14

Enraged

He was at war with himself, refusing to accept his own feelings.

Chapter 14:

So, I was back in this house.

As I stepped inside it, I remembered everything that happened here a few days ago. It seemed like forever since I've been here, even though I left just yesterday. But, there was something that I didn't prepare myself for... Meeting her parents. I inhaled deeply, looking around the house. I didn't see a car parked outside though, but I didn't mind that. So, finding no trace of them anywhere, I felt a little uneasy. Sure, I didn't want to have to say 'hi' to her dad or something, but why were they not here? I thought Lucy said that they'd be back yesterday. Did they leave again or something?

"Hey Lucy?" I asked, my voice laced with confusion, as I walked towards her, "Where are your parents?"

And that's when I noticed her complexion. She was shaky and anxious, playing with her hands. I guess she was hoping that I wouldn't answer. Did I make a mistake asking something like that? Oh shit. A thousand of possibilities came to my head, and each of them was worse from the last. And, as I tried looking away from her to think of a possible excuse for the awkward question, she suddenly smiled.

"No, it's nothing like that. They're both alive and well, and love each other." She giggled, and I sighed in relief. "Not everyone has problematic parents or something like that. It always turns out that someone has a dead mother or father, or maybe both parents. And if it's not that, they live separately or something like that. But it's not always that way." She laughed, and I found some truth in her words. "It's just that they're always working, so they almost never come home, and when they do, they only stay for the weekend or so. And I practically live alone." She added, and I looked at her curiously.

"Well, didn't they come back yesterday? You said they'd be back."

"Well yeah, I thought so too, but they called me two days ago, and said that they wouldn't be able to make it. I wanted to tell you so you could leave and not be bothered by me, but I didn't know how you would react if you heard that they're never at home so I decided to keep quiet."

"Oh," I mumbled, looking anywhere but towards her, "So, you're sleeping alone every night?" Once I got her nod, I thought for a moment. If she stayed here alone every night, didn't she feel scared or something? I mean, she's only seventeen. So, me being here must've been a good thing for her, huh?

"Well, I don't want to stay here with you just because you're feeling lonely."

"I never said I was feeling lone—"

"You can't make me stay here just because of your sad story or whatever!"

"Like I said, I'm not lo—"

"But I guess I can call you every night or something. We can talk and shit, before you go to bed or something." She stopped trying to speak, and just looked at me in confusion.

"You'd do that… for me?"

"Ugh, don't get me wrong. It's not because of you. I just … uh… feel partly responsible for staying at your house so long… yeah, that's it. So I just want to make it up to you. The almighty Natsu Dragneel does not owe anyone anything!" I yelled out, and she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah." She mumbled, before calling me a cab, and disappearing in the kitchen. "Here," she said, suddenly walking out with a little box, which I thought was a bento, "For old time's sake."

"It was two days ago, weirdo." I deadpanned, but took it nonetheless. I don't walk away from free food. We suddenly heard a loud honk, coming from the taxi which was waiting for me outside. I took my jacket, and was ready to go. But then, out of nowhere—and I don't even know why—I turned to Lucy, "What are you doing tomorrow?"

"Eh?" She looked at me weirdly, and I saw her cheeks redden a little, "Well, I didn't really make any plans, but there was this new gaming store opening in the Sunset Mall, so I wanted to go check it out, I guess."

"Wow, this must be your lucky day, because I am also going there tomorrow." I said, mentally ripping off my hair. What the fuck was I talking about? I never made any plans!? Heck, I didn't even know that a store was opening! I don't even like games that much! So, why the fuck?

"Oh, that's nice." She said, and the taxi started honking again, which meant I had to hurry up.

"Well, I guess since you insist, I have to meet you there in 6. Ugh, how troublesome. You're such a nerd!" I shouted, slamming the door in her face, and getting into the taxi. I didn't even let her reply.

