Hello! I hope you guys will like this chapter! Don't forget to leave a review!

And… See ya'll soon!

He didn't sleep that night. Her broken face stared at him as the bag of gummies hit her face with a silent thud.

He remembered hearing cries of surprise in the background as he ran away trying to save his pride as water flood from his eyes.

His heart hurt so bad. He felt every inch of it pulse in anger. He saw her standing above him, treating him like shit. He saw her insult him, pretend she didn't know who he was.

He saw her leave his life once again.

He saw the scars marring her body on multiple occasions, glaring while she didn't notice.

And he knew all along who was responsible for these.

Yet he hadn't done a single thing to help her when she most needed it. Blaming his hate for her.

Or was it love he was ashamed of?

That feeling he had felt all along whenever he stared at her. These flutters he had tried to ignore whenever she swayed by.

All of them kept in a locked part of his heart. All this time as she made him suffer.

But to what end and for what means was she so cruel?

If she truly enjoyed seeing him on the ground feeling bad, why had she said such nice things to him after literally breaking his heart?

Was it regrets he had read in her eyes each and every time he had glanced her way?

Alone, he let himself break again. His hand reached for his pink locks as he pulled at them, trying to relieve himself from the guilt ripping at his soul.

But the burning passion inhabiting him wouldn't shut down. A fire was roaring inside waiting to get some air and be released.

A flame he had so many times extinguished as his mind took control over his actions. Or at least it felt like it.

Because each and every time he tried to fall asleep, her face popped in his mind. A smile so bright and slender hands intertwining with his.

Utopia.

Paradise.

How could that even be possible?

A girl that had been mean to him for as long as he had known her.

Or thought he knew her.

And yet, these feelings he had tried to repress… As the days passed by, that sensation, even though he hated it with all of his being, was taking control over him.

Because his heart knew that she wasn't what she had pretended to be.

And he had ignored it all along. Persuaded he was crazy.

Natsu wiped his tears and pressed his face hard against his wet pillow.

Why?

He wanted to understand.

But somehow couldn't.

-X-

She had been rooted to the spot unblinking for minutes as her nose had hurt like hell. She expected shock and tears to pour as she had done so many times before. But somehow, she only felt as if the pressure had been lifted off her shoulders.

People all around were glaring as she smiled and sat on the ground holding her nose in her tiny all too white hands.

As if awaking from a trance or finding the divertissement had finally ended, they all left. Not bothering even a glance back as they quickly packed their things and vacated at their own selfish occupations.

What they didn't see was the pain behind the smile as the truth of it all slammed into her.

She still grinned, genuinely as she had always done while her hands where occupied covering her nose and her tears at the same time.

She had cried so many times before and felt so ashamed of it she had learned how to do it without even a sound.

She had learned to make her pain and sufferance invisible to others. And yet there she was again alone, on the ground vulnerable and broken.

"Let's get you some place nice" a feminine voice whispered close by as a hand patted her blonde hair.

She knew that voice.

"I am fine Cana" she tried as she smiled it off and acted through the pain.

But it seems she wasn't very convincing.

Cana started tugging hard against her arm, as she helped her up.

"You are going to tell me the whole story right now." She simply answered as she dragged her to the nearest bench.

Lucy never felt so grateful.

Even though she had claimed she wanted to be alone, she wanted, deep down a shoulder to cry on. A sole presence to listen and help her up.

She just never thought that such a person would ever come to her.

And so, without further thoughts, she told her everything.

But this time, she didn't leave behind any part of the story.

She gave her the truth, and all of it.

-X-

"We have to do something about this!" Cana simply answered at the end of Lucy's miserable tale.

"I wish I could, but my father destructed all of the proof. That's why I have been enduring all of these years."

"What about these injuries you have? If you sent pictures to someone… Pictures of your bruises…" Cana tried.

"Nowhere does it say that my father gave these to me. Plus, he broke the camera on my phone. There's nothing at home that can be used against him." Lucy answered exasperated.

"And Natsu… Can't he help you with anything?"

"You said he filmed you once." She added.

"He saved me from a molester… It doesn't help our case. Plus, he hates me at the moment, probably more than when he thought I only was Lucy."

