Dear Journal,

Today is Friday.

Which means work day.

Day by day, this uniform does NOT get any better.

Unfortunately, Natsu is not here today. He has FOOTBALL practice.

Levy and Cana invited me to watch him play, but I, always one to be true to my promises, said I had WORK to do.

Being the good friends that they are, they left me.

Today, I'm off to the side, watching as other maids carry out orders and take them from customers.

We have an abundance of employees today, for some reason.

As a result, the newbie, AKA me, was asked to sit out and observe the "masters".

I stared morosely at the front entrance, wishing for someone I knew to walk through it.

Little did I know that my wish would be granted.

The cute bell on the door rang as someone VERY familiar sauntered in.

I gasped, almost falling off the stool I was sitting on.

There, still dressed in his Letterman's jacket, and sporting his spiky hair….Sting Eucliffe waltzed into the joint.

I began to hyperventilate as I looked down at myself.

Frilly socks, an outfit that made my bust looked bigger than it actually was…HOW could I even FACE this guy?

And then it hit me… I didn't have-

"Lucas!" Mr. Igneel called, brushing back his hair. "Lucas!"

He spotted me, and waved me over to Sting.

The blonde boy looked at me with an incredulous expression, and blushed a deep scarlet.

"A-ano…M-mister Ig-Igneel, f-for the last t-time, m-my name is-" I began when I reached my boss.

"This kid is Sting Eucliffe, know him? Ya think he's pretty HOT, eh?"

I wanted to faint right then and there.

"Anyways…he's come here to work today, but we've got ALL the workers we need."

Sting shot me a faltering smile. "I promised Natsu's mom that I'd help out as a friend, too…"

"But LIKE I said…we've got plenty of EMPLOYEES here today. So since you're doing nothing Luigi, why not take this boy around and show him the works, eh?"

"U-um, s-sure."

"Get him an outfit, too, would ya?"

"An outfit?" Sting asked.

"Yeah, an outfit. Bet your girlfriend would like to see you in it."

Girlfriend?

For the first time, I noticed the petite, delicate girl standing beside Sting. She had short, pale hair, and bright, yellow eyes. She observed me calmly, and when she was done examining me…the girl shot me a reproachful glare.

"Uh, Lucy, this is Yukino, my girl-"

"His girlfriend," she cut in simply. "Notice how he didn't say 'this is Lucy, my girlfriend'?"

I shrank back.

"Yuki," Sting whispered harshly, "Don't' start that."

Yukino snorted. "Whatever, DARling~, could you just hurry up, please? You SAID we'd be watching a couple of movies at my house today."

The blonde rolled his eyes, and gave me an apologetic smile.

I waved my hand dismissively, and squeaked frantically as Mr. Igneel nudged me.

"Get his uniform. It's in my office," he whispered in my ear, "Geez, you'd think that girl was PMSing or something."

I blinked, and calmly told Sting to follow me to Mister Igneel's office. Inside, I was silently (surprisingly) agreeing with my boss.

What was that girl's problem?

Sting shyly followed me, obviously not ecstatic about wearing a butler uniform.

"Uh…you look good in that."

"Thanks?" I replied.

"It uh…brings out your...uh…"

"Boobs," Yukino finished, smirking.

"Yukino!" Sting hissed.

I stumbled a little, caught myself, and willed myself not to throw the nearest chair at the girl.

When we reached Igneel's office, I opened it slowly, and surveyed the room.

Right away, I spotted the black vest and tailed suit jacket, white button down shirt, and nice, pleated pants of the butler costume.

I grabbed it, and the grey tie that went with it.

"Here you go," I mumbled to him. "Boys' dressing room is located just outside the kitchen."

The blonde shot me a grateful smile, and disappeared around the corner, leaving Yukino with me.

"Aren't you the one that dumped your lunch on Natsu?" she asked me, sneering.

I nodded, feeling my hands go all sweaty.

She looked me up and down.

She harrumphed, and walked towards the general direction Sting had gone off to.

I followed her, and bumped into her as she abruptly stopped.

Yukino shot me another, good, old death glare, and smiled as she turned her head back around.

"Sting!~You look…wow…"

I peered around her. She was right.

He DID look WOW.

Dressed in a suit that contoured to his lean, muscular body, and adorning the button down white shirt with a few top buttons 'rebelliously' unbuttoned, he looked…worthy to have a nosebleed over.

I'm sorry.

That's the only way a nerd like me can describe hot people efficiently.

I blinked.

Not even Natsu, the ashajdjsdjfklad football player, looked that good in his butler outfit.

Sting brushed his fair locks back, and cocked an eyebrow.

