So this is The Princess and The Player. I want you to like it...not sure if you will or not. The next update is not determined for a set date, (if I do update, that is), but I hope you enjoy what I've done. :)

~Lucy~

"You worry too much, Luce," Gray said as he slipped his feet into his boots. He looked up at me from where he sat and I frowned in return.

"I'm not worrying," I replied. He stood up. When did he get so much taller than me? It made me frown again.

"Yes, you most definitely are. You've worried ever since we were kids," he said, smiling. He put a hand on my head and I huffed indignantly, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Fine, I'm worrying. But, who wouldn't worry about—" Gray had given me the look that always made me shut up. His eyes narrowed and his lips narrowed into a thin line. Stop talking, Lucy, is what it meant.

He sighed and shook his head, "She isn't going to leave you just because she got a boyfriend." My face flushed. Is that what I was worried about?

"I'm just worried about her? What if he dumps her? What if he breaks her heart?" I 's bad. I was speaking in questions; my self-doubt was beginning to show.

Gray put his hands on either of my shoulders and looked me in the eye. I froze. He always knew what I was thinking, always had. What was I doing trying to deceive him? Or maybe I was just trying to deceive myself…

"Do you trust Levy?" Gray asked me. I blinked. I nodded. "Then don't worry. She can take care of herself. She's not a kid, despite how short she is." I giggled. He smiled and nodded, "You look a lot better when you're smiling."

"But he does look like a ruffian," I said, tapping my lips.

"An especially dangerous ruffian is more accurate," Gray said, "But who knows? He could be a good guy. Don't judge a book—"

"By its cover!" I said and then grabbed my shoes.

"Why do you always do that?" he demanded, crouching beside me as I tugged on my shoes.

"Because I think—"

"It's fun finishing my sentences!" he shot back. I stood and elbowed him in the arm.

"Somehow I knew you were going to do that," I mumbled, yanking my door open.

"Being together for seventeen years tends to have that effect," Gray pointed out.

"Last time I checked, I didn't have any telepathic tendencies," I drawled as Gray shut the door behind us.

"That would be awesome, though," he said. I could practically see sparkles emanating from him. "Imagine it, though!"

"You're such a boy," I said and turned, "Come on, we'll be late for school!"

"We can't have that!"

"Your sarcasm is not appreciated."

"You worry more about your timeliness than your life."

"That's not true!"

"I'm not blaming you, though. You are the princess, after all." Ah, that nickname again. People always called me the princess of our high school. I didn't hate it, but I didn't like it, either. The way I looked at it, I had to be that way. That's how I'd been raised. When I was younger and I brought home a B-, my dad was furious. He'd shouted, what is this embarrassment?

I didn't want to be an embarrassment, so I tried hard. I tried so, so hard. It was a lot of work, but I had to do it. I took care of my appearance and my grades, made as many friends as possible. Somehow I'd always felt like something was missing, but I didn't pay much mind to it. Nothing had been the same after mom died, but I wasn't going to let it get to me. I had to try my hardest, remember?

"Stop it, Luce," said a gentle voice, "I'm sorry." I looked up and saw Gray looking at me with concern in his eyes.

I nodded, "Mm-hm." Gray was the only one who knew the truth about me, that I was far less than perfect. He had always been there for me, even when my dad disapproved of him so vehemently.

"It's not your fault," I said, perking up with a little bit of effort.

"I hate how you force yourself like that," he said. I nudged his arm with my shoulder and dragged him along by his wrist.

"Don't," was all I said.

I could see little hearts floating around Levy, spinning around her and dancing jollily. I tentatively walked towards her, "Uh, Levy?"

She looked up and tucked her phone away, "Lucy!" She launched towards me and wrapped her tiny arms around me.

"You seem…happy," I said anxiously.

"I'm that happiest I've ever been in my life!" she squeaked. I peeled her off of me and switched out my shoes.

"I'm guessing this is because of Gajeel, yes?" I asked. The number of hearts multiplied exponentially.

"He's so cute!" she said, sighing and leaning against the wall for support. I glanced at Gray behind me and he shot me a warning look: don't say it, Lucy. Hmm, maybe I was clairvoyant.

I wanted to ask her in what way was Gajeel cute? If I were to describe him I'd call him terrifying? Intimidating? Grumpy? Gray was right, though. Levy loved him, so I'd have to like him as well. He was automatically admitted into our circle.

"I'm happy for you, Lev," I said with a forced smile. It seemed that all she talked about was Gajeel. I wondered if everyone in love was like that. I wouldn't have known. I'd never loved anyone like that before. I'd never kissed anyone before, for that matter. I don't consider that time with Gray when we were five a real kiss.

Levy grabbed my arm, suddenly serious, "You need to get a boyfriend, Lucy. Your life is so boring! Start living!"

"Lev, come on!" I said, my go to response for when anyone said that to me.

"I know, I know. You're the princess, you can't have a boyfriend otherwise all the other boys—and probably some girls—would be jealous of him. I still think you need one!" She winked at me.

