"Lucy!"

I woke up with a start and I quickly reached out for the rattling alarm clock that was about to fall from my bedside drawer making me fall out of my bed as well. Geez, Mom's voice can be too loud sometimes. Oh curse the world for me having to acquire her loud voice, why'd she call out anyway?

"I'm coming Mom, just give me a minute!" I called back while absentmindedly scratching my right cheek, standing up from the floor and stretched my still aching back before putting the poor alarm clock back at its place then heading to the bathroom for a quick wash up.

Just before I could exit the bathroom my eyes widened in realization. "Oh! I almost forgot," I said as I picked up a full cup of water before heading back to my bedroom. "I have to wash her too."

Entering my room I went over to the window to the seat I placed there so it would be easier to sit next to her, smiling at her as I reached it and sat while raising the full cup of water in my hand towards her. "Here, you'll need to wash up too, or else you wouldn't grow."

I slowly poured the cup of fresh water into my…plant of some sorts. I found her sometime back last year and I just placed her by my window because it was convenient to let her grow here. Although, I'm still clueless over what type of plant she is, I've never seen her type of plants before. That's why I kept her with me, I actually want to see what kind of fruits or flowers or whatever sort of plant she'll produce into. Who knows, she might be something wonderful.

I didn't notice that I was staring at her until I noticed something else going on outside.

I sighed, even in the morning they still make a lot of noise. Has my mother affected them or what?

"Oh come on Layla-san, at least let us see her."

My brow quirked as I examined the situation currently happening outside. About ten guys that looked like they were my age were lined up in front of my house holding either flowers, chocolates, and/or wrapped gifts, surprisingly wrapped well. Mom was standing in front of them and blocking the house with her arms crossed, looking definitely agitated.

And for some weird reason I feel like some sort of awkward trumpet music is playing in the background.

"Layla-san, you promised us didn't you?" One of the guys in front asked.

"Yeah Layla-san, you told us that 40 days of your husband's passing—may God rest his soul—that it's finally allowed for us to court your daughter. Two months has already passed, that's over 40 days already, so can we please be allowed to court Lucy now?"

…eh?

"He's right Layla-san."

"Who, whoa, whoa, just wait a minute! That's not even something that I'm supposed to make a decision about!" Mom answered the boys.

"Layla-san, it's not really your decision that we want, we just want a chance to at least talk and court your daughter. So please, give us a chance."

I don't think Mom is pretty comfortable right now with all this ruckus, so I quickly ran down the stairs and stepped beside her outside.

They're still teaming up on her. I sighed, again.

Pssst!

"ATTENTION!"

Finally noticing my presence the boys stopped at what they were doing and swiftly went back to making a straight line when they heard the sound of my voice and the screech of my whistle.

Yes I have a whistle dangling around my neck, problem?

"Mom, you can go back inside. I'll take care of these morons."

"Y-You sure Lucy?"

I smiled at her and made sure she was finally back inside before I faced the boys again. One by one, I looked them each in the eye.

"Wow! You really are beautiful Lucy!" One said.

"Yea, especially up close. Your beauty definitely never fades," one answered in second demotion.

The others were nodding in agreement. I can't help but lower my head a little. I didn't want them to see my cheeks already tinged with pink. This is stupid, even in moments like these I still can't stop myself from blushing whenever someone calls me pretty, it's annoying! And it's really, really getting harder not to believe it. I don't even want to believe it! But it's really getting hard not to!

Name's Lucy Heartfilia. Boyish at first glance, depending on your eyesight, but I still have my girly girl moments. A girl is still a girl, inside and out.

"Lucy, while you please be my girlfriend?"

My flattered demeanor immediately got flushed down the toilet when I heard one of the guys ask that question in front of me.

"Whoa hang on, wait a minute bro, are you already advancing to that question to Lucy? You're not even the first to get here!" The guy beside him complained.

"Yeah bro, it's supposed to be first come first served. Be my girlfriend Lucy, I've been here since 5 in the morning!" I sweat dropped at the guy who was the first in front of the line.

