Long time no see, my friends! Suddenly, nearly two years have passed and I haven't posted a story since. But I am finally back with a new story!
What has happened in my life these past two years, you ask? So. Much. Too much to explain here, but I can assure you that my life is so sweet, colorful, and worth it. I'm genuinely living my best life in college and I'm so grateful that it's only going to get better.
Well, here we have a new story! I'm not sure how much my writing style has changed, but you can be the one to judge.
I actually have written this story all out, so updates will be pretty fast! I hope to have all the chapters posted in one month. Let's do this!
I hope you all enjoy this first chapter! See you very soon with the next one. :)
If Lucy doesn't start her mornings with a bagel slathered with strawberry cream cheese, it is not a good morning. The satisfying crunch of the first bite is just as pleasant as birds chirping.
Today is a good morning as Lucy eats her bagel with a content smile as she enters her office building. She makes a beeline towards the elevator. With her free hand, she scrolls through her phone to see if there are any updates.
"Fifty new comments," she whispers to herself.
Unsure whether to be proud or disappointed, she sticks her phone back into her purse and returns her attention to her half-eaten breakfast.
In between bites, she observes the lobby through the glass walls of the elevator. People from all over bustle through the area, all consumed by their own lackluster agendas. The higher she elevates, the more everyone blends together.
There isn't anyone who stands out more than the other—how fitting.
This is what it's like where Lucy works. It's the same routine every week: Mondays are for new ideas, Tuesdays are for settling with an idea, Wednesdays are for presentation, Thursdays through Saturdays are for writing, editing, proofreading, and Sundays are for posting.
Today is Tuesday, which means Lucy needs to decide what she wants to write for this week's article. Normally, she'd walk into her office with an itinerary. But this week, she finds herself feeling lost and uninspired to settle with an idea.
She doesn't let this affect her mood, though. Entering her designated floor, she holds her breath while walking through the experimental smells drifting in the air. Once she smells the familiar booze with a special ting to it, she sits in the open desk next to it.
"Is that blueberry, Cana?" Lucy asks her coworker frantically typing at her computer.
"Cranberry, actually," Cana responds through her types. "I've been experimenting this drink all week. I think this is going to be my best review yet!"
"I still can't believe Erza is letting you do this to yourself." Lucy shakes her head slightly, feeling a sense of pity as Cana appears to be in shambles.
"It's a privilege more than anything." Cana sends Lucy a grin over her shoulder, completely oblivious to her wild eyes. "I mean, how many people get paid for drinking unhealthy amounts of alcohol just to write a review on it?"
"I think I can see why it's not a popular job," Lucy responds. She returns to her own computer and purses her lips in thought. She has a list of what she could do for this week, but none of her ideas are close to what she actually wants to write.
Cana notices Lucy's blank stares. "Can't decide what to write this week?"
"I have some ideas," Lucy answers, half-lying. "I'm just not sure which one to pick."
"How about a follow up on that survey you did a couple of months ago? The one about lip gloss?" Cana suggests.
It takes every part of Lucy's physical being to hold back her cringe. "Yeah, I could do that."
"Everyone likes reading about lip gloss," Cana states simply, returning to her typing.
"Not everyone," Lucy mutters beneath her breath.
This is also what it's like every week. Pretending to love cheap cosmetics, the latest fashion trends, celebrity rumors, abs-guaranteed-exercises, and everything else in between. Lucy has mastered the art of pretending to be fully invested in these ideas.
Really, her dream is to have her own writing business that covers stories like how Fiore became the way it is, why the locals are the way they are, and highlight the hidden, creative minds throughout the city of Magnolia. She wants Fiore's hidden voices to finally have some light—that's all.
She thought joining this company would be the doorway to more opportunities to pursue her dream. And yet, here she is, already have worked two years without any progress. For now, she remains at a company where its sole purpose is to make women's lives easier one hairstyle, workout, rumor, and lip gloss application at a time.
Lucy's ultimate desires are easy to suppress throughout the day, but it doesn't seem to be working as effectively today.
"Do you think you're going to be ready to present to Erza tomorrow?" Cana asks once the work day is almost over.
"I'll figure it out." Lucy releases a heavy sigh, tilting her neck to each side with a relieving pop. It's not like she has much of a choice—she has to figure it out or else.
