Hello everyone!
First of all, I want to thank you all a lot for the first feedback on this story, I'm really excited to continue!
Keep in mind I'm a pretty slow writer (I update once or twice per month) but I will never leave a story unfinished!
I hope you will like this chapter as well :) Thank you, CJ for proofreading!
Lucy was starting to regret leaving early. She had been standing in front of the closed door for ten minutes now. Luckily the sun had started to shine through, otherwise, she would be shivering in the early morning mist.
It had been a few days since she and Cana went to the Fairy Tail community home. They planned to go again, but Cana had a job interview today. They could have chosen another date, but Lucy had insisted on going by herself. She could use some distraction before going to work. Any fun was welcome to contrast the hectic, underpaid work she did and she had to admit she hadn't invested in any friendships after she and Cana got the crazy idea to buy an apartment.
''Looks like we got ourselves another early bird.'' She heard someone say behind her.
Lucy turned around, only to find herself in the company of someone she had met before. Someone she had actually hoped to see today.
"Oh hey!" she replied, a little surprised he, out of all people, showed up early.
''Didn't you take part in the talking group a few days ago?'' he asked.
''Yes, I did,'' she said. Her heart made a little jump in her chest. He remembered.
''Lou... Louise, it was?'' He let his hand comb through his pastel-pink hair at the back of his head as if it would help to retrieve a memory. ''your name?''
"It's Lucy," she said disheartened. How many times had she unwillingly thought of his name? And he didn't even know hers?
"Ah yes, I'm not that good with names. Or faces. Or remembering things at all actually." He admitted.
''You're Natsu, the reptile guy, right?''
''That's what I'm known for now?'' he sighed, ''I had hoped I got a cooler nickname, like Pyro or something.''
She chuckled. ''I'm afraid what my nickname in the group might be.''
''At least not Bookworm, that's Levy's already.''
She rolled her eyes. ''Well, I'm not that much of a fanatic, it was just part of my study.''
''Oh?'' Natsu said surprised, ''but your friend told me you're already half-way writing your own book!''
Lucy felt her blood rush to her face and couldn't even tell if it was anger or embarrassment. Or both.
''She did?! I can't believe her!'' She balled her fists. ''She will pay for this!''
"Is he bothering you?" a stern voice sounded. They both looked aside. A tall woman with scarlet red hair had joined them. "if he is, I'll beat him up right here right now."
"N-no, not at a-all," Lucy said, shaken up by the woman's sudden presence, ''I was just upset.''
The woman eyed Natsu, who nodded frantically. ''Then it's okay,'' she said. She reached out her hand to Lucy.
''I'm Erza, nice to meet you.''
Lucy hesitantly shook her hand and received a grip as firm as she imagined.
''I'm Lucy, nice to meet you too.''
''Lucy, hm?'' she said, ''you seem familiair, but it must be my imagination.''
Lucy couldn't remember the last time she had had this much fun. She had totally forgotten the reason she came here today. They had started the day with self-defense lessons, in which she was paired up with Gray. She must have apologised a thousand times after accidentally hitting his nose. Next up was origami-folding, in which she cut her finger. Natsu had almost fainted upon the sight and Mira had run to get the first-aid kit.
She had been discussing books with Levy for what seemed like an eternity. By sheer coincidence she happened to gaze over at the clock and gasped. 11 am. She was going to be late for work.
''Shit, I have to go,'' she hastily said as she grabbed her back and coat, ''it has been so much fun, Levy, please come over to my place and I'll show you my books!''
Levy laughed. ''Are you sure it can match my library?''
Lucy's jaw dropped. ''Library?''
''Cana!'' Mirajane let out in surprise, ''what brings you here today?''
Lucy turned around as if she had been stung.
''I wanted to talk about my problem,'' Cana said as she nonchalantly picked up a chair and placed it with the back to the inner side of the circle. She took place as if it was a saddle and let her arms rest over the back.
Lucy gave her a suspicious look. This wasn't like her. Cana never talked about her problems, it's what she dragged her to this place in the first place.
''Oy, Luce! You better hurry up!'' she yelled from across the room.
''I know!'' she yelled back before waving everyone goodbye and ran out the door.
''How's work been?'' Cana said when she heard their front door open.
''Shit, as usual,'' Lucy said as she threw her bag and coat into a corner, ''I can't believe how rude customers can-''
She stopped mid-sentence and glanced over to her friend, narrowing her eyes.
''It reeks after aftershave here,'' she said, her nose crinkling as if she had opened a sewer.
''I can explain,'' Cana said as she put her beer down and let out a massive burp.
''Oh Cana, please don't tell me.. the job interview?!''
''Oh, no no no no,'' She quickly defended herself. ''I know what you might think but never I would sink that low to get a job.''
She took a deep breath.''I went home with one of the dudes of the support group.''
''That isn't any better!'' Lucy let out.
''We only made out, I swear! His name is Loke, he joined the group today after me.''
Lucy paced up and down the room. ''Cana I can't believe you, I thought we swore not to get involved with things like this!''
''Hey, I'm the one who has at least done some research today.''
''Oh that's great to hear,'' Lucy said sarcastically, ''that you've screwed someone of the support group in the name of science.''
''Loke had the pigmentation spot too,'' she calmly said. ''he had one bigger than yours and it was on his back.''
Lucy fell silent. ''No way,'' she whispered.
''And I have found out something else,'' Cana said as she picked up her laptop and opened it in front of her, ''I have been googling for hours, but it just isn't there.''
''What isn't?''
She typed something. ''The community home. It's unfindable online.''
''It's hundreds of years old and not very well know, maybe it just doesn't have a website.''
Cana turned around the laptop for her friend to see. ''It's not on Google Maps either.''
''That has to be a glitch,'' Lucy said and sat down next to Cana, ''switch to Streetview.''
The two buildings next to it were visible on the fisheye view of the street, but there was nothing in between.
Lucy just stared at the screen with wide-open eyes in silence.
Cana grinned upon seeing her reaction. ''I think you might be more inspired to write that book of yours, this is creepy as hell.''
Suddenly something dawned on Lucy. ''You never went to that interview, did you?''
She picked up her bottle again and gulped the last of it down before tossing it away. She burst out in laughter. ''You know me so well.''