"Dude, you could've been a bit faster." The taxi driver scolded, and I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

"Girlfriend?" he asked, and I looked into the interior rear view mirror watching him wink at me.

"No." I replied simply. Somehow, calling her my girlfriend didn't sound right.

"Then, just a friend?"

"…no." I said, thinking that calling her a friend didn't sound right either.

"Then, what?" He asked, a little confused.

I thought about it for a while. By now, a lot of people classify us as friends, but it somehow doesn't fully explain the relationship between us and I think that—ARGH WHAT AM I EVEN SAYING? NATSU LISTEN TO YOURSELF! I ran a hand through my hair, "Who knows…" He started at me with a bored look on his face.

"Really?"

"What?" I asked him, watching as he rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, still not moving from the doorframe.

"Aren't you going to let me in?" I said, watching him sigh and step away so I could enter. "I came here because I need advice man." I said honestly. "I have something I really need to talk to you about."

"Oh well, it's not like I had an online game that I can't pause going on…" He said arrogantly.

"That's great then." I said, pretending not to notice his sarcasm. Gray was my best friend since like forever, so I guessed that I could talk to him about anything and everything. I sat down on the couch, and he sat right opposite me.

"So, what have you gotten yourself into this time, Natsu?"

I played with my hands for a while, ignoring his sighs, before I started talking "Well, we both know I hate Lucy, like, a lot. But recently, I think that the hate has gotten stronger or something, I don't know! I don't understand this! It's like, whenever I talk to her there's something stuck in my throat or some shit, and she's been looking awfully better these past couple of days."

"Really? She looks the same to me." He commented without any emotion.

"Well maybe to you, but to me, she's been like, weird lately. And listen to this, I even told her I'd meet her tomorrow!" Gray suddenly started coughing really loud, and I hit him on the back a few times, watching him calm down.

"You mean… like a date?"

"Eh? EEEEEEEH?" I yelled loudly, "No way! I mean, it's going to be just the two of us and… holy shit it's a date. DAMN IT NATSU! Wait a minute! I don't even like her! I hate her, right?"

"Why are you asking me? To be frank, I think you know the answer, but you refuse to accept it." He said, scratching the back of his head.

"What? No way! I hate her! Yeah! But dude, it's like… I don't know. I didn't ask her out! I just said I'd meet her at the mall tomorrow!"

"That sounds like asking out to me." He deadpanned.

"Well yeah but… Ugh! I refuse to like her!" I shouted.

"Look here man, you started being nicer to her, you even followed her to the pool for Pete's sake! And now you invited her out? Aren't those symptoms of a man in love?" He teased, and it took all my willpower not to kill him, "Why don't I put you to the test?"

"Test?" I echoed, watching him crack his knuckles.

"Alright, this is all you need to do: hug her."

"Ew dude no! I don't want to get some disease!" I yelled, watching him sigh in despair.

"Just try it. Then, and only then, will you know how you really feel." He said, glancing towards the backpack I was wearing. I took it with me to the pool since I put my swimming trunks in it. "Hey dude, do you have any water in that thing? I'm really thirsty but I'm too lazy to go to the kitchen." He said, and I tossed him my backpack. He opened it and started searching for my water bottle, when his face suddenly got beat red, and he stopped moving.

"What's wrong man?" I asked, watching him stare inside.

"Uh, Natsu, I know that this is none of my business but uh… why do you have a bra in your backpack?"

…

Well, I guess now's a good time to start thinking about how to kill myself. I've heard hanging yourself is the best way to go… or was it the worst way? Oh well, at least it'll be over in a second… or two… or maybe even—

"Whose even is this?" he yelled, taking it out so I could see it. "It's fucking huge man! What on earth have you been doing?! And here I was, thinking that you liked Lucy when you actually had some other girl's bra in your—wait a minute… don't tell me this is Lucy's!?" He waved it in front of my eyes, and I could feel my cheeks burning. There's no way I can ever answer that… "Dude! Wow! Like… wow! You're that into her? Like, who the fuck steals a girl's bra?"

