Impossible Love Story
By CleideJam
Chapter 7: Interruptions, Insecurities and Revelations
3rd POV
Inside the mansion, a certain pink, spiky haired guy is sitting idly on the couch of their living room while munching a bowl of spicy French fries. He stares at the television as he watches an action-packed movie. The movie is just about to show how the protagonist defeats its opponent when suddenly a figure covers the pink-haired guy's view. Natsu's eyebrows furrows as he feels angry for the person interrupting his movie time.
"Oi! Get out of there…" the Salamander orders and halts when he recognizes the person standing in front of him.
"Erza?" Natsu asks the redhead as he raises an eyebrow.
The towering woman turns on her heels as she reaches for the power button of the television and switches it off. This infuriates the pink-haired Salamander making him stand on his two feet and face the Titania. Seeing that she has finally gotten the attention of his adopted brother, Erza quickly pulls the guy towards the kitchen cutting off any words that he is about to say.
"Oi! Erza-!" Natsu tries to say something but his adopted older sister quickly interrupts his whines.
"We need to talk, Natsu" she simply says as he pulls Natsu.
"Talk? About what?" the gun wielding Salamander asks not really getting what Erza wants.
Erza finally stops in front of the kitchen counter and lets go of Natsu. After making themselves comfortable on their sits, Erza faces Natsu with an unusual expression. Noticing how gloomy Erza's face is, Natsu quickly speaks up.
"Erza… What's wrong?" the pinkette asks with a soft tone that no one would recognize to be his.
Erza slowly turns her head away from Natsu. She stares at the rows of expensive bottled wines displayed inside the counter.
"It's about…Mira" she sighs after saying the name of her best friend.
Natsu also stares where Erza is staring.
"You're still on that problem huh? I think you should go to her and just give her an honest answer" Natsu advices as he taps his finger on the counter.
Erza smiles at his brother's advice. Even though Natsu may seem all tough and brave, the guy still has that soft part inside of him.
"I already have an answer, Natsu. It's just that… I don't know if it's the right one…." The redhead says and releases every word with an unnoticeable sigh.
"Heh, well it seems that the GREAT TITANIA isn't so great when it comes to love, huh?" Natsu teases while smirking at Erza.
But the redhead stays calm and punches the pinkette in his stomach and looks forward as if she has not done anything.
"Oof-! Hey, I'm just joking, ok? It's just a joke!" Natsu defends himself while moving his chair a bit farther away from Erza's. This gains him an instant warning glare from the redhead.
"Haha. Anyways, I think whatever your answer is, Mira will accept it. You know how caring, understanding…" Natsu trails off while thinking of any other good qualities of the model.
"And demonic she is? Natsu, I don't want to die yet" Erza ends the thoughts of his brother.
"Ahehehe…It wouldn't be that bad…right?" the guy replies with a doubt.
Then silence conquers them as they think of the demonic, scary and horrifying model.
*Sigh*
*Sigh*
"I think you need to just fall in love with her, Erza. Because if you don't she might end up killing you… accidentally" Natsu warns while giving an apologetic look to Erza.
Erza stays silent for a while and Natsu finds this moment to stay quiet as well because in moments like this, moments where Erza is thinking VERY HARD, he wouldn't dare anger the Titania.
"RIGHT! I'll just walk straight to her and give her my answer! Right! I'll go find he-!" Erza is already on her feet and is about to walk away when a pair of hands grabs her arm stopping her from walking.
"Whoa. Chill, Erza. Mira is not here today. She got work to do in some modeling agency and I think she also has some business to do with some student councils asking her to be their guest or something like that. Anyways, Mira is not here so you have to wait" Natsu says calmly while he looks at Erza with a boring look.
"O…oh… she didn't inform me about that…." The Titania replies with hurt in her voice.
"I think she wants some space, Erza. Why don't you give her that for now, ok?" Natsu smiles as he receives a firm mod from her older sister.
