————————————————————————
A few days had past, and she was finally done with setting everything in place. She had put pictures and books on the shelves of the apartment. There was already a desk, which was convenient when it came to her work.
Once she was done, she still had about 3 days until she started her first day of work... as a secretary.
Who's secretary, Lucy wasn't sure. It wasn't said in the papers, and she knew she couldn't just agree to the contract so quick and easily. That was also said in the papers in the mail. It said that she would be working for a month under her new boss. If she was comfortable, she was to sign the contract to officially work under the person. If she wasn't... well...
She seemed like she had no choice. Either she agreed to this or she would be fired, it would seem. Which didn't make any sense at all.
She had so many questions. Like, for example, what if, after the month, she wasn't comfortable? Would she be fired or would she be placed back in the position she worked in before.
She knew she had to ask that... when the time came. For now, she laid in her comfortable bed, eyelids heavy. Before she knew it, the world went dark.
________________________________
Lucy sighed. Today was her first day. She had taken a nice warm shower, which seemed to brighten her mood more. She was excited, but nervous. She kept wondering who this person is exactly. The salary was immense for just one month, so Lucy assumed this person must be on a huge level in the business.
Her black heels clacked onto the surface of the cement sidewalk of the rowdy morning street. Her week was mainly based on her getting use to her new surroundings, so that was just what she did, venturing out of the apartment in the streets. She mentally memorized every step she took in every street, not wanting to be lost when the time was right to go back home. She was able to find the Magnolia shopping center, as well as the Magnolia public park. She also found the building Lucy was to work at while she had been wandering the city, which was the place she was heading to right now.
She had gotten a new uniform, not that different from her old outfit. She wore a tight skirt that was a few centimeters longer then the previous one she wore, the same white color, with black upper thigh high stockings and black stiletto heels. She had the same black turtle neck but a long white trench coat. Usually she wore a blazer, but it was around November, so the usual temperature had gotten colder.
She had her big black purse that was hung over her shoulder while she walked to the main office building. Now that she thought about it, this building wasn't owned by Zeref, but his brother. The pink haired douchebag that she had grown to dislike, but knew he had a some-what soft side to him. Well... as soft as it could get in some cases. He did help her in the elevator, which led her to wonder if she had thanked him yet.
Once she spotted a tall business building with many glass windows, she smiled. The entrance was fancy, just like the entrance to her previous work location. She walked in, her heels clacking onto the white tile floor.
The first floor was quite similar to the previous in Hargeon, but different if you squinted hard. There were different people who worked here, and unlike the last area, this place was filled with very lively looking people, which she didn't expect to see when a grumpy ass douche owns the place.
Walking to the big desk in the center, a woman with long, open, orange-brown hair was there, sitting patiently and professionally in her spot behind the counter. Lucy smiled nervously, not knowing what to do, but then mentally sighed to calm herself.
"Excuse me, my name is Lucy Lobster, I have come here from Zeref Dragneel's institute in Hargeon?" Lucy started, gulping.
The moment Lucy said her name, the woman's eyes lid up. Smiling, she bowed respectfully, which threw Lucy off gaurd.
"Oh! Welcome Miss Lucy Lobster, I was awaiting your arrival." She said, seemingly trying to keep herself calm, but the excitement in her voice had made Lucy smile.
The lady walked out from behind the desk, walking to the blond woman. "Come with me." Was what she said before turning around.
'Is she not going to check my ID?' Lucy asked herself, but shook her head.
Nodding, Lucy followed her, looking back to the empty desk, wondering if someone will fill it. If someone were to come in to see an empty desk, that would certainly do a bad number.
"Oh! Also, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask." The woman said. Lucy turned her head to look at the woman, and then smiled.
"What is your name?" She asked, and the woman turned to look at her, surprised.
Smiling, she replied. "My name is Aceto!"
"Well then, Aceto, I have a lot of questions, I'm sure you know." Lucy said, smiling professionally.
"Yes, indeed." She replied, looking forward.
"Well, I must ask. Who is the person I work under?" Lucy got straight to the point, the question that had been buzzing in her brain the moment she heard she was getting a promotion to become a secretary.
Aceto smiled. "Sorry ma'am, but you will know once you see him." She said, and Lucy's eyebrow rose.
"Him? So he is a man?" Lucy asked, chuckling silently at her surprised slip.
"Ah! Yes..." was all she said.
Deciding to let it go, they spent the whole walk talking a bit about themselves. If she was to ask questions, she will ask them directly to the person she works under. As they walked, they passed many workers who respectfully bowed to them, which in turn, Lucy bowed back every time.
Lucy noticed that Aceto was very nervous and shy, always talking respectfully towards Lucy. She knew why, since a secretary was in higher position compared to a desk manager, which was Lucy's previous place. She remembered not even 2 weeks ago when she was acting the same way towards her higher ups. Lucy was considered Aceto's higher up, which caused Lucy to cringe even thinking about it.
Taping her shoulder lightly, Aceto looked up to the blond woman as she held an assuring smile on her face.
"Relax, I won't eat you." She giggled jokingly, and the woman's eyes sparkled in amazement.
After a few more turns through different hallways, they were greeted by the elevator doors. Lucy scowled.
"Ugh. Elevators." Lucy muttered.
"Is something wrong?" The woman asked Lucy.
"It's nothing. I just recently had an accident involving elevators." Lucy smiled.
"Oh! Haha, that. I heard about that yesterday." She said, and Lucy looked at her, her brow raised as the woman pressed onto the elevator button.
"What do you mean?" She asked, and the woman looked at her confusingly.
"Everyone's been talking about it." She replied.
