Lucy hated Mondays. Didn't everyone?
It was the commute to and from work that pretty much ruined the rest of the day for her...and ultimately the entire week. Cramming into a subway train car that was already pushing its limit with people barely able to squeeze enough to fit through the doors. Being so close to a complete stranger that she could smell their (nauseatingly strong, possibly named Strong-and-Manly) cologne. She had enough of it after one whiff.
So just this once, she decided to wait for whatever subway car was not filled with the stench of overpriced cologne, even if it meant being extremely late for work.
She swiftly took a seat on the empty bench in the subway car when the doors opened. She fidgeted in her spot, surveying the other people around her. To her right standing up with an arm loosely draped around the pole was a raven haired man, using his other arm to reposition his messenger bag over his shoulder. Sitting to the right of where he stood was a woman with scarlet red hair, her bangs covering her left eye and her hands clasped together neatly in her lap. Lucy wondered if they knew each other.
To her left were two girls sitting next to each other, both with blue hair. One had a pair of red framed glasses on, her nose buried in some book she brought along with her. The other was playing a game on her phone, a tiny white cat charm dangling from the top of the phone case.
Lucy shifted her eyes in front of her. Seated directly across from her was a young man that looked to be about her age, head down and tucked into his white scarf with black headphones over his hair. Which she only now noticed was pink. Before she could look away, the man's eyes lifted and they made eye contact.
Embarrassed to be caught staring, she quickly busied herself with her phone, putting in her wired earbuds and scrolling through the songs she had downloaded. She let the embarrassment subside as the music filled her ears, trying to look any other way but to the young man sitting across from her. Her eyes lingered to the window in an attempt to distract herself, but even then she could still feel the pink haired man's eyes on her.
When she finally looked back at him, he flashed her a quick smile, to which she returned despite feeling awkward. He looked down to his phone and seemingly began to type to look for something. Oh, please don't ask me for my number.
He turned his phone to face her, showing the song he was playing. He pointed to it, raising an eyebrow and a lopsided grin on his face before mouthing, What song?
Curiosity instantly filled her mind, overwriting the awkwardness and discomfort she felt before. She smiled again, this time with genuine intent. Lucy pulled up the music she had playing before showing him her phone screen.
He nodded eagerly in approval, fingers typing rapidly on his screen before showing it to her again. Whats your name?
She wasn't sure why she did it, to be honest. Giving her name to a complete stranger was unlike her. Whether it was adrenaline, or impulse, even the lingering scent of Strong-and-Manly cologne, she typed on her phone before showing him the message. Lucy. You?
She waited for him to type on his phone before showing it to her again. I'm Natsu :)
Lucy thought the smiley face at the end was endearing. She couldn't help but laugh. But before she could type a response back to show him, the subway stopped, and he stood up. Disappointment reigned in her heart as he shot her one last smile before saying to her, "Nice to meet you, Lucy." He slipped out of the subway car doors without looking back.
She hoped to see him again tomorrow. Or a few days from now. Or even another late-to-work Monday. Maybe then they wouldn't be so bad.
Songs
Natsu: Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe - Kendrick Lamar
Lucy: Useless - Omar Apollo
