Compliments

Chapter 7-Unwanted Attention

Disclaimer: Fairy Tail and its characters belong to Hiro Mashima

His expression changed into one of confusion and bafflement. “W-What?” was all he said, his eyes wide, his mouth hanging slightly ajar. “Natsu, don’t get the wrong idea,” I began, pink starting to lightly dust my cheeks, “I-really like you…but, I don’t know you that well. I just want to be your friend until I get to know you well enough. Is that okay?” I asked, my feet shifting every so often.

And when Natsu looked at me, his dark eyes circling my features, and then grinned, I think my heart just about stopped. “Of course,” he murmured softly, “but I’ll make you fall in love with me, Lucy,” he purred confidently, and took my hand in his.

The next day I stumbled down the steps of my apartment building, unaware of the surprise waiting on the other side of the wooden door. When I opened it, I was met by seven pairs of eyes waiting anxiously for me to come out. I think. “Um, am I missing something here?” I asked, completely perplexed by the group of people waiting for me. “Lucy, looks like we have some talking to do,” the redhead announced almost sternly. We all started walking to school in an awkward atmosphere. “Well this is interesting,” I said to no one in particular. I heard Natsu chuckle beside me, and I turned my head to get a perfect view of his perfect looks.

“What?”

“You’re such a great conversation starter, Luce.”

“Did you just call me ‘Luce’?”

“Er..I guess so,” he said, scratching his cheek, and I watched in interest as he tugged his scarf up a tiny bit to hide his growing blush. “So flame-head already has a nickname for the girl,” Gray, Juvia’s love (at first sight) chuckled humorously. “Shut up ice freak no one said you could talk,” Natsu shot back curtly and I couldn’t stifle the chuckle that escaped my lips. The two continued to bicker, but I watched with newfound curiosity as Jellal soon calmly made his way to the two and gently broke them apart. “Guys, not in the middle of the street,” he sighed, and I didn’t fail to notice as Erza nearly fainted at the sound of the boy’s voice.

When Natsu, his boys, and I walked into our first hour class, eyes immediately flew towards them. Us. Me. And in an instant, all the girls in the classroom were practically climbing over the boys shouting and complaining and wondering about if I was dating any of the boys. Yeah, ‘cause I have such a strong interest in Gajeel of all people. I scoffed as I arranged my mathly essentials on the desk.

Third hour wasn’t too much different, all the girls whining about me. “Well Lucy, since the two of us are friends,” he started, adding emphasis to the ‘friends’ part, “why don’t we get to know each other better?” he asked handsomely, leaning his cheek on the palm of his hand. “M’kay, wanna play five questions?” I chimed.

“Don’t you mean twenty questions?”

“No, ‘cause the teacher’s probably gonna come in here soon, so five questions is shorter and more-efficient-I guess.”

“To think I want to go out with a girl with such a large vocabulary.”

“Efficient isn’t even a big word!”

“But it’s a unique word,” he retorted with a cocky smirk. Why do I like this pink-haired idiot again? “Whatever, I’ll go first. What…is your most loved item?”

“This,” he countered without a moment’s hesitation, holding up an end of his scarf that I had just now realized he never took off. “Who do you like better, you’re mom or your dad?” he asked, breaking me from my concentration. “Wait, what?”

“Do you like your mom or your dad better?” He asked, and caught me completely off guard. I gasped, my eyes widening and my whole body seemed to freeze up. “L-Lucy!?” I heard Natsu start to panic, and I snapped back. What just happened? I had never reacted to anything like that, not even when my father would give me those countless beatings, or scream those heartless words for only me to hear.

“Natsu-sorry. I just-“ But my words were cut off by the painful sound of our English teacher’s booming voice.