I flushed, "If I didn't know better I would think you were trying to find a boyfriend for yourself. Seriously, the level of determination you've displayed has been awe inspiring."

"How about Gray! He doesn't have a girlfriend! And he's so handsome!" Levy offered.

"I'm right here, you know," he said as he followed behind us. I latched onto his arm and he raised a brow, "Uh."

"I really appreciate it, Levy, but he's pretty much my brother," I said with a smile. We rounded the corner and Levy froze. She turned around immediately her face bright red. I spotted what she had seen only a few seconds later. Gajeel was leaning against the wall, his hands tucked in his pockets and his piercings shining in the light. He looked angrier than usual.

"Who's handsome?" he growled. Uh oh. Had he been standing there the whole time? Levy looked horrified. I grabbed her shoulders, spun her around, and pushed her towards her boyfriend. He caught her and glared at me.

"I'm sorry!" she said. She clung to him tightly, her tiny arms barely reaching around his chest. His face turned pink and he hesitated.

"I'll see you, Levy," I said with a giggle. I'd never seen Gajeel blush before. It was sort of comical. Maybe…just maybe, he wasn't that bad. Seeing him like that didn't completely change my opinion of him, though. We walked past them and I caught Levy mouthing me a silent thank you. I winked at her and looked up at Gajeel. I stared at him for a moment and he looked nervous under my glare. He fidgeted. I smiled. He was definitely getting closer to being 'not that bad.' That didn't mean that I wasn't going to keep an eye on him. Levy was my friend, and I'd be there for her no matter what.

As we rounded the next corner, Gray nudged me, "Behind all those piercings and glares, he's really just a softy, isn't he?"

I laughed, "You think so? I was started to suspect that."

He grinned, "You're not worrying about it anymore, right?"

"Somehow I'm not...completely."

"Good."

The class was almost full. We'd arrived later than usual, so that made sense. Normally, there would only be a few people there. "Hey guys, Lucy's here!" Cana called to the others. She sauntered up to me. "Look! I'm here!" she said proudly.

I smiled, "Thanks." I'd asked Cana to show up to class more often. She usually ditched class in favor of less than admirable activities, which usually involved alcohol. I wouldn't report that to Mr. Dreyar, though, (especially because I suspected that his activities outside of class were not of a different color).

"Lucy, there's a student council meeting at lunch today. Sorry, Gray, I've got to steal her from you again," Erza said, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"I'll just have to eat with—"

"Shouldn't you be more concerned about yourself? That means you won't be able to eat with me," Jellal said, draping his arms over her shoulders.

"I'm not worried," Erza said. Jellal frowned.

"That's not what I wanted you to say, but I still love you," he said with a sigh, "Sometimes its tough being your boyfriend."

Erza smiled, "I wonder how you manage it. They started off together and then she froze and turned. She pointed at me, her eyes serious, "Lunch. Remember." I nodded and waved them off.

"I feel like the number of warm fuzzies in our class has increased since before break," I mumbled.

Gray and I took our seats. As I pulled out my notebook, he said, "You sound jealous."

"Am not," I said. I was being honest, too. I didn't need something like a boyfriend slowing me down. Love wasn't a distraction that I was asking for. "Besides, there's no one I even like. I'm going to wait until I meet someone who is just as responsible as me and who won't keep me from the success that I intend to achieve."

Gray was quiet. I looked at him. "What?" I asked.

Gray sighed, "That's a high order."

"But its not impossible," I said, nodding, "When I meet him, I'll make sure to do something about that."

"What if you meet someone who doesn't fit those criteria, but you still love him?" Gray asked.

"That won't happen," I said quickly.

Gray laughed, "Whatever you say, Luce. I'm just saying, maybe you've already met hi—"

The door slammed open. "Natsu, careful!" scolded Mr. Dreyar. I was used to his stern voice, but he seemed particularly exhausted today. I looked away from Gray and saw something I didn't expect. Standing at the front of the classroom was a boy. I'd never seen him before, which was strange because I'd talked to most everyone in the school, (not including those who were too afraid to approach me). He must have been a transfer student. I stared at him.

He had a strong, yet slim build, (not to mention the fact that he was notably tall). He had a handsome face, I suppose. I wasn't exactly the person to ask, though. I'd never been good at judging those things. I did notice that his eyes were striking, definitely full of life. They also had a sort of mischievousness about them, though. His egotistical smirk also held that mischievous air. What worried me most about him, however, was the bright pink hair. It had to be dyed, (hair doesn't come in that color naturally)! The last thing we needed in this school was another rebellious student. I sighed.

"Quiet down! Get to your seats!" Mr. Dreyar called. I was already in my seat, so I barely even heard his words. I turned to Gray.

I cupped a hand over my mouth so that my words would be better concealed, "This looks like trouble."

"Definitely dyed. There's no way that's normal," he whispered back.

