AN: chapter 11, thanks for the reviews and I hope you all are enjoying the story so far! I've been working the past couple of days, so getting chapters done is a bit harder to do. So hopefully I shall have more up this weekend!
It was morning as Loke groaned and rolled over onto his side. He sits up and rubs his head. The pounding hangover still ringing around him. 'God... what the hell happened last night?' He looked down at himself. He had nothing on and yet he couldn't remember taking anything off. All he could remember was him drinking way too much, trying to drown away her image, but someone helped him back to the hotel. Who though? Was it Lucy? He turned his body and looked at the body beside him. He reached for the blanket, expecting his beautiful golden-haired Princess to be laying beside him, instead he saw a green haired devil woman. His eyes narrowed as his stomach turned. 'What the hell did she do to me?' He clenched the blanket until his knuckles turned white. He was shaking in furry. Karen stirs awake and turns over, a smile across her face. "Hello, handsome. I had a great time with you last night."
"Get out." Loke's eyes were shaded beneath his orange hair. He held onto the blanket, fearing he would do something he would regret later on.
She just continues to smile and sits up. She climbs over to him and wraps her arms around his body, her chest going into his back. "Oh come on now, Loke... don't be like that. You used to love it when I would wake up beside you after a night of love-making."
Loke grabs her wrists and throws her back onto the bed. Her smile turned into a scowl. He stands up and turns to her. His eyes piercing straight into Karen.
"I can't believe you Karen. To think that you would stoop that low. I told you that we were through. That I never wanted to see you again. And yet... you still try to destroy my life. You make me sick."
"You can't erase what we had Loke! And you can't tell me that you didn't feel something last night when we made love together!"
"You used me Karen! What you did last night was wrong! I was drunk off my ass and not to mention... I was thinking about someone else the entire time." He said as his fist clenched tighter.
"It was that blonde bitch wasn't it? Lucy was it?" Karen laughs. "What a little whore! I bet she's been with so many men-"
Loke grabbed Karen and pulled her out of the bed. He slams her against the hotel wall and grips her arms tightly. His eyes were blazing and his body began to glow gold. "If you EVER talk about Lucy like that again, you will regret it!"
Fear was in Karens' eyes now. Loke let her go after a few minutes. He picks up her clothes and throws them at her. Walking over to the suite door, he opens it. "Get out."
Karen grips her clothes and walks over to him. "Loke...please-"
"GET OUT!" Loke shouted, warm tears formed in his eyes. As soon as Karen stepped out of the door, he had slammed the door shut. He put his back up against the wall and slides down it. The tears now flowing down his face. He grips his pounding head. 'How could I let this happen?'
Lucy woke up and looked out the window. It was a sunny day outside. She smiled and got out of bed. She got dressed and ate some breakfast before heading out the door for work. She walked into Fired Up and saw Natsu arguing with Happy about something.
"Good morning!" She said with a sweet smile on her face. The two boys turned and smiled widely.
"Hey Lucy! You're on time today!" Natsu said waving his hand to her.
"Haha, yeah... I'm trying to not make being late a habit."
Lisanna came in from the front door, carrying a crate of produce. Natsu rushes past Lucy and grabs the crate from Lisanna. "Here Lisanna, I got this." Lisanna smiles at Natsu, thanking him for his help. She looked over to Lucy and waved.
"How's it going Lucy? Settling in nicely?"
Lucy nodded her head, "Yes actually. It's been almost a week and I feel like I've lived here my whole life!"
"That's great! I'm really happy for you Lucy! Oh and just to warn you, Friday's can get pretty crazy around here. Don't be surprised if Wendy has to help out during the lunch rush. Just keep an eye on her. She sometimes drops her trays all over the place!" Both of the girls giggle and start getting ready for work.
Lisanna wasn't kidding about the lunch hour. Fired Up was packed and Lucy felt slightly overwhelmed. Natsu, Happy, Wendy, and Carla were all helping wait tables. That was a relief for Lucy. She had taken a five-minute break and was in the back, getting a glass of water. She took a drink and sighed. 'So this is how my Friday's are going to be like now? I swear I'm going to pass out early tonight and wont be able to see Gray before they leave.' Suddenly there was a smashing noise coming from the front. Lucy rushes out front to see Wendy bowing repeatedly to one of the customers, apologizing as she does. The customer was a man with slightly darker hair than Levy's. He had a weird tattoo on his right eye, but something about his voice, made him sound mysterious. Lucy grabs a broom and dust pan, heading over to where Wendy had dropped her entire tray. "I'm so sorry! I swear I didn't mean to be such a screw up!" Wendy said.
Carla flew up next to her, "Honestly child, must you apologize like that every time you make a mistake?"
