Chapter 4
After School
Hearts thumping, footsteps echoing, I'm suddenly all alone in the hallway with Natsu. He was holding my hand, gently grasping it as we walked through the wide hallway, just the two of us after school.
"Lucy..." he called out and I felt my heart skipped a beat. Feeling my face blush up by the sound of his voice, I replied.
"W-What is it Natsu?"
Suddenly stopping our pace, I looked up and our eyes met, locking in our gazes at one another. Lifting up my left hand, the sound of my heart echoed through my ears. Closing my eyes with not taking this feeling anymore, I anticipated his next move as he moved my hand. Feeling something flat and light on my palm, I opened my eyes.
"W-What is this?" I scrunched up my eyebrows.
"Well you see..." He laughed a bit and scratched the back of his head as he had another idiotic smile on his face. I know he wanted something from me again. "Could you please take those results to the Student Council?"
"Weren't you the one who lost in the contest where the loser will hand this over to the Student Council? Why are you giving it to me?" I folded my arms and gave him a piercing glare.
"Well you see, Erza might be there and when she sees me, she'll start interrogating as if I had done a crime. She's pretty scary." His body shivered as images of Erza kicked in his brain. "So please Lucy. Do me this favour." Pleading with both of his hands, I can't actually say no since he did save my life in the game.
"Fine... I'll bring it so stop whining already." I walked passed him, brushing our shoulders as I held the stacks of paper in my left hand and headed down the hall.
The school was big and it being an escalator type, it has a fairly big campus. The Student Council was still down this long hall and our classroom is at the next floor, complete opposite of this direction. I should have just brought my bag with me when I had the chance.
Exhaling as the non ending walking still continued, I remembered that tonight would be my second time playing Midnight Circus. I'm not excited at all about this game, rather I want to get out of it as much as possible but I can't afford to lose. It's definitely a battle of survival so when I get home, I should definitely rest.
Slightly hitting the wooden door with my fingers, I twisted the knob and pushed the door open, managing only a small crack.
"Excuse me but I'm here to submit class 2-1's results for the survey." I called out as I heard footsteps and voices inside.
"Come in." A sweet womanly voice replied and so I pushed the door open and the person who greeted me had a warm smile on her face. White silver hair flowing down her back with her bangs neatly tied up her forehead, showing her smooth white skin that glowed as the sunset bathed the whole room with an orange colour.
Gently closing the door behind me, I bowed my head and placed the stacks of paper on the wooden table in front of her. Hearing her chuckle, I rose up my head and saw two blue orbs, shining brightly as they gazed at me.
"Would you want to sit down and have some tea first?" Her voice was mellow and soft that I was not used to listening to it, thus making me all jumpy.
"Yes, thank you." I smiled as I sat on the green sofa as she disappeared into the next room, hearing cups clatter.
Getting all cosy from the sofa, I heard footsteps coming from another room, and with another door opening slowly, revealed the Vice President with her scarlet hair flowing freely. Hearing the door clicked, she looked down at me with her dark shining eyes staring at me yet I can't feel any pierce through her glare.
"Have we met before?" she sat down on the chair in front of me, crossing her legs.
"I don't think so. Maybe you just saw me around the campus but we never had really talked." I smiled as I gathered up my saliva and swallowed them all down my throat while recalling the past.
"Is that so... you seem familiar but I don't know your name." She crossed her arms and went in to deep thinking while lowering her head.
"My name's Lucy Heartfilia and I just transferred recently. I'm in class 2-1."
"Oh so a new student, and Lucy huh... well I think I was just mistaken." Rising up her head, she gave me a smile. "I'm Erza Scarlet, class 3-1 and the Student Council Vice President. It's nice to meet you."
Chuckling, I heard footsteps and the other girl was back with a silver tray on her hands filled with three cups and a porcelain teapot.
"Sorry for the wait." She set down the tray and served us each our tea. Gently reaching over to mine, I smelled the relaxing aroma coming from the liquid in my cup.
"So you're name's Lucy. I'm Mirajane Strauss but please do call me Mira. I'm in class 3-1 and the Student Council treasurer and temporarily the secretary also." She happily sipped her cup and before I knew it, a conversation started.
"So Lucy, are Natsu and Gray behaving at class?" Erza swallowed down her throat a small amount of tea.
"Well you could say that." I chuckled a bit trying to get relaxed in this atmosphere, having tea with two girls I barely knew.
"That's good to hear. They always caused a ruckus since Elementary." Hearing those words, I guess the rumours were true that she was here since her Elementary year. I wonder if it's true that she basically lives in the dorm and doesn't go home even if there is a break or a holiday. Well the same goes for the President but being the Student Council can cover that rumour up with the Council's work.