"I guess this means she won't be home for a while…" she murmurs unconsciously but the Salamander still hears it, "I'll go and study for now. Exams are coming and we still have that stupid Cupid's Festival" Erza says as she lazily makes her way out of the kitchen.
Natsu smiles at the retrieving back of her older sister then he shifts his gaze towards the teacup whose design is that of a heart.
"Cupid's Festival…huh?" he says while smiling that bitter-filled smile.
In Magnolia Academy…
Lucy Heartfilia is standing near the gates of the academy waiting for a certain redhead to come. It was during the weekends when she had last seen the redhead that makes her heart beat as if she is alive and bring butterflies to her stomach and make her feel happy. And ever since she found out that Erza is one of the famous school idols and is prone to danger, knowledge that comes from her friend Levy, she can't remove the worry that is slowly building inside her.
"Erza-chan…." She mumbles as she stares at the empty street.
Hearing footsteps behind her, Lucy turns around and sees her friend.
"Levy-chan? Aren't you supposed to be in class?" the blonde ghost asks while tilting her head to the side.
"Nah. Everyone's busy for the upcoming tests and Cupid's festival. The newspaper club is busy in organizing an interview with this year's special guest" the blue-haired girl replies as she stands beside her ghost friend.
"Cupid's Festival…that's a pretty nice event. I wonder who will end up being Cupid and who are the fortunate students to be randomly coupled hehe" the blonde comments remembering last year's Cupid's festival.
"Hahaha! Last year's best couple was that delinquent Natsuki Kuga and the Tea Ceremony club's president Shizuru Fujino. Really now? Those two are like total opposite. Hahaha" the bluenette says as she tries her best to stifle her laughter.
Lucy giggles at her friend's comment. It has been a total chaos when Shizuru's fans heard about their most adored president getting paired with a lowly delinquent as they would call Natsuki.
"I remember that father had to call for some police officers to handle those fans" the blonde awkwardly laughs remembering how her father looked like a zombie that day.
"Hahahaha! Heartfilia-san must have lost his blood that day. It was bloody hell that day! Luckily, Erza-sempai, Natsu-sempai and Gray-sempai were able to stop their friend Natsuki-sempai from jumping at those horrible fans. Anyways, Lucy-san, are you somehow…liking Erza-sempai?" the first year asks out of the blue causing the blonde to stop her giggles.
Lucy remains quiet and didn't give the younger girl an answer. Noticing that she gives the older girl a hard question, Levy quickly changes her topic.
"Ahaha. Let's just forget that one. I heard that the special guest for this year is a childhood friend of Erza-sempai. I think her name is Mira Strauss. You know? The one who picked up Erza from the greenhouse" the blue-haired girl informs her friend.
"Oh…the one who kissed her?" the words that come from her lips seem to be like poison. It hurts her like a knife.
"Ye-yeah. Haha. That one" Levy awkwardly laughs noticing the sad look on her friend's pained expression.
When Levy is about to speak the bell of the academy rings signaling a new period has started.
"You better go, Levy-chan" Lucy says as she gazes at the huge building of the academy.
"R-right. I'll be going, Lucy-san. Don't tire yourself from waiting, ok?" the first year girl says and runs towards the building.
Lucy smiles as she watches her friend's retrieving back. She returns her gaze at the street waiting for Erza.
"I'm stupid…aren't I?" the blonde asks to no one as she closes her eyes and sighs heavily feeling something heavy inside of her.
"You're not stupid" is a quick reply from a very familiar voice and at that instant Lucy opens her excited brown eyes.
That's when she sees the person she has been waiting for almost three days.
"Erza-chan? I-I-I uhh…you're here?" due to the sudden appearance of her crush, the blonde terribly stutters.
"Ouch. Does that mean that you don't want me here, Lucy?" the redhead playfully asks feigning hurt.
"N-No! It's just that…" the blonde pauses unable to control her once again rapidly beating heart.
"Just?" the Titania asks wanting some answers from the girl that she finds so easy to tease.