The man laughed slightly as he wiped off his shirt. "It is fine, young lady. No harm has befallen me." Wendy apologized once more and helped Lucy clean up the broken glass. The woman sitting with the man smiled at him. She continued her conversation with him. She was absolutely beautiful Lucy thought. She had scarlet red hair and she looked like a regular woman, but something inside of Lucy told her to watch out for that woman. She heard the woman say the man's name. Jellal. That was such a strange name. Lucy finished up cleaning the mess Wendy had made, and took the trash out back. She came back inside and Lisanna was talking with Natsu in the kitchen. She had jumped up in excitement and hugged Natsu's neck. He laughed and hugged her back.
"What's going on guys?" Lucy had asked.
Lisanna turned to Lucy and held up tickets. "Natsu just got me, Wendy, Happy and himself tickets to the Iron Lions show in November! Their last show for the year! I'm so excited!" Lucy smiled at them and then thought about Gray at the mention of his band.
"Say, Natsu? Is it ok of I leave a little early today?"
Natsu put his hands behind his head and smiles at her. "Sure Lucy! It's gonna slow down a lot after this lunch rush so you can leave after you clean up a bit." Lucy thanked him and went back to the busy front.
It was mid afternoon when Lucy met Levy and the guys at the beach. The sand was hot beneath her feet as she rushed over to the large area they all sat in. There were three large umbrellas and towels laid all around. Gray was sitting in a chair, sweating uncontrollably in the smoldering heat. Loke was sitting on his towel next to Gray, the heat not seeming to effect him too much. Gajeel sat in front of Levy who was putting sun screen on his back. All of them greeted Lucy as she came running up to their towels. Lucy sets down her bag next to Loke and asks if she could sit with him on his towel. He smiles at her, moving over slightly to give her some room. "You seem to be enjoying the heat." She said to Loke as she pulls down her shorts and sat down. She pulls her shirt off and reveals her whole bikini. It was pink with white hearts decorated over it. She pulls out her sun screen and starts to apply it to her arms. Loke couldn't help but watch her, blushing slightly.
"Yeah... the heat really doesn't bother me too much. You know I was born in August. I guess that's why I don't mind the heat, but freeze my ass off during winter!" He said with a laugh. Lucy laughs a bit with him before holding out the lotion to him. He just stares at her and then at the bottle, taking it from her hands slowly.
"Can you get my back for me? I'd ask Gray but he doesn't seem to want to move in this heat." She said with a cute smile. Loke nodded his head and watched her turn around so her back was to him. She pulls her golden hair around her neck to get it out of the way for him. He puts some lotion on his hand and then places his hands on her shoulders. He runs his hands over her shoulders and down over her shoulder blades. She shudders slightly at the coolness of the sun screen. He continues applying sun screen all the way down her back, loving every inch of her smooth skin. He closed his eyes and imagined last night as if it was with her instead of Karen. Karen. That name still in his head. The act she did with him last night. He grinded his teeth and shook his head from the thought. He finishes applying the sun screen and rubs the extra off on his own arms. Lucy thanks him and turns her attention to the others.
"So is there really supposed to be fireworks here tonight? I've never seen fireworks from the beach before." Lucy said.
"Oh Lucy! It's so magical! I look forward to it every year!" Levy said with a smile.
"I don't know why I bother coming to the beach... it's always so damn hot." Gray said as he wiped sweat off his forehead. Lucy stands up and goes over to him. She leans in and pulls back her hair behind her ears. "Do you want to go out to the water with me Gray?"
He looks at her and smiles. "Would I ever. Man you look amazing in that bikini Lucy." He gets up and puts his hand around her waist, leading her out to the water.
Loke puts his shades on and frowns. Gajeel looks over at him and raises an eyebrow. "So when are you going to tell Blondie that you like her?"
"I don't know what you mean Black Steel." He leans back and puts his hands behind his head.
Gajeel laughs loudly. "Oh come on! Even if I didn't find out about that kiss, it's written all over your face every time you see her!"
Loke sighed and was silent for a moment. "Is it really that obvious?"
Levy stood up and put her hands on her hips. "Yep. Definitely is. Gajeel, I'm heading out to the water." She gave him a quick kiss and ran out to join Lucy and Gray who were splashing each other out in the water.
Gajeel turned back to Loke. "Shrimps' right you know. Lucy may not realize it, but everyone else can. You gotta tell her sometime." Gajeel looks out to Levy and watches her play with her friend and Gray. He smiles to himself. "I never thought this town had much beauty to it. When we came back from our tour early last year, I wanted a coffee and I just happened to go early that day. I walked through that door and saw her. Her little nose in that book. Heh... After that day, I went there every morning, same time. I wanted to tell her she was cute but every time I'd try to get her attention she would just blow me off with a mumble! Damn little Shrimp didn't know who was talkin' to her. So finally I went up to her and snatched her book away so she'd look at me. That's all I really wanted. Her attention. I may have scared her a bit by the way she ran out of the coffee-house, but god damn it... had I not followed her that day... she wouldn't be alive right now."
Loke looked over to his band mate and friend. "What does all of this have to do with me?"
Gajeel looked back to Loke. "All I'm saying is life is short. And if you can't man up and tell someone that you like 'em, you may not get another chance." He stands up and heads to the water as well, leaving Loke on the beach to his thoughts.