy hissed as she looked around to see if they were attracting anymore necessary attention. Cana whipped her head around to glare at Levy. "Who are you calling loud and annoying?!"
"It's too early for this, Cana, please." Lucy whined as she came trolling in behind her, all three of them making their way to their respected classroom.
Cana merely clicked her tongue in disapproval as she readjusted her strap on her shoulder, flicking her brown hair to the side. "Those fucker think they can go and push you around? Not on my watch!" She scolded making Lucy sigh and smiled softly. "Thanks Cana but really, don't cause more trouble than there already is."
"But really... I kind of want to know, too." Levy piped in making her raise a brow. "Know what?"
"What's going on between you and Natsu."
"E—eh?" Lucy blinked in surprise, looking at the two. "What's going on between us?"
"Yeah," Cana agreed as she leaned in. "From not acknowledging and not knowing about each other's presence to speaking like long-lost friends—what is this?"
Lucy frowned slightly as she tilted her head to the side. She couldn't possibly tell them... Natsu and her had an agreement! She couldn't break such a promise but then again, these two are her best friends since her childhood years. She trusted them with all her heart; they knew her secrets and she knew theirs. It shouldn't be a promise telling two people—
"Alright, I'll tell you but you have to keep it a secret, okay?" She whispered, bringing her voice down to a hush as Cana and Levy leaned in to listen to it. They were back up against some kind of corner as Lucy looked around to see if anyone was listening to looking. When the coast was clear, she took in a deep breath and looked her best friends dead in the eyes. "You know... when I told you about how I was going to live with my mama's friend's family?"
"Yeah?"
"Well... uh, apparently, Natsu is mama's friend's son... so..."
"Wait," Levy cried out. "Does this mean you and him—?!"
"Yes, shhh! Ah! Somebody might hear—guys, please. Natsu will skin me alive if he finds out I told somebody!"
"You're living with him, Lucy! Oh my god! Why didn't you tell us sooner?!"
"Because I couldn't! Stop being so loud!" Lucy whined and cried out as she looked around to see if anyone was listening. Luckily, nobody was as they just looked like idiots in the corner screaming. "Please don't tell anyone."
"Is the house large?" Levy asked, ignoring her plea as Lucy blinked in confusion. She slowly nodded and agreed, "uh, yeah."
"Is the family nice?"
"Yes, they are."
"Where's the house at?"
Lucy pursed her lips and stared at her friends, wondering why they were asking such questions. Then, it hit her as her eyes widen and she gasped. "You two are trying to come over, aren't you?!" She cried out, failing her arms around as she rejected the idea. "You can't! Absolutely not!" The blonde cried out, making her arms into a large X as Cana and Levy whined. "And why can't we?"
"Natsu will kill me! I finally got him to be nice—I can't have him bullying me, again!"
"C'mon, we promise we'll just take a peek and go!"
"Yeah, we promise!"
Huffing at her friends' sincerity, she wasn't sure if they were just saying that to go look at the house or they were being honest. Either way, she had a bad feeling about this. What would Natsu say if he found out?"
"Mmgh... fine. But just a peek and you guys have to head home, alright?"
"Deal!"
—X—
"Dude, did you go to the latest baseball game? I heard we totally crushed Blue Pegasus."
"We always beat Blue Pegasus—it really isn't a surprise." Natsu said in pure boredom, picking at his lunch tray as his friends and other people he didn't really care about spoke about such things. Gray, who was sitting next to him, noticed how he was acting and nudged him slightly. "What's up with you?"
"Nothing," he spat, popping a french fry into his mouth. "just bored."
"Natsu," Lisanna cooed, grasping his arm as she pressed herself against his side. "why so bored? Join in our conversation!"
"Nah," he said, not even glancing at the Cheerleader as he continued to pick and eat his lunch. Lisanna, who just got rejected, pouted and fumed as she went back to her conversations with her friends.
Suddenly, two males came right up to the jock table, snickering and smirking as they caught their attention. "Hey... Hey Natsu!" One called making him quirk his brow and look at the two. "Is it true?"
"It's what true?"
"That you paid Lucy Heartfillia to sleep with you?"
Natsu's entire body went cold as his expression turned dark. He stood up in a fast pace and grabbed a fist-full of one of the male's shirt and glared. "Where are you hearing this from?" He spat into the male's face who looked utterly scared, his entire face growing white. The other male reeled back in fear as Natsu brought the student closer. "Answer me."
