Chapter 1: First Impressions
Lucy would've been happy. Would've if she wasn't going to attend the university right next to her high school. Good riddance. The distance was shorter than the closest grocery store to Lucy's house. She may dare even say it was shorter than the length of her hair.
"Chop it all off," Lucy demanded.
"No," her mother sharply replied and smiled sweetly at the hairdresser, "just give her hair a nice trim."
"I want a pixie cut."
"A small trim," she corrected.
From the mirror, she could see her mother crookedly smiling and waving her wallet, already basking in the air of victory. The poor hairdresser looked helplessly between the daughter and the mother, scratching her head as she snapped the barber's cape around Lucy. "Layer trim?" she asked hopefully.
It turned out nicer than Lucy had expected, though it was still unbearably long in the summer heat. If she tied it in a neat ponytail behind her, it would look as if she had shorter hair. Maybe her old classmates wouldn't be able to recognize her if she added makeup and dyed hair.
"Aren't you excited, Lucy? You have your university orientation tomorrow!" her mother squealed as she dragged Lucy through the shopping mall. "Though I don't understand why you have to tie up your hair. It looks beautiful down."
The girl groaned. "It's 100 degrees, mom. I'm going to boil to death."
"You mean 100 degrees outside," she corrected. "The mall always has nice air conditioners. Why don't you put it down?"
"I like having my hair this way," Lucy insisted.
Her mother rolled her eyes but didn't push the conversation.
By the time, they stopped for lunch, Lucy was exhausted. Her fingers were red and crinkled from carrying ten bags of clothes, her mouth felt parched, and her feet ached in the small-fitted wedges. She usually loved to shop – just not exactly with her mother, whose tastes were on the opposite side of the spectrum from Lucy's.
"Chicken tenders as usual?" her mother asked.
"With-"
"Honey mustard," she answered for Lucy and grinned. "I'll be right back."
Lucy could only grin back as she watched the older woman disappear within the crowds. As she took out her phone, she stared at the reflection on the screen. Her hand traveled up to her bobby pin and released the bangs that fell in wispy strands. Though she hesitated, Lucy finally untied her hair, watching the layers cascade past her shoulders and toward her stomach.
It didn't look bad.
She nearly jumped out of fright when her phone buzzed again and again. The screen was spammed with her friend's messages.
Levy: LUCYYYY
Levy: ARE YOU READY FOR TOMORROW
Levy: I'M ACTUALLY
Levy: KINDA
Levy: REALLY
Levy: NERVOUS
Levy: WHAT IF I SCREW UP?
Lucy quirked up an eyebrow as she texted back.
Lucy: why would you be nervous?
Lucy: it's just an orientation
Levy: I DID A LOT OF RESEARCH
Levy: FOR MY CLASSES
Levy: I EVEN GOOGLED WHAT QUESTIONS TO ASK SO I CAN LOOK SMART
Lucy: …
Lucy: girl, you're way too stressed for this
"Is anyone sitting here?"
The blonde looked up from her phone and nearly sputtered in surprise. She covered it up by coughing and clearing her throat. She dared her eyes to look back at the man. Who was shirtless. With chiseled, tanned abs. With a wobbly, high-pitched voice, she answered, "I'm with someone. But you're free to take those two chairs."
Mother of pearls. Those abs must be rock hard.
"Thanks!" Lucy watched him fumble around before picking up a chair. However, when he lifted the chair, she didn't know that would be the death of her. She saw his entire arm flex into a heavenly contour of muscles. Muscular yet lean. She would have died in peace at that moment.
As soon as the guy turned around, she fumbled for her phone and stabbed the screen with texts.
Lucy: Levy
Lucy: Muscles
Lucy: Abs
Lucy: 6-pack
Levy: I don't have a 6-pack, Lucy
Lucy: -_-
Lucy: I mean there's a guy near me
Lucy: Hot like hot tamales smoking in a volcano
Lucy: and he's shirtless.
Levy: Oooooooo
Levy: ohmygosh take a pic
Levy: I wanna see
Lucy: …
Levy: c'mon!
Lucy: okay, fine
Lucy: hold on
Very indiscreetly, she angled her phone towards the guy, posturing with a blank face. She took a deep breath, steadied the phone, and pressed the camera button.
Snap! Snap!
She froze.
He froze.
Lucy would have sworn the entire mall brightened with the forgotten flash. The click, which she also had on maximum volume, echoed throughout the mall. She watched in horror as he turned around with a surprised look etched onto his face. The blonde sat in stunned silence before she picked herself up and bolted straight for the restroom.
"Wait!" Lucy could hear him following her. Oh no. Oh no.
Her face was burning from embarrassment. She zipped by multiple people, muttered a million 'Excuse me,' and panted heavily as she averted a sharp turn into a restroom hallway. She looked behind her in case before taking out her phone.
Lucy: MISSION ABORT
Lucy: MISSION ABORT
Levy: what
Lucy: SHIT
Levy: LUCY!
Lucy: OH MY FUCKING GOD
Lucy: WHAT DO I FUCKING DO
Levy: STOP FUCKING CUSSING
Lucy: LEVY!
Levy: lol
Lucy: NO
Lucy: SERIOUSLY
Lucy: REMEMBER LAST NIGHT
Lucy: WHEN WE TOOK A PIC ON MY PHONE
Lucy: AND IT WAS DARK?
Levy: oh no
Levy: was flash on?
