The next few days were kind of a blur for Lucy. Gray decided to leave her alone, so that she could decide. That left Lucy to walk to school with Natsu. It was actually kind of annoying. He had been dating this girl for a week and she was all that he would talk about. The pair made it to the front gate where Natsu's girlfriend was waiting for him. Lucy recognized her from the vocal department. 'I figured that he would go for someone with a lot of charisma. Looks like I have to give up.' Lucy thought. She walked passed the couple and through the main gate. "Hey Lucy, where are you going?" Natsu looked at her confused. "I just remembered that I have a class that I need to go to." She waved goodbye to the two and walked into the Classical Music building.
A little girl ran up to Lucy. Her blue hair was in a double ponytail that kind of suited her child like personality to be honest. "What do you need, Wendy?" Lucy bend down to get on her level. "I keep missing the A natural in the symphony." Wendy frowned. "Remember to look over the key signature. You will lose points for playing in the wrong key." Lucy smiled and Wendy nodded. "Then I'll try harder!" Lucy stood up tall. "Good. Don't lose faith in your music!" With that, Wendy ran off.
During Lucy's practice hour, the only place in the entire school that wasn't full was a classroom with a teacher that didn't have a class that period. Lucy grabbed a stand and sat down to play. On the other side of the window, Natsu was playing on his phone by himself. 'I can't keep doing this. It wouldn't hurt for him to at least know, right?' She thought. Lucy put the cello away and walked out there. "Natsu I have something important to tell you." Lucy looked down at him nervously. Was she sweating? "What's up, Lucy?" Natsu asked. "I kind of... sort of... used to like you." Her face was on fire. Natsu was blushing too. "What happened?" He looked at Lucy shocked. She had to expect that. "I gave up." Lucy said. "Lucy I-" She cut him off. "You don't have to say it. I don't mind that you like someone who isn't me. I don't mind being the third wheel. Just never leave me behind, okay?" Natsu reached out for her when suddenly the bell rang. "I'm going to be late for 7th period. Don't cause any trouble!" The blond ran towards the Classical building and left a certain drummer in the dust.
By the end of 7th period, it was storming. 'Of all the days to forget my umbrella.' Lucy thought. She ran through the rain with the goal that she she could make it to a convenience store a few blocks away from the school. Lucy ran for a while when images of Natsu's worried expressions filled her head.
'You don't have to say it. I don't mind that you like someone who isn't me. I don't mind being the third wheel. Just never leave me behind, okay?'
Lucy screamed at the top of her lungs while she ran down the sidewalk. She was mad at herself and sad for Natsu. Angry because it went too far and sad because she could tell things weren't going to be the same. Before she knew it, she was at a complete stop. Deciding she was tired, Lucy sat down on the pavement. There was nothing to shield her from the rain, so she just sat there and cried. 'WHY DID THIS HAPPEN!?' She wondered. The whole thing honestly gave her a headache. Lucy laid down on the side walk and let sleep take her.
Girls ran their fingers through Natsu's hair. The boys had come over to celebrate their new CD. One of the girls got bored and decided to turn on the TV. "Oh my.." One of the women said and leaned in closer. "Top story tonight: A cello prodigy, Lucy Heartfilia, was found on the side walk a few miles away from Fiore's Academy for Talent Development earlier this evening. Witnesses say that she appeared to be stressed and sickly before she blacked out." The drummer jumped out of his chair and out the door. "Lucy!" He yelled.
Once Natsu was inside the local hospital, he saw a guy blue hair sitting in a waiting chair. "Who are you waiting on?" He asked. The older guy smirked. "My girlfriend." Natsu's hands started shaking. It was almost too obvious who he was talking about. "And who's that?" The man stood up from the chair and leaned in close to Natsu's left ear. "Why do you care? Lucy mentioned something about your girlfriend and being the third wheel. Think about that and then think about what might have stressed her enough to put her here." Natsu lowered his head and gave a look of confusion.
'Stressed? No way. Not Lucy.'
