Chapter 3: Smiles

I was lying in my bed, staring at the ceiling, Lucy's blinding smile still pictured in my head. It was a memory I did not want to forget any time soon. But then again, what if it was just everyday kindness? People smile at people all the time, whether they're close or not, so what did that smile mean?

It meant a lot to me, but what if it was just "the norm" for her?

I groaned and placed my hands on my face, my thumbs rubbing circles on my temples to soothe the stress headache. I was thinking too much, wasn't I? Just because she smiled at me doesn't mean I should be hearing wedding bells.

...wait a second.

I sat up on my bed and stared at the wall in front of me.

What if she wants to talk to me?

When I found myself grinning like an idiot, I patted my cheeks lightly, mentally scolding myself for my sudden happiness. Stop getting ahead of yourself, I frowned. Probably just common courtesy. I stood up from my bed and stretched, loosening my muscles from their stiffness.

I had only one thing on my mind.

Food.

{~•~•~}

I was sitting in class, snoring away and dreaming about food and Lucy, the only things that bring me happiness, until a book slammed on my desk. I jumped in my seat, glaring at Gildarts as he strolled past, whistling innocently. The class laughed as I grumbled profanities.

I looked around the chuckling students and my eyes landed on my blonde crush, giggling and looking at me with the brightest smile on her face. Subconsciously, I awkwardly smiled back, probably looking like a constipated whale. But I guess I didn't, because she stopped giggling and smiled wholeheartedly at me, a sparkle in her eye that made me gasp inaudibly.

After a few seconds, she turned back to her friends and conversed with them, class resuming as well. Leaving me in a puddle of excitement as my head fell to my desk to conceal my huge grin.

That was the fastest I ever felt my heart beat.

I spent the rest of the class smiling so wide that my cheeks started to hurt. I also felt pretty warm, but I didn't pay much attention to it 'cause I'm usually a higher body temperature than average, courtesy of my very warm-blooded father.

My eyes kept straying to Lucy and I knew I looked like an idiot staring at her so much but I couldn't help it. I feel like a lovesick idiot and honestly, the word love doesn't seem too far from the truth.

I looked back at Gildarts to see him smirking at me slightly. My face grew hot and I looked down at my desk and started drawing random shapes, all the while sneaking even more glances at the blonde beauty.

This is a lot more than a crush.

His heart is lonely, and she has the warmth to bring it out of the darkness.

{~•~•~}

I have no idea what to add or how to fix this chapter

I'm just gonna roll with it lol