Yay! I'm back! Been busy with work that I didn't have time to post.. so sorry guys! But I hope you like this chapter!
Lucy and Leo sat on the sand just a few steps away from the beach. Leo bought her clothes and beer! He's silent though, not the usual upbeat Leo when they're together. "I thought I'm the one who's supposed to be gloomy right now, not you… are you okay?" she asked.
He looked at her friend with a weak smile then pulled her for a tight hug. "How can I be okay knowing that my favorite person is hurting so badly?" he tapped her head and then she broke down. "Sorry, I couldn't be here earlier."
She cried for a little while and Leo didn't let go of her. "Are you okay now?" he asked since he noticed Lucy stopped from crying. When he peeked at his favorite persons face, she's sleeping. He just smiled and continued to hold her.
A few minutes later, Lucy shivered because of the cold breeze. "You look so tired love. Good nap?"
She smiled and nodded. She felt safe and at ease in her friends arm that she didn't realize that she feel asleep for a few minutes. She's tired of crying..
"You were asking earlier how I knew that you're here… well, I received a call from none other than Natsu Dragneel."
Lucy looked at him confused.
"Don't give me that look love, I was shocked too. Who would've thought that my number 1 bachelor will ring me up?!" he said playfully. "He told me what happened and I guess you told him before that I'm your best friend that's why he reached out to me. I still want to punch his handsome face for what he did to you but… he sounded desperate and sincere dear."
Lucy was listening to every word that her friend is saying but she doesn't know how to respond.
"Well... that answers your question." He reached for the beer beside Lucy and drank it. "He also sounded tired…" it was supposed to be just on his thoughts but he said it loudly.
Lucy glared at him. "Why do I feel like you want to comfort him more than me?!"
Leo laughed at her reaction and offered her beer. She did not decline.
"You know I love you right? I'm just telling you my observations… besides, what he did is not easy especially for someone like him who don't really have to bow to anyone."
"What do you mean?"
"Admitting his mistake, calling the person he'd been jealous before to ask for a favor… that's not an easy task love." He said in a serious tone. "Dragneel is Dragneel. I mean, in reality, why does he need to explain himself to me? Actually, not just me, but to everyone? I watched his announcement yesterday and he basically did a public apology to you and he told the world that you exist..."
"Then does that change the fact that he intentionally kissed his first love?" she asked plainly.
"Nope, you know that what's done is done."
"So, should I just forgive him then because of his announcement and as you said public apology?"
"That's entirely up to you love. Can you forgive him with just that?"
"No."
"Then don't."
"You know, sometimes you don't really make sense."
"Really? Like now?" Leo laughed "Well, you don't have to forgive him now, I mean make him suffer a bit more. But not too much ayt? I don't want my favorite bachelor to suffer…"
Lucy pinched his cheeks. "You're so biased just because he has abs and everything, you already sided with him instead of me!"
"Not just abs love, you know that thing in between…" he joked.
Lucy laughed but it did not last long. "I'm not sure anymore if I still want to continue our play house…"
"I thought it wasn't just a "play house" for you?" he asked with one eyebrow raised.
"It wasn't but he just played me love…" she looked at sky and tears started falling again.
"People make mistakes… that's one thing that makes us human Lucy." He used his hands as support his body and leaned back to look at the same sky his friend is looking at.
"Then what should I do Leo…"
He looked at her with caring eyes.
"Oh my.. You love him that much huh?" No response from her. "You don't have to force yourself to decide now Lucy. Take your time…"
"Hmm.." was the only response from her.
The mood was so gloomy and he was there to offer Lucy his shoulder to cry on but at the same time, he was also there to cheer her up so he decided to change the topic.
"So… Sting Eucliffe? How did you met him?"
Lucy who's already in tears, slouched more and looked at the opposite direction of where Leo was.
"Lucy Heartfilia, committing adultery is not the answer to your problems right now…" he joked.
Lucy looked at him with dreadful eyes but her lips are still sealed.
"Huh. You already have the king love.." he was cut off when Lucy spoke agitatedly.
"And he has another queen." She's still slouching but the bitterness in her voice is so clear.
"So.. who's Sting?" Leo decided to ignore her remarks.
"Ugh. You're annoying love." She said then she sat up straight and began telling her friend how he met Sting and how she accused him of something that he's not. Remembering the details makes her feel really embarrassed but she knew Leo won't drop the topic so she gave up and told him everything from last night until the earlier conversation with Sting.
After a few minutes, Leo was already laying on the sand laughing hard. "You're really something Lucy." He sat back up and continued "but I'm glad you met him."
Lucy looked at him questioningly. "I saw how you smile and laugh with him earlier and even now, just talking about him makes you smile."
"Well.. he's really funny and I find him as a breath of fresh air…" she explained "I've never had a good laugh like that with Natsu, you know…"
"You like him?"
"That's out of the question love. I won't be sulking here right now if that's the case." She playing with the empty can in her hand.
"I don't think Natsu is the kind of person who can joke around continuously you know."
