Lessons in Love » NaLu A.U.

chapter » three

Astronomy had always been Lucy's favorite class. There were pictures stuck to her fridge of the telescopes over Mauna Kea, alongside ones of the Observatory at the Canary Islands. It had always been a dream of hers to visit, one that could let her leave behind what she had and start something far better.

She knew, though, that it would never be her profession. Lucy didn't like the stars in the way that she calculated them; she liked them in the way that she wanted to be them. They were so distant, yet so beautiful. Everyone would stare at her, admire her, yet not become too obsessed, so that when morning came, she was alone at peace again.

That was her dream. If she were in grade school and had written "a star" down on her "What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?" paper, her teacher would have sighed and told her that being famous would be a bit tricky. That wasn't exactly her idea of stardom.

Astronomy class was nearly over. Her professor had finished his lecture and left the notes up on his board for anyone to finish copying. Lucy had already done her share, of course, and looked around the room after closing her laptop.

There was a very polite looking white haired girl Lucy had talked to occasionally. She had short hair, sharing a similar interest in the night sky as Lucy. It was nice, and Lucy felt comfortable around her. But she was not here today, so Lucy kept watching.

An orange haired man leaned back in his chair, swaying softly. He would occasionally look back and throw Lucy a wink. His flirtation was obvious, but as soon as he left the room there were more females for him to feast his eyes upon. Most people Lucy knew would've found him humorous. She found him to be old, like she had dealt with him all her life and was ready for something new.

She found herself staring at him anyway. Lucy felt her chest heating up as if she had just gotten an awful heartburn. Even if they talked, she felt she knew him her forever. Maybe he reminded her of her family; those who watched only for a moment while it benefitted them before moving on. Those who used her only when they felt like it.

Lucy's heart finally calmed down, itching to see Natsu again. He would either make the feeling go away, or it would only burn more. She didn't care. She just needed to feel.

∞

Her next class was assumed to be no better. Lucy had become one to prepare for the worst. Yet she opened up the door, an immediate mass of red and pink hair catching her eye, she didn't know what to think.

Lucy had never seen Natsu in any of her classes before. He was meant to be the stranger at her apartment, and that had already been ruined when they met. He seemed to make her whole world crumble down further as she saw him sitting in a chair beside the red haired woman who lived in the same apartment building.

Natsu and the redhead hadn't noticed her until she stepped a few feet inside. His eyes were down, more than likely looking at his phone or something as he swished side to side in boredom. Erza was beside him, tapping away a laptop.

The dark eyes lifted up casually, widening he made out the familiar face. He sat up in his chair and waved her over. "Lucy!"

She smiled softly, looking down at the floor as she walked up a few stairs to their seat. She stood beside him, tugging at the strap of her messenger back to keep her busy. "I didn't know you took Statistics."

"Statistics? Is this a math class?" Natsu's face pale, speaking almost angrily as he turned to the redhead. "Why the hell would he ask me to takes for him then?"

The redhead grunted, her polite way of saying 'shut up.' Lucy didn't know what else to do other than stand there awkwardly. She was about to turn away and grab a seat, but Natsu finally swiveled his chair back in her direction and smiled quirkily.