"Well duh, you just lived about 2 blocks from here dumbass! What about me? I had to take the bus to get here!"

"Bus? Really?" I couldn't stop myself from asking with a quirked brow.

"Believe me Lucy, I traveled from Clover town till all the way here just to see you!"

"Oh really now?"

"Oh Lucy, don't listen to him. He doesn't even come from Clover town, he just sat there on that bench across the street. I'm the one who you should believe Lucy because I promise…" He raised his right hand. "my love for you is completely honest."

"Hey! Our love is honest too you know! Don't speak as if we aren't here!"

"Yeah!"

"Wait guys," I spoke up, but it didn't really seem to help ease the trouble building up between them. In fact, it just got worse.

They already started punching and pushing right in front of me! What the hell?! What in the name of Mavis is this kind of courting?! Streetfight?! They're just making it look like they're a bunch of war-freaks!

I grabbed on the whistle still hanging by my neck and blew on it, yelling "QUIET!" right after.

That got me to take a quick deep breath. Even though I already signed out of training for Fiore's army, I'm still doing some small training even when I came home, I can't stop myself from practicing.

They returned to their neat line after my outburst and I just shook my head while smiling sadly at them. "Seriously. Fine, fine. Beautiful will be beautiful. Love will be love. Well bros, I know you're all making an effort to wait for the right time to pursue me, but before I say this I'll just say thank you in advance in hope for your understanding. But really guys, I'm really sorry, all that 'love' stuff isn't really on my mind right now, and it's not really my thing. I think I'll pass for now. If you guys want, I still have friends that are really beautiful too, I could introduce them to you."

Disappointment replaced their faces as they scratched their heads, great I'm starting to feel bad. "Damn Lucy, we've been waiting for this opportunity for a long time now. Are you not really gonna give us a chance?"

I just chuckled nervously. "Well bros, I'm really sorry for that. I'm just not really interested in having all that 'love life' stuff or being in a relationship right now. Especially since I'm going through a lot right now," Though they look disdained, they still nodded in agreement. "I'm just not really ready for that kind of thing yet. Don't you guys worry, there's still a lot of fishes in the sea that you guys could meet. I'm really sorry."

"I guess you're right…" The guy in the middle of the line said. Then he smiled at me. "We won't forget you Lucy, you can call us if you need anything."

"Yeah Lucy." The others smiled at me too, so I smiled back at them.

"Thanks guys, you can leave now, I still have things to do," with nothing anymore to say they all went away from the house already.

When they were out of sight I didn't notice until he bumped into me that he was actually there the whole time, shocking me. "Oh Twin! Cheesus you scared the crap out of me…"

"Pft, who did you think I was? Another one of those flirts?" My twin brother, Sting, said as he ruffled my hair. "How neat! Your hair looks fabulous even when it's still down and uncombed like it always is making it look like a squirrel's bush! If I were one of those guys back there, I would have fallen for you too!"

"Shut up. First off, squirrels live in trees not bushes, and second, it's nicer this way. If they would be with me they're just getting their hopes up, I'm not that perfect for them." I answered him bluntly as we both went back inside the house together, me not even bothering to fix my hair.

"Just admit it Twin, tell me. Girls are your type, isn't it?"

Our little eight year old adoptive brother, Romeo, who had a down syndrome, must have laughed because I could hear him doing so from the couch after Twin asked his stupid question. "Hehe, big Sis is a lesbian…"

"Hey, I'm not! What the hell's wrong with you Twin?!" I said as I gave Sting a hard smack on the head. "I'm telling you, I'm just not that interested at being in a relationship right now! Don't give Romeo any lewd ideas!"

"Fine, fine." Sting sent me a plainly pained look as he rubbed his head. "Ow…that hurt you know! Did you already forget that you trained for Fiore's army?! Your punches are painful!"

I scoffed. "You deserved it."