"...oh. Right." Lucy muttered, looking back at the closed elevator in front of them.
She had so easily forgotten, this was Natsu Dragneel's building. And she had heard that this building had his main office, which meant that Lucy will probably bump into him from time to time. Of course, if your boss and a co-worker that worked under your boss's brother were to get stuck in an elevator, the word would obviously go around.
Once the elevator door opened, the two sighed, entering it. It had red walls and ceiling, which was quite fancy. Aceto then went to the many buttons that named each floor, the many buttons. She pressed onto the highest button, labeled 50 with a crown next to it.
Holy crap, 50 floors?! This place looked huge but Lucy didn't think it would be this big. And the crown that was next to it, seemingly indicating that was where the main office is located.
Wait a minute.
"Why are we going to that floor?" Lucy asked the woman.
"Hm? Oh! Because you will be meeting the person you work under, of course." She said, in an "obviously" tone in her voice. "You will meet them, get use to them, and then tomorrow you will be toured throughout the building." She said, almost robotically.
"The person I'm working under is someone who works at the top floor?" She asked, and the woman looked away, starting to sweat.
Sighing, Lucy gave up trying to get more out of her, so she started to piece together things but by bit, causing her to mutter unconsciously.
"If that button has a crown next to it, it means we're heading to the top floor of the building, and I have been to plenty of jobs to know that's the main office area. Wait a minute..." Lucy looked up, her eyes widened.
Before she could say or ask anything, the elevator stopped and the doors slid open, revealing a stunningly beautiful woman with long red hair. She had her arms folded.
After the elevator door opened, she stood straight, smiling as she entered the elevator room, joining the 2 women.
"Aceto." The red-haired woman bowed her head, and the girl started to sweat and blush.
"Miss Scarlet." She replied, bowing back, but more frantic.
The woman was wearing a black tight skirt that ended to her knees, with a cut to the side revealing the side of her upper knee and lower thigh. She had a white dress-shirt that was a bit unbuttoned above, which revealed the line of her breast. She also have a black folder in her hand. Lucy could feel the cool and awesome aura emanating from the woman, her outfit creating even more epic vibes.
Then, she turned her head to the blonde, her brown eyes full of wonder.
"You are...?" She asked.
"Oh! My name is Lucy Lobster, it's my first day so I am not accustomed to the people around here, I apologize." Lucy smiled gently, and the woman's eyes widened in realization.
"Lucy? As in, the Lucy Lobster? Haha! It is splendid to meet you." The woman laughed, almost heroically as she held her hand out for Lucy to grab.
Once she did so, they shook it twice, and then let go. "My name is Erza. Erza Scarlet. Also, don't worry, I don't work here, I'm just here for a visit." Erza smiled warmly, and Lucy returned her smile.
"I see. Well, fellow worker or not, I'm happy I had the chance to meet with new people, no matter the number nor status." Lucy said, completely genuine.
"You have heart." Erza replied. Lucy smiled.
"I almost feel bad for you."
Lucy's smile dropped as her brow raised in question, noticing Aceto's sweating and panicked looking expression the moment she said those words.
"U-um..." Aceto called out to Erza, signaling her to bring her ear so she could whisper something. She did, and Erza nodded, standing straight afterwards.
Sighing, Lucy continued to look at the closed elevator door in front of her. If her guess is right...
Well, then she had one hell of a shit to deal with. She just hoped she wasn't right, or even close to the answer she had built up in her mind.
Well... She had only bumped into him like, what? 3 times? Yeah, it was 3 times. Each disaster after another. And she definitely knew that if her guess was true, then it wouldn't make any sense at all. She knew for a fact that he disliked her, so why...
Once the door the the 48th floor opened, Erza began walking out of the elevator, turning her head back as she nodded.
"It was great to meet you, I'll be on my way now."
She turned around, her back the only thing visible before the elevator doors shut closed.
Sighing, they were alone again, but Lucy's curiosity had gotten the best of her, not sticking to her original plan of asking the man himself.
"I have a question." She started, her tone serious. The woman turned her head to her.
"Yes?" Said she, and Lucy turned her head back to Aceto, brows furrowed.
"It's your boss, isn't it?" She finally said, and the woman's eyes went wide. Before she could explain herself, Lucy cut her off.
"I am here to work for a month, so I didn't understand why on earth Zeref Dragneel would keep the man I work under's identity a secret from me, it had only gotten me curious, but now I am just displeased." She started, taking a deep breath to continue, not even allowing Aceto to start speaking. She folded her arms.
"It is this company's boss we are talking about, and you all decided to keep this from me? So this is how you all work here, just keeping things from each other? This couldn't be more childish."
She retorted, noticing Aceto's blush in embarrassment and shame. Lucy looked away, feeling a tinge of guilt in the pit of her stomach, but she couldn't just idly sit by and be quiet.
"...Anyways, I don't understand why on earth he would choose someone like me to become his secretary. We have only bumped into each other a few times, each time being worse then the last..." she said, this time she had been talking to more with herself then with Aceto.
She looked away, sighing.
"I'm sorry ma'am, but it was ordered from Zeref Dragneel that we were to keep quiet until you saw him yourself. I never knew why." She said softly, and Lucy looked at her, sighing.
"It's alright, I will just speak it to him myself." She said finally, crossing her arms. Nodding, they continued to let the awkward atmosphere sink in the room of the elevator, until a small ding was heard, the elevator door sliding open automatically. The screen above the elevator door read 50.
They arrived.
With one last huff, they took a step out of the elevator, Lucy getting ready for whatever is to come.
————————————————————————
CHAPTER 8 END