Author's notes:

It's my Birthday!

Well, since this is my last year of being a teen, I dropped by with a new chapter to celebrate my birthday with you guys because that's how much I love you all! :)

Good thing there aren't much assignments since school just started.. hehehe

May I ask for a birthday wish? This wish can only be possible with your participation my dear readers.

I wish that this story will have 100 reviews..

please help me gain it. I'll do my best to make this story better so PLEASE REVIEW ;)

I hope you'll like this chapter :)

Chapter 12

Friends' Dispute

"Natsu! You will come with us whether you like it or not! You have no choice!" Erza shouted while grasping the back of the pink-haired boy's uniform collar.

"Why don't I have a choice?! It's me who should have a choice!" Natsu shouted as he was currently being dragged across the streets of Magnolia, his so-called friends behind him and Erza.

"Just shut up, Natsu. It is not manly to whine." Elfman said as he watched his red-headed friend clean the streets with Natsu.

"I'm not whining! Let go of me!" Natsu continued to shout but no one paid him any attention. Aha! He got an idea. He grinned evily and proceeded with his plan..

"Help! A monster is kidnapping me!" Natsu shamelessly shouted as he tried to grab random people's leg just to stop Erza from pulling him around, but the people always manages to avoid his hands and actually chuckled at him amusedly. As if what Natsu was going through is just normal.

"Natsu. Shut. Up." Erza threateningly looked down on him.

"No! I need to-" Natsu started but left his sentence hanging in the air as they passed by the park.

"Lucy…" he whispered sadly, his gaze trained on the swings where the two of them last spent their time together. He suddenly felt angry as to why can't make his friends just leave him alone. Sure, they're worried. But can't they even realize that what he needed first is to deal with the problem?

Everyone but Erza noticed how his expression changed from being annoyed to being sad to suddenly being angry but they all just dismissed it.

"Erza. Let go of me this instance." Natsu said seriously, venom lacing his words.

"Natsu! Can't you understand the word NO?! I will not let you go until you go back to your own self! Everyone is already worrying!" Erza shouted, turning her head to glare at him.

"But-!" Natsu did not finish his words since Erza knocked him out, her patience already gone.

"Oh my!" Mirajane said with her perfectly calm self as she continued to watch her friend drag the now unconscious Natsu.

Natsu woke up a few moments later in an amusement arcade. Really? His friends thought that he will be able to feel okay here?

They're ridiculous. He thought as he stands up and goes straight to the exit.

Don't misunderstand him. He does appreciate their efforts in making him feel better, but can't they just give him some time alone to solve his problems? Can't they listen to him for once?

"Wait! Natsu!" He heard Lisanna call him. He sighed heavily and forced himself to turn around.

"Where are you going, Natsu?" Lisanna asked him.

"Home." Natsu replied immediately, eyes darting to the door.

"But why? Don't you want to spend time with us? Sorry if you don't like it, but this is the first thing that came to our mind when we planned to cheer you up. Come on Natsu, stay for a while." Lisanna tried to convince him.

"It's not like that. I appreciate your effort of cheering me up but I am in no mood for this." He stared at her and again started to head for the exit.

"You are in no mood in everything, Natsu!" Lisanna snapped at him, her face turning red with anger. They're doing their best to cheer him up but it looks like he doesn't want it.

Natsu stopped and glared at her over his shoulder, his fists clenched on his sides. "Of course, I won't be! Can't you see?! I have problems right now! And you guys decided to drag me here?!" He shouted back at Lisanna, which caught the attention of their friends.

"Then tell us what your problems are! We can help you!" Lisanna asked, her voice still high from her anger.

"…" Natsu kept his mouth shut. 'What's the catch in telling them? They can't help anyways.'

"What, Natsu? What's bothering you?" Mira asked this time, her eyes displayed how worried she is. Natsu looked at her and at everyone's eyes, then he noticed how sincere they were to help him..

"…"

However, Natsu chose to remain silent. He can't just possibly say that he accidentally hit a girl with his father's car, killed her, and now, her soul became his friend and he feels so guilty from what he had done. What's more is she is mad at him and he desperately wants her forgiveness.

Natsu looked at them but looked down immediately. He promised to himself that he will make it up to them next time, just... not now. He can't think of anything else but Lucy.

"Tell us, Natsu! We can't help you properly if you won't tell us!" It was Erza who got her patience thinned this time.

"There's no need for you guys to know about it." Natsu whispered finally, but his friends heard it nonetheless. He then turned his back to them.