"Speaking of the army training…what are you gonna do now that Dad isn't around anymore? Are you still going back to Crocus?"

I shook my head. "I don't think so Twin. I only joined the army for Dad anyway…there wouldn't be any purpose for me to be there anymore if he isn't here, is there?"

Agreeing with me, he just slowly nodded his head, and we both smiled sadly at each other before sitting next to Romeo on the couch.

It has been Dad's dream to have one of his children become a soldier for Fiore because he didn't get to have the chance to succeed that dream on his own, so when me and Sting turned 18, he did a lot of convincing on Sting that he should join the army. But unfortunately, his hopes went down when Sting didn't get to pass. Also, Sting wasn't that much of a fighter, no he's not a wimp, and it's not like he isn't a troublemaker, but his body wasn't really born healthy, so it would've been definitely risky even if he got to join.

I still remembered it like it was yesterday, that time when I surprised him by giving him the letter of what shows how I passed the exam. It was funny seeing his face that day, a really, and I mean REALLY, hilarious dumbfounded look wrapped around his face, he was completely speechless! Not so surprisingly, he probably didn't expect me to do that for him. I even thought that he would be extremely happy that day because he finally got one of us to join the army, but what really shocked me was the very worried looking frown on his face.

"Are you really sure about this?" He asked me that day.

"What kind of question is that supposed to be Dad? Of course I am! Isn't this your dream? I'm doing this for you, you know."

"But this isn't the dream that I have, had, for you. You're a girl."

I frowned.

"I'm worried for you, you might not handle it…"

Sighing, I held Dad's hand in hopes that he wouldn't worry anymore and smiled at him. This overprotective geezer. "Of course I could handle it Dad! After all, I'm my AWESOME Father's AWESOME daughter!" I cheered. "With that fact, there's NO WAY I couldn't!"

He chuckled at me, then he squeezed my hand in his. "Well, whatever floats your boat. But I'm telling you Lucy, if you really can't handle it, just give up. I'm not telling you to stop, just a precaution from your old man. Listen Lucy, you don't have to think about me." Dad then swung his arms around mine and hugged me. "I'd rather have all of my precious and awesome children happy rather than to have my dreams forced on them. Remember that Lucy, okay?"

"Yes Dad," I hugged him back. "I love you."

"That's my girl. I love you too Lucy," I felt something warm press against my forehead before the light pressure above my head returned. "I love all of you."

Dad really did love us. Man, I even cried hearing him say that that day.

After that I left Magnolia for Crocus the next month, it was hard leaving them. And boy, Dad wasn't kidding when he told me that it was hard as hell. It was difficult both physically and mentally, an extra space for emotionally because of how much I really missed my family.

"Hey Twin," I started, Sting answering me with an inquiring 'hm?' on the other side of Romeo. "what if…what if I get a job? You know…to help with all the bills, maybe earn a bit of money to pay for Mom's medicine on Diabetes, and for Romeo as well," I told him. "If possible, for both our studies too."

Sting just sighed at me and stared, as if contemplating the idea, before he shook his head, grinned, gave both me and Romeo a single pat on the head before he stood up from the couch. "Sure, it wouldn't hurt, just sorry in advance since I'm not healthy enough to have a job with you." He picked up his bag from the coffee table. "See ya later Twin. Mom's waiting for me from her office."

"Alright Twin, don't forget to make us dinner when you get home!" I reminded him as I waved from the couch.

"Fine, fine bossy pants." He irritably said as I chuckled and watch him walk out the door…then poke his head back in after a few seconds. "Just one last thing."

"What?"

"About you finding a job," He turned serious. "swear to me Twin, don't pick anything, and I mean ANYTHING life-risking, or I'll stop making dinner or talk to you." He then left, again.

This time, it was me who sighed and looked back at the TV, muttering words as I looked for a channel while Romeo leaned his head on my lap to sleep.

"Fine, fine bossy pants."

All I could write for now. Hope you liked Lucy's POV though. There'll be more Natsu in the next chapter though so don't worry ^_^