Chapter 3

Rumours

The bell rang throughout the school as I dropped my pen on my desk after having continuously tapping it. It was finally lunch time and going to school on a Monday after certain events was pretty tiring.

Recalling back last Friday, I mean Saturday since it happened at midnight, I got dragged into a scary game and the only way out is if I managed to find the forbidden room and defeat three dragons. If that wasn't tiring enough, Natsu crashed at my place for the weekend. No matter how much I push him out, he wouldn't budge so I had to cook for him as well and clean up after the mess he made in my room.

Exhaling a bit as I pushed back my chair and stood up, an arm went around my neck and pulled me hard to the side.

"Hey Lucy, let's eat lunch together!" A cheerful and carefree voice happily called out as everyone else exited.

"Natsu, you didn't have to pull me around the neck. And please don't shout; I'm right here you know." Lifting up the muscular weight on my shoulders, I threw it back and flipped my hair. "Besides, why are you asking me to eat lunch when we rarely talk?"

"That's so mean." He pouted as I raised an eyebrow. "We are classmates and friends you know, so is it weird if I invite you to eat together sometimes?"

"Friends?" I flinched at the word when he said it, plus inviting me to lunch was a first. Guys only invite me to lunch when they want something or if they are my boyfriend, other than that guy friends particularly ask for food but never say that they want to eat with me.

Feeling happy with his words, I agreed to eat with him but...

"Hey Lucy, can you pay for my lunch? I've got no cash on me right now so please... I'll make it up to you I promise." He gave me an idiotic smile as we were in front of the cashier in the canteen.

"You idiot." I handed the lady some money and picked up my tray, having Natsu follow behind me. This was a first, a guy friend inviting me to lunch when actually I had to pay for him. He's sly.

Setting the plastic square down on a table, Natsu sat opposite of me as I pulled my chair. Twirling the silver fork around my pasta, I carefully took it in my mouth as to not get any stains on my uniform or it'll be a pain. Glancing over to him, he chomped down his cheese burger with one bite leaving only half of it.

"Don't tell me you're planning on eating all of those?" I pointed to four big cheese burgers that were stacked on his tray. Even with the size of that burger, his mouth was big enough to take in half of it.

"Yeah... I have a big appetite so I have to eat a lot." Swallowing it down, he took a sip on his drink.

Sighing, I began to twirl my pasta again when I saw someone familiar coming closer to our table.

"Hey Luce. Mind if I sit with you guys?" A tall shadow stopped by us and with a nod, he sat down.

"What's with that ridiculous amount of curry?" Natsu looked over to the other guy's plate.

"What's with that amount of cheese burgers? Aren't you man enough to eat at least ten?" The other one argued back.

"It looks like they're at it again." I sighed as Natsu and Gray bawled beside me. Continuing on eating with my pasta, I decided to ignore them as much as I can.

"Want to go at it Flame brain!"

"Any time popsicle!"

Seriously they just keep getting louder and louder as they were already on top of their seats face to face. Everyone was looking at us, with different kinds of eyes. They attracted too much attention but they were the school's most popular students to fight each other without magic, so I can't be surprised.

"It's the Student Council." Someone called out in the room and immediately, both bickering boys quietly sat down on their seats, stiff.

I looked over to the door and saw a brilliant colour of scarlet, flowing as a tall woman entered with another tall man by her side.

"Who are they?" I looked over to Gray and Natsu who seemed to calm down.

"Oh that's right; you just transferred when school started this year so you don't know them." Natsu looked at me then back to those two people.

"That man is Jellal Fernandes, the Student Council President and beside him is Erza Scarlet, the Vice President also known as Titania. They are both third years." Gray pointed them out as they walked across the room, going to the counter.

"Oh!" My eyes flickered as I remembered something not too long ago. "I heard rumours that the Student Council President and Vice President are going out. Is that true?"

"No way!" They both shouted in unison, after looking disgusted by the news.

"There's no way that Titania is going out with somebody like the President!" Natsu slammed his hands on the table.

"She's a demon I tell you. Her punishments are not even fit for humans!" A drop of cold sweat ran down Gray's face as the Student Council passed by.

Looking at them, they seem pretty compatible from my view. Walking together side by side like that, it wouldn't be a surprise if one of them liked the other. Though I did hear more rumours that the Vice President Erza Scarlet has been living in the school dorms since she was a child and that when the President Jellal Fernandes transferred here during middle school, they seem pretty close. Others assumed that they were childhood friends or others even assumed that they were related, but it's just rumours.