"Don't you dare turn your back on us, Natsu." Gray told him seriously.

"What do you mean there's no need for us to know your problem? For Mavis' sake! We're your friends! Of course, there is a need for us to know it. Especially if it gets you to act like that!" Erza yelled at him. He could feel how furious and frustrated she is at him but his decision won't change. No one else will know what happened five months ago.

"I'm really sorry guys. I promise I'll make it up to you, but please... let me be now. I'm the only one who can solve this problem." He told them, then pushed the double doors and started to walk home.

Lisanna started to burst into tears as Natsu left. His sister, Levy and Juvia immediately went to her side.

"I feel so useless. It's rare to see Natsu to have problems and with those rare times, I can't even help him." Lisanna cried, her hands covering her face.

"I know Lisanna. I feel that way too." Levy said while rubbing her friend's back to comfort her. Her eyes glazed by unshed tears.

"You shouldn't feel that way. It is him who wouldn't want to be helped." Gray coldly said, eyes still trained towards the doors where Natsu came out.

"Today is really depressing. I suggest we should all go home and cool down. We don't know but Natsu might have a change of heart and decide to tell us his problems, maybe he is just stressed out that's why he acted that way."Mira said, looking to each of her friends to get their approval.

"Hmph! Don't get your hopes high. Come on Shrimp, I'll walk you home." Gajeel said, then grabbed Levy's arm and started walking home. His friends followed him out of the amusement arcade which seemed to quiet down because of the ruckus they made earlier.

Natsu went home with a heavy heart. Now, he does not only have problems with Lucy but he also have problems with his friends. He will not be surprised if, one day, they will be fed up on trying to help him.

Really? Does he think that low of his friends? He knows that what happened earlier will not stop them from trying to help. But who knows until when will they be able to overlook the fact that he is indeed refusing to be helped.

He went to his room and plopped down to his bed, thinking of how and if he should begin on apologizing to Lucy again.

He spent a few minutes thinking of what to do, then later came up to the decision of doing what he is planning tonight.

The sooner, the better.

.

He waited until he is sure his whole family is asleep before he slipped out of their house, bringing a basket with him.

He walked hurriedly to the park. He can't wait to talk to Lucy again, believing that Lucy will forgive him tonight. His plan will work, unlike what happened to the book Wendy was reading last night.

A person… well, a ghost will still be able to forgive his or her friends, right? So he knew Lucy will be able to forgive him, he just needs to work hard for it.

But that is, if Lucy still thinks of him as a friend and not as a killer.

Natsu stopped dead on his tracks.

Killer?

He's a killer? He gulped.

He accidentally hit her with a car and she died... but does that make him a killer? He could swear to the heavens that what happened that night was an accident.

All of that was an accident. He accidentally hit her and accidentally left her, he was just too shocked.

It is not his intention to kill her, he doesn't have any ill intention and it was an accident why he hit her... But does that still make him a killer?

Does Lucy think of him as a killer?

He fell down on his knees.

He is not a killer. What happened five months ago was all an accident. He didn't wish for her die.

He can't be. He isn't a bad guy. He is not one of those guys who killed for fun or money.

Blinking rapidly, he willed himself to not cry.

He was supposed to go to Lucy to apologize, not to convince himself that he is otherwise of what he is.

He slowly stood up and took deep calming breaths. The thought of Lucy possibly thinking of him as a killer seem to drain all his energy and his will power to go talk to her again.

Will she forgive him? Will she still accept him as her friend? Different thoughts kept on circling Natsu's mind until he arrived at the park, his crumbs of optimism from awhile ago all gone.

"Lucy!" He called out, his voice slightly cracking from the fear that what he was thinking is true.

Can he still do something- anything- to make Lucy forgive him if she had closed her heart at the thought of him being a killer? What will he do if Lucy said 'You killed me. So why do you expect me to forgive you?'

"Lucy!" He called out again, scanning his eyes around the park to look for her.

He sighed but removed the cloth that was covering the contents of the basket, revealing fresh fruits.

"The contents of this basket are used as a token for your apology." He started to say but Lucy still isn't showing up. Is she still in the park?

"Lucy, I know you're still mad at me. I'm here to apologize. Please forgive me." Natsu is starting to feel that she won't show up anymore.

"Lucy. I'm really sorry." He said one last time before glancing around in hopes of seeing her, but he didn't.

He turned around and exited the park, his heart heavy from disappointment and rejection.

And she didn't even bother to face him.