BlackLynx17: Updating before I go to work, I love this story people. It's so cute and funny and just, everyone's hilarious! Thanks for my reviews everyone, don't have much to say so I'm going to quit wasting time and let you read already.

lilpumpkingirl - that's a very good theory you have there and I love that song! Hahaha, maybe Lucy just can't admit she's in love out loud.

shortypinkme - Thank you for that, for some reason I thought of Lucky Charms it's magically delicious.

Ms . KClare - I have a friend who feels the same way as you do. My chapters are usually 4,000 to 5,000 words and to me that's very long and a lot of work to read through.

NatsuxLucy4ever - Lol, I'm glad I didn't make you depressed all day. Thanks for loving my story.

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Mythical Creatures

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Chapter 38

Drawbacks

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It hit me second period. Mr. Michaelis was reading us a story and had said the word, 'drunk', making me remember all my times with Cana. She really was my best friend, the best friend any girl could ask for. She gave me drugs, she told me sex stories and what not to do with a man, she helped me get over the pain and the heartbreak. She, she, I felt my eyes water so I put my head down for the rest of the class.

Nutrition was no better. As soon as we all sat down at the table I handed Natsu my lunchbox, not even caring on how it looked like today, and stared off into the distance. Thinking all about Cana and how...

She confronted me at my Mother's funeral. Even back then when it was raining, she had on a tank top and some camouflage shorts, no umbrella. She spotted me through the crowd and had walked up to me in all my puffy black dress glory. She patted my shoulder, told me some words of wisdom when someone died, which I can't really remember what they were, and took me to her car. She was there when I had my first hit.

"Lucy? Lucy?"

I felt myself being shaken, "yeah?" I asked.

Though Natsu did the shaking, Erza was the one calling me.

"Lucy? Are you alright?" She asked.

I nodded my head.

"Lucy you came home last night and didn't have dinner, or have breakfast this morning either. You haven't eaten anything in days, when was the last time you had something?"

Natsu froze up beside me and pushed my lunchbox back in front of me; there was still some left in it.

"You should have told me, sorry. Eat." Natsu said.

I shook my head and pushed it back towards him, my stomach knotting up at the sight of it.

"My stomach hurts, that's why I haven't been eating." I told everyone.

"Since Monday? Then you need to go to the doctor Lucy, it might be serious." Erza worried.

"I'm fine! I'll eat when I get back home okay? This stuff is all trash and I'm sure I'll just hurl it back up." I explained.

Erza looked warily at me but nodded, "alright. You better."

"Thank you," I sighed then stared off at the distance again.

Cana. What happened between us? What did I do to make you hate me? Just the thought of Cana made my head hurt, the thought of everything made my head hurt actually, why was it? The only things on my mind was of Cana and... and that man. I tried to brush it off, I tried not to worry about him or that dream but... his eyes. If Natsu hadn't have come when he did what would have happened to me? It was clear that man was coming over to me, what would he have done?

"Lucy!"

I hugged myself as I started hyperventilating.

"What is it?!" I asked, pissed off that everyone's attention was on me today.

"Are you hurt? You're crying?" Natsu asked worriedly rubbing his finger across my cheek.

There were tear drops on it, I lifted up my hands and rubbed them away.

"I was just thinking about Cana, I'm fine." I told him.

"Why am I always forced to do things in the most unromantic moments?" Natsu growled out loud.

Unromantic moments? What was he talking about?

"Lucy!" He said sharply, making me flinch.

He dug into his pocket and pulled out two red tickets, the words 'Magnolia High School' written on them with some other words I couldn't really make out because his hands were covering them.

"Lucy, go to the school's dance with me." He said.

... so many questions. I decided to ask the little one's first then build my way up to the challenging ones.

"What school dance?"

"The school dance? That the school's having? They've been hanging posters all around the school about it for weeks now, Jellal is actually in the dancing committee. That school dance." He said.

Oh. Wow, I have not been paying attention lately. My second question.

"What the hell?"

Was he crazy? Did he not realize that Lisanna was sitting right over there, across the table?! And he was asking ME RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER?! Had he forgotten she loved him? And yet asked me to the dance as if to rub it in her face?

Wait a second, he said forced to do things in the most unromantic moments... was Natsu planning on asking me in a romantic moment but didn't, because I was crying right now... Was he trying to cheer me up? Did he think that this would cheer me up? I stared into Natsu's eyes as if he was actually serious at this moment when-

My heart started racing. Natsu's eyes, his eyes that I always stared at every time I saw him, why? Why now did I see something... familiar in them? A pair of eyes popped into the back of my head, those eyes just staring. I jumped up and ran, not walked, to the nearest trash can to throw up. Not that I had anything to throw up, like Erza said I hadn't ate anything since... Sunday. Still, something was coming up, I was just pointing it towards the trash and not my friends.

