A Voice Forever Scarred

Chapter 3: Tell Yourself It's Never Gonna Happen Again

Lucy POV

"Finally." I sigh from relief as the last class ends and I turn to leave, running out the door. "Lulu~ wait for me" I speed up down the hall as the annoying brunette exits the door and comes running after me. "Dan go away!" I turn my head and yell back behind me as I run out the schools doors...only to collide with something as hard as rock. "Kya~" I squeak out surprised as I fall backwards and close my eyes, bracing for impact...but it never comes. Confused, I open my eyes to be met with onyx ones. "Luce, you okay?" I blush red as I realize the close proximity between our lips; his entrancing. Lucy! Why did you think of that?! Brushing off that strange thought, I jump up as Natsu releases my waist, which I had no idea he was holding causing me to blush even redder than Erza's hair. "T-Thanks Natsu. I-I'm fine." I manage to stutter out, hopefully succeeding in hiding my blush. It seems as if I do because Natsu quickly puts on his grin; only for it to fall as his gaze drifts behind me and he wraps an arm around my waist again, this time pulling me close to him. "N-Natsu?" I ask flustered as my eyes follow his to see Dan approaching us.

"What do you want Dan?" Natsu says, venom dripping from his words as my hands pressed against his chest feel a vibration, as if he's growling much to my confusion. "I just want to see my Lulu!~" "She's not yours." "Of course she is! She loves me." Fed up with his false accusations, I turn to face him, my face losing it's blush. "Look I told you this before Dan, I don't love you. Now please leave me be." "But-" "She said leave her be!" Natsu says clearly annoyed at Dan's irritating consistency. Frightened by Natsu's threatening glare (I swear it's like that of a dragons), Dan trudges off as Natsu releases me from his protective hold. "Thanks Natsu." "No problem Luce, if he ever bothers you again, just tell me. I'll be glad to pound that bas-" He stops his cursing as his younger sister, Wendy, approaches us, just getting out of school. "Hey Wendy." I say, giving the adorable girl a smile that she returns tenfold. "Hi Lucy-san! Hi Natsu-nee!" "Hey Wendy." He says back, his grin returning and his threatening glare vanishing. I turn to head home, until Natsu calls my name. "Oh hey Luce, I was wondering if you'd want to come over today!" "That be grea-" I hurriedly stop myself and fidget with my fingers nervously. What is up with you lately Lucy?! This is the third time you almost revealed everything! "Um Luce?" I look up from my fingers and see Natsu's deep eyes filled with concern. "Uh-I c-can't today." "Why not?" Think Lucy think! "Umm...because...I...ah...have to go Bye!" Panicking, I turn before Natsu can say anything else, and bolt down the sidewalk towards my house. Quickly jumping through the front door and locking it. "Ugh! Lucy you have to keep yourself in check! Who knows what would have happened if Natsu found out?!" I ask myself rhetorically, angered and embarrassed by my sudden actions. Pushing my thoughts aside, I quickly dress into the few casual clothes I have, do my chores, and set for dinner. Satisfied with my work, I head upstairs and seeing that it's 6:45 already, I take out my phone to see 10 unanswered texts from Natsu. Once again scolding myself, I open the messages and read them:

Natsu:
- Hey Luce
- What happened?
- You okay?
- Lucy you there?
- Are you okay?
- I'm serious Luce.
- Look I'm sorry if I did something wrong
- Please stop ignoring me
- Do I need to go to your house?
- Luce?!

God I feel horrible. He was my first friend at Fairy Tail Academy and I was horrible.

Natsu POV

I was starting to get really worried. School ended more than three hours ago and I need to know what's up with Luce. She won't even answer my texts. I pick up my phone once again and am about to call her when I receive a text from Luce. Relieved, I open it and begin to read:

Luce:
- Hey Natsu, I'm sorry about earlier. You don't need to worry I'm fine.

I reply back quickly.

Me:
- Are you sure? I think I should come over and see what's up.

Luce:
- How could you come over? You don't even know where I live.

A blush spreads across my face as I hesitantly answer back, feeling awkward and embarrassed:

Me:
- I've kinda seen you walk home before.

I wait for a response back, but don't receive one. Strange. Urgh! Natsu you idiot! You just had to say something that made you sound like a total stalker! Great! Now I have to wait until school tomorrow to explain to her that I'm not a stalker and creep.

Lucy POV

Natsu:
- I've kinda seen you walk home before.

My heart drops in my chest as I read those words. No. I begin to panic as I realize that Natsu knows where I live. He's going to find out everything. And then a worse thought crosses my mind: Father reads my texts.