Looking back at the two, they were quietly eating their food until there were no left. Heading to the courtyard since there was still a lot of time, the sweet breeze ran across my face as I closed my eyes. Gray and Natsu seemed to be behaving after seeing the Student Council before but I felt an aura that they were not getting along too well.

"Do you guys even try to find the forbidden room?" I opened one eye as I got their attention, talking about Midnight Circus.

"Yeah, but with everyone going on a rampage like that, it's hard to do it alone." Natsu looked up at the sky, as clouds kept drifting by.

"I have to agree on you with that." Gray leaned on a tree as silence died in on us.

After numerous gusts of cold air passed by, a loud voice cracked the serenity that I was in. Feeling annoyed, I was about to shout when a pat on my back startled me. Looking back, I saw a wide smile overflowing with warmth and happiness.

"How about we form a team to hunt down that forbidden room together? That way we can depend on people our backs and exiting the game would be a lot easier." Natsu looked over at me and Gray with a wide smile.

Arching up our eyebrows, we couldn't believe what Natsu was thinking but he did have a point. Doing it alone was impossible and with a team, clearing up the objective and getting out of the game would be a lot faster. Stepping forward, we were beside Natsu with eager faces.

"It's settled then!" Reaching his hand outward, me and Gray placed ours on top of Natsu's and shouted together. "Alright, let's win this game!"

Laughing happily, I can't help but not notice Gray shirtless. Though he was shirtless, but he did have a great body so there was nothing to hide.

"Oi, you lost your shirt again." Natsu called out as Gray jumped from the sudden cold breeze.

"What the hell? Not again!" He ran rather fast going back to the school building leaving me and Natsu standing there.

"Again?" I was confused when they said "again". Could this have happened numerous times before?

"Well, ever since we were in elementary he would always lose his shirt all of a sudden, not realizing he did. There was a time in middle school when during a morning ceremony; he lost all of his clothes in a split second while he was just standing there. How funny it was when he got dragged by Erza and gave him a beating after he changed. Up until now he still loses his clothes but he secures his pants and underwear very well with stuff sticking to who knows where." Natsu laughed as the memories came rushing back to him.

I didn't know who these people were before and making friends just like this, is kind of refreshing for me. Knowing about their past also seems interesting and getting to know them better, well I just may finally achieve my goal in having a normal school life even for just a bit.

Hearing the first bell rang, it was a signal for the students to start heading back to their class. Taking a step forward all of a sudden, made me lose my balance and thus I headed straight for the cement floor. Closing my eyes as I waited for any impact, I felt a warm muscular built at my back. Gently opening my eyes, I realized that Natsu caught me in time before I fell flat.

My heart beat became faster all of a sudden as I felt his grip on me, it was spreading heat all throughout. I felt a pressure on my chest, it doesn't hurt but it was something odd. I looked down and saw his hands grabbing my breasts. My face turned pink and for sure I was going to punch him after I get back up. Slowly pulling me up, it felt awkward with the movement as his hands were still locked on to my breasts, not letting them go as I stood straight up.

After finally freed from his grip, I held up my right fist but I couldn't afford to punch him after seeing his happy expression. Rather I should be angry with him being happy but it had a hint of innocence in it.

"Looks like me looking after you, is also a job here in the real world." He smiled as he scratched his head. That smile was so innocent and his face that had dabs of pink on it, made me forget about my rage.

I breathed in and then turned my back on him, hiding my bashful expression.

"Thanks for catching me." I muttered slowly, with the urge to glance back.

It took a while before I heard a reply but when I did, it made me feel relieved.

"No problem. Just remember that I'm always here for you Luce!" Even with the urge to look back, I can't afford to or he'll see my red face. Taking a step forward, I decided to head back before him, even just a bit so that I can calm down.

"We better go or we'll be late and get a scolding." I rushed back to the building first, hearing Natsu calling out to wait for him.

It looks like I can't handle dense people especially if they are innocent and if it's Natsu, it looks like I'll be sliding a lot of things by in the near future too. I wonder if he'll ever get a girl friend being that dense.

I smiled as I skipped back to the classroom.

-To be continued-

A/N: So what do you think of the story so far? Just to say um... this will also be involving school life so it won't just focus on the game alone and particularly, this story shall revolve on the lives of the people that were changed due to the game so many things will still be happening.

Review please and thanks for the favourites and follows!