"I—I—I heard it from my friend! I—It's all over the school! I was just s—seeing if it was true! Please don't hurt me!"
"All over the school?" He echoed, his face scrunched up in a confused manner as he let the student go. They immediately scrambled to their feet and ran out of there before they got pummeled by the jock.
"Who's this Lucy chick you're sleeping with, Natsu?" Laxus asked as he voiced the question everyone at the table was wondering about. Natsu shot the blonde look as he made some sort of face. "I'm not sleeping with anyone."
"Then what's up with those boys?"
"I don't know," he lied, his body growing frantic as he tried thinking of someway to stop the rumors.
He looked to his side when he saw Lisanna grab his arm, his dark eyes boring into her blue ones. "Natsu, what's going on?"
"Mind your business. I gotta go," he wiggled her off as he grabbed his backpack and lunch-tray to quickly go throw his leftovers away and leave the cafeteria. The entire jock table stared in confusion and wonder as they watched Natsu leave in a hurry.
Levy and Cana stood side-by-side as they stared up at the large house just up the hill. Lucy stood right behind them as the three gazed at the house in awe.
"T—that's the house?"
"Yep." Lucy nodded as she eyed the house for a moment before grabbing the arms of her friends. "Now that you know—can you two leave before Natsu comes home and throws a fit?" She asked but got ignored as they yanked their arms away from her grasp and walked even closer.
Lucy gasped and followed them as they seem to just take in the beauty of the lovely home. "Guys! Please—save me and just leave!"
"Damn... this house is large."
"They're loaded, aren't they?"
"C'mon guys, just leave already!" She whined as she looked up and down the street to see if Natsu was coming. She tried pulling her friends away from the house but she completely froze when she heard the door open and Grandine's voice come from the house.
"Lucy!" She called out as she came down the stairs. "Is that you?"
Coming down the stairway and presenting herself in a casual sundress with her long blue hair tied in a high pony-tail, she eyed the blonde high school student. "Ah, you're home early."
"Y—yes... I'm home." Lucy bowed respectfully as she mumbled most of the greeting. Grandine smiled and giggled, stepping closer to realized Lucy wasn't alone. She eyed the other two high schoolers who awkwardly shifted against each other, trying hard not to look up at the beauty in front of them. They bowed respectfully and greeted the woman as Grandine smiled at them, noticing how nervous they seemed. "Your friends, Lucy?"
"A—ah... yes... they were just curious on where I was living now so I brought them... they're about to leave now, though! Bye, friends! Have a safe trip home!"
"Leaving? Oh, you guys should come inside!" Grandine suggested making the three high schoolers look at her in shock. "E—eh?"
"I just made some fresh strawberry smoothies! You should come inside and have some before you leave! Come on, have some!" Grandine said cheerfully as she reached forward and grabbed their wrists making them blink in surprise.
Taking them inside the home with a wide grin and playful attitude, she dragged the two inside leaving Lucy worrying about what was going to happen next.
—X—
"Are you serious?" Lucy asked as Grandine just told her about something making her burst into fits of giggles. Levy and Cana were seat right next to her as they drank the smoothie Grandine spoke about early, all four of them having a blast when suddenly the door opened and shut, leaving the girls quiet oblivious to it.
"Aren't you all having a blast?"
Turning around, they all realized the famous pink-haired jock stood by the door, an expression on his face that looked like he shouldn't be mess with.
"Ah, Natsu, welcome home!" Grandine said happily as she offered him a wide-grin as Natsu brushed the greeting away, his dark eyes landing on the blonde.
"After I specifically said not to tell anyone... you do it anyways, don't you?"
"Ah... well... you see—" Lucy trailed off, smiling sheepishly as she looked away in embarrassment making Natsu huff. "Natsu, don't blame her. I told them to come inside! See, it seems like people actually live in this house now! But you see... these friends here asked me if I was your sister, not your mother! Isn't that appalling?!" The blue-haired woman let out a cute laugh as she blushed slightly making the three students offer a smile as Natsu completely ignored her.
"Lucy Heartfillia... are you testing me right now?"
"What?"