"You should try to reach him"

"He won't respond the phone."

"Have you tried?"

"I am too scared of being rejected again…" Lucy whispered.

"We'll find a way" Cana said, trying to be optimistic.

"I believed in that lie my whole life."

"But this time, it will be the one" Cana cheered.

"Thank you for still believing. I'll try to do the same." Lucy answered as she saw a familiar black limo awaiting her.

She sprinted to the black limo and sat silently beside the man she despised so much.

Hope was all she had left.

A small flicker of light in a world full of darkness.

And yet it held on, all of this time.

So, she would try, a little while longer.

To believe, in a new shot at life.

-X-

They didn't speak to each other as they sat on opposite benches.

It was their final literary class. The teacher had asked students to volunteer and act in a play she had written for the sheer pleasure of it.

People around them where getting ready and yet, they felt as if it only was the two of them.

The cold stare he sent her way made all of her bravery fade as she tried looking away in shame and guilt.

What she didn't know was that he did actually feel the same.

He couldn't look away. Thinking about all he had put her through. Throwing a tantrum while she had cope with so much, alone.

He hated himself and the pleading glare she was sending his way.

It seemed to tell him how sorry she was.

And yet, he felt responsible for everything.

He wanted to stand up and tell her it wasn't her fault.

That everything was fine.

But the thing was it wasn't.

Because he loved her.

Because he wanted to save her.

And he was still trying to find a way out for her.

A way to free herself from the cage her father had thrown her in.

-X-

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" screamed the literary teacher as she ran around panicked.

"What's wrong?" asked a student.

"The main leader of the play is sick and the main girl doesn't want to play her part with a male other than him" she explained as sweat beaded her forehead and she kept on running around as if it would help her find a solution.

"How is this romance supposed to work if the main characters aren't even there" she added, sighing and looking around.

"Lucy and Natsu are dating. It shouldn't be hard for them to act." Another one offered.

"But they don't know the script…"

"I am sure they can pull off something."

"Would you, consider doing the roles" the teacher finally asked at both of them as they didn't look her way.

Natsu hadn't said they weren't dating this time…

How strange…

The said male looked at the teacher. She had given him an opportunity to arrange things.

"I don't mind." He simply offered.

"Lucy?" The teacher asked.

She simply nodded.

-X-

It was the story of two young teenagers deeply and madly in love, despite the disagreement of the girl's dad.

How ironic.

It wouldn't be hard for him to stick to the script.

Natsu had quickly made up a plan in his head.

And hoped with all his might it would work.

-X-

"Tell me the truth" Natsu said.

"What truth is there to tell you when I haven't lied to you even once in my entire life?" she responded back.

"Truth about all the cruelty you put me through all of these years."

He saw shock on her face as she realized where he was slowly leading them.

He wanted the truth. The absolute truth, right there and right now.

Knowing she couldn't back away, she finally obliged and decided it was time to take off the mask.

He couldn't hate her more anyway…

"I am a murderer"

He looked at her incredulously. And as he was about to answer, she cut him off, not giving him a chance to question what she was about to tell him.

To tell everyone in the theater.

"You never wondered how your father died so easily?"

"We were kids. You couldn't have killed him"

"And yet I did. I doomed him and at the same time your whole life by my simple presence."

"I don't…"

"Just listen." She cut.

"My father never liked you. He always despised your being because of the way I acted when I was around you. He thought I didn't fit the perfect rich girl as I played video games with you and spent so much time doing boyish things. He yearned for control over my life. And wanted me to be the perfect daughter…"

"After he learned you were planning on changing school and attend mine, he tried on multiple occasions to convince your father to keep you away from him. He offered him money, and whatever he wished in exchange of you never getting close to me again. But your father always refused because he saw through me. He saw how miserable I was at home, surrounded by toys and pricy things I didn't really care for. I think he noticed how happy I became whenever I was near you."

"It's probably the reason why he never agreed to back off. Because of that, my father started threatening him in various ways. He tried telling him he would lose his job, and still your father wouldn't back down. He was such a brave man… That is until" she started crying softly, but held on.

