Wow this chapter was a pain in the butt to write! I'm glad I finished it. c':
Incredibly sorry if I disappointed anyone.
I'm going to be publishing a new story that revolves around an online love soon. Can I handle two stories at the same time? Let's hope so.
Enjoy this chapter!
It feels unfamiliar waking up naturally rather than being woken up by an alarm clock or a friend. I yawn as I stretch my hands up to the ceiling.
I tread to the kitchen, sluggishly creating myself a cup of coffee. I sip the warm drink while wrapping myself up in a blanket on the couch. The cold weather is definitely making itself comfortable in Magnolia now.
Before I know it, I'm opening my door for my apartment to leave for the date.
"Hey there," Natsu greets at my door.
I smile at him and I glance at his clothes. His regular clothes compared to his work clothes always look so much better. I'm thankful we're both dressing casual for the date. I was afraid that I was under dressed.
We step down the stairs together and I follow him to wherever we're going. I'm not surprised Natsu doesn't hold onto my hand. There's more people outside so we are putting ourselves at a higher risk at being seen. I'm walking beside him but we have a distance between us. As much as it bothers me, I keep the distance.
In addition to the separation, we don't speak to each other. We sneak little peeks at each other but we don't utter a word. Not even while we're waiting for the train to come. And not when we sit down and watch other passengers get on or off.
The silence makes my mind wander off. Sting floats his way into my thoughts. I feel my heart skip a beat. I need to tell him sometime today.
I turn my head towards Natsu and look at him. He looks straight ahead with a blank expression. I see the edge of a motion sickness patch hiding behind his ear. I try not to laugh out loud.
The train ride is longer than I assumed it was going to be. The silence is killing me. I take a look around the train and there is for sure not one person on here that would recognize us. Just as I'm about to speak, Natsu beats me to it.
"That was terrible," he sighs. He scoots closer to me, reaching for my hand.
"I wish we didn't have to do that," I missed the warmth of his hand.
"We have to, if we didn't we'd be in trouble," he reminds me.
I sigh and look out the window, "Where are we going?"
"The town is called Hargeon," he answers.
I've heard about the place while arriving to Magnolia. As expected, I haven't been there.
I ask more questions about the town but Natsu doesn't answer them. It's as if he wants me to become friends with suspense.
The second Natsu and I exit the train an ocean aroma wafts in my nose.
"Is there an ocean here?" I ask, while looking around the station. It's completely different from the one in Magnolia. It almost has a medieval feel to it, having white stones as the ground. I'm sure the town has a history.
"Good nose," he pokes my nose while pulling me along with him.
I use Natsu as my guide as I gape at all the tall buildings. There aren't streets here like there are in Magnolia. There are only wide pathways of white stone with buildings and little shops on the sides. It's like Natsu and I used a time machine and went back in time.
"This place is beautiful," I say in awe.
"I used to come here a lot," he replies.
Thinking of Natsu as a teenager roaming this place makes my heart flutter. I ache to know how he acted as a teenager.
"Let's go eat something."
We walk in a restaurant and slide into a booth with an almost tacky orange color as the seats. I feel jittery. Am I nervous because this is my first date or because of the situation with Sting that keeps coming into my mind? I side with the date scenario for now.
I order a simple sandwich. I begin to think of how I'm going to tell Natsu about Sting. I don't realize I'm in a trance until I feel a gentle nudge under the table.
"What are you thinking about?" Natsu asks with a straw at the edge of his mouth.
"Nothing," I squeak.
With a confused look he resumes blowing inside his straw into the drink, creating small bubbles. I watch the bubbles pop and return back to liquid. Maybe this silence means I can tell him now?
I open my mouth but my voice doesn't work.
Why can't I say it?
"Here is your food," a waitress places down our plates on the table.
I bite the sandwich and a smile places itself onto my face.
"The food here is great," I say after taking another bite of it.
"I once ate so much food here they gave it to me for free because it was going to cost too much," he chuckles at the memory.
I watch Natsu eat. Each time we eat together, I notice he doesn't eat with his hands. He uses a fork and knife. I can't imagine him stuffing his face with food using a fork and knife.
"The first time I came here was to look for my dad," Natsu starts, looking out at the window. "I haven't told you this, but my dad abandoned me when I was 13."
I stop eating to stare at him. He has a painful past, too.
"What about your mom?" I inquire, wishing that he had something good to look back on.
"Never met her," he states bluntly.
"Well, if it makes you feel better," I attempt to console. "My mom died when I was seven and my dad hates me."