"Lucy! Oh that's it, I'm taking you to the Nurse!" Erza said coming behind me.

She rubbed my back and handed me a napkin when I finished. Ew, now that was not a pretty sight. My friends were all standing up from the table, getting their things and walking towards me with concerned expressions on their faces.

"There is nothing wrong with me," I tried to reason," let me just! Go to the girl's restroom. That's right, let me go there then I'll feel better." I told Erza.

I started walking off, holding a hand over my mouth, towards the restroom.

"She's convinced she's not sick." I heard Erza say behind me before catching up with me.

Out footsteps echoed, seems like this became a field trip to the restrooms! Oh Goodie! All we needed was a guide and then this really could be a field trip. I pushed the restroom doors opened and walked towards a stall, throwing up again in the toilet.

Alright Lucy, you are not okay. You're not sick either though, I had my suspicions. I was having headaches, stomach aches, not eating and now I was throwing up.

"Lucy?"

I flushed the toilet and walked out of the stall towards the faucets to wash my mouth out.

"Where's everybody?" I asked.

Erza was the only girl who had entered.

"Lucy what's happening? Tell me what's wrong, why are you refusing to go to the Nurse's?" She asked.

I started washing my face after.

"Because I'm not sick."

"Yes you are! Why won't you tell me what's happening? Why are yo-"

"I want to talk to Gazille." I said leaning up.

Water drops dripped off my face and I reached for a paper towel to wipe them off.

"Excuse me?"

I looked at her, "our friends? They're outside right? Send Gazille in and have them watch." I told her.

Erza scoffed at me, her face turning into a disgusting one before she left.

"This is the last time I care about you only to throw it back in my face." She muttered under her breath as she left.

I'm sorry. It's just, Erza you can't help me right now. Only Gazille could. I heard a loud 'WHAT' before some whispers then Gazille finally walked in the girl's restroom.

"Wow," he said looking around, "clean."

I smirked.

"Ah, ah, ah." Gazille said then held a finger to his mouth.

I raised an eyebrow at him as I closed my mouth. Gazille dug in his pocket and pulled out... my phone? He tossed it towards me before pulling out his own phone and turning on all the faucets.

"OH YEAH! OH YEA-" I clicked the silent button as my phone went off.

"Turn it to silent." Gazille said staring at his phone.

I did then read the text.

'Snuck it out of your bag on the way here, thought you might wanted to talk to me and knowing them, they're probably eavesdropping on us right now.'

I blinked. Smart. Then replied back.

'Is it the drugs then? The coke?'

Gazille started texting on his phone.

'How long as it been since you last had them?'

I pursed my lips and thought about it.

'It's been days.'

'It's the drug alright. You're body has become addicted to them, this is the side effect when you aren't taking it. The same thing happened to me when I tried to quit on my own.'

I gasped. Addicted to them? But, but, it's only been a few month- alright that sounded bad.

'I'm not trying to quit, I just haven't felt the need to use them.'

'Either way you're not taking them anymore, your body is freaking out as a result. Do you have any left?'

My heart clenched.

'Yeah, but Cana cut me off. I don't know why, she just doesn't want to speak to me anymore! I probably have enough to last me three days, do you have any?'

It took Gazille a while to reply back. His eyebrows furrowed and he bit his lips as he seemed to glare at his phone.

'No, in rehab remember? I haven't talk to her or Bacchus in that matter for a while either.

So Gazille too huh?

'How's rehab?'

Gazille snorted.

'Exactly how'd you expect, a bunch of crack addicts and druggies all huddled up in one room begging for drugs and help... alright.'

I giggled and shook my head, this was serious Lucy.

'What's going to happened to me?'

'You need rehab Lucy.'

'No!'

'That or another supplier but if you do that I'm going to tell everyone about your addiction, $20,000 or not. It's only going to get worse if you do nothing about it. Use what you have left until you make up your mind.'

I growled and glared at the text, exiting to erase all my messages.

'What are you scared of?' He texted me.

'Erase all your texts, we're done.' I sent back then erased my texts, again. I shoved past Gazille and left the bathroom in a pissed off mood. Fucking go to rehab Lucy, fucking take what you have left Lucy, gay ass I'm going to tell everyone if you go to another supplier Lucy. Who the fuck does he think he is?!

What are you scared off?

Nothing!

"Lucy!? Lucy hold it!" Erza yelled.

"Fuck off Erza, I don't want to talk to anyone right now!"

But if fists could talk, I'd like to talk to Gazille right away. I felt my shoulder getting pulled back only to meet Erza.

"What is going on with you? Why aren't you talking to me?!" She asked, no, begged.