The gesture only made him look sexier.

"Uh…so?"

His tone voiced that he wasn't too happy to be wearing what he was wearing.

"G-good, y-you l-look g-good, a-awesome, even."

To my and everyone's surprise, it was me who had spoken (the stutters gave it away, didn't it?).

Sting smiled, and his cheeks flushed. "Thanks, Lucy."

"All right…so now that we have the 'oh my gosh! Sting's so hot in his costume' over with, can we show him how things work here, Blondie?"

I bit my cheeks, and waved the blonde over hesitantly.

"I-I'll sh-show you h-how t-to take orders."

I trembled a bit as I walked up to a couple who were patiently sitting by.

"M-may I t-take y-your o-orders?"

The guy looked up, and sighed in a way that said he was annoyed. "Not until SHE stops being so CHEAP over everything."

The girl looked up abruptly, and growled, "Not until HE can stop being so extravagant with his money!"

"Excuse me? I TOLD you that this was a DATE! Boyfriends are SUPPOSED to treat their GIRLFRIENDS!"

"Hah, that's such a sexist idea!"

"Whatever! Could you just CHOOSE something, please?"

"No! I'm going home!"

I stood there, flustered. We were going to lose some customers, and all I could do was stand there like a statue.

"Please, please, guys."

I blinked, and my mouth dropped as Sting stepped in front of me.

He looked at ease standing in front of the two individuals.

And maybe that makes sense.

He WAS a football player, popular, and had a very, very, pretty looking (but moody) chick for a girl.

He had no reason to be socially awkward.

But the way he had acted after he had caused my less-than-graceful "trip" in the library had led me to think that maybe he WAS socially awkward…just a little.

"Why are you guys fighting?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"BECAUSE HE IS UNBEARABLE!"

"BECAUSE SHE IS UNBEARABLE!"

Sting laughed a little bit. "Look…it's obvious that you guys are very much in love right?"

It is?

"And that it probably took a lot of trouble getting together right?

Look, Sting, sorry to disappoint you, but…

I've read enough manga to know that life is DEFINITELY not a SHOUJO manga.

But surprisingly, the girl and boy nodded.

"Then shouldn't you guys try to make things work?"

"Whenever he's with me, he doesn't look like he's having fun!"

"Whenever I'm with her, she always looks angry!"

Sting sighed, "Well…when you guys started dating…what was the first thing that came to mind?"

No answer.

"That you'd like to get to know each other more, right? To fall even more deeply in love, right? Are you guys gonna let a few arguments get in the way of that?"

"Well, I guess not…"

"Look, I'm in a relationship, too, so I GET that it's not easy. But you guys gotta talk things out…and you'll find that…being with the one you like is AMAZING."

My mouth dropped open AGAIN as I watched the couple reconcile.

Who knew that STING EUCLIFFE (although many things…mainly being VERY, VERY ATTRACTIVE ) was someone who gave advice about LOVE?!

He turned away, satisfied with is work, and I could practically see his face fall when he met my eyes.

"What?"

"You just…what was…what the HELL WAS THAT!?"

Silence from him.

"I mean," I continued, suddenly lost in my own world, "I KNEW you were a f***ing hot guy, but to think that you would be an EXPERT in the ROMANCE AREA!?"

He blinked. "Wow, first natural sentence you've ever said to me, Lucy, and THAT'S what comes out?"

I wanted to bang my head against a table. Why was it that all of my un-awkward statements to bishies like Sting and NAtsu were always so…HELLA WEIRD!?

And hold on ONE F***ING minute! Did I JUST call another GUY HOT!?

AND WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND RIGHT IN MY FACE!?

Yukino stared at me with an amused expression, but as soon as I glanced over at her, she started to glare at me.

"Are you okay, Lucy?" the blonde asked, and gave me a wavering grin. "Or has my hotness gotten to you?"

"I-I'm f-fine," I muttered, "I-I th-think y-you'd b-be b-better off if y-you got D-Daphne – that black-haired g-girl w-with the gl-glasses – t-to h-help y-you."

I had fallen back to my stuttering ways.

Sting's face fell as my old habit returned, and he looked around him. "But didn't the boss tell you to teach me?"

But his voice had already grown distant as I scurried away from him.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

"I swear!" Cana crowed, as she fell onto my bed, "That is just so HILARIOUS!"

I blushed, but my mind was still freaking out over the fact that I had FRIENDS over.

Apparently, my mom and dad couldn't get over the fact, as well.

Dad kept poking his head slowly into the room, and then he'd ask after a few seconds observation, "Would you like something?"