Sipping a bit from my cup, I coughed the tea out as soon as Mira entered the conversation.
"So Lucy, do you have anyone you like?" Wiping my mouth with my wrist, I faced her feeling my face blush up.
"What are you saying Senpai?" she gave me a smile sensing my awkwardness with the topic.
"Please, you could stop with the formalities. Just call us by our names." Mira continued to sip with her tea and with a swallow, another kind of smile appeared on her face. "So do you like Natsu or Gray?"
With another cough, I choked on my own saliva and then began to face her with that matter. This was the first time someone talked about love with me that was concerning me. I can't believe that an upperclassman would be the first to discuss it and most of all we just met.
"What do you mean Mira? How can you say that I like either Natsu or Gray?"
"Oh so that means you do like either one of them or did you have another one?" She raised an eyebrow and had a mischievous smile going up her face.
"What?" I freaked out, not going along her pace. No matter how much I clear it up, she would make it worse and then it really does feel like she's making me spill out who I like.
"Mira, I think you're going too far." Erza looked over at us as she quietly sipped her tea. "She just transferred and the road to love still has a long way."
"You're right Erza, sorry." Mira giggled and then faced back at me with a satisfied smile. "Love still has a long way for you so go and get to know the boys better. And if you're having any troubles about it, you can come for my help. But you have to absolutely tell me if you get a boyfriend."
Pointing her index finger up with a creepy smile, she was scaring me on how serious she was on other's love life. I guess if she became someone's girlfriend, they wouldn't be able to fool and cheat on her. She's pretty sharp.
"Oh by the way Erza..." Mira faced to her side as Erza glanced back. "Is there any progress with you and Jellal?"
I don't know if it was just me but I heard a snapping sound as soon as the name of the president was brought up. I looked over to Erza and she went pale.
"You know he is always happy when you're around and he's always in a good mood if you're beside him." Mira happily called out as Erza stiffened after every word.
"So the rumours about the Student Council President and Vice President going out, is true?" I brought it up as to go with the flow.
"That is a lie. I and Jellal are not going out." Erza tilted her head to the other way, with a blushing pink face.
"You two haven't taken a step out of being friends yet? Well it is Jellal, and it seems that he's always busy. Like now, he isn't here to join our afternoon tea." Mira had a disappointed face about the stillness of their relationship.
Getting caught up with their words, I didn't realize that the sky had already begun to get dark and I still had to rest before the games. After everyone settled down, I thanked for the tea and conversation and headed my way through the door.
"You're always welcome here Lucy." Erza smiled as I waved goodbye while opening the door.
Hearing it shut, I breathed in making my chest expand a bit before releasing an amount of air. Heading my way back to the classrooms, I noticed Natsu waiting for me not too far from the Student Council room, leaning over a wall. Noticing my presence, he smiled while holding on to my school bag.
"You're late. What took you so long anyway?" I walked beside him, heading for the stairs.
"Well you see a lot of things happened." I smiled but it seemed to arouse his curiosity more.
"What things?"
"Mira, Erza, and I had a chat and some tea." Descending slowly down the concrete stairs, we walked out of the building, heading for the gate.
"What did you talk about?" He kept walking by my side, holding my bag.
"Nothing important." I blushed up as thinking about Mira saying stuff with me liking someone made me nervous around Natsu for a bit. "Anyway, isn't your house in the other way?"
"Well there's a game at midnight and I'm protecting you so, it'd be better if we're close to one another so that you can be by my side when it starts." Still walking and saying things without a care, he was the Natsu that I know. Not knowing if he made a girl's heart beat or not, he was the Natsu who sticks with his words.
"So you're staying for dinner?" I smiled feeling my heart tighten a bit.
"Yeah, and while at it, I guess I'll sleep at your place too." He looked out to the distance, still looking like that what he said was just normal enough to a girl.
"Wait, you're sleeping at my room? Then you better get comfy on the sofa or the floor."
"What? You're bed is big enough for two people. Let me sleep on the bed with you."
"What are you saying? You're a guy!" I smacked his head, feeling my face burning up. Seriously, how could he say things like this?
"Ow... that hurts." He moaned but the next thing I knew, he was ruffling my hair with his right hand. "But you've got energy Lucy. So try your best too fight later also." He grinned making my heart beat faster again. Really, he says sweet things without realizing it.
"You don't have to tell me." I continued walking with Natsu by my side, feeling the warmth from his every word.
Really, I still do have a long way to go before love.
-To Be Continued-
A/N: Thanks again for the support! Just thought of this chapter now before starting the game again. Hmmm... I wonder what will happen once the clock strikes twelve. Well anything could happen in this kind of game.
Oh and the reviews made me happy. Good to know the reader's opinion.