"I really don't want to talk to anyone right now Erza, leave me the fuck alone. Or else." I said then slapped her hand away.

"Why aren't you telling me anything?!"

"Fine! You want me to talk?! Alright then! I find you fucking annoying! I don't need you! I find it pitiful that I'm your cousin, I'm ashamed to be even related to you let alone living with you! I hate that fucked up house, I hate your fucked up parents! Why did you think I never replied to your letters, or your phone calls, or ever visited you when we were younger?! Because you were below me Erza! God I don't even like you, Jellal doesn't even like you! That's why he rejected you! Because you're too high strung! Not that I would blame him, I'd do the same if I was in his position!"

... what just happened right there? I-.. I-... everyone just heard that. Our friends all stared at me, hurt that I would say such a thing, Erza stared at me... still. I didn't, I don't... I shook my head and turned around, walking off again. Only this time, I found it harder too. The walls were spinning and I was starting to get dizzy. My feet became trippy and I felt something, hard. Was I even moving?

"Lucy? Lucy! LUCY!"

Everything got black except those eyes, they just continued to stare.

"Alright Ms. Heartfilia from what I've learned you'rr hungry, dehydrated, having headaches and has passed out recently. Were you drinking last night?" Nurse Strauss asked me.

I was only knocked out for a few minutes, enough time for Natsu to carry me to the Nurse's office and then around 5 more minutes or what she's told me. The moment I woke up she stuck a thermometer in my mouth, it was still in there. She took it out and I answered.

"No."

"You have a slight temperature, but nothing that should cause passing out. The only reason I suggested a hangover is because of your symptoms. People often get headaches and faint during hangovers, rest is the best medicine for them. That doesn't explain the hunger though. I could narrow it down but the school isn't allowed to take blood samples without your or your parents permission which you refused too." She said.

I nodded. If she drew my blood then she would see that I wouldn't pass the drug test.

"Your body is physically healthy as far as I can tell, this troubles me. I think it's just a cold, they have been known for causing hunger. I just think your throat hurts too much and that's why you aren't eating properly. I'm calling your parents-"

"Aunt and Uncle." I interrupted.

"Aunt and Uncle to tell them about your condition, hopefully they'll take you to see a professional doctor. Until then please wait here and tell your friends to go back to class. The stubborn bunch just won't leave," Ms. Nurse said pulling back the curtains.

True to her words, all my friends, Slobs and some Girls, were waiting there. Even Erza.

"She's alright now so go to class!" Nurse Strauss yelled before walking pass them.

"Thanks Sis." Lisanna said.

"No worries, it's my job."

"Wendy and Levy wanted to stay, but we sent them to class." Juvia said.

I nodded, "and what? Everyone else just wanted to ditch?" I giggled.

The Slobs all sighed in relief and laughed with me. I guess to them if I was joking around then I was healthy. Erza stood alone in a corner, her arms crossed over her chest, staring away from me.

"Erza, did you hear? I'm not sick." I told her.

And just as if Erza had read my mind, she walked over to me and slapped me across the face.

"Not even a slight fever, there's nothing wrong." I said.

She slapped me again, against the other cheek. I think two was enough for her because she turned around and walked out the Nurse's office. Lisanna glanced at me before going after her. I waited to hear the door close before I reacted.

"OW! That hurt!" I yelled rubbing my cheeks.

Damn, that girl can slap!

"Painful." I mumbled then stared at Jellal.

He had his eyes wide opened, as well as every other Slob.

"She should have slapped you too, damn that hurt. I've never been slapped before." I said poking my cheeks.

They stung.

"They why did you let her do it?" Gazille asked.

"She was pissed, if Erza told me off I'd want to slap her... I didn't mean to though. I was caught up with my emotions, I... didn't mean any of it." I mumbled holding my hands.

"Then why didn't you tell her that instead of saying, 'I'm not sick?'" Gazille asked.

"Because she was pissed and wouldn't believe me. I'll tell her it later when she cools off and apologize but damn. Never thought a woman could hit that hard before. My cheeks just went numb. Are they swelling?" I asked.

Natsu walked away and came back later with a wet rag, he placed it against my cheeks.

"You won't." He said.

"Thank goodness, Sting looked horrible with his swollen cheek." I said.

The Slobs all chuckled. Right now I noticed, Juvia looked out of place. She didn't know the Slobs like I did, didn't know the secrets or was dating one even though she wanted too.

"Um Juvia, thanks for being here." I said.

She looked at me and smiled, "I'm glad your alright Lucy. I was worried."

I stuck my tongue out, "sorry. Feel free to go back to class, I'm pretty sure my Aunt is going to worry way too much and pull me out of school."

Juvia walked up to me for a hug, "hope you get better real soon."

And she really meant that too. I hugged her back, "try to convince Erza to go easy on me and that I'm sorry?" I whispered.