"I thought I told you to stop being such an eyesore. Stop being such a bother!" He raised his voice making Lucy look down in her lap, a frown decorating her beautiful face. "How far are you trying to go? Get your shit together and stop being so annoying!"
Grandine suddenly stood up in her seat and shot her son a dirty look. "What do you think you're doing? Iinvited them in, I did everything—why are you snapping at Lucy for?"
"You too, mom!" Natsu snapped making Grandine scowl and cross her arms over her chest. "I demand you to stop trying to butt into our lives."
"Who are you to tell me to do this?"
"So you're saying you rather ruin your children's life than listen to them?"
At this, Grandine bit her tongue and let out a loud sigh as she looked away in irritation. She planted her hands on her hips and looked back at her son. "I heard about what you said to her about not acknowledging one another... what's so bad about telling people you live together?"
Letting out a sigh, Natsu merely shot Lucy a look before disappearing upstairs.
Just then, Cana and Levy both stood up with their belongings, trying to quietly slip away before another outburst come from the male. "Well... we better be going, now. Thank you so much for everything, Mrs. Dragneel." Levy said as the two bowed respectfully but Grandine frowned and stopped the two. She flashed a pretty smile and held them close. "Why don't you stay for dinner, hm?"
"Ah, well—"
"Come on, stay for dinner! Who cares about that grumpy jock, hm?" Grandine begged, pouting slightly as Levy and Cana exchanged looks. Suddenly, the blue-haired woman clasped her hands together and gasped as if she just remembered something important. Looking back at the two high school girls, she grinned.
"We're going to beach this weekend—you two should come with us!"
At this, Lucy's eyes widened and she looked at Natsu's mother in shock. Cana and Levy looked pretty baffled as they exchanged looks of confusion and worry as Lucy put her hand on the woman's shoulder.
"Uh... we don't have a free day off this week..."
"Who cares if you miss one day? Come on, let's go together, hm? You two can just prepare your cute little swimsuits and I'll take care of everything else! Oh pretty please?" She begged, giving the two a frown and a pout as Levy and Cana agreed happily.
Lucy could only worry about Natsu as they all talked about the upcoming beach trip.
—X—
That same day after Cana and Levy left, night fell and Lucy was in her room preparing for the beach trip and studying. Trying to take a break, she exited her room and decided to use the bathroom when Natsu just came out, a fresh towel on his wet hair as he came out shirtless.
The two stopped in their tracks to stare at each other but Natsu decided to ignore her as he walked past, leaving her frowning.
Just as she was about to enter the bathroom, the jock turned around and stopped her from entering. "Listen to me closely."
Turning to face him again, she watched as he made a straight face which looked like he was angry. "Living this world, I have something I just hate with a dear passion. Girls like you who think they're all that when they're not—idiots who don't listen to others but themselves because they're selfish. You act like you understand and say that you do but you really don't. People like you who annoy and bother people without realizing."
Lucy opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off.
"Don't make me repeat my words!" He snapped making her shrink in fear. "What I said earlier weren't just empty feelings. What I said, was all true."
Walking away towards his room, he shut his door and left the blonde in the hallway all alone and broken. She leaned against the wall to the bathroom as she felt the tears brimming in her eyes, her vision blurring as she sniffled her feelings away.
"What an ass..."
The next morning, dressed in his school clothes, Natsu came down the stairs to see all sorts of luggage on the ground. Cana and Levy were also in his home with Grandine trying on varies of sunhats as he eyed them confused, trying to process everything in his head when the two girls offered a shy hi. Grandine turned around once realizing her son was present, a large smile decorating her face. "Natsu! You should hurry and put your things down and get dressed!"
"Dressed? Dressed for what?"
"We're going on a three day two night camping trip at the beach!" She announced making him furrow his brows in confusion. "The beach? What about school?"
"I already called in saying we're going on vacation a bit early! Hurry!"
Just then, the door opened and Lucy came running in, slipping slightly when her slippers didn't quiet get enough friction. She offered a shy smile to Natsu as she looked at her friends and Grandine. "Erm, they said to hurry and come out."
"See? Hurry and get changed, Natsu!"
"But—"
Just then, the doorbell rang making all of them look towards the door. With Lucy opening it, the blonde was surprised to see a white-haired student standing there with a beach bag in her arms and a wicked smile on her face.
"Hi Natsu! Mind if I join in on the fun?"