Chapter 10

A/N: Here's new chapter. Thank you for reviews! They inspired me.

There was crowded and noisy in a school corridor. Erza Scarlet strode confidently through the crowd of students. She walked over to theinformation board. Taking a paper out of the folder, she pinned it to the board. She ran her eyes down the paper and smiled contentedly. At once students began to gather near the board.

Passing by Natsu, Gray and Gajeel, Erza spoke to them:

″Seems, you're lucky, Natsu. Gajeel, hopefully Levy won't be very upset. Gray, shame on you″. And she walked away.

″Am I dressed normally?″ stared at himself Gray.

″You're fine. I think she was speaking about ratings, which hung on the board″ said Gajeel gloomily.

″Oh, it's the one based on the tests that we made last week? So why I'm lucky?″ Dragneel wondered. ″Maybe I'm in the first place?″

″Yeah, you wish″, grinned Gray. ″Let's get closer.″

The guys managed to squeeze through the crowd of whispering students. Some students were upset with the results, some got good news. And three guys were surprised by the name, which was placed on the first line.

″Lucy is the best?″ Natsu asked loudly. He knew she was a good student, but she managed to get over Levi. Gajeel worriedly looked at Levi's name in the second place. Gray was disappointed that he was twenty second. Natsu was fine with the fact that he was in tenth place.

″What does everybody look at? Gajeel, I can't see″, they heard the sonorous voice of Levi behind them.

″Nothing to see, just rating, you've already known that you are my best″, with a nervous smile Gajeel babbled.

″Gajeel?″ dangerously slowly asked Levy. Natsu and Gray stepped away to more safety place.

″Baby, you just don't worry, okay?″ Gajeel retreated from the board. He can not hide it forever.

″What?!″ A high girlish voice was echoed through the corridor. For a moment Levi was still. Natsu and Gray were waiting to see what will happen next. Blue-haired girl slowly turned to her honey.

″Gajeel″, she started softly. ″It's all your fault!″ Her voice rose again for a couple of octaves. She started to pound Gajeel's chest with her small fists. ″It's you who distracted me from preparing for the test with your kisses!″

After Levi's last words, Natsu and Gray laughed loudly, that caused Gajeel to blush.

″Shut up you two″, he muttered to his friends.

″Natsu″, Levi turned to the guy.

″I have nothing to do with″, quickly said Natsu.

″Haven't you?″ Gray choked laughing. ″Why didn't you distract Lucy with kisses?″

″He wouldn't dare″, a girl chuckled behind Gray.

″Hi, Lucy, congratulations with the first place″, Gray smiled nervously.

″Am I in the first place?″ not believing, Lucy ran to the board. Indeed, her name was first on the list, and she got five points more than Levi McGarden. Well, she spent a lot of time for preparing, so she thinks she deserves it! She looked down the list. In the third place was Jellal Fernandes, then Erza Scarlet, and Hibiki Lates was fifth. Juvia was in the seventh place. Lucy was surprised to see Natsu in the tenth place. After all he didn't take tests very seriously. And in the eleventh place was Sting. Lucy noticed that she didn't talk to him since he had helped her to find Natsu. Sometimes she watched him. Most of the time he was alone, not talking much with others. That fact surprised Lucy, because she found him very friendly. She also occasionally caught his eyes on her several times, but didn't dare to approach him first. Blonde girl popped out of her thoughts when someone shook her shoulder.

″Are you Lucy Connell?″ asked blue-haired girl. Lucy nodded and she continued. ″My name is Levi McGarden. It's nice to meet a worthy rival″. She held out her hand and Lucy shook it. But because of the gleam in Levi's eyes, she was sure that she had found not rival but friend.

″Lucy's so great!″ Cheerfully spoke Levy to Gajeel. The lessons were over, and they were on their way to the school gate. ″We became friends at once. Can you imagine, Lucy wants to be a writer, and she promised to give it to me first!″

Of course, Gajeel was glad that Levi got a new friend. And it would be foolish to be jealous of a girl, but he could not help asking:

″Maybe you want Lucy to be your honey, not me?″

Levi sighed. She climbed on the nearest bench. Gajeel came closer to her. Putting hands around his neck, she gave him a passionate kiss.

″Will this answer work for you?″ Levi smiled.

″It definitely will″, murmured a guy. He put his arm around her waist, pulling closer for another kiss.