Lucy: -SOBS-
Lucy: MY SOUND WAS ON MAX TOO
Levy: omg Lucyyyy
Levy: well, what happened?
Lucy: I DON'T KNOW
Lucy: I JUST FUCKING BOLTED
Levy: LOOL
Levy: …
Levy: did you get a nice shot?
Lucy: YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO FEEL SECOND-HAND EMBARRASSMENT FOR ME
Levy: HEY
Levy: HOT GUY FIRST
Levy: EMBARRASSMENT SECOND
Lucy let out an exasperated sigh as she felt her face still heated from shame. She breathed in slowly as her shaking hand opened photo album. While it was loading, she looked up, saw her mother in front of her, and nearly screamed in surprise.
"What are you doing here?" her mother asked worriedly. "Is your stomach alri - Oh! Your hair is down! See I told you it's nice!"
"Yeah, uhm I mean n-no I ju – actually, yeah. M-my stomach doesn't feel good," Lucy murmured quickly. "Can we just go home?"
"Sure. Do you need me to call Mrs. Spetto? She'll get medicine for you –"
"No no, I'm alright." Lucy held up one trembling hand. "I just want to rest a bit. Since orientation's tomorrow and stuff and I thought I should have more rest today rather than shop, you know?" she rambled on.
Though she cast a suspicious glance, her mother nodded understandingly. "Let's go right now then."
"Yeah." She sighed in relief as she trailed her.
Levy: You still haven't sent the pic yet!
Levy: Lemme see!
Lucy: DO YOU REALIZE THE PAINS I HAD AND HAVE TO GO THROUGH
Lucy: TO GET THIS PIC
Lucy: FOR YOU?
Lucy: I'M STILL CRINGING IN EMBARRASSMENT
Levy: Well, you didn't see him on your way out
Levy: so that's good, I guess?
Levy: now lemme see
Lucy: ugh
Lucy: hold on, it's loading
Levy: LOAD FASTER
Levy: OH I SEE IT
Levy: HAHAHAHAHA
Levy: OHMYGOSH
Lucy: what?
Levy: DO YOU NOT SEE IT?
Lucy: he looks fine?
Lucy: besides the fact that he's half naked?
Levy: NO, BEHIND THE SHIRTLESS GUY
Levy: LOL
The blonde swiped away the text message screen to observe the photo. At first, she had to force herself to look around him. Her eyes were so focused on the shirtless man that all she could do was stare at the space next to his chiseled body.
To her shock, she ended up seeing that that behind shirtless man, there was a second guy who stared straight into Lucy's camera. He had jet-black hair, droopy eyes, and eyebrows raised in suspicion. His finger was also pointed in Lucy's direction.
"NOOO!" the blonde wailed. "NONONONONO!" She collapsed onto her bed and rolled in frustration. Her fingers angrily swiped back to the text message screen.
Lucy: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Levy: LOL
Lucy: HIS FRIEND SAW IT TOO
Lucy: I'M SO DEAD
Lucy: THEY'RE GONNA REPORT ME TO THE POLICE FOR THIS
Lucy: I'M GONNA BE EXPELLED FOR BEING A CREEP
Levy: maybe
Lucy: LEVY!
Levy: lol just kidding~
Levy: but did you not see his friend's sweater?
Lucy: what
Levy: it says Fiore University
Lucy: ...
Lucy: you're kidding me
Levy: girl, I ain't kidding you
Levy: go check
The blonde quickly swiped to photos, observed the image, confirmed the logo, and swiped back.
Lucy: SHIT
Levy: LUCY!
Lucy: mother of PEARLS
Lucy: I'm freaking out
Lucy: WHY DID I DO IT?
Lucy: I SHOULD'VE JUST STUCK WITH STARING
Levy: but then you wouldn't have something to stare at all day
Lucy: WHY WAS HE SHIRTLESS IN THE FIRST PLACE?
Levy: does it matter? ;)
Lucy: …
Lucy: can I blame you?
Levy: sure ;)
Lucy: okay…
Levy: remember, deep breath
Lucy: kay…
Lucy: I love you, girl
Lucy: but seriously, fuck you
Levy: LOL
Levy: love you too! ;)
Levy: though I know you wanted a pic too~
Levy: hehehehe
Lucy: -sighs-
Lucy tossed aside her phone and groaned in embarrassment, frowning every time her mind replayed the scene. Damn shirtless man.
Speaking of shirtless man, she never really paid attention to his face. She quickly grabbed her phone and looked at the photo.
"What?! He has pink hair? How did I not notice?!" she exclaimed as she zoomed in. Understandably, the lighting from the mall did discolor the top portion of his hair to orange, but it was still unique. Though his hair was spiked, it was also extremely messy. Lucy could only assume that he was working out prior to the scene.
Disappointedly, she couldn't make out anything else with his back turned to her.
"Lucy! Go to sleep! It's eleven. You have your college orientation tomorrow!" Mrs. Spetto called out as she knocked on Lucy's door. "Are you listening?"
"Yeah. I was going to go to sleep," she answered and clicked off the lights.
"Did you pack for one night tomorrow?"
"Yep. Good night, Mrs. Spetto."
"Good night, Lucy."
She crawled underneath the bed covers while staring at the photo. Fiore University. All she knew was that she had to watch out for the droopy-eye guy.
And of course, a certain shirtless pinkette.
They'll certainly be the death of her.
A/N: Made an account just for this. Got inspired after seeing a snapchat story like that HAHA... though I feel like this story has definitely been made before...