"You've been gone for three days and it made me worry… I thought something bad happened to you again" Lucy's eyes gazes directly at Erza's scarlet ones.
The answer given by Lucy surprises Erza to some extent causing the redhead to be speechless. She knew that the blonde is caring and is a very nice girl but she doesn't know that she care for her that much. Lucy cares for her so much that Lucy would be worried for three consecutive days.
"Sorry" is the redhead's quick reply as she walks past through the stunned blonde.
Lucy quickly turns on her heels not wanting to lose Erza from her sight. She unconsciously grabs one of Erza's arms and stares at Scarlet's irises.
"Lucy? Is there a problem?" the redhead asks in surprise.
She is not surprise because the blonde suddenly grabs her arm. Erza Scarlet is surprise because of the electrifying feeling that she gets when she made a physical contact with the blonde. She is surprise on how her heart is beating so fast as if she had just run a thousand miles. And she is surprise that the reason for all of those feelings is the stranger that is grabbing her arm firmly as if Lucy won't let her go.
"Erza-chan…please don't be sad…." Lucy's words stop her.
Staring at the hand that is grasping her arm, a small smile plasters on the redhead's lips. With her free hand, Erza reaches for Lucy's hand and removes it from her arm.
"I won't…and thank you" Erza says as she gives one final smile and walks away from the blonde.
Lucy Heartfilia who is stunned on her position shuts her eyes closed as a lone tear drops from her right eye and she clutches the shirt above her chest as she inwardly cries. The moment that her crush…no. The moment that her love removes her hand is also the moment that Lucy realizes that she can never be with Erza.
How could she? A human could never fall in love with a ghost. A living organism could never find satisfaction on an imaginary being like her.
"I'm really stupid… this is such an impossible love story" she murmurs to the wind as she slowly opens her eyes and watches the retrieving back of her new found love.
Unknown to Lucy, the reason why Erza removed her arm is because the redhead couldn't take the heat that is building up in her entire body. After entering the school building and making sure that Lucy couldn't see her, the redhead leans her back on one of the academy's lockers. She breathes in and breathes out like there is no tomorrow.
"What is this…unknown feeling?" she asks gritting her teeth.
The redhead looks at the palm that had removed Lucy's hand from her arm and the cold feeling is still there.
"Why does she feel cold to the touch yet her presence gives off warmth? Who exactly are you, Lucy?" the redhead asks mentally to herself as she composes herself.
Ready to head towards her room, Erza bumps into someone. Someone that she doesn't really want to meet after seeing Lucy.
"Oh! You're finally here, Erza-sempai. Where have you been?" Levy asks noticing the sweats that are present on Erza's forehead.
Realizing that the underclassman in front of her could give her some answers, the redhead quickly grabs Levy and quickly leads her to a secret room. "Why am I grabbing people today?" the redhead deadpans mentally but shrugs it away.
"Hey, where are we going?" the bluenette asks innocently but inside she is scared of the person in front of her.
"I need to talk to you" the short yet firm answer of Erza makes her shut her lips and let the upperclassman do her thing.
They enter the old music room where an old yet still functioning organ is placed and Erza shuts the door closed making sure no one will be able to hear them.
"Right. Levy, I need you to tell me something about Lucy" the redhead faces the girl in front of her. Her serious scarlet eyes are like hypnotizing the bluenette.
"What about her?" Levy replies not knowing what Erza wants with her friend.
"I want you to tell me who exactly is she?" the question is short and direct yet it encompasses a wide range of answers.
"Why do you even want to know?" Levy asks as she raises a brow at Erza.
"Err… well... because she feels cold?" Erza replies not really knowing why she cared so much to know who the blonde really is.
"Of course she is. She's a ghost you know" Levy answers bluntly as if the answer is so obvious from the very start.
"What?! Lucy is a ghost?" shocked is an understatement as Erza gapes at the blunt answer thrown to her.
"Ye-yeah. Wait. You mean you don't know. I thought you knew. No one else can see her except the two of us or those with the sixth sense" Levy says as if realizing how dense the famous sempai is.
