Warning! Before reading this, I want you guys to promise me you won't kill me… Say it mentally so that I can feel reassured! I promised fluff and there is! So, I respected my promise… Now for the rest well…. You'll see. Anyway, thanks for the wonderful reviews! It is always a pleasure to read them! I hope you'll enjoy this! Love you all!

Hi...

It has been a long time.

I never understood why you left in the first place, but I would love to meet you and discuss the matter…

Even if it is the last time I see you.

Your best friend,

Natsu

Lucy read the letter, tears prickling the corner of her eyes.

So, he recognized the username, the lie she had fed him when they barely were children. If only he knew how desperately she wanted to make it up to him.

But she couldn't.

As the owner of the arcade looked at her expectantly. She addressed him a grim looking face and ripped the letter into shreds.

She looked at his face contorted into sadness as she blew the pieces everywhere and started to the door.

He had looked so happy to direct her to the centipede machine. Pure joy illuminated his eyes as he watched her read the letter…

She hoped he hadn't seen her cry.

Or else it would have blown up her cover and given hope to Natsu…

She got out and sat on the nearest bench away from the owner's reach, the horrendous souvenir coming back to the surface…

-X-

"You shall never see that guy again" he had simply told her after a week of sequestration in her bedroom.

In prison.

"Why?" she had inquired, starting to cry.

No… Not my best friend

Please…

"Because he corrupts you" he had simply answered and left.

But that hadn't been the worst.

As he had finally let her circulate freely in the house, she had hidden as he was passing by, phone in hand, discussing an important matters.

"Yes, the Dragneel father keeps on messaging me, asking me about Lucy… It seems the pink haired boy will change school… And it happens to be the same as my dear daughter… You must understand that I don't want them to see each other… Yes, measures must be taken… I am counting on you… If he refuses, you know what you have to do… Yes, one week" he had answered in a dark tone.

And a week later, surprisingly, Natsu's dad was dead…

A car had run over him…

It had appeared on TV as an accident.

An accident.

AN ACCIDENT!

A witness had seen all of the scene.

The fight between a bunch of men. A red haired one against five other brutes. They had kicked and punched him, but the guy still wouldn't flinch and kept on taking the punches as if they were nothing. And finally, as if they had thought he had enough, they had pushed him hard enough for him to stumble in the middle of the street. It had seemed the guy driving the car hadn't had the time to stop… And had crashed into him, killing him instantly.

She had realized only years later that her father had made sure she would never see her best friend by engaging a bunch of mercenaries. To threaten and kill him if he didn't obey…

Why hadn't he flinched and simply done as they said?

The answer was simple.

She had heard of Natsu's father quite a lot of times at home. He was a source of trouble for her family…

Or should she say, for her father.

Her mother now gone, she was alone with the madman.

The guy that still hadn't gone to jail, because of his immense fortune.

The Dragneel father, understanding the situation Lucy was pressed upon had seen an opportunity to corner him. Natsu always told him the crazy stories she would narrate as they would play together.

Natsu would always listen and get angry wishing he could protect her.

Her knight in shining armor…

Knowing he wasn't fit enough to match her father in strength, he had pressed the matter in the hands of his father, which had decided it had been too much.

A mere citizen.

Against the whole society.

Her father had discovered she had trust in the pink haired boy and knew he consisted in a threat… More and more witnesses would be aware of what he was doing.

But he was just a kid.

Surely he wouldn't talk…

But he had still to pull them apart and keep him from learning too much.

Enough proof so that even money couldn't save him.

Therefore, he had asked the Dragneel father to let his son at the school he was. Not to change like he had hinted he would do.

He even promised to give him money if he did.

But he didn't impose a threat knowing that if he did, the man at the other hand of the phone could as well record him.

And he would be doomed.

But, he hadn't expected Igneel to refuse his proposition.

Nor did he suspected him to yell insults in his direction.

Alright then, he had to use the other manner.

The one that hurt.

He started with daily threats to his son, via anonymous letters so that the guy didn't have enough proof to accuse him.

Seeing it didn't have any impact on his behavior, he called mercenaries to beat him up, in exchange of a great deal of money.

The brutes waited for the man to leave work. And as soon as he got out, jumped on him.

Jude hadn't prepared for the death of the guy.

That truly was an accident.

But an accident that in an odd way was desirable.

The boy wouldn't talk afraid the same thing would happen to him.

Or he wouldn't talk at all having nobody to speak to.

