one: what is talking, what is knowing

She hated her fifth period English class.

The teacher was so boring and old fashioned, assigning tasks about a book no one cared about and teaching lessons no one understood. The people in her class were equally as boring, choosing not to contribute to the class as much as possible and taking the class as a chance to sleep.

The only saving grace was her window seat which gave her a clear view of the chalked outline of a human printed in front of Fairy Tail High's entrance.

No one knew of the meaning behind the chalk drawing. Some said it was the result of a suicide attempt of a heartbroken girl. The outline then became a reminder for players, which Fairy Tail High was notorious for, to gain compassion for those they're toying with. Others said it was a ruse the school staff purposely drew to scare students into studying. The outline then offered encouragement to students who were lacking in their studies.

To Lucy Heartphilia, the human outline was neither a reminder nor an encouragement; it was solace.

When no one was around the vicinity, Lucy took comfort in sitting by the outlined drawing, admiring that no matter how dulled or smudged the drawing became, a person could still make out a human figure. It wasn't too large. If Lucy had to say, it was just the right size of a young girl which could prove the story that a girl had committed suicide to be true.

She never felt any murderous intent from the drawing, if intents could be felt from inanimate objects which she thought to be possible.

Bzz…Bzz…

Looking down, she reached into her desk, pulling out her phone. The screen lit up upon pressing the home button. Her lips formed a grin as she read the text sent to her: "I hear pinkie is going to confess today."

Pinkie was her and her best friend's nickname for Natsu Dragoneel, one of the most popular boys in Fairy Tail High. With an easy smile and cheerful personality, he captured the hearts of many and many more would die to know what went on in his guarded mind, let alone the person he liked. With that kind of information, who knew how many people Lucy could get to do her bidding?

Ring! Ring! Ring!

"Perfect," Lucy's ears perked up, and she tore her eyes from her phone. Despite her earlier gripes, her day was shaping up beautifully. She survived through the most boring class of the day and had new gossip to dig through. Hurriedly packing up, she jumped up from her seat and pushed past people.

"Excuse me, I need to get through!" She was footsteps away from reaching the door and racing to the location texted to her when she was grabbed by the collar.

"What the hell?" She was ready to lurch at whoever stopped her, eyes aflame. "Who the fuck is this—" Her voice died when her hazel eyes met cold gray ones. Her teacher.

"Ms. Heartphilia, I am pleased to hear that you're lively." The teacher released her, letting Lucy readjust her collar. "But…I do believe I require the final report from you…don't I?"

"Final report?" Lucy furrowed her eyebrows, "what was that?"

"A composition of your goals. You're the only one who didn't hand it in yet."

"Oh!" Lucy smacked her forehead, berating herself for not remembering the assignment given two weeks ago. "I'm sorry! Can I hand it to you tomorrow?"

The teacher shook her head, plopping down in frustration. Lucy bit her lips, waiting for her to say the word so she could just go and find out who Natsu liked, god damn it. Instead, the teacher took her glasses off, and looked again at Lucy.

"No one takes my class seriously, I know it." Well. That was unexpected. "But you see this," the teacher gestured to the pile of papers centered on her desk. "This assignment everyone took seriously. Life goals. Some people even wrote that they have no idea what they'll do. And that's alright. Because it means that they are thinking about it."

"I'm sorry," the teacher was really grating her nerves. "But how does this have to do with anything? Take off ten points, fifty, heck, take off a hundred points if you want. Can I just go now?"

"Ms. Heartphilia, you really don't care about this class don't you? Or any class huh? I've heard about you from other students. How you meddle with personal lives a lot. Spreading gossip and everything."

Okay…? Lucy groaned internally, restraining herself from glancing at the clock. By the time this teacher stopped talking to her, Natsu would've probably been done and she would've missed her chance at being one of the first to know. And that, her fist tightened, was something she didn't want to let go.

Being the first to know.

"Life isn't about grades," the teacher was continuing, "nor is it about gossip. It's about conviction. Conviction about what you'll do in life. It doesn't need to be fully defined, or even partially. Just thinking about defining it is alright. Because it means you care—"

"—I'm sorry," Lucy decided to interject, her voice not the least bit sorry, "but are you implying that I don't care?"

"No," the teacher looked disturbed, "all I'm saying is that you shouldn't dismiss chances that can help—"

"That's a luxury I don't have," Lucy had enough. The teacher had finally gone crazy. "So please don't speak as if you know everything."

"I am not but—hey, Lucy. Where are you going? Come back this instant! I'm giving you a zero on this report you know? Wait, come back! We're not done talking!"

But Lucy decided that they were.

Pulling the strap of her book bag back on her shoulder, she turned her back against the teacher, the room. She was sprinting now, enjoying the breeze that tickled her exposed skin and lifted the edges of her knee high pleated skirt. She ignored the wolf whistles from boys and the commands from teachers for her to stop.

The conversation with her teacher was still on her mind.

"Just thinking about defining it is alright. Because it means you care—"

If she had let the teacher continue, what would be the rest of her words? Because it means you care about something? Because it means you care to do something? Even if those were her words, Lucy doubted writing a report could show that she cared.

It took a lot more than simple words to care. Both verbal and written. It was a sentiment Lucy understood clearly. She had long been done with trying to be heard through communications. Failure always pursued.

—

When she finally reached the courtyard, it was empty.

The blossoming Sakura tree was bare of any couples making out. The corners were sparse of students confessing to another. The only one around was a boy sprawled on one of the benches.

Grimacing, Lucy approached him.

