50 shades of salmon

Chapter 20

<LUCY POV>

"It's so nice out, don't you think?" Gray said. 

"I guess" I sighed tugging my hat down further as some girls passed by.

"Lucy come on, you can't tell me that it's not nice feeling the sun on your skin." he turned to me "Look around its spring everything is so lively"

"SHHH" I practically yelled placing a finger on my lips. just him saying my name brought the attention of almost everyone in the park to us. They pulled out their phones and started taking pictures of Gray and I walking together. "Look what you did" I hissed at him before speeding up my pace.

"Where's Natsu?"

"Who is this?"

"Are you cheating on Natsu?"

"Where have you been?"

I was bombarded with questions as I pulled Gray along with me. Cameras were being shoved in my face and people were trying to grab me. 

"I'm so sorry Lu I completely forgot" 

"Too late now isn't it" I hissed running out the park "I'm sorry. It's just so much now, I never wanted any of this to happen."

"Well you always wanted to be famous, just a famous author or journalist" he pulled out his keys attempting to open the car door.

"Yeah well I wonder how that'll happen and I'm the topic of discussion." I scoffed sliding into the seat when he finally unlocked the doors.

"You can still be an author" he gave me a small smile before pulling off. The only place I could think of that we could go to was the Happy place, its the only place where I'm safe from all of this. No one in there cares who I am. I hated the fact that it was near the building but he couldn't take everything from me, he's already taken so much.

"Welcome back, we haven't seen you in a while where've you been?" Happy asked as soon as I stepped into the building. 

"In her house" Gray cut in before I could speak.

"And who's the company, I was expecting Levy or that weird guy that's always with her" Happy said placing menus on my usual table in the back.

"He's my friend, I don't need this I just want my usual." I smiled handing the menu back.

<NATSU POV>

"Where are we going" I asked as Mira kept turning the car as Lis pointed at things on her phone whispering to Mira. 

"Shut up" Mira said looking at me through the mirror "You're like a child" 

"Just be patient Natsu" Lis smiled turning in her seat to see me. "You really need to shave that" she scrunched her nose and pointed at my beard "I don't know what she sees in you" She sighed facing forwards again. 

"I hate you both" I huffed looking out the window.

"We love you too" they laughed.

"Why are we here?" I asked seeing my building in front of me "I'm not going back to work dressed like this". 

"We aren't going to work" Mira said getting out and handing the keys to valet. "We're getting something to eat" 

"Where? There's nothing good anywhere near here." I asked following Lis and Mira.

"Here" Lis said stopping in front of a small building with a blue flying cat logo The Happy Place . 

"Really? You think bringing me to a place with happy in the name would make me feel better." I scoffed folding my arms in front of my chest.

"Oh cmon, it's a cute little cafe. Just give it a chance." Mira smiled pulling one of my arms.

"Whatever" I sighed as she pulled open the door. 

"OMG remember that time we went ice skating and I literally had to stay against the wall the entire time" a voice said. That voice was as clear as day, I knew exactly who it was before even seeing her. 

"Lucy" I whispered looking around until my eyes landed on her. She had a smile plastered on her face and her eyes were bright. I wasn't the cause of that, he was. That guy sitting across from her, she was happy because of him not me. 

"Hey, silly come sit." Lis smiled pulling out the chair next to her. The table we sat at was in the center of the room and my chair had the perfect angle to see Lucy. She still hasn't even noticed I was here she was too engrossed with that guy. Who even is that. Did she really move on that fast? "Hello Earth to Natsu" Lis snapped her fingers in my face bringing me back to earth. "What are you even looking at" she asked following my gaze to see the happy Lucy smiling and joking with some man.

"Lucy" I whispered again this time Mira's head popped up and she turned to face her. "Mira what are you doing"

"I'm saying hi" she stood up and walked over to her table. Lucy's smile faded some but not completely as her and Mira talked. Mira turned towards Lis and I then back to Lucy. Her smile completely vanished when her eyes met mine, the life in her eyes was now dead this time it was my fault. She stared at me, my heart pounded in my chest as she scanned me and then they shifted to next to me. Lis. Her shoulders slumped over and she looked defeated, the guy she was with noticed and looked over at me. 

<LUCY POV>

"Yes, god you could barely even stand" Gray laughed at me. "That was such a fun day" he smiled placing his hand on mine.

"Thank you for this" I smiled, "Honestly this was the first time I've been happy in a while I think" I wasn't lying, it was like I could see color for the first time and I could actually breath instead of being crushed under self hate. 

"Of course" Happy dropped off our food before scurrying off to another table. 

"Hey girlie" 

"Mira? hey" I said, a flashback of the last time I saw her flooded my mind. Me crying and her holding me before I left.

"You look good. Happy" she smiled at me before looking at Gray. "Whose this?"

"Gray, longtime friend. What brings you here?" I asked "I've never seen you here before."

"Yeah, we wanted to try something new" she said gazing back to where I guess she was seated.

"We?" I followed and there sat Natsu staring directly at me, in that moment I felt myself falling back into the hole I was in before Gray brought me out. I scanned him, he had a beard and he looked tired. My gaze shifted to the person next to him. Lis? My heart shattered, she was supposed to be my friend and the first thing she does when she finds out things with Natsu and I are over she crawls to him. 

"Lu what is it" Gray asked putting down his glass and turning to see what I was looking at. I could see the anger radiating off of him as he saw how hurt I was and to see how he went back to his ex. "I'm going to kill him" Gray said turning back to me. 

"No" I said to him looking down at my food. "It was nice seeing you Mira" I said not looking up "I don't think I'm hungry anymore" I stood up and walked to the bathroom which was in the very back of the cafe out of sight. I heard footsteps behind me "Go away Gray" I sighed as I leaned against the wall with my eyes closed.

"Lucy" a voice whispered. My eyes shot open.

"Natsu?" I asked swallowing a lump in my throat.