Hating a star

Chapter 16: Rough Waters

Lucy's POV

After leaving the orphanage, everyone was quieter for some reason, especially Erza. We walked in an awkward silence until we came to our cross roads. "Bye guys! See you tomorrow!" Levy perked up for just a second before running off in the other direction. Erza just kept walking, not realising we were saying our goodbyes. "I hope you feel better after today, Lu. Tell your mom I said hi." Juvia hugged me before slowly walking off. "Bye Ju! Bye Lev!" I waved before turning around from them. They all lived in the higher priced district of the neighbourhood, while me and my mom were at the lower. As I opened the loosely locked door, I saw my mom's hunched figure on the dining table. "Mom, are you okay?" I rushed over, dropping my bag and placing my hands on her shoulders. "Hey sweetie, how was school today? I thought you didn't have work?" She looked up at me with her gorgeous face. Even though she was dark circles under her eyes and a weary smile, she still looked like an angel to most. I sighed, she always tried her best to look in her best shape, but her pain showed through a lot. "I went to visit Wendy and the others at the orphanage. Did work go okay? You look like you were hit by a bus." I joked, sitting in the chair across from her and hoping her clutched hand. She smiled again, trying to keep the tears in and stay strong. "You're always working so hard. You never take a break. It's almost as if I'm your daughter." She chuckles sadly. "What're you talking about? You're always making money to put food on the table and a roof over our heads." I tell her, trying to encourage her. "But you're always making the food." She argues back, flopping her head on her free arm. "Mom, what happened?" I rubbed my thumb on her hand for comfort. She sighed, telling me there was something wrong. "I'm sorry Lucy, I'm such a pathetic mother. I got fired today." She cried into her hand, covering her eyes. I gasped as I ran around the table, kneaded down, hugging her by the shoulders and resting her head on my shoulder. "Mom, why didn't you tell me? And you're an amazing mother." I rubbed her back softly. She cried and cried, blabbering on about how I'm too good for her and how I deserve better. "Your father was such a git. I'm sorry for ever meeting him." She sat up, holding my shoulders with an angry face. "Well then I wouldn't be here, huh?" I joked, pointing finger guns. She sighed again. "I'm sorry Lucy. I'll make dinner for you tonight, I ate already." She got up shakily, using the table for support. "It's fine mom, I ate with the girls. Just good to bed, sleep tight!" I waved her off as I walked her to her bed and walked out the room, closing the door behind me.

I sighed. Life was going to get even harder for the two of us if we weren't making hardly any money. I got my coat again and left to the shops to get a newspaper. I needed to find another job.

Flipping through it as I walked back home, I searched and searched for any part time jobs I could do. This baby sitting job could do for a couple weeks while mom finds something else. Also this assistant job. I look at the list for odd jobs I could do. Maybe taking Monday off of school would be good. We don't do anything anyway. Folding the paper up, I look up at the night sky. "Why did I have to have the bastard dad?" I sigh, looking back down. "Who's the bastard?" I hear a familiar voice behind me. Spinning around to see who had snuck up on me, I see pink hair. "What're you doing here?" I ask disgustedly, crossing my arms over my cheap, black jacket. "Just walking around and happened to hear a cute girl muttering something. Were you talking about me?" He shrugged, his hands in his expensive looking, leather jacket.

We used to be part of the same worlds. Close and fighting together. But now, everything's different. He lives in high rises and penthouses, while I'm struggling to make rent.

My emotions were building up inside me and I was shaking, trying to keep them in. I was angry, annoyed, and way passed upset. My father had abandoned us with money so he could live it up high in the sky. "It's got nothing to do with you. Excuse me." I turned around, my voice slightly croaking. "I'm sorry." He muttered. "What?!" I spun around, letting loose a bit as I clenched my hands. "I didn't mean to upset you. I just wanted to get to know you a bit more." Natsu scratched the back of his neck, thinking it was his fault. "No, it's fine. Thinks are a little stressful at home at the moment." I sigh, pulling at the ends of my hair. "Anything you wanna talk about?" He took a step closer, testing the waters. I stayed silent, telling him I was going to keep my mouth shut. "Hey, its cold out here. Why don't we get something hot to drink?" He pretended to rub his arms for warmth, making me giggle at how he was trying. "Is that the best pick up line you've got?" I walked closer and next to him. "Well, if you come with me, I could show you some." He smirked, shrugging his shoulders. "Come on stud, I'll give you the grand tour." I smiled, grabbing his arm and ran down the street, heading to the hot spots in town.