"Ghost? A beautiful girl like her is a ghost… why wasn't I able to realize it sooner?" Erza asks more to herself as her thumb rubs her chin as if in a thinking pose.
"The answer to your question is very simple. It is either you are truly dense or you thought she is a human being because you can touch her" Levy says in a teasing tone as if mocking the older one.
"Oh… Wait. You can't touch her?" Erza asks as if realizing this just now.
"No, I can't. But…" the younger of the two pauses and stares at the lone organ inside the room.
"Levy?" she calls out the bluenette that seems to have something unknown glazing her eyes.
"Erza-sempai, please don't make her sad. Did you know that when you touched her that day, Lucy-san always had this glowing smile on her face? She always has this shine in her eyes and for that I am thanking you" Levy says as she remembers the day that Lucy came to her and told her the entire thing that happened when Lucy and Erza met that one fateful day.
"Levy… I… I don't know what to say… Lucy is a ghost and I…" Erza doesn't know what to say. She really had those effects on the blonde ghost? But why?
"Calm down, Erza-sempai. I now this is shocking but you'll get used to it. Please. Just please don't make her feel that she is somewhat unreal and imaginary" Levy says as she sees the redhead's curiosity is getting bigger and bigger.
"Of course I won't! I would never do that but why hasn't she…you know… gone to heaven yet?" Erza says defensively and gives a question that up until now in unanswerable.
"That is something that neither I nor Lucy-san knows…." Feeling rather hopeless, Levy gives a quick answer.
"I see" Erza replies quickly as well not knowing how to clear that awkward situation. But one thing is bothering her… why does knowing that Lucy is a ghost doesn't really bother her?
"I better go, Erza-sempai. My club is so busy today because of your friend, Mira Strauss" Levy's voice returns her from her reverie and after a few seconds she finally gets what the bluenette had just said.
"Huh? Mira? What's with her?" Erza's surprise tone asks.
"Didn't you know? Mira Strauss is the special guest of Cupid's festival this year" Levy says as if the redhead knew. Well, they are close maybe she knows.
"Eh? I don't know…" the redhead pauses realizing that Natsu had told her earlier that Mira is having a meeting with some student council but she doesn't know that it was Magnolia Academy's student council. She feels stupid for not knowing but shrugs it off quickly. Who is she to pry on Mira's job? No one of course "but thanks for the information, Levy" Erza says.
"It's nothing just promise me that you won't hurt my friend" Levy warns and walks towards the door ready to go.
"Huh? What do you mean? Of course I won't hurt her. Lucy is such a nice girl" Erza says knowing that she would never have the ability to hurt the fragile yet firm ghost. But something within her says that that is not what the bluenette is trying to say.
"Haay… you ARE dense, Erza-sempai" the younger one deadpans and brings her tongue out as if mocking the older one and quickly runs away from the redhead.
"Ehhh?! Oi! Wait! I'm not dense! Oi!" Erza feels mocked by that statement. Even though she wants more answers she lets the younger girl go for now.
Forgetting that there are still some classes going on, Erza Scarlet moves towards the old organ and takes a seat. She opens the cover of the keyboard and lets her fingers travel the dusty keyboard.
"Hey there. Long time no see, buddy" she speaks to the old organ as if it was alive.
She stretches out her arms and pops every bone of her fingers.
"Well then, let's begin" she says as her fingers slowly yet hypnotizing play the organ. Soft and melodic tones emit from the old organ. It is as if the organ is newly bought. The redhead continues playing the organ until her head is clear from all the worries she is having.
"Lucy is a ghost"
"Mira loves her"
"She is the only one who can touch the blonde ghost"
"She had those effects on her"
AND
"Why is Lucy flooding her mind?"
A/N: Kill me...college is frustrating! Anyways, there you have it, Chapter 7 and the next chapters shows...! Gray and Juvia! Ooh! and Natsu gets to meet his partner! Yay! Ciao~! Ciao~!