"I can explain!" I shouted, knowing very well that I can't.

"Well?"

"Well… I found it in her drawer… and I took it."

"THAT'S IT!?" he shouted, making me cringe at the loudness of his voice. After using a few minutes to calm down, he started staring at it, "Wow, this is like… big… and… it's pretty soft. Wow it's actually really really sof—"

"Stop it!" I shouted in embarrassment, grabbing the material from his hands, and shoving it in my backpack. "Well, thanks for the talk, but I really think I should be going now. Uh, have fun playing that game of yours!" I yelled after slamming the door of his house, leaving him frozen on the couch.

"Natsu?" She asked, with a raised eyebrow, wearing her gray pajamas with a towel wrapped around her hair. "I thought you went home? What are you doing here? And it's raining! Did you forget something? Want me to get it for you? What is it? And where did you leave i—"

"Shut up." I shouted, silencing her. It's pouring out, and here I am, standing in front of her door. She probably just got out of the shower or something, so she might catch a cold like this. Which means I need to make this quick and leave. The taxi driver I called earlier was waiting for me, since I told him I'd be right back. I left Gray's house in a hurry, but instead of going home, I decided to come here, just to prove that bastard wrong. I'll show him! I don't like Lucy one bit, and I'm going to prove it.

"If it's about tomorrow, I didn't ask you to come or anything! But I guess I'll be there since I really want to see if they have any new games or something. Also, if it's about the bento box, you can return it tomorrow or after we start going to school again. I don't mind, really. It's totally okay! And you're getting wet! Why don't you come inside? Ah, but you have a taxi waiting for y—"

"Shut. The. Fuck. Up." I hissed, watching her jerk back. "Just stand still, okay? Don't you dare move or I'll break your arm." She gave me a questioning look, but stood still. I inched closer, so that we were only a few centimeters away from each other. Not minding my wet clothes or the rain drops sliding down my face, I moved my cold hands to encircle her small frame, ignoring the fact that she shivered at the contact. She was probably cold and stuff, but I didn't really give a fuck at the moment.

I was cold too, but the minute I felt her body against my own I got swallowed in a pit of eternal warmth and comfort. Never had I felt heaven, but if I ever do, it would probably feel something like this. Burying my head in her neck so I can take in that amazing scent of hers made me come back to reality, and I was already longing for that temporary bliss. Feeling her beating heart against my own, I couldn't help but internally curse Gray for proving his theory right. I clenched my fists in agony as I let her go, and casually walked away from her, throwing some money at the driver of the cab before deciding on going home on foot. I needed a cool down and the rain was promising.

I ignored the blushing stare she was giving me, and started walking away without a word.

Once I felt that I was at safe distance, I let my knees collapse to the wet cement of the sidewalk, as I felt the rain pour down on me from the heavens. It's freezing out, but my cheeks won't stop burning. My hands feel like the cold hands of a corpse, but my heart is beating louder than ever before. I even think I can feel all the blood I have gather in my cheeks, as the pitter-patter sound of the raindrops was muffled by the loud beating of my heart. What Is this? I let my wet bangs cover my eyes, as I punched the sidewalk with all my might.

"Fuck."

A/N: It's happening!

Sorry for the 6 day wait, but I somewhat think it was worth it. I've been having a shitload of awful exams lately, and the only one I liked was Chemistry. I also went out to tons of parties and have to tutor my friend tomorrow morning! T_T

I really need to go to sleep since I'm going jogging again tomorrow morning and I need to finish my 30 days yoga challenge as well.

So, in case anyone's still reading, I alredy wrote half of this chapter a few days ago, but my awful computer crashed -_-.

Thanks for reading everyone, reviewing would mean a lot to me, since I always publish a few days earlier when I get more reviews.

Thanks again; kisses!

~With Keys, Through Flames. Aye! ~

End Of Chapter 14.