"We can go drinking tonight if you want," Cana offers.
"The only thing you should be drinking tonight is water." Lucy nearly scolds, standing from her seat and collecting her belongings. She places a water bottle next to Cana's desk. "I have plans tonight with Levy, but thanks, anyway. See you tomorrow."
Before Cana can convince her like she has done plenty of times before, she leaves the office building. Like any other city, cars cover the streets like mindless ants. The sunset hides behind the buildings, allowing Lucy to be guided by the flickering streetlights.
She strategically makes her way through the traffic, travels through three subway stations, and eventually arrives to her apartment. She unlocks her front door, being met with the delicious smell of dinner.
"Welcome back, Lu!" a voice sings out from the kitchen.
"Hey, Levy," Lucy smiles at her best friend and sets her purse down on the counter. "What's for tonight?"
"Dumplings," Levy announces proudly. "Are we still watching our show tonight?"
"Of course we are," she nods. The two exchange an excited smile before Lucy takes out her phone and reads another update. Who knew a trivial review about makeup could get so many comments?
After indulging in Levy's famous dumplings, Lucy tries to find any sense of inspiration for what to write this week. She thought of how she could write about how to eat healthy while eating dumplings, but she remembered that Evergreen wrote something similar last year.
"You okay? You're quiet tonight," Levy comments as they settle onto the couch minutes before their beloved TV show.
"I have no idea what to write this week," Lucy admits, running a hand through her hair. "I just want to write what I want to write, you know? I'm tired of writing all of this nonsense."
"It's okay," Levy reaches over and rubs Lucy's shoulder for comfort. "You're going to get there, okay? For now, let yourself enjoy the show. I read some spoilers that it's going to get juicy tonight."
"You said you weren't going to read spoilers without me!" Lucy proclaims, scoffing as Levy giggles mischievously.
Lucy decides to accept her best friend's advice, deciding that her article is more trivial than the show. But after this, she is definitely going to have to choose an idea.
"He should just dump her already!" Levy groans loudly as the episode cuts to a commercial.
"There has to be a reason why he keeps staying with her," Lucy theorizes aloud. "She has treated him horribly all episode. He wants something from her."
"Or maybe she wants something from him," Levy retorts. "They're not even a good pair, anyway. Ugh, I'll be right back. I need a refresher."
Lucy can't help but laugh to herself at Levy's dramatic expressions. She hopes that someday her audience will also react in a way like Levy. Her work will cause her audience to feel riled up, whether it be out of inspiration to take action or enragement and throw a fit.
At the same time, Lucy feels an emotional wall for the characters in the TV show, which is the complete opposite of Levy. Lucy can't remember the last time she has felt anything remotely related to love, let alone infatuation.
What was it like to feel so helplessly in love? What a foreign idea.
With the sound of Levy's quick steps back to the couch matching the steady thump of her heartbeat, the gears in Lucy's head gradually begin turning. When the TV show returns from commercial, it hits her.
"I have an idea on what to write!" Lucy exclaims suddenly.
"Shh, tell me later!" Levy waves her off, but Lucy doesn't care.
A grin stretches across her face. The idea is risky. It might not work out. It's not going to be easy.
But if each article she writes is one step closer to her dream, she's determined to take that next step.
"Come in, Lucy!"
Lucy opens the door to a spacious office, windows displaying the buildings of Magnolia. It's the classic office that anyone would dream of having—that is, anyone who only wishes to write about nonsense all the time.
"Hi, Erza," Lucy greets her boss. "I'm here to present my idea for you."
"It took you longer than I expected, but I can squeeze in some time for you. You can sit down," Erza beckons her. "What do you have for me?"
"It's going to be a personal story this week, but with a twist. Here are my ideas," Lucy explains while sliding her a notebook with all her scribbled ideas.
Erza squints at her handwriting, but they soon return back to normal. Much to Lucy's delight, interest swirls in Erza's eyes. She begins to nod with an amused smile, glancing at Lucy above her glasses.
"So, you're going to date a guy in reverse? How will you do that?"
"I'll find ways to drive him away," she answers. "I'll use mistakes that women typically make. It'll be an article of what not to do when you're dating someone. I'll keep a journal about it and record my findings."
"How to lose a guy in ten days," Erza echoes Lucy's final notes. "I think you've struck gold here. How did you think of this?"
