www. gofundme com / 2rzg2nnk
donate to save our flooded city

Chapter Four

Player Two

She is definitely one of the best people in the world. But even the best people in the world get a little freaked out every now and then, and I guess that's why she was so weirded out by the fact that I wanted to walk her home so she doesn't end up dripping wet when she gets there. I loved every passing minute spent with her though. So now that I was wide awake at four AM, sitting alone in my bedroom with nothing to do, I decided to call her and thank her for that nice time, when I remembered that I didn't have her phone number. I could probably get it from Erza, but I wanted to be the one to ask Lucy myself.

Speaking of Erza, she was somehow able to convince Lucy into telling her why she didn't some to the party, even though it was a stupid reason. Who writes homework anyways? However, she didn't know who had been asking around though, and I was determined to find out. When I spoke with Erza, she said that she never mentioned my name, so there was nothing to be afraid of. But since I wasn't the only one who was interested in her, I needed to keep my eyes peeled for any intruders that might ruin my already slim chances.

I sighed in desperation, deciding to pay more attention next time, and keep track of the people who are around her. I know that I might sound crazy and all that, but she was the first person I met when I first entered this school. The halls were crowded with students trying to find their names on the notice board and see what class they have, and find their way around the halls and classrooms. I hate it when people don't have time to help me find what I'm looking for, and after having spent half an hour trying to find a teacher or something, I was ready to give up. I knew no one here, and had zero percent chances of running into a friend cause first period had started a while ago and I was the only one who still had no idea where he was supposed to go.

I waited out those long forty-five minutes by just looking around for a lost teacher that might come my way, but I had no such luck. The school is huge and I didn't know where the hell I was supposed to go. The bell signalizing that first period had ended rung, and the halls were overflowing with students once again. I was caught up in the fray, frantically searching for an escape route, when my eyes fell on the blonde girl sitting on a chair right next to me. I wanted to ask her where to go, but she was shorter than me, had this weird scrunched up face because she was staring at some sort of hand-written notes trying to make out the scrambled words, and didn't seem too friendly.

I was about to walk away to find who-knows-what, when those big brown eyes looked up from the papers in her small hands, and locked on mine. I didn't blink, watching her stare at my eyes, not bothering to look me up and down and form an opinion about what she thought I was like. She cocked her head to the side, and her lips formed into a small 'o' shape. "Are you lost?" she asked, and I didn't even get time to answer. "I studied the entire maps of the school grounds so I wouldn't get lost, and so I can be the best since day one." I stared at her in confusion, not sure what to make of that. Either she was really smart, or really stupid. "Do you want some help?" Smart it is, then.

Again, I was cut off before I even opened my mouth, as she shoved the papers in my hands, and walked away in silence. I had to be careful of the passing students who pushed and shoved, not mattering the notes I held on for dear life. I was almost certain they were something stupid, when I noticed that those weren't in fact words, they were drawings of a miniature map of the school grounds. She had every classroom marked with a red pen, and wrote what it was for. I stared in disbelief, watching all the students once again, disappear from my sight.

I got back to the notice board and scanned the names in peace. I found my name after ten minutes of searching, and copied down my class schedule on a blank spot on one of the papers. I walked down the halls, finding my way thanks to that weird girl's maps. I got to the chemistry lab safely, and waited for third period to begin so I could enter. And that was the only time I spoke to her in first year of high school. We were in different classes, and so even when we got rearranged in second year, she was still far away from me. But that didn't stop me from throwing occasional glances her way, watching her eat her fries in the cafeteria, add her on any social media even though she never accepted me because she didn't even log on. So you could imagine my happiness when I saw her in my class in third year.

I almost cried.

And yet again, she was the only one who said hello to me, even though it was obvious she had no idea who I was. But I didn't blame her. She would never remember an unimportant guy like me, and I didn't even expect her to. But that was no reason for me to stop watching her. But after a while, that had become an obsession, occasional glances became outright staring, and I couldn't seem to get her out of my mind. I wanted to beat everyone who did her wrong, kill every guy who ever looked at her, slaughter every male that dared approach her, and just guard her for the rest of my life. That's when I realized that I was falling hard for the cute blondie that helped me find my classroom.

And she'll never even know that.

Feeling my self get sleepy after a while spent just staring at the celling, I opened up the drawer on the bed-side table, and pulled out some yellow papers. I lied back down on the bed, tracing my fingers down the handwritten corridors and classrooms, watching them linger across the cute cursive font she used to write down the classes. Of course I still kept her maps, after all, they were a gift for me. Even though it was the only gift I ever got from her, it was still far more than I could ever hope for.