The mercenaries that night had come to his mansion making sure their identity and their employee's was kept hidden. They had told him the entirety of the events, never knowing Lucy was listening, her tiny frame hidden in the shadows.

She hadn't understood who these people were. Though, she knew that they were responsible of Igneel's death.

They then had showed him the remnants of a broken cellphone explaining the guy had tried to film them while they divulge information that could be fatal to him.

The broken pieces showed that in that attempt he had failed.

Lucy, unable to endure it anymore, had broken into tears, revealing her presence.

Jude had made sure the mercenaries had left before hitting her hard enough for her to remember to never do that type of thing ever again.

She was eight.

Eight and she had witness the murder of her father's best friend. And yet, she was useless.

She couldn't do a single thing to avenge them both of that horrendous man she had to call father.

"If he ever knows who is responsible for the murder of his dad, I will kill him as well" he had simply said before leaving her to bleed and rot in her bedroom.

Natsu in the end had stayed at the school he was going to before. His heart broken and all of his family gone.

She could never forgive herself for the death of his dad. She felt responsible.

Had she not met him, none of this would have happened.

None.

He wouldn't have become violent.

He wouldn't have started picking fights with everybody that stared at him.

He would simply be the purest and perfect guy she had first met that day at the arcade.

The guy that somehow managed to come back in her life when he entered the school her father ruled.

How had he happened to come here…

She was ready to bet her life it was because her father was obligated to let him in to avoid suspicions.

After all, refusing an orphan that he didn't know… Somebody who's dad had died some time ago surely smelled fishy…

She would always remember his entrance in the grand all. The joy she had to hide at the sight of him and the crushing pain when she noticed he didn't recognize her.

Not that she had really tried to talk to him, but…

She really had hoped he would at least smile her way. Or see at least a hint of recognition in his eyes even though it had been years since they hadn't seen each other.

But things were better this way.

Safer.

-X-

Coming back to her senses, Lucy wiped the tears away from her face. And breathed calmly.

She regretted blurting the things his father did to her days ago. She was afraid it would have rung a bell in Natsu's head and somehow uncover her identity.

Fortunately for her, the guy was dense and probably panicked enough. The connection hadn't made its way through his mind.

Not yet.

That was why she had to go away before it did.

Before he was in trouble.

Before she lost one of the last people she truly cared about.

-X-

Natsu came back that night at the arcade to a grumpy and sad looking Gildarts.

"What is it?" he said dreading the answer the man was going to tell him.

"I have good and bad news. Which do you want me to start with?" he asked, keeping his face straight.

"Good ones" Natsu answered.

"She read the letter entirely. And judging by her face, she does recognize you."

"What was her reaction" he inquired hope in his eyes.

"Bad news, she looked furious. And ripped the whole thing to shreds before leaving." Gildarts breathe heavily.

What?

She…

Was…

Furious…

She doesn't want to see me…

Why?

What did I do to her?

What did I do?

WHAT

DID

I

DO?

Natsu didn't play video games that night. He only stormed of saying he didn't feel well.

He entered his house.

Dark and lonely.

And he cried.

And cried again.

Until he was so exhausted that he fell asleep on the cold floor.

-X-

Lucy gasped in horror as she saw him enter the English class. His eyes were puffy, swollen red and dark circles surrounded his eyes.

His grin had disappeared, replaced by a grim and sorrowful thin line.

He slouched in his chair and pressed his face against his desk.

Silence fell in the class. Everybody was looking at him, their mouth wide open.

Gray entered the class panicked. He ran to Natsu's desk, patting him on the shoulder.

"What's wrong?" as the words slipped past his lips, conversations began in the class, as if the issue was now solved.

"I don't want to talk about it Gray" he simply said, his face still resting on the desk.

He never called him Gray.

Never.

He always referred to him as ice something…

"Look, I am not missing my first class of the day for you to tell me you don't want to talk about the matter."

As Natsu lifted his head up the desk, he noticed too, that by the look on Gray's face, he wouldn't take no for an answer.

Lucy feeling like a stalker pretended to be interested in the book they had to read for next week's exam. A book she hadn't bothered to open before, knowing she would get top marks again because of her father's money.

Anyway, she had nothing else to do. Nobody spoke to her anymore, knowing how her father hated her guts at the moment, therefore meaning she didn't represent a threat anymore.

"You know that girl I told you I met when I was a kid…"

"That girl you were so excited to see at the school you were supposed to go around the middle of primary school? When you were supposed to leave me… in a way?"