Lucy can't hold back her satisfied smile. "This TV show I watched last night gave me some inspiration. Do you approve of my idea? In terms of posting, I won't be able to post on Sunday due to the length of the experiment."
"We can afford that if the execution is as good as the idea," Erza responds.
Although her words come out discouraging, Lucy takes a deep breath to ignore the looming pressure. She knows this isn't going to be an easy article to write, but she's willing to sell a kidney at this point.
"I'm going to a gathering tonight," Erza mentions, causing Lucy to perk up in her seat. "There will be plenty of men. Would you like to join me and find your experiment?"
Lucy doesn't like the idea of calling her future date an experiment, but she can't take back this opportunity. "I would love to come!"
"Okay, see you then. Now, if you would excuse me, I have some strawberry cake to eat."
Understanding that this is Erza's way of kicking her out of her office, Lucy collects her belongings and nearly dances out of the office. There isn't any room for anxiety for what she has gotten herself into. Right now, there is just pure bliss.
The outside air has never felt fresher on Lucy's skin as she makes her way back home for the day. Even though most of her articles have been nonsense, there is always a pre-article excitement.
"Levy, my boss accepted my idea!" Lucy shouts into her phone, her voice contained by the crowd surrounding her.
"That's awesome, Lu! I knew you could do it!" Levy cheers her on. "You're off work early, right? Come to the bakery and I'll treat you!"
"You don't have to invite me twice. I'll be right there," Lucy responds happily.
After hanging up the call, Lucy isn't able to hide the bounce in her step. She'll never admit this aloud, but the high of getting Erza's approval is almost as gratifying as her morning bagels.
Lucy pauses at a crosswalk, holding a staring contest with the red light across the street. She doesn't hesitate once it turns green; however, the first step she takes on the street matches with a screech.
"Oh, my—"
"Are you alright?!"
Lucy's eyes are almost bulging out of its sockets as she watches a man jump off his motorcycle and approach her with eyes the same size.
"Are you alright?" the man repeats, searching her for any injuries. "I wasn't expecting you to be there when I was turning."
"I-I'm okay," Lucy stutters, finally catching up with her ragged breaths. "It was my fault. I should have looked before I started crossing."
"I'm just glad you're not hurt." He lets out a relieved sigh. "I'm sorry about that."
"It's okay," she assures. She watches as the man shivers, almost as though to release the idea of what could have just happened. Although he wears a helmet with a tinted visor, she can tell he isn't bad looking. Could he be the one for her experiment?
"Well, since we're both good here, I'm heading out. Stay safe." The man nods his head as he begins to return to his bike.
Lucy moves her foot to step towards him. But by the time she realizes that there is no way she could ask someone out after being nearly trampled, the man is already zooming away.
"Note to self," Lucy mumbles, carefully walking across the street. "Just go for it next time."
The idea of running someone over after driving a motorcycle for less than a week is enough for Gray to shiver through his jacket. He can vividly see how the woman's eyes widened and jaw dropped in a matter of seconds. Gray deletes the image from his mind as quickly as possible.
"Hey, where have you been?!" a voice shouts out to Gray as he rolls towards the front of the fire station.
"Sorry, I got caught up in something," he explains, trying not to show that his voice is still shaky. "Anyway, here's your lunch. You owe me one."
"Owe you for what?" a man snatches the bag from Gray's hands. "Juvia gives you these for free, anyway."
"Not the point, Natsu." He rolls his eyes, following his friend to an outdoor table. "You're going to have to teach yourself how to cook someday."
"I do know how to cook," Natsu retorts. "I just cook at my own convenience."
Gray stifles a laugh while shaking his head. "Microwaveable meals don't count."
The two bicker—occasionally getting physical—until Natsu catches a glimpse of Gray's sparkling motorcycle in his peripheral vision. He pauses just for a second. "How's your bike?"
"I haven't killed anyone yet," Gray responds with a nonchalant shrug.
"My bike is cooler, anyway." Natsu waves his hand in dismissal. "You're welcome for getting you that deal, by the way."
"Yeah, yeah," Gray also lifts his hand to wave him off. He's positive that Natsu will never let him live that down. He is about to say they should race someday, but he notices the time.