That was the last thing fading in my mind, before I felt the sleepy light-headedness take over me.

Sunday was always reserved for going out with my crew, and now that they had some info to share with me, I was even more excited to see them. I bid farewell to the maid who was cleaning up the table from today's breakfast, and walked out of the house. Starting my Aston Martin Vanquish Convertible, I slid comfortably into the leather seats, and watched the roof slide down so I could get a clear look around. Girls used to love the fact that I drove a year's amount of their parents' paycheques around, but they lost interest when they saw that I didn't have any interest to begin with. I had enough money to move to Hawaii and live there for the rest of my life, but I wasn't the type of guy to shower girls with gifts from Versace and Tiffany. But if Lucy was my girlfriend… I would buy her anything she wants.

"Hey guys," Gray pulled me out of dreamland, as he sat down on a table in our favorite fast food place. Erza and Jellal were here before us, so they were already eating their burgers. Gray had just waltzed in, and was staring at the menu as if he'd order something different than a cheeseburger like he does every time. Gajeel was not here yet, so we decided to wait for him while eating. Such manners…

I was eager to get the conversation about Lucy flowing, but I didn't want to seem so desperate and ask straight away about what they found out. So, I tried to squeeze it in, "So, anything new with you guys that you'd want to discuss?"

"Nope."

"Not really."

"Nothing in particular."

I almost yelled out in disappointment. Erza was supposed to talk to Lucy to see why she didn't come, and Gray was supposed to ask Juvia who the other guy was. But I guess that was too good to be true, and I shouldn't have had such high hopes in the first place. And that's when I noticed Jellal crack a smile. Before I could ask him what was going on, Erza took the liberty of smacking him on the head with her purse, and all three of them started laughing.

"We're just messing with you, dude!" Gray boomed, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye.

"We had a previous agreement to tease you so we could see how you'd react." Jellal tried sounding composed, but even he was bursting with laughter.

"We have all the info you need," Erza was the next to speak, "But this was just too funny."

"Yeah, glad to be the court jester." I mumbled in fake anger, glad to know that my friends hadn't forgotten about me. My sandwich arrived ages ago, but I was only interested in feeding off the information they were going to provide me with.

"First of all," Erza started, "I went to her house straight away. I asked around, but it seems that she was just too tired and wanted to finish her homework, catch up on some books and things of that matter." She repeated everything she already told me before. I nodded, finding truth in the fact that Lucy always studied and did her homework on time. She just wanted to be the very best. Like no one ever was.

"And," Gray cut off the Pokemon theme song threatening to start playing in my head, "as much as I hated doing it, I actually talked to Juvia about Lucy. She said some pretty interesting stuff." He kept on stalling and keeping me waiting in anticipation as he slowly chewed his burger, "And it seems like you and some Sting guy are the only ones who can't shup up about this Lucy chick or whatever."

I raised my brow in confusion. I didn't have a clue who that guy was. He didn't sound like a threat, but even the slightest trace of competition must be eliminated before they even get a chance to talk to what belongs to me. "Sting, huh? I have no idea who that guy is."

"I know him." Everyone at the table stopped doing whatever they were doing, and turned around to face that grumpy voice that had just interrupted our meal. We smiled in greeting, watching Gajeel sit down on the table, and order a pizza all for himself. "I know that bastard. We had detention together last year. I was in cause I destroyed some benches outside cause I got an F, and he was in for coming to school dead drunk."

We all nodded in anticipation. "Cool guy, girls dig him." Gajeel continued, and I felt my fist clench under the table, "He can get any girl he likes, I'm surprised you haven't heard of him yet. Just broke up with that Yukino chick, hot babe. Dunno why he dumped her, but he did. Probably cos he got tired or something." Erza shook her head in disapproval. "He's the one who did that 'fuck off' graffiti on the back of the school."

"I heard that's why the school installed security cameras," Jellal added.

"Doesn't sound like the guy Lucy would go out with," Erza said, but I had a feeling that she was only trying to reassure me. Jellal mumbled 'yeah', but even he looked like he was doubting it.

"So now what? You're gonna give up?" Gray's voice ended the awkward silence, "Cause that's not the Natsu I know."

He wasn't big on compliments, but this one hit home.

I grinned, taking my first bite out of the now cold burger, "Quitting is not an option." I said, "And now that I have competition, I'm all fired up."

