Chapter Four: The Salmon-Haired Boy (Part One)

"I needed to admit to myself that I couldn't be a complete outsider to avoid suspicion." Lucy had been sitting on the stool for a while as she continued revealing the layers to her untold story. "I did everything in my power to blend into the scene, that, I started losing my own individuality. I began to feel less like myself everyday I pretended to be someone else. I was playing a Lucy that I had never thought to be - shy, reserved, and quiet."

The eyes of the audience members dilated after Lucy had said that, and Lucy took notice.

"However, one night, the dynamic changed. I was no longer shy, nor reserved. I was still quiet, but I was able to take my character another step further. I became someone that knew how to fake boldness and confidence. All it took was one party."

Lucy blinked several times, before smiling in admission. "However, I could've never predict the consequences of that."

...

Before she knew it, Lucy was eye-to-eye with the strange pink-haired boy. His features were carved, and the white scarf he had around his neck did a lot to bring out a soft, yet confident personality. Realizing she had been gazing at him for too long, she averted her eyes back to her beer, and to the Smirnoff that was now sitting in front of her.

Lucy placed her hand over her forehead, as confusing thoughts flooded her mind. She didn't know what, but there was something about him that was striking a weird flashback. Did she know him? Had they met before? Lucy furiously tried sorting her memories in order to solve the puzzle, but to no luck. She wanted to look at him again, but was afraid he would find her creepy - almost like a stalker. But she couldn't help it.

She turned her head slowly to the side, trying to be as unnoticeable as possible. She tried to turn her eyes to find the boy again, so her head didn't have to turn the whole way - therefore making it less obvious…

… but he was gone.

Her head went from being half-turned to fully snapped to her side as eyes went wide. She blinked several times to see if her eyes were just playing tricks with her - but no, he was really gone. She stared back at the unopened Smirnoff, and looked at it for a short while. Lucy grabbed the bottle, and left the house bar.

Who was he? Why did he look so familiar? Did she know him? Why did he buy her a drink? Lucy's head kept filling with question after question as she made her way across the crowd of people at the party. The stench of weed, alcohol, and perfume mixed with body odor was reeking throughout the air, but Lucy didn't care.

I'm finding this guy, whether he wants me to or not.

Before Lucy knew it, she was outside of the house. There were a few people outside, and the smell of weed and cigarettes was more evident. But that didn't stop her from spotting the pink mop of hair under the streetlights. He was standing on the sidewalk, smoking a cigarette himself. Lucy ruffled her hair with her free hand, and made her way to the boy.

"Umm, hey."

He turned around, and their eyes met once again. Lucy was able to see him clearer now, even though she still couldn't recognize him. But, he was handsome, and an unique-handsome at that. His odd-coloured hair was a feature that was highlighted, and Lucy found herself drawn to him. However, realizing she was getting distracted, she blinked several times. "I was wondering…" she said to him, as she brought forward the Smirnoff bottle, "... why did you give me this?"

Taking another puff from his cigarette, he smiled, "You looked down - almost as down as me." He threw the cigarette on the ground and stomped on it, destroying its flame. "My name's Natsu, if you care at all."

"I'm Lucy…" she said, as she pushed her blonde locks behind her hair. So, he came to the party, just as sad, annoyed, and exhausted as Lucy, yet they were still here. Natsu fixated his gaze on her eyes, which made Lucy freeze on her tracks. He then reached to his pockets, and took his hands out shortly after.

"Hey, you wanna get out of this shit party and go somewhere decent?"

A smile unexpectedly formed on Lucy's lips, but she quickly retreated after processing his offer. She had just met him, and he was asking her to go on a ride with her. But wait… her uncertainty came to a halt as her face lit up, that's the guy Juvia mentioned… the guy in my Calculus class. Natsu. They shared a class together, and she just saw him now. She kept to herself all school day, never talking to anyone, except her teachers and Juvia. She had been wanting to get out of the party for a while…

"Okay. Where are you taking me?"

'You'll see." Natsu took Lucy's wrist, and pulled her towards a direction. "Come with me."

Natsu had lead Luy to an area of houses where a bunch of cars were parked for the party. There wasn't enough room near the house itself, so the cars were bunched up in a space outside the area. But amongst the cars… was a single black motorbike, which had belonged to Natsu. As the two approached the motorbike, Lucy's eyes widened. "Oh man, that's a sick bike you got there…"

"Thanks." Natsu smirked, as he picked up one of the helmets. "I know this great park we can go to. It's closed after hours, but I can sneak us in there."

It wasn't long after Natsu had noticed the uncertainty on Lucy's face. She clenched the Smirnoff bottle with the hand she was holding it with, and sighed. "Look… I don't know if this is such a good idea anymore…"

She extended her hand, and held the Smirnoff in front of him, expecting him to take it back from her, and they would forget about each other, and she could go back to being the quiet nothing of a person she wanted to keep being. A part of her wanted to go with him, but a part of her wanted to keep a distance since she was starting to slowly become attracted to him. Lucy didn't want to get attached to anyone - especially not now.

Natsu stared at the bottle, and brought his eyes back to her. Lucy didn't reciprocate, as her eyes were glued to the ground. Natsu took the bottle from her hand, looked at it, and threw it across the road, as he and a startled Lucy watched it break apart into pieces with the alcohol spilling all over the road.

"Why would you -"

Before Lucy could say anything further, Natsu pushed her against the door of a car that was parked next to the motorcycle. He had his hands on her hips, and out of nowhere, he crushed his lips onto hers.

Even though Natsu had caught her off by surprise, Lucy had wanted him to do that. Despite wanting to distance herself from him, Lucy had desperately wanted him to do that. With the lust that was running through her arteries, she took her hands and tangled them in his hair as he continued to kiss her. His hands worked up her waist, as his lips worked down her throat and onto her neck. Lucy's toes crawled in her boots as his lips trailed all over her neck, and back to her lips. Somewhere in between, Natsu managed to take off Lucy's jacket right off her shoulders, and tied it around her waist. Lucy placed her hands on his shoulders, as he kept hers firmly on her waist. She wanted to stop, but at the same time, she didn't.

"Are you sure you don't wanna go with me?" Natsu muttered right next to her ear, which sent a chill down Lucy's spine. She froze for a few seconds, as he brought one of his hands up and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"No… I'm not."