"Hmm.. he can with his friends…" Lucy looked at Leo while biting her lips, forcing herself not to cry. "Now, I just realized.. I'm not even his friend huh? So he can't laugh like that with me…"
Geez I was trying to change the topic but it's useless. Leo thought to himself.
The days flew by so fast. Leo stayed with her for a couple of days but had to go back home because of his business. She stayed for a few more days before going back to the city. Her stay there was not all gloomy and sad and that is thanks to Sting. They became sort of good friends to the point that they even exchanged numbers. She's still not okay but she can't live like this forever she mustered all the courage that she can to go back and stay at her parents' house. They knew about the incident but they kept quiet. Her mom though approached her and told her that whatever her decision may be, they'll support her. If she wanted to file a divorce then, so be it.
It's been 12 days now since the incident and Lucy kept herself busy in the hospital that she rarely goes home. She's been working non stop so Jellal forced her to go home and rest. She can't really win an argument with him so she just did what she was asked and left the hospital.
The sun was up when she went out of the hospital. Even if she didn't want to admit it, she's dead tired but laying on her bed is more of a torture to her since she'll constantly remember and think about how her husband betrayed her. She's not sure of what to do on her free time so she ended up just going home. Upon arriving, she was welcome with silence. As usual her parents are not home, and when she about to walk up to her room, one of the maids who's holding a small box approached her.
"Ms. Lucy, I found this on the bag that you threw when you went home from your trip…"
The box looked familiar but her brain is not really working well right now so she just grabbed the box and thanked the lady.
Just as she entered her room, she remembered what's inside the box. It was the phone from the villa.
She sat on her bed and opened it. As expected, the battery is dead so she charged it and went for a long bath. An hour later, she was sitting on her bed again and she started using the phone. It has 11 voicemails. She checked the date and it looks like there's one voicemail per day since her first day at the villa.
She was arguing with herself if she'll listen to them or just flush the phone in the toilet but as she was deciding, she accidentally hit play for one of the voicemails.
"Hi Luce.. today is the third day that I haven't spoken with you. I know you won't be answering my calls and I totally understand that. But I hope you'll at least listen to my voicemails. Everyday, I feel like I need to tell you what I did the whole day just to assure you that I'm not doing anything stupid here like kissing another woman." There was a pause and she heard him laugh softly. "I really am an idiot leaving you alone after what happened…" she heard him sigh before continuing. "Anyway, today is just like yesterday.. never ending meetings, signing of documents, and.. I miss you, Luce…"
End of voicemail.
She was stunned and her heart is aching and beating fast at the same time. She also became curious on the other voicemails so she played it starting from day 1.
Day 1 voicemail (First day at the villa)
"Wife.. Luce.. You don't have to answer the phone every time that I call.. I just need you to listen to me. Please… I've been making you cry and I know it would be hard for you to believe anything that I say but I'm still taking my chances that you'll at least listen to my voicemails. I miss you Luce and if it is up to me, I wouldn't left you alone after what happened but I don't really have the right to stay near you.. After all, it's my stupidity that caused this situation. I want to be with you so badly.. If you tell me now to go home, I will…" there was a long pause. "But know Luce that whatever you decision is, I won't complain… if you decided to end this marriage, then I'll sign the papers. But it doesn't mean that I'm okay with it. I don't really want to lose you Luce… tell me.. how can I make things right?"
Day 2 voicemail.
"How are you Luce? Did you meet Leo? I hope he was able to cheer you up even for just a bit. I miss your smile and your smart mouth wife. I'm so tired… I miss my old phone… all your pictures are on that phone and now I can't even stare at your photos because I don't have one. I just realized how crappy of a husband I am. I'm sorry Luce… I'm sorry if I've been afraid of…" then he sigh "Forget about that.. I'm just really sorry… and I guess I'll just tell you how my day went today. It was a lot of meeting, reviewing of documents and a lot of missing you wife…"
She continued listening to the voicemail until the 9th one. It's like a daily report of Natsu to her, though it was mostly meeting and paper works, the last part of his voicemails became her favorite. The part where he says that he misses her a lot. She was smiling and but there's also tears. Her heart feels like it's gonna explode. He also sometimes comments on the things that she did that day. It's like someone is also reporting to him about her daily life. "Well, I should've expected that someone is watching me and reporting my life to him every single day…" she thought.
She started playing the 10th voicemail.
"Luce, I'm tired.. I wanna hear your voice wife. I want to see you. It's been 10 days now but I know that, that 10 days is still not enough to heal the pain that I've caused you… Because I am missing you so much, I've decided to open your gift for my birthday.. I've been so scared to open it because I knew already that it's gonna be precious and I don't deserve it… Wife, thank you but when I saw it, it hit me hard that I don't really deserve it. I'm reminded of how foolish my actions were and how much you mean to me… Luce, on your letter… I just wanna ask… Do you still feel the same.. do you still want to take care of me wife until my pretty pink hair turns white?"
The voicemail ended and she's biting her lips hard. "I do Natsu but how can I do it if you still love her?" she thought.