"The cadence of suffering has begun. Every evening at dusk, my heart constricts until night has come."
-Cesare Pavese
"What happened?"
Lucy met Erza's concerned eyes. Would she mock her after? Would she blame her? All of the questions swarmed inside Lucy's head, almost drowning her alive. This was very frustrating. Should she explain everything? Or lie?
"Lisanna was acting so different, and I just knew that everything has to be related to you." Erza confessed.
Lucy has always favored the truth, and she was going to tell the real truth. Whether Erza will hate her or not, this is the best way.
"We had problems, have might be the best word."
"What kind of problems?"
Lucy closed her eyes, pulling back all the tears about to flow. This was it.
"Natsu."
Lucy knew Erza have known Lisanna has liked Natsu since forever. She must know what problems lay behind that word. Lucy likes Natsu, Lisanna likes Natsu, Natsu being oblivious and dense doesn't know, and then conflicts arise.
"I see."
The tears flow. "She threatened me, called me bad things. She humiliated me, embarrassed me and I couldn't do anything. The least I could do was stand up to her, revenge. What was I thinking, right? I was stupid, revenge? I was so dumb!"
Lucy drifted her eyes away from Erza, and she sobbed, warm tears staining her cheeks.
"Sorry Erza, about Lisanna, about Natsu, about everything. Maybe I shouldn't have met Natsu or you or any of you, all I did was just ruin your friendship. I don't want that Erza. I want you and Lisanna to be friends still. Please." Lucy said, her tone pleading with her sobs dissipating.
"The one who taped the paper behind Lisanna, was it… you?"
Lucy wiped her tears away, her expression genuine sadness and guilt. "Yes… I'm sorry."
They stood there in silence for a moment. Lucy knew Erza hated her, she knew Erza might think that she was just a crybaby wanting attention.
What she didn't expect, was to be crashed into a warm hug.
"Everybody makes mistakes. Lisanna, you, Natsu, even me. Everyone does. You don't have to apologize, what's done is done. All you can do now is make things right, Lucy."
Lucy bit her lip as the tears flow again. They just couldn't stop flowing, could they?
"And Lucy, don't ever say you shouldn't have met any of us. You're one of us now. You're our friend. This fight with Lisanna isn't the end. This is the beginning, the beginning of a strong bond, the beginning of everything. Lisanna will remain as our friend; you will remain as our friend. Nobody's leaving anybody, everything will be fixed and I know it."
"Erza, but I'm-"
"No buts."
Erza released Lucy from the hug and stared at her brown eyes, gripping her shoulders.
"Believe in us Lucy! Believe in yourself! Believe in Lisanna! Everything will be fine, I know so!"
Erza's eyes were filled with a fire of determination.
Lucy cried again and they went into another hug. Lucy let all the tears escape until Levy and Cana came back with concern looks.
Everything was fine, Lucy believed. She had real friends.
The school ended with no problems at all. Homeworks weren't given yet and Natsu couldn't feel happier.
The revelation about Lisanna yesterday definitely broke his heart. But it doesn't matter anymore. He knew Lisanna and Lucy will both make things right, and if they don't, then he will.
He brought his motorbike today so he wouldn't need to walk home. Lucy was already home, since he had to stay after for detention.
'Mrs. Bisca and her hate towards me and Gray!'
He had fought with Gray on Mathematics and he had to spend another hour with him for detention, another extra hour for lessons and knowledge.
At least Jellal was there too.
He sat on his favourite bike, having said a reluctant goodbye to Gray and Jellal. He put the key into his bike's ignition and pondered for a moment if he could visit Lisanna and sort things out.
'I should.'
He brought his phone out and texted his mom.
'She's my best friend. I should talk to her.' He thought, smiling at the memories that crossed his mind.
With that decision, he wore his helmet and rode to the road.
He rode for several minutes, knowing the familiar neighbourhood and way. He stopped when the red light came upon his view.
'Lisanna is my best friend, my childhood best friend. I want Luce and Lisanna to be friends. I love Lucy, and I love Lisanna as a sister.' These thoughts swam on Natsu's brain.
'Lisanna and Lucy, huh?' He thought as he sighed.
When the light turned green, he started riding again, about to pass the intersection.
HONK! HONK!
What?
As he turned his head to look at the source of sound, he was suddenly thrown to the air, pain surging through his body. Upon impact to the ground, his body throbbed in agony. His vision was suddenly blurred; he could see his bike on the ground, its shape ruined and broken and a truck just beside it. Something warm and liquid started staining the concrete floor.
What happened?
"Are you okay?! Oh my-"
He welcomed darkness with the pain.
"Wendy! Would you please answer the phone?" Grandine asked from the kitchen.
"Okay!" Wendy answered as she walked into the living room and answer their landline phone attached to the wall, beside the entrance.
Grandine continued making a hot pot of soup. She added many kinds of vegetables into the boiling hot water; meats were added too for the satisfaction of Igneel and Natsu. Igneel was still working and Natsu had just texted her that he would be at Lisanna's for an hour or two. She didn't mind, Lisanna and Natsu needed to sort things out with Lucy.
"Who is it, Wendy?" Grandine asked again
"She wants to speak with you, mom!"
Grandine turned the stove off and wiped her hands onto the cloth near the sink. She headed for the living room and found Wendy handing the phone to her.
Grandine held the phone to her ear.
"Hello?"
"Is this Mrs. Grandine Dragneel? The guardian of Natsu Dragneel?"
Something was wrong. "Yes."
"This is regarding your son." The voice from the other side said
Grandine's stomach churned. She knew something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong.
"What happened?" She breathed out steadily.
"He's-
"Lisanna."
Lisanna raised her head from the television.
"What is it, Mira?"
Mira was biting her lip, tears lightening up her eyes. She was standing near their landline phone. Sadness and guilt plastered on her face.
"Natsu." She broke into tears.
Lisanna stood abruptly; she walked to her sister and hugged her. An uneasy feeling settled in her stomach and she panicked.
"What's wrong, Mira? What's wrong with Natsu?" She asked desperately
Mira couldn't answer.
"Hello?"
"Lucy-san?" The other voice hiccupped. Lucy knew who it was directly.
"Wendy? What's wrong?" Lucy asked, concerned. She was currently typing on her laptop, doing a task the school asked her to do. She was just home half an hour ago and dinner was in a few more minutes.
"Natsu-nii."
"What's wrong, Wendy?" Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Everything felt wrong to Lucy.
What was wrong with Natsu?
"…Natsu-nii was in an accident." Wendy was crying hard.
Lucy froze. Her heart stopped. Her breathing stopped. The world stopped.
"He's in the hospital right now."
And it just shattered.
I am so sorry! I am so sorry for everything!
I know it kinda accelerates too quickly but this is what I had in mind, so please don't hate me! And don't worry, Natsu will survive! I know it! No worries guys! I didn't tell you about any Character Death right?
Review and favourite please! Thank you for continuing reading.
And as you can see, the plot has reached its climax! Be ready to see an ending soon! (IF I update frequently lol). But there will still be a lot of chapters ahead though.
Thank you for all your support all this time! (Relax, Zelora, it's not the end yet OMG!) And for the quotes, I'm going back to just showing the ones I love!
Thank you!