"Yeah…"

"How about her? I mean it's been a decade since you haven't seen her…" Gray said a sad look appearing on his face and concern contorting his features.

"She came back…" he murmured with a sad smile as a tear appeared at the corner of his eyes.

"That's really cool bro! That means you'll finally get to confess to her! Even though you lost contact over the years! Gosh! I remember the day you told me how you had planned to tell her at the arcade before she disappeared! How you thought she was running away from you because she had somehow heard of the feelings you felt towards her! Try to be friends with her first and then invite her to prom!"

"Gray, he said restraining his sobs, she doesn't want to see me." Natsu simply said.

"What? How come?" Gray said slapping himself across the face.

"I don't know why. And it's killing me."

Lucy felt her heart skip a beat.

She had to get out.

She had to slip out of this class before she confessed everything to him.

Seeing the teacher still hadn't arrived, she stood up and marched as slowly as she could, not wanting to look like she was escaping and got out of the classroom.

Out of his sight, she ran to the bathroom.

"WHY?" she yelled at the top of her lungs as happiness fluttered in her mixed with angst.

Why did I have to witness this?

How can you love a monster such as myself?

You would so goddamn change your mind if you knew my real name!

Her heart beat accelerated as her face became red and a smile broke to her face.

But she didn't deserve to feel that way.

So, to refresh herself, she splashed freezing water all over her face so that she could pretend that was the cause of her being bright red.

She had to go back to class sooner or later, or it would look suspicious…

They hadn't talked since the hug, but the rumors they had sex were still circulating in the school.

Meaning people thought they were dating…

Oh man. Please Natsu. Don't blame me for keeping away my own self.

She breathed heavily and looking straight entered the class. As she marched to her desk, the class on the verge of beginning, she didn't look his way and sat.

"Maybe it's because she thinks you slept with Lucy…" Gray said to Natsu.

Holly molly fucking fuck!

"Oh c'mon she knows me well. She knows I wouldn't be interested in that type of girl…" he said choosing his words carefully.

"You haven't seen her in ten years… You probably have changed" Gray simply answered.

Lucy wanted to slap him.

To make him stop.

He wasn't holding her responsible for his heartbreak.

Even though she just felt like taking him in his arms and kiss him in front of everybody.

Reassure him she loves him too.

Reassure him they would never be apart again.

But with her father as a threat, she couldn't.

Her father.

Yet again the cause of her struggles.

Of her sadness.

Always.

"Do you think I should try to write her another letter. Telling her I didn't sleep with her… Should I tell her it has always been her and it will always be?" Natsu told him desperate.

"Damn son, you surely are in love with that girl… You asked me before what it felt like, but I guess you found out all by yourself… Anyway, hum, I hate to tell you this, but you don't know where she is… And I am a hundred percent sure she won't come back to the arcades after that whole fiasco." Gray answered him regretfully.

"There must be a way…"

"Class, open up your agenda's I have an important matter to discuss with you all" The teacher said.

Finally.

Lucy was biting her lip so hard she tasted blood.

I must not do a single thing.

I must not.

"Guess I'll be going then… Not missing my class seems a good idea after all. Talk to you later bro" Gray said and patted him on the shoulder.

Natsu didn't answer and simply went back to his initial position.

"As you know, the ball is one month away. Prom whether you want it or not, costs a lot of money. A whole lot. Therefore, as we do each and every year, you will pair up with someone in the class and direct a kiosk of your choice."

The class went wild. People went running chatting to their friends, already forming teams. Lucy stayed at her place knowing she would probably end up alone.

"Did I say you get to choose your partners?" The teacher screamed.

The class went still.

"Now that I have all of your attention, I would like to mention that I know you dear students as it has been years I have been teaching at this school." He continued

"The goal of this whole thing is to make the most money so that you guys won't have to pay hundreds of dollars for you ticket to prom."

"What if we are not going to prom?" Natsu said, raising his voice so that everybody could hear.

"Well, you still get to do the project as it is your final task in this class for your last term of High school. What you can do is give your share of money to your partner…"

Natsu sighed.

Lucy gripped her chair with all of her might.

"As I was saying, the main goal of this whole thing is to make the most money. Therefore, you won't fool me by getting to be with your friends. I want you to take this task seriously. So, as a result, I gave myself the permission to make you answer a little survey."

"The survey mainly is about your passions and interests. So, the person in the class that has most of the same answers as you gets to be your partner. "

The teacher started walking in the class, passing around papers facedown.