And when I'd reply no (after asking Cana and Levy, of course), Jude would turn back, and shout, "LAYLA! THEY SAID THEY DON'T NEED ANYTHING!"

To which I'd hear, "Okay!"

Mom's reply supposedly sounded distant, but to me, it sounded a lot like she was just outside my bedroom door, answering Dad in a quiet voice.

"So you called Sting 'hot', just like you called Natsu 'hot'?" Cana asked again for the trillionth time.

"Yeah…" I replied back.

She started to laugh again.

"CA-na!" Levy scolded, and the brunette fell silent.

"It's all right Lu-chan…I'm sure he'll still talk to you normally."

I groaned. "It's not that I'm worried if he'll be able to talk to me normally, Levy…it's if I can talk to him like nothing's happened anymore."

"Hmm, well…" the bluenette said, suddenly encouragement-less.

You know that your situation is HORRIBLE if Levy McGarden doesn't have any more spirit-boosting words to give you.

Cana sighed, "I gotta go home now. Dad's gonna be FREAKING out if I get home later than 6 P.M."

"Seriously? "I asked.

"Yes, seriously, "she replied, shaking her head. "He's real…weird."

I nodded.

"I gotta get going, too, "Levy chirped. "I promised I'd help my mom with supper."

"YOU…and SUPPER?" Cana asked incredulously as I herded them out of my room and down the stairs.

"What's so…unbelievable about it?" Levy asked, frowning.

"You can BARELY make toast without sh*tting up the toaster!"

"Oh, shut UP, Cana!"

I sighed as I opened the front door and bade good-bye (though they weren't even listening) to my only two friends in the world.

I followed them out so that I could properly lock the front gate.

But just as I turned around to head back inside and watch some NS (Naruto Shippuden), a voice timidly sounded from behind me.

"Luce?"

I turned.

Only one person in the whole entire world shortened my name to one syllable.

Natsu Dragneel.

THE hot Natsu Dragneel was STANDING in front of MY house.

I gazed at him, and touched my forehead.

I was VERY sure I was seeing an apparition.

"Uh, you okay?" he asked.

He was dressed in his uniform still, and he held onto his bicycle tightly.

His pink hair ruffled slightly as a breeze enveloped us.

"Um…your house, right?"

"No, Natsu, I-I'm st-standing i-in fr-front of a stranger's h-house, and h-heading in to a stranger's h-house."

My sarcasm was slightly (okay, VERY) ruined by my stammering, but he smiled anyways.

"Huh…sounds dangerous."

His cool response made me smile a little back at him.

"W-What a-are y-you doing here?" I asked him.

He held up a grocery bag.

Natsu, this isn't a grocery store.

"Um…o-okay?"

He rolled his eyes. "Luce, these are for you."

I came forward hesitantly and retrieved the bag from him.

It was full of bright, round oranges.

"Thanks?"

Natsu laughed. "Did you have to sound so doubtful?"

"Thanks, N-Natsu."

His face expression became thoughtful.

"W-what?"

He smiled. "Nah, it's nothing."

"R-really?"

He pouted – which made him look even more ashajdjsdjfklad – and said, "Actually, it's NOT 'nothing', Lucy Heartfilia."

"Um…"

"In these few weeks we've known each other, you've only used my name TWICE when talking to me."

Really?

More importantly, he counted?

"I-is that s-so?"

"And what's more, I understand you called Eucliffe HOT today?"

Whoa. He had HEARD about that?

"Th-there's a s-slight ch-chance I di-"

"I haven't even seen you at all since that shop incident."

Shop incident. Michelle's shop. Me. And those girls. I winced at the recollection of it all.

"Aren't we friends, Luce?" Natsu asked.

"Um, well, yeah?"

"Sounding doubtful, AGAIN?"

"Well…"

"Tomorrow, my cousin Wendy – you know her? – she's having her birthday party at her house."

"Um…right…"

He handed me a slip of paper, and I took it.

"I expect you to be there. Bring some friends."

I couldn't answer.

Natsu smiled. "Wendy would love to have you over…she thinks you're awesome."

I blinked. "Huh?"

The boy looked at me, and chuckled at my helplessness. "So come, all right?"

In my state of confusion, I answered, "Yes."

He grinned, "Knew you would see it my way."

After he had left, I realized what he had done.

If he had invited me while I was NOT confused, I would have replied no to the invitation.

That bastard had confused me on purpose.

To make me say yes.

And for some reason, that made me REALLY, REALLY happy.

I, big otaku Lucy Heartfilia, am going to attend a social event.

Can't wait.

And I have NOT forgotten about all those populars who hate me.

Nor have I forgotten about what I have said to Sting.

This event is going to rock.

Signed,

Lucy