I felt her nod against my shoulder and I let her go. Juvia waved a good bye then left the Nurse's office. I held the wet rag to my other cheek now and leaned back.

"Damn. So this is how it feels to get slapped. So guys what looked worse? I'm sure you've all seen Natsu get slapped around by woman before, what was those compared to mine?" I asked.

"You'd be surprised, Gray and Loke are actually the ones who get slapped the most." Natsu laughed.

My eyes widened, "no way."

"Girls really know your using them when you don't kiss them." Gray told me, touching his own cheek.

"And my 'girlfriends'," I nodded at the gentleman word he used, "don't like finding out they've been cheated on."

"I'm honest to my girls, they all weren't a one guy one girl type of girls." Natsu bragged.

I pulled his cheek.

"That's nothing to be saying out loud in front of your girlfriend." I glared.

"Sworry wove."

I released his cheek and sighed out, looking out the window.

"So... you had something to ask me didn't you?"

I wasn't looking at him, but I could see his reflection in the window. His eyes widened before he smiled and dug in his pockets.

"That's right! The school's dance! Do you want to go with me? I got tickets?" Natsu asked.

I giggled, he was waving them in the reflection. I finally turned back around to see his goofy face.

"When is it?"

"The dance's this Friday night at 8:00. It goes through midnight." Natsu sang the last part.

I took the tickets out his hands and stared at them.

"Didn't take a Slob to be big at school dances." I said.

"We aren't, Sting was going to ask you through so Natsu had to ask you first." Jellal confessed.

Sting... he was always looking out for me. He was always trying to make Natsu more romantic and take things to the next level, not the sexual level though. I think I might be in love with him, who am I kidding. I love Sting, I needed to send him a text thanking him for kicking Natsu off his lazy ass.

"Jellal! That's not true!"

"It isn't?" I asked Natsu.

"Well... sort of but I did want to go to a dance with you! Just not a school one... more like a night club kind of one." Natsu confessed.

"Oh, and here I was actually wanting to go to a school dance with you. I guess I'll go with Sting then and we can plan this 'night club' dance a later time." I said.

"No! I want to go to the school dance! I want to!" Natsu whined.

"Did you see how she manipulated him like that?" Gray whispered.

"Amazing, makes me think how far she can go into making Natsu do stuff." Loke whispered back.

"Lucy? Lucy. You believe me right?" Natsu asked.

Huh? I wasn't paying attention.

"Yeah, so I guess we're going to the school's dance! What was that about Jellal being on the dance committee or something you said before?" I asked.

"Oh, our little Jellal over here is the school's DJ-ist." Loke said hugging him.

I snorted and burst out in laughter.

"First at Starbucks and now a DJ? What's next?! A painter?" I laughed.

"Close, he's actual-"

Jellal punched Loke in the mouth, silencing him. Now I know what to question Jellal about next J Jang meeting.

"Um guys, can I talk to Lucy privately for a second?" Natsu asked turning around.

The Slobs all looked at each other then took a step back, closing the curtains. What the? I don't think that's what Nats-

"Lucy, I need to ask you something."

What the fuck? Natsu, they didn't really leave! They're just, whatever. I give up on Natsu, he's just clueless.

"What did you discuss with Gazille about in the bathroom?" He asked.

I saw the curtains move. I placed the tickets gently down on my knee and smoothed them out.

"Why did Loke pick me up from school this morning?"

"He did wh-"

"Don't play dumb, you weren't surprised in the least when you saw us walking together up to you. What are you keeping from me?" I asked him.

The curtains moved a lot more now, followed by whispers.

"Lucy, will you keep it quiet back there guys!" Natsu yelled.

The moving and whispers stopped, I rolled my eyes.

"Lucy," he started again.

Natsu's eyes changed. They were amusing anymore, they looked... scared. And worried. But why would they look that way? I mean... I just realized two puzzle pieces that went together. Natsu and Cana, hold on make it three. Natsu, Cana, and that man. When I told Natsu about him, he hugged me, and told me not to go out alone. Minutes later after the man had left, Cana called me and told me the same thing. The pieces fit, the two of them knew him.

"You know that man!" I interrupted him.

"At the park, you know him." I repeated.

Natsu's eyes widened, he tried shaking his head but the curtains opened wide at that moment.

"Ms. Scarlet is coming to pick you up right away, now Natsu, Gazille, Gray, Jellal and Loke. You may all know me by my first name, you may all be friends with my sister and have been over our house plenty of times but I am a Nurse first and a friend second. GET TO CLASS!" She screamed.

The Slobs all ran out, bumping into each other except for Natsu. He leaned down and kissed me, "don't worry about it. I'll protect you," he said before leaving.

What did he mean? Protect me? From what?