"Hey, I need to head out, but I wanted to mention that Juvia is hosting a party tonight. You can come if you want."
"What's the menu look like?" Natsu asks.
"I can tell Juvia to think of you," Gray responds, causing Natsu to grin. "Come to my place in a suit."
"Alright, I'm in," Natsu nods in acceptance. He follows Gray towards his bike, munching on the remains of his baby carrots. It isn't until Gray is almost a street away when a thought surfaces into Natsu's mind.
"Does he expect me to bring a date?" he mutters to himself, going back inside the station.
Natsu's memory is blurry on the last time he was romantically involved with a woman. Sure, he has had his share of relationships, but there came a day when none of it was enjoyable as it used to be. Now that he is a fresh 26, Natsu wants more than a pointless, ten-day fling.
Knowing fully well that the food at the parties Juvia hosts is some of the best, Natsu purposely skips snacking throughout the day. It makes his time at the station a lot more difficult than it needs to be, but it's worth it.
By the time he takes a quick elevator trip up to Gray's apartment later that evening, his stomach growls louder than the blow dryer Gray holds onto as he opens the door.
Gray whistles, taking in Natsu's attire. "Looks like you're dressed to meet the love of your life tonight."
"Good one," Natsu scoffs and enters the apartment. "Does Juvia know you use a blow dryer?"
"Yes, she does. She appreciates it," Gray quips back.
Natsu can't stop himself from wandering into the kitchen, searching for just a nibble of a snack. It isn't hard to spot Gray's collection, snacks of all types covering the pantry.
A pit of envy settles in Natsu's stomach. Not for the snacks themselves, but for the guarantee that the pantry will always be filled. Natsu still isn't quite sure how Gray landed the career he has. He certainly deserves it, though. He has always been skilled at talking to others, especially if it's to persuade.
As a result, Gray's career has gifted him a luxurious apartment with luxurious amenities. But it's not the tangible items that Natsu envies the most—it's the connections and network of people he knows.
Natsu reaches for a box of crackers until he hears Gray's footsteps behind him. "You ready? Juvia is about to pick us up."
"Readier than I'll ever be," Natsu responds, stuffing a couple of crackers into his mouth. He can't hold back his laugh at Gray's eye roll, puffs of cracker dust sparkling across the air.
"You love food so much. I wonder if you have any game left," Gray remarks.
"Why wouldn't I?" Natsu raises his brows.
"Do you think you could get a girl tonight?" Gray challenges.
"For how long?"
Gray's eyes light up at the question, which makes Natsu immediately regret his question. Giving Gray the opportunity to manipulate the duration of this bet is one of the worst moves he could have ever made.
"Ten days," Gray answers eventually.
"Ten days?" Natsu repeats incredulously, but hastily changes his tone. "I can do that. What do I get in return?"
"Anything you want," Gray shrugs simply. "As long as you stay with the girl a full ten days, of course. No matter how difficult she gets."
Natsu is quiet as he tries to form his words. "After this bet, I want you to get my name out there." His voice is firm. "I want to be recruited to a place that has more activity."
It appears that Gray is holding his breath, but the image fades away as he nods. "Really, I've been wanting to do that for you sooner or later. I can tell how disappointing Magnolia has been for you."
Natsu smiles thinly at Gray's words. "Yeah. I'm ready to get out of here."
"Well, if you work hard enough, maybe you will," Gray confirms with newfound amusement in his eyes. "Maybe after these ten days, you can get that girl to move away with you."
"You sure have quite the imagination, Ice Princess."
Gray is about to shoot back with one of the many nicknames they have for one another, but the ring of his phone beats him to it.
"Yeah, we'll be right out."
"Actually," Natsu begins, reaching for the keys on the wall. "I'll follow you. Nobody knows how this night might end."
"You're lucky that you know how to ride a bike," Gray remarks.
"You're lucky that I taught you!" Natsu retorts, following his friend out of his apartment.
With that, Natsu revs the motorcycle and follows Gray and Juvia's sleek car. He isn't sure what this night will hold, but he ignores the annoying buzz in the back of his ears.
So what if he said he was tired of pointless, ten-day flings? Those flings weren't going to lead him to a new job opportunity. This fling, however, is going to be one of the most rewarding bets he has ever done.
If this fling is one step closer to his dream, Natsu is determined to take that next step.