"I'd like to introduce our newest student to you. This is Natsu Dragneel. Treat him nicely. Make friends. That's what our school is all about!" Mr. Dreyar said enthusiastically. I smiled. His effervescent cheerfulness was always infectious. With that he stepped to the side and left the floor to Natsu. Our newest classmate stood tall and scanned the room, his eyes flitting over us. God, just get this over with. We only had a limited amount of class time and I was worried about an upcoming essay. I wanted to ask Mr. Dreyar about it, but I couldn't if this Natsu kid was standing up there like an idiot.

I couldn't help it. I found myself glaring at him. I didn't bother stopping; it wasn't like he cared. Suddenly, Natsu's eyes locked with mine. I maintained eye contact. I wasn't about to look away like a flustered little girl. This kid meant trouble, dyed hair and all. Stepping down wasn't an option. He kept staring at me and then the corners of his mouth twisted upwards.

"My name is Natsu Dragneel," he started, still staring at me. You wouldn't believe what he did next. He pointed directly at me. "And I'm going to date that girl."

I clenched my fists. Anger boiled inside of me. Everyone was staring at me, completely silent. Mr. Dreyar cleared his throat awkwardly. Way to start out the new semester. He'd practically said, "Hi, my name's Natsu and I'm an impossible idiot."

"No," I said immediately, not wasting a second. He blinked, lowering his arm.

"Huh?" he asked, clearly confused.

"I said no," I repeated, "I'm not interested." Gray nudged my arm reassuringly. I winked at my best friend. He grinned, "Nice one."

"You can't have Lucy!" someone shouted. I looked around to see who it was, but he'd obviously avoided my detection intentionally.

"Yeah, she's everyone's Lucy!" yelled another guy on the other side of the classroom. I flushed.

"I don't know if that's a good or bad thing," I whispered under my breath. The class was now in an uproar. All the guys were yelling out, saying that he couldn't date me for this reason or that reason. All the girls were whining, complaining that they wanted to date Natsu. Was he really so handsome that everyone wanted him? The were complete strangers, and yet… That can't be real love, right?

He casually strode up to me, completely relaxed even in such a ruckus. He leaned against my desk and smiled down at me. It was that same, self-endowing smile that really rubbed me in the wrong direction. I'd never liked people who thought they were better than everyone else. I know that may sound hypocritical in your eyes, but its not. I never considered myself better than others. I never really wanted to be better, I had to be. I didn't wield my good grades against others, rubbing them in their faces. I'd never, ever do that. The only one I wanted to know I was doing well was my father, but that was for completely different reasons.

"Believe it or not, you will fall for me," he said cockily, "Everyone eventually does."

"Not me," I said coolly, leaning back in my chair.

He leaned even closer and I tensed. A fist slammed onto the desk between us.

"Back of, Bastard," Gray growled. Natsu and Gray had a lengthy glaring contest before Natsu eased backwards.

"I didn't know you had a boyfriend," he said, raising his hands.

"He's not my boyfriend," I said promptly. Natsu raised a brow and then understanding flashed in his eyes.

"Oh, so that's how it is," he said, nodding his head. He took the empty seat behind me, (which I, by the way, was fervently opposed to).

"Shut your face," Gray spat. I touched his shoulder and he looked at me.

"Calm down. It's not big deal," I said quietly. He nodded, clearly still annoyed. I was grateful for the protection he was lending me, though. It wasn't that I couldn't protect myself. I just always felt better when Gray was around.

"Well, now that that's over, can we begin?" Mr. Dreyar asked, obviously a bit annoyed.

"Yes," droned the class. The boys kept glancing at me and the girls kept glancing at Natsu. It was honestly a bit aggravating. I didn't need this attention, but it wasn't like I could avoid it now. Natsu was an attention hog, and he was practically hanging off of me now.

He tapped my shoulder and I swatted his hand away. A few seconds later, there was another tap. I whirled around, "Cut it out!"

"Are you serious about that 'no'?" he asked. Seeing him this close was different than it had been from farther away. His eyes seemed to almost glow in the light and I could see determination there. Almost as soon as his question was out, his eyes regained that playful look. I frowned.

"Stay away from me," I said under my breath.

"No can do," he said, stretching out each syllable.

"I will never date a player like you," I said. Yeah, he'd give up with that.

"That's the best insult you can come up with? Oh, also, I'm not a player," he said.

"Sure you're not," I said sarcastically.

"I'm not."

"Stop talking to me."

"No can do."

"Stop."

He smiled, "You're really fun."

I frowned and turned away from him. "Ms. Heartfilia, would you see me after class. You too, Mr. Dragneel."

I stood up immediately, "For what?" My voice sounded frantic.

"Calm down, you needn't worry." Somehow that didn't comfort me at all. I guess worrying was among the things I was best at doing. I sat down slowly, "Yes, sir."

"What's wrong, Princess? Never been in trouble before?" he asked, prodding me for a reaction.

"Don't call me that!" I hissed. For some reason, this was the one person I couldn't stand calling me princess. It pissed me off, and I didn't get pissed off easily. Somehow, this guy just angered me. More than anyone else, I knew this person was going to continue getting on my nerves.

Leave me a review if you like. I'd definitely like to know what you think. This is my first AU story, (sort of...hard to explain), so I wasn't sure. Thanks for reading.