Married at Eighteen [NaLu] ✓

Ch. 22 - my heart

Ch. 22 - my heart

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“Luce,” Natsu called out. Oh, great, Lucy. Just when you wanted to ignore him--he pops up. "Hey, Luce!" He called my name once again.

I had to stop. I don't know why. I guess I just wanted to tall to him about Lisanna, that's all.

"Luce, have you gone deaf?" He asked, chuckling afterwards.

"Sorry. I--I, my head was in the clouds. So," I place my arms against my chest and decided to ask Natsu. "What do you want to say to me?"

He sighs, scratching the back of his neck. “I think I should go to Lisanna and tell her the truth.”

“You're gonna tell her our secret??” my eyes widened in shock.

“No, dummy.” he sighed. “I'm gonna flatly reject her and tell her that we don't even acknowledge each other.”

“Wait,” I shook my head. “What?”

“Since I told her I like you, I'm gonna tell her the opposite. The truth.”

“You mean, that confession was just an act?”

When he nodded, my heart fell. What the hell? So... all that consciousness I felt while we were together was... making me look foolish?! I am so stupid!

His eyebrows furrowed. “Yeah, I did. Why, are you mad?”

My knuckles had cracked. I felt something crack inside my head. My heart sank. “N--No,” I shook my head. I was about to burst out in tears. “I--I am not mad! W--Why would I be?” Natsu is just the husband you married because of your parents' decision. Nothing more, nothing less. I knew I shouldn't have expected anything more than that.

“Now then,” I lifted my face and forced a smile at him. “As I was saying,” I gripped my tiny fists at my sides. I lifted one and landed it on Natsu's cheek.

He fell on his back down on the ground while holding on to the bruise I made. Tears were about to fall and I had tried my best to keep them but one fell. And it made his eyes wide open.

“Natsu, you... you're an IDIOT!”

After shouting with all my might at him to let go of my rage, I turn to the other direction and started running away from him. I don't want anyone to see me right now. I can't let anyone see me.

You're so stupid, Lucy. You fell for it. Hook, line and sinker.

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After washing my face with water from the faucet, I looked up to see my reflection on the mirror then, took a deep breath.

"Calm down, Lucy. You can do this. You just embarrassed yourself. Right now, you have to rise up and stand tall with confidence. You don't want Natsu suspecting something."

I sighed with satisfactory and smiled. "Yeah. Like you always do."

I opened the door of the restroom and rushed upstairs to go into my classroom before the bell rings. I saw the whole class look at me with our homeroom teacher in front.

"Ms. Heartfilia, this is so disappointing. You've never cut classes before."

"I--I was... having my private time, ma'am. I'm very sorry. It won't happen again." I bowed and waited for her to answer.

She sighs as she rubbed the side of her forehead. "Very well then. You may come in and take your seat."

I sighed in relief and nodded at her permission. "Thank you, ma'am." I tried my best to ignore the fact that Natsu was sitting behind me and he was definitely staring weirdly at me.

After sitting down, I felt the weird sense of being watched but decided to ignore that fact.

"Hey, Lucy, are you alright?" Levy pulled me closer to her mouth. "Is it really because of a girl's day?" She asked suspiciously.

I shook my head, feeling my hips squirming. "I--I don't want to talk about it."

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"Eh?!" Levy had screamed when I told her the whole story. Her eyes widened. Then, they squinted. She crouched down and hugged her knees together across her chest then went to the corner of the room, sulking.

"E-eh? W-what's wrong, Levy?" I asked concernly.

"I--I'm sorry, Lucy. Because of me, you've been thinking Natsu has taken a liking to you and... and... waaaaaahh!" Levy cried as she was covering her face with her jacket.

"Calm down, Lev. It's nothing to cry abou--"

"But you fell for my theory! You were hoping Natsu liked you, right?" She bawled, making my heart beat ten times than it normally does after she told me that.

"No," I said.

She lifted her face up and furrowed her eyebrows. "Y--You weren't expecting Natsu to confess his feelings towards you?"

I put up a fake smile and laughed my heart out. "Of course NOT." I laughed nervously and managed to stop my tears from falling. "I mean, why would a densed idiot be able to develop his feelings for me, right? I mean, do you get my point?"

She sighs in relief and smiled. "Thank goodness. I'm so glad you didn't believe me." She hugs me hen drags me towards the cafeteria for lunch. "Let's go! I want progress in my love life, too, y'know?" She sniffled jokingly.

I... I did expect him to. But, it's good that it didn't happen. This way, our lives continue on like it normally does. No complications, no heart breaks.

"Hey, Levy!"

"Hey... Natsu!"

My mind started rattling when I heard his voice... his name. Ugh. What is happening to me? It's like...

I stared at Natsu while he was talking to Levy and his friends.

It's like I can't think straight whenever he's near and...

"Lucy," he called with a serious face at first. After I gazed at him, he smiles eagerly. "Let's walk home together later, okay? Don't abandon me!"

My heart's beating rapidly again. Like it did earlier. What's wrong with me?

"Luchie?" I heard Levy call. "Is something wrong?"

"H--Huh...? U--Uh...." say something, idiot!  "W--well, I--I--" I gasped when I felt something warm pat my head. When I look up, I saw Natsu smiling at me as he passed. "See ya later!"

Heart, what does this mean? What was that word? I forgot that word. What do they call this?