The next morning I was feeling like a complete and utter failure. It was Monday, and I hadn't slept well because of all the thinking I'd done the night before. After I talked with my friends and gathered info on this Sting guy—I now know where he lives, when his birthday is, his zodiac sign—I started thinking that I was being foolish and paranoid. Who the hell was I to get to decide who Lucy hangs out with? I shouldn't be that jerk who just walks around following her and ordering her around like I was her boyfriend – because I most certainly am not. I am just another guy who is in the same class with her, and who isn't even her friend at all.

Come to think of it, I'm kind of creepy.

I just follow her around and know a lot of details about her like some sort of maniac. And even though I'd been up almost all night thinking about how gross and awkward it must be to her, here I was standing in front of her door once again, waiting for her to walk out so I could walk her to school. Damn I'm annoying…

"Hey Lucy!"

"Fuck off."

I smiled to myself, loving the way she gets mad at me first thing in the morning. Her hair was up into a high ponytail, which swayed from side to side in rhythm with her hips. I trailed behind her, happy with the fact that I got to see her today too, because she was just that precious to me. But suddenly, she stopped walking and turned to face me. I stopped as well, watching her study my face.

"You shouldn't walk behind me." She said, and I was again overwhelmed by that nasty feeling of being shunned because I was too clingy. At that moment, her lips curved into an almost invisible smile, but I caught it, "At least walk side-by-side."

If I could express my joy at the moment, I'd run around screaming and implode into the sun, but I decided to do what she asked, and ran up to catch up with her. I was one hundred percent sure that my toothy grin was plastered on my face the whole time, but I didn't care. And even though we were walking in silence, I felt like we had said everything, without uttering a single word.

"Wanna sit with us during lunch?"

"Nah, my friends are waiting for me."

Oh well, it was worth a shot. And even though she turned me down, I was still happy because of what had happened this morning. I basically floated over to my friends' table in the center of the cafeteria, and sat dreamily, while eating my French fries. The othera didn't seem to notice my cheerful behavior, or just didn't want to deal with it, so we didn't mention a single thing about why I was the happiest person in the world at the moment. Gajeel's suspension would be over tomorrow, so we could finally have the group together just like old times.

"Uh Natsu," Gray mumbled, looking at something behind me, "I'm pretty sure that's the dude Gajeel was talking about."

Ignoring the 'don't look right away' Erza whispered, I turned my head to look behind me, where Lucy's table was. And sure enough, some random dude was standing next to it. Lucy was eating with Juvia, and some other smaller blue-haired girl who I didn't know by name, as per usual, but I was pretty sure I hadn't seen that guy before.

He was blonde, just like her, but not nearly as cute. From the way his shirt was stretched over his tan muscles, I could tell he worked out. He was fairly tall, maybe an inch shorter than me, and his expression said 'I will conquer Lucy and make her my own'. Well, it could've said anything else, but that's the way I read into it. How dare he? I felt my fists clench again, and I was sure that this guy wasn't there to make friends. He stood there for a while, talking with the girls, as they giggled and hid behind their hair. He walked off a while after, but I caught Lucy looking at him as he went away. Was she actually interested?!

That couldn't be, could it?

Well after all, he was pretty good looking.

The bell rang, signalizing it was time to leave school grounds, and go to our warm houses where we'd pretend we have no homework and slack off for the rest of the day. I was standing behind a tree, waiting for Lucy to come out so I could follow her home and make sure she's safe. But before I could do so much as locate her in the crowd of students, my eyes fell on the one and only Sting Eucliffe.

That jerk was trying to get his motorcycle out on the street so he could go home, but the hand I placed on his shoulder told him otherwise. He turned around to look at me, but I couldn't see any sort of recognition in his eyes, only confusion. Good, he didn't know who I was.

"I'm Natsu." I introduced myself, watching him become even more surprised, and looking around as if it were some sort of joke. He obviously had no clue what was going on.

"There's something I want to talk to you about." I said, watching him eye me in confusion.

"Do I know you?" He asked, waiting for hi friends to come to his rescue or whatever.

"No," I let go of his shoulder, "There's only one thing you need to know, pal."

He raised a brow, obviously irritated by my attitude. "Oh yeah? And what's that?"

Author's Notes: Oooh, it's getting pretty heated around here!

Thanks for the lovely reviews which inspired me to write this chapter so fast! Don't forget to do it again, lol.

So, as you can see, I decided on Sting being 'the other man' in this story, but that doesn't mean he'll be the most evil person alive! I just wanted to make him seem more badass than he actually is lol

Poor Yukino tho ...

Thanks for reading, you guys! I love you to the moon and back!

~With Keys, Through Flames! Aye!~

P.S. Didn't have time to proofread this chapter so sorry for any grammatical mistakes!