"Until he hired a mercenary to kill your dad. Because he thought he was a nuisance. He killed him because of me. Because I met you." She screamed at the top of her lungs not restraining her tears.

"I knew that already" he simply answered.

She glared back at him, fright deforming her features.

"It wasn't hard to look through. It made sense. I was expecting that kind of behavior from such a horrendous man."

"But how…" she started.

"Even though I was just a kid, your father didn't hold back against me. Whenever I would be walking back from school, he would stop by and threaten to hurt my father. He would look at me with that grim smile and narrate all sorts of torture he would do just to make sure I never got close to you. I told Igneel about that, about the intimidation he put me through, about that behavior of his, which started to make me think that maybe, for the sake of everybody I should just forget you. But my father was against that. He, instead told me to fight for the people I loved, just as he knew my feelings for you. He said he would try to find a way to get you out of this mess, a way to find proof and get him incarcerated…"

"My guardian, Igneel, whom I always considered like a father was ready to put his life into danger because he had faced the same situation once, but he hadn't help the said person when she needed it. And because of that, she had died. He felt as if he had gotten a chance to erase his mistakes by saving you."

"I learned that the day I read his testament."

"You see? I am responsible for this! If you hadn't met me, nothing would have happened!"

"You can't control faith nor the actions of others. I don't blame you for what happened. The only person that should feel an ounce guilty is your dad. Because he is the cause of everything bad that went on in your life."

"Now give me the truth." He grimly said.

"About what?" she squeaked.

"Why did you go out with Sting? Why did you make my life hell all of these years?" he simply answered.

"Because I had to keep you away from him. For your safety. If I dated the guy he liked, then I was away from trouble. He would let me live. Plus, I couldn't risk the chance of you finding out who I truly was… Because I knew that I would grow attached to you. I knew that I would just cause you more pain than I already had. So, the only solution I found was to make you hate me. To tell you such atrocious things you would look my way with burning rage…"

"But I never hated you." He responded.

Just for the sake of the happy ending, he'll say this. Alright, I am ready!

"Each and every time I looked at you, I had a feeling you were that girl I lost when I was just a child. I couldn't understand why butterflies were fluttering in my stomach as you treated me like complete trash. I couldn't understand how hard it was to pull away from you. It was as if a strange force was always attracting me towards you."

"Look, cut the crap about loving me alright?" Lucy screamed.

"I don't deserve it. I never did a single thing for you when you needed it. I always broke your heart. So stop pretending and leave me alone." She cried.

"And what did I do to help you? What did I do when I saw these scars all over your body? What did I do when you told me your own dad had done this to you? Nothing! Nothing! And yet, you believe I deserve all of the glory? You deserve to be the broken wretch simply because you did what you thought was good for me?"

"I acted like a coward. You should have known this all along so you could keep away. Instead, I made you believe in the existence of that soulmate of yours. A character. Not a real person."

"You are the bravest person I know. You sacrificed everything you loved just to get me to have a shot at happiness. And you call that being a coward? You knew how I would react if I had known sooner."

"Bloomy was a character. But Lucy Heartfilia isn't." he added

Lucy stared at him bewildered. These weren't the names of the characters they were supposed to play…

What was he planning?

"And I am in love with Lucy Heartfilia." He said.

Before she could do a single thing, he already had his hands around her waist, his face pressed close to her ear.

"I am not doing this for the sake of the play. Everything I just said are my real thoughts about you."

"What?" she screamed and became red in the face.

"I have been meaning to did this for a while… Do you grant me permission?" he inquired softly, but loud enough for everybody to hear.

"Permission for what?" she asked.

"I'll take this as a yes" he whispered and pressed his lips against hers.

Silence fell in the hall. People were staring at the two teenagers. Lucy, eyes wide-open and arms outstretched stared at the male so close to her.

She felt the soft weight of his lips against hers and the warmth that came along.

Permitting herself an ounce of joy for once in her life, she pressed both hands to the side of his face and closed her eyes.

If this was a dream, she never wanted to wake up.

But as he pinched her side gently as if he had read her thoughts, she knew that all of this wasn't some fantasy she had created in her mind.

And for once, she understood what happiness felt like.