Hating a star

Chapter 26: That's Not Going To Make Things Better

Lucy's PoV

After calming down, Natsu helped me to my feet. "You probably don't wanna talk about it, but what happened?" He asked me, true worry in his eyes. "You're right. I don't what to talk about it, so just leave me alone." My still raspy voice from all the crying I did. I turned, embarrassed that he has seen me like that. "Luce wait." I commanded, sympathy in his voice. I kept walking. "Lucy please. You shouldn't walk by yourself after what you've been through today. And my place is probably closer." He grabbed my hand and I stopped, looking down at it. I took in a shaky, deep breath. "I'm going to regret this." I sighed, turning. "Fine. But I'm not spilling anything." I point at him with my other hand and he smiles brightly. "Thank you." He pulls up both on my hands in his, genuinely relieved. 

"This way." He smiled again and led me to a apartment complex not too far away. I knew for a fact this was one of the high estates in Magnolia, but I was a little surprised when I saw how tall it was. I had to strain my neck to see the top. "Come on, I'm getting cold." Natsu insisted from the door he held open for me. "O-Oh, sorry." I blushed and ran in. Why am I getting so nervous? This isn't like me. Well, after what happened today, no one would be surprised I would be a bit different. I rested my back against the wall of the elevator, slightly uncomfortable silence making a huge weight on my already slumped shoulders. We stayed like this until we got to Natsu's floor. 

When he opened the front door, I was instantly met with shouting. "Jellal I said I'll do it later! God, you're acting like my mom!" Gray's voice screamed from a room, which was followed by a slamming of a door. "And I said we haven't got time for being a teenage girl on her period! Stop being such a drama queen and do the dishes!" Jellal shouted back. "Hey, blueberry, I'm trying to sleep. shut up." Gajeel grumbled from the couch. "Sleep in a bed grouch. This is everyone's space." Jellal picked up a pair of... Oh my god those are boxer. I turned, covering my eyes and blushing. "Um guys." Natsu spoke up, trying to stop anymore embarrassment for both parties. "Natsu, there you are! I told you to do your homework before you go on your emo walk." Jellal grabbed Natsu's ear, not noticing me standing just behind Natsu, and dragged him to the room Gray previous slammed shut. "Jellal! Lucy's here!" Natsu screamed out after many attempts to get his attention. "What?" Jellal looked to the door, almost scared, and saw me. "Bunny Girl? What're you doing here?" Gajeel lifted the book covering his face. "I don't even know. I should get going." I turned back down the hall. "Lucy! Lucy wait. Just stay for a bit, please." Natsu called out. I really don't feel like being alone right now. And I cam't tell the girls, they'll kill someone. I thought, sighing after. "Fine." I grumbled, turning back to the room. "Thank you! Wait, did Gajeel just call you Bunny Girl?" Natsu remembered the previous events. "Not that I heard." I shrugged my shoulders. "Creep." Jellal muttered, flicking him in the head. "Ow!" Natsu cried, clutching his head.

Suddenly, the door Gray went through opened. "Lucy? What're you doing here? Has anything happened?" Gray instantly got anxious, walking out. I immediately remembered what happened today. "Yeah, I'm totally fine." I said with a sniff, trying to hide my tears. "Do you want me to call mom?" He walked over to me. "No. Please don't. She doesn't need to know about this. She already has enough on her plate." I looked up with worried eyes. He paused for a second. "We need to talk." He mouth to me. "Come on Luce, lets go to the garden." Natsu took me hand, a little more roughly than before. "Later." I mouthed back to Gray as Natsu led me of to a glass door.

Its not much, but its better than the capital." Natsu laughed, running and jumping onto a hammock on the garden terrace outside his apartment. He was right. It was a very small patch of fake grass with flower boxes lining the edge. There was a BBQ thing off the side, which look like it's never been used. "Wow, you can see the lake from here!" I gasped. walking to the edge. "Yeah, Its pretty sweet in the day, but when it rains, you can't see a thing." Natsu chuckled. "wow, I used to go swimming there when I was a kid." I sighed, remembering times everyone spent with each other. It seems that Natsu's the only clueless one. "Same. And ice skating in the winter. It was the first time I broke my wrist." He laughed, resting his arms on the edge, rubbing his wrist. "You remember that?" I gasped. The reason he broke his wrist was because he was stopping me from falling, but fell himself. "Yeah,  all the guys laughed a me for months after. I was so clumsy to fall for no reason." He chuckled, looking down at his entwined hands. "Oh." The hope that grew inside me deflated. What are you thinking Lucy? Of course he won't remember. You almost drew him insane. I looked down. 

"What's wrong? Remembering today?" Natsu looked over to me. Apparently, my sigh was really loud. "No. Just something from a really long time ago." I look up to the sky. "Looks like its about to rain, I should start heading home." I stood up straight again. "Lucy." Natsu stopped me. "Yeah Dragneel?" I turned back, crossing my arms. His eyes widened for a moment, then went back to normal. "You can tell me anything. You know that right?" He reassured me. I sighed, walking up and giving him a surprise hug. "Thanks Natsu. I'll keep that in mind." I sighed, breathing in his familiar scent, and let go, walking back inside.

Before I could leave for real, Jellal and Gray somehow persuaded me to stay the night, using Natsu's and Gray's room. This isn't going to be good...