"Anno…" she poked him. The boy didn't wake up, only groaning and scratching his stomach. Lucy bit her lips. "…excuse me…" Still no reaction.

She didn't see any point in bothering him anymore. But considering that she didn't speak with Natsu on a daily basis, she risked the chance of being raged at by grabbing the sides of his body and shaking him.

"Excuse. Me. Can you hear me—ep!" She was suddenly stopped by a hand grabbing hold of her wrist, tugging her body forward until her face was inches away from the boy, who was now awake. His dark blue eyes bore into hers and she could swear something sparkled like stars and diamonds in them.

She was spellbound.

She was so enraptured by the allure of his eyes that if it weren't for him speaking, she would've forgotten the position she was in.

"Can you get off of me? I'm feeling uncomfortable."

"H-huh?" His husky voice woke her from her stupor as she drew back, red streaking across her face. "O-oh, of course."

When she stood upright, she flattened her school uniform and cleared her throat. In the corner of her eyes, she observed the boy who wore the boy's version of the school uniform, a horrid grey cashmere sweater and light brown slacks, well. In fact, with his blue, roguish hair and mysterious eyes, he could pass well as a model.

A look of impending doom washed over Lucy's face as she was reminded of someone, related to models, she knew personally.

How come I don't know his name?

"Anyways," he broke the silence, a sideward smile spreading on his face. "What brings you here?"

"Oh, I, uhm…" Now that she actually got his attention, she was at a loss of words. Knowing who Natsu liked seemed trivial now in comparison to talking to a cute guy such as this new guy here.

Lucy cursed to herself.

Stupid female hormones.

"It's nothing!" She squeaked.

"You sure?" The boy rubbed his chin. "I did recall seeing a pink haired boy meeting some girl. What was his name?"

"Natsu?"

"Yes!" The boy snapped his finger, eyes shining brightly. Lucy gulped. Why are his fingers so slender and skin so pale? Not fair! "He said, 'I like you,' so loudly! I felt pretty embarrassed for him."

"And so?" She tried ignoring the guy's perfections, and, instead, tried staring above his head. Not working when his hair was chaotic and curly, yet too sexy to avoid looking. "D-did you see who the girl is or at least if he was rejected or not?"

"Hm…" Lucy leaned in expectantly, waiting in anticipation for the guy's answer. "…you know. I'm playing cupid."

"Huh?" Her shoulders sagged. "What?"

"I'm playing cupid!" He cheerfully repeated. "Except I'm not a good shooter. So I may accidentally aim at the wrong person. You want to help?"

The image of a hot, perfect guy she had of the boy shattered instantly. This guy was just a lunatic.

"Riiight…" Lucy started to back up, scratching her head. "…you know, it's getting late. I have to go now…I'll see you later!"

Before she could disappear from his sight, his words stopped her. "These days, though, people don't need cupid. They don't even confess in person. They just tell each other over cell phone!"

"Your point?"

He was making no sense whatsoever but he continued, as though his words were worth listening. "I need help."

"Well that's fine and all but how does that have to do with…" When she turned around, her voice faltered. "…where the fuck did he go?"

—

"That guy was so weird," Lucy thought to herself as she fidgeted with the lock of her locker. "What is he talking about? Cell phone?"

But the longer she thought about the conversation she had with the blue haired boy, the more her head started to hurt and the less she was able to open her lock.

"Fuck!" She finally unlocked it on her fifth try, tearing the locker open. "God, can't I just go home quickly—"

Thud!

She blinked, feeling a weight fall from her locker and hit her feet. It stung, the pain numbing her foot momentarily as she sprawled, trying to minimize the feeling.

"What was that," she stopped when she saw what fell. A cell phone.

"They just tell each other over cell phone!"

"Did he set it up?" she said as she inspected the phone before clicking it open. A message popped up on the screen: "Dear user who has stumbled upon this cell phone. You have been given the duty to revitalize the website this cellphone is connected to. Please do so in any way that suits your tastes."

Lucy had never heard of a more odd request than this. Weirder yet, the request came not in the form of words nor person, but a cell phone.

She looked at the phone in her hand. "What was this for?"

"For confiscation if you won't put it away," the phone was taken away from her in a swift motion. Lucy whipped her hair back to angrily snap at whoever took it away when she stopped midtrance.

Raven unruly hair. Ocean blue eyes. Twitching crooked lips.

"Fullbuster," the blonde refused to display any hints of intimation towards the boy, "can I have the phone back?"

"And how do I know it's yours?" Gray Fullbuster sneered back. "From how I remembered, the high maintenance Lucy Heartphilia wouldn't be caught dead with this outdated model."

"As long as it has a touch screen, I'm cool," Lucy argued, "how would you know about my tastes anyways?"

"Still playing stranger I see," he tapped the corners of his lips with the phone. "Well, I guess years of knowing each other doesn't matter anymore."

"Why are we still talking?" Lucy sighed, her head starting to hurt. There was honestly a time they were close but that time came to an end. Whenever they met each other, arguments would ensue so both did their best to stay out of each other's way.

Or so Lucy had thought.

Gray opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by some female calling his name. He looked conflicted as to whom he should speak which was almost amusing to Lucy; that indecisive part of him never changed, she observed.

Finally, he said, "Let this be the last time I see you then." Handing back Lucy the cell phone, he turned the other way.

"…alright."

Only until she could no longer see his figure, Lucy started to walk away. Today was definitely surreal.

But still…

She stepped outside, her feet landing on the head of the human outline.

What is this cell phone for?

Word Count: 2,249