Natsu gives me a side glance, not turning his head away from the window. His lips have a slight curve to it, "That doesn't make me feel better." He reaches over the table and entwines his fingers with mine. "We both have rough pasts, huh," he gives my hand a squeeze.
I look down at our connected hands and nod.
We pay for our food. He pays for the meal and like always, I pay for the dessert.
The time is ticking close to sunset and Natsu tugs me with him. The ocean smell becomes stronger with each step we take. I feel more and more excited because I've only seen the ocean a few times in my life.
We're walking in between so many similar buildings it's a maze. When I look up, all I see is the pink sky. The buildings make the ground covered in shadows. Eventually, we manage to leave the labyrinth of buildings. The walk is completely worth it. The view to the ocean is stunning.
Half of the beach has a system of ports. I didn't think that supplies was still shipped by sea, but this town does it. The other half is filled with sand and open for the public.
"It's too cold to go in the water," Natsu tells me.
I nod in understanding. The breeze blowing by is chillier than usual.
To get to the sand and water there are steps to reach it. There's a nearby ledge by the stairs. Natsu and I sit on the edge, letting our feet dangle in the air.
"The ocean is sparkling," I watch the glittering waves.
He leans back on his hands, "The ocean reminds me of you."
"How so?" I give him a confused look.
"The ocean is pretty on the outside," he looks anywhere and everywhere except at me. "But once you search deep into it, you'll find beauty most people never see."
I lean my head against his shoulder, "Thank you."
A random gust of wind blows past us. Chills rise on my bare arms, I use Natsu's arm as warmth.
"Why are you so warm?" I notice the heat coming from him.
"I have an unnatural body temperature," his shoulder underneath my head rises a little and then falls back down.
"Weird," I state.
Natsu straightens his back it makes me have to lift my head. He begins to remove his scarf around his neck. He looks at me and wraps the scarf around my neck.
"Natsu, your neck—"
"It'll be fine," he assures, fixing the scarf so it's the way he wears it.
The skin at my neck tingles where his finger skimmed over it.
With an uncertain glance I look back the ocean. The simmers have left the water now.
I soak in Natsu's smell. His overall smell is soap but then there's a touch of cologne. On top of those two smells, there's another lingering smell. It must be his own natural scent.
Tell him now.
I turn my head to Natsu and I take a deep breath. This has dragged on long enough now.
"Hey, Natsu," my voice is uneven.
"Yeah, Luce?"
My heart pounds at his nickname for me. Why did he have to use it now?
"So, yesterday at karaoke," I begin. "You know that game I talked about?"
He nods.
"And you know how you asked if anybody got dared to kiss anyone?"
He nods again.
"When I said nobody got dared, I lied. A guy named Sting was dared to kiss someone."
"Who did Sting kiss?" Natsu recognizes the name.
"Me," I breathe out.
Natsu's blank expression pains me more than it should. What expression should I see, anyway?
I look down at my hands in my lap. I don't want to him to see how pathetic I am.
"Lucy," he says with such a somber tone it makes my heart throb. "How would you feel if I told you I kissed another woman?"
"I'd feel angry and hurt," I raise my head and answer without a second thought.
He nods, "Exactly."
"I'm so sorry," my voice cracks.
Natsu's eyes become warmer and a small chuckle leaves his lips. He leans into me and envelops me in a hug that increases my urge to cry. As Natsu is pulling away, I feel a light spark on my cheek. My eyes widen.
"Aren't you mad?" I touch my cheek where he just kissed me.
"Extremely," he replies.
"Why aren't you showing it?" I ask even though I'm contradicting myself.
"Do you want me to show you how uncool I look when I'm angry?" He furrows his eyebrows.
"No," I sigh loudly. "Who knew saying that would be so hard?"
"Yeah," he says distantly.
We don't speak after that for a while. We walk back to the train station and return to Magnolia in silence. The jittery feeling is replaced by an uneasy one. Natsu's silence never fails to make me worried. We are also mute when we're walking home. Each time I steal a glance at him, his eyes are deep in thought. We reach our doors and I break the silence.
"Thanks for lending me this," I unwrap the scarf and neatly hand it to him.
He eyes his scarf and then me. He steps forward and gives me a swift hug. It only lasts a second but the feeling after it makes my heartbeat speed up. In that small second not only had he hugged me but he gave me a small peck on the forehead.
"Night, Luce," he unlocks his door and shuts it. I'm left outside, my feet are nailed to the ground.
I'm a terrible person.
And as school starts again tomorrow, I subconsciously trot back to square one. Entering school brimming with anxiety.