″Hmm, they really made progress. Last year there were only kisses on the cheek″, stated Gray. He, Juvia, Natsu and Lucy stood at the school gate and watched the couple.

″Levi is so nice″, Lucy was very happy to have another friend.

″And how could I forget to introduce you to Levi″, said Juvia.

″Do not worry. Book worms find each other themselves″, smiled Gray. Lucy stick out her tongue. ″Come on, Juvia, I'll walk you home. See you tomorrow!″

After goodbyes, Gray and Juvia went away. Lucy noticed, as if accidently their fingers intertwined and they went hand in hand. Lucy definitely could not understand this love triangle with Juvia, Gray and her boyfriend. Although she still can't understand a lot of things about this school and students.

″Can I walk you home?″ Suddenly asked Natsu.

″What?″ Lucy glance at him in surprise, but he looked away.

″Oh, it's nothing. Bye!″ He almost ran away. And he is also something she hardly understand.

Lucy shrugged and wanted to go home too, but then she noticed a familiar figure on the way to the parking.

'I'm not a coward. Nothing wrong if I just go and say hello', cheered herself Lucy, trying to catch up with the guy.

″Sting!″ gathering all courage, she called him. He turned and, seeing her, smiled slightly.

″Lucy! How are you? Does Natsu get on your nerves a lot?″ asked Sting with concern.

″I can tolerate him for now″, sighed Lucy.

″By the way, congratulations for the first place″. 'It turns out, she is not quite a fool. It makes a task a bit complicated. But the fact she came up to me herself gives me a confidence'.

″Thank you″, Lucy even blushed slightly.

They chatted for a few more minutes. It was easy for Lucy to have a conversation with him, but she was a little shy. She would have to admit to herself that she likes him.

″I am glad that we were able to talk, cause you're always in the company of your master. Can you leave me your phone number so that we can meet one time out of the school?″ With the most charming smile asked blond guy. Lucy happily gave him her number.

'It was easy', thought Sting while driving his car. 'And what a silly smile she had! However, like any other average girl. And why Natsu still hang around with her? It is time to throw her away from the school'.

Natsu felt like an idiot. To say such a thing and then to run away. But for some reason he wanted to go back. Maybe Lucy hasn't gone away yet, and he can get another chance. 'Another chance with honey! What am I thinking about?'. But still he went back and the picture he saw he didn't like at all. Lucy was talking in the parking with Sting! To remain unnoticed Natsu hid behind a tree, but, bloody hell, here he could not hear their conversation. Clenching his fists, he managed to wait till Sting left in his car, and Lucy with a dreamy look was walking near him.

Suddenly appeared, pink haired guy grabbed Lucy and pinned her to the tree. The girl screamed in fright, and, recognizing him, shouted:

″Are you totally crazy, Dragneel? My heart just can jump out!″ But when she saw his angry face, she said more quietly: ″What is it? What happened?″

″Nothing. Yet.″ His hands held her firmly by the shoulders, not letting to move. ″Remember, it's my most important order″, he said ominously. ″Do not ever dare to speak with Sting Eucliffe, or even come close to him!″

Gray and Juvia reached her house, still holding hands.

″Juvia″, Gray said softly. He brought his hand up to her face, removing a strand behind her ear. The girl closed her eyes. Not that she dislike his touch. Actually, she likes it too much. She despised herself for not being able to decide to embrace him, or to push him away. He leaned close to her face, but she turned her head slightly, and his lips touched her cheek.

″Gray, you have to leave″, with upset voice murmured the girl. At such times, she tried to remember Lyon, but it helped her less and less.

″I'm going to take care of you anyway″, told her Gray confidently, leaving her at the gate of the house.

Gray walked down the street, kicking stones, trying to forget the sad look of Juvia. Suddenly his phone rang. "Natsu" was highlighted on the screen.

″Can you imagine, Sting was talking to Lucy, and both were smiling so sweetly that I almost threw up″, immediately started talking Natsu.

″And what he needed from Lucy?″ asked Gray suspiciously.

″I don't know. She didn't tell. She says that she stumbled on him accidently. But I know he never does anything without a reason″, said Natsu with angry voice.

″Should I help you to kick his ass?″ Offered Fullbaster.

″Not yet. But I told Lucy to stay away from him″.

″Do you think she'll listen to you?″ Doubted Gray.

″I hope. It is for her own best″, sighed Dragneel.

A/N: Thanks for reading. Please, tell me your opinion about plot!