A/N: HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2016 is here! Yippee! I hope you enjoy my story! Please leave a review; I'd love to hear your opinions/honest criticism/etc.
P.S. The pic of Levy on the Cover of this book is by none other than Rboz (aka Queen of Gajevy). You can check her out at .com! Also, I do not own any of the characters in Fairy Tail. All rights go to Mashima Hiro.
Levy shuffled through the backroom of her bookstore, organizing the inventory as best as she could. She did her best to lift all the boxes and stack them neatly but it became a lost cause when she had to move the larger ones. She cautiously gripped the bottom edges of a rather heavy-looking box and heaved with all her might. It didn't budge from its place on the ground and Levy was left panting heavily, her back hunched over like that of a ninety-year-old woman.
"I might need Jet and Droy's help," the young woman mumbled to herself. She thought about calling them with the communication lacrima sitting on the front desk but quickly remembered that they had headed out on a job earlier that day.
They had excitedly requested Levy to come with them but she had declined due to having to organize the store before the grand opening. Levy had always dreamed of opening up her own book store in her hometown of Magnolia where so few book stores existed. Granted, Levy was nervous about the whole idea of being an entrepreneur for the first time but her best friend Lucy Heartfilia-Dragneel was supporting her one hundred and ten percent. Plus, Levy had studied as many entrepreneurial books as she could in order to aid in managing her own business.
Speaking of Lucy, Levy wondered if she should call her to ask for some help. Levy frowned. Lucy had recently married her long-time boyfriend, Natsu Dragneel, and Levy didn't want to disturb the two of them, especially since they had just returned from their honeymoon in Hargeon.
Levy sighed to herself. It seemed like her plan for organizing the store would have to be postponed until she found someone to help her move the heavier merchandise. Or until Levy somehow magically the strength of Elfman, a friend of hers and a famous wrestler, ex-bodybuilder.
Just as Levy was about to attempt to pick up the same box, the doorbell chimed and a familiar voice echoed through the empty building. "Levy!" a female voice called.
Levy gasped and hastily hopped out of the back room to greet her best friend. "Lu-chan!" she greeted, running to hug the busty blonde woman.
"How are you doing? The store's going to open tomorrow; are you excited?" Lucy asked, grasping the blue-haired woman's hands tightly. "I can't wait!" She hopped up and down in excitement.
Levy laughed. "Me neither! I'm excited, definitely! A b-bit nervous too," Levy replied, her voice softening to a mere murmur by the last sentence.
"You'll do great, I know it! Mira is rooting for you too and she's the owner of a pub. I'm sure you can ask her for help managing everything. That is, if you need the help. I'm also here for you too," Lucy comforted with a kind smile.
"Oi! What am I? Dead meat?"
Levy peeked around Lucy's large breasts and smiled at her best friend's husband. He appeared irritated that he was being ignored. "Hi Natsu." She waved.
"Hey," the salmon-haired man replied with a huge friendly grin. "What's up, Levy?"
"Not much, I've just been busy organizing." Levy gasped. "Oh! I almost forgot! I was thinking of calling you. I was wondering if you two could help me get the store ready for tomorrow."
Natsu blinked. "Get the store ready?" he echoed in a confused manner. "You mean decorate?"
Levy nodded. "I was thinking that Lucy could decorate the display windows while you and I work in the back getting everything cleaned up," she explained, pointing to the open door at the back wall of the store. "I could sure use your brawn, Natsu."
Lucy frowned sadly. "We'd love to but we have to take Happy to the vet for a checkup. He started throwing up after eating too much fish yesterday. The clinic is pretty far and I don't think we'll make it back in time to help out," she sad, gesturing to the grey pet carrier Natsu was now carrying in his arms. Levy could hear quiet, distinctive mewing coming from within.
Levy sighed. "I understand. You'll be here tomorrow for the grand opening?"
Lucy's eyes brightened. "Of course! Natsu is coming with me along with Gray and Juvia," she replied brightly. "I'm sure Erza will come, as long as she gets the day off."
Levy smiled at the mention of the ice sculptor, his girlfriend and her brave female friend. "That's great!"
"Luce, we gotta go. Happy's starting to throw up again," Natsu suddenly groaned from behind the two females.
Lucy gasped. "Oh my god! Natsu, get Happy outside before he pukes his guts out on the floor!" She turned to Levy. "I have to go now. I'll see you tomorrow!" She started for the door and waved goodbye to Levy through the display windows before happily walking away with Natsu.
Levy watched the two lovers cross the street and smiled when she noticed Natsu give Lucy a loving peck on the cheek. They were so in love. Levy felt a twinge of jealousy eat away at her heart. She wondered what it would be like to meet someone as special as Natsu was to Lucy and vise versa. Was he out there somewhere looking for her too? Levy wondered what he looked like, what his personality was, if he adored books and reading just as much as she did. Did he live in the country of Fiore? Perhaps he spoke another language.
No matter. Even if he did speak another language, Levy was confident she would be able to communicate with him due to her fluency in almost every language. She shook her head, hoping to dispel these thoughts. She had to concentrate on getting the store ready for the grand opening tomorrow. It was almost noon and she had barely done anything besides move around a few small boxes in the back.
Levy approached the front door and locked it, not wanting to be disturbed. Afterwards, she went into the back and surveyed her work with her small hands on her hips. She sighed at the little difference that she had made in the cleanliness and order of her inventory. It wasn't that she was slacking off (although maybe she did when she started talking with Lucy and Natsu) or that she wasn't trying her best. There were just circumstances that she just couldn't work her way around. Her small stature and lack of strength made it nearly impossible for her to move around larger objects and without those objects moved, it was hard to organize the rest of the smaller items.
Sometimes she wished that she was stronger and bigger, not just in height but in…size. She envied Lucy and Erza. They were both strong women with gorgeous looks. Levy lacked the large bosom that all the woman in Magnolia seemed to possess and it was one of Levy's only insecurities. Maybe that was why she hadn't found a man yet whereas all of her friends had a partner. She lacked a sex appeal in her breasts.
Levy snapped herself out of her thoughts and scowled. "I should stop reading lovey-dovey fanfiction all the time," she mumbled to herself as she picked up a stray book from the ground. She placed it back on its shelf with a quiet tap and looked around the empty store.
She saw a young couple pass by the front of the shop and sighed sadly. Normally, Jet and Droy would've been right by her side, helping her. Even if they weren't there, Lucy or one of her other friends would have been helping. For the first time, Levy realized that she was alone and left with a daunting task.
It was frighteningly foreign.