"Before I forget… Putting the same answers as your friends simply to be with them is a bad idea. After all, you'll have to host a kiosk all about the answer you gave me at question five. Plus, there can't be identical kiosks. So, try to be original. "He added before everybody started to fill the sheet.

Question one… What do you do in your free time?

The right thing to say is that I write stories and read books.

Even though I know… what my real answer is…

Okay, question two… What are you talented at?

Definitely video games, but… I am going to write cooking

I just can't be with Natsu.

I just can't.

Question three… Would you prefer teaming up with a guy or a girl?

I have to write girl.

Question four… What was your dream job when you were a kid?

What kind of question is that? Sure, I wanted to make a gaming channel with Natsu…

No, I can't write that.

I wanted to become a princess. There.

How ironic… If the matter wasn't so serious I think I could actually laugh at the truthiness of this statement.

Question five… What is your passion? (Your kiosk will have to do with this particular answer. Choose carefully.)

Let's write makeup.

"Alright class. Time is up. I will compile the results and give you the name of your partner at the end of the class" The teacher said as he picked up the papers

"For the rest of class, read as many pages of the book as you can." He added before finally focusing on the papers.

Lucy couldn't concentrate on the book even though she wasn't planning on reading it in the first place.

She couldn't help but think of the person that would be stuck with her. The subject of the kiosk in the beginning was lame. And she knew she could only end up with a girl that was what she used to be.

A bitchy popular girl.

-X-

"Alright. I want you guys to listen carefully and write down the name of your partner." The teacher drawled.

Lucy felt the sweat coating her whole body. Her hands started shaking.

Why am I anxious? It's impossible for me to be with him. I made up all of my answers to make sure I wouldn't be with him.

Okay.

Calm down.

Calm down.

"Mirajane and Cana" the teacher said as the girls squealed.

"Kiosk, makeup" the teacher added.

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck!

Lucy calm down. There are still the other answers…

Don't discourage yourself so quickly.

-X-

Only six people were left and sill both her and Natsu hadn't been named. One girl was remaining… Her sole hope.

"Sting and Yukino"

"Photography boot"

Four people left…

I can still end up with one of those two guys…

"Natsu and Lucy" the teacher blurted.

But before he could add anything else, she was already standing up.

"You can't put me with him. We don't have any interest in common! His passion is video games! I wrote makeup! This is not compatible."

Everybody stared at her in utter shock.

"Funny how you know what he wrote without me even saying it…" The teacher responded with a smile.

"I just looked at what he was writing on his sheet during the test."

"And why would you do that? To make sure your answers didn't match… as if you were afraid you guys would end up together? Interesting" he simply said.

"Sir, they are dating so that's normal she knows what he likes" Cana said.

"Oh really and why then, wouldn't she want to be with her boyfriend? Working together for the ball they would be attending together?"

"Because we are not dating" Natsu flatly answered.

"Anyway. I can't be with this guy. If you force me to, I will tell my dad." She said hoping the threat still stood ground.

"Hmmm, I don't think so. I heard your dad didn't want anything to do with you since a certain break up with… Sting. Also, I am afraid to tell you that I reported your inappropriate behavior to your dad. If you want to get your diploma you'll have to score high and work for once. On the direct order of your father that is!" The teacher answered smirking.

No.

Not my diploma.

Not my chance at freedom.

Not my chance at a new start.

"I can't be with this guy. That is all." She said desperate.

Or he'll die.

"You are in no place to tell me what is right or wrong. You will work with him or fail my class and your last year of high school."

"You don't understand" She said on the verge of crying.

"On the contrary. I do comprehend. You are a spoiled child that used to always have what she wanted by simply asking for it. Consider yourself lucky I am the only teacher you'll have to get good grades to pass. I didn't think necessary to inform the other teachers of your condition. Therefore, if you cause me any trouble, just know that you'll be in great trouble." He said.

Indeed, she would be in great trouble.

She had stopped studying for any subjects since the beginning of High school but for her literature class, a complementary course in which Natsu was. They'd both taken that class since the beginning of their studies. Even though she worked her best, he would always score higher than her… Justifying his remark as being cleverer than her the first time he did talk back to her.

"Class dismissed" The teacher finally said as students rose of their seats quitting the class.

"We have a kiosk to organize. Meet me at eight at the arcade close to the school. You'll find it quite easily" He said flatly leaving her without even waiting.

Doomed.

She was doomed.

And yet again she couldn't do a single thing to stop it from happening.