Disclaimer: Yeah, surprise, me no own FT.
Ring ring.
"Mmnnn… Five more minutes."
Ring ring.
"Wait, that's not my alarm, is it…?"
Ring ring.
"H-Hello?"
"RISE AND SHINE, LU-"
"I'm sorry, wrong number."
-click-
I yawned and rubbed my eyes. Fuck, I cried again last night, didn't I? Man, why're people so up and early in the morning? It ain't even 8 AM yet, and it's Sunday. I was finally fully awake and started to recall the last few seconds. That was definitely Levy-man, what could she want?
Ring ring.
"Levy?"
"Lu-chan, something supernatural just happened! I called to this number and it reached someone else!"
"That happens sometimes-life's hard, move on."
"Ulgh." Levy muffled her voice. "Anyways, I'll be there in 5 minutes!"
"Huh?"
"Hold on, I'll explain later!"
-click-
All right, 5 more minutes it is then…
"Lu-chan~! LU-CHAN~!"
The warm, comfortable blanket was taken away from me.
"Get away, you racist, pedophile, rapist, psycho!" I quickly jumped from my bed, and rolled over to my door. Instant reaction. Pretty great, eh?
"What was your dream?" A candy-like, sweet voice rang in my ears, "That being your reaction, I'm getting pretty worried now."
I squinted my eyes and rubbed them again to clearly see the person talking to me. A slender, petite girl with wavy, adorable, blue hair and sparkling brown eyes was pouting at me. The person whom I immediately recognized as Levy was wearing a pair of jeans that went all the way down to her knees, a sleeveless orange top and a bandana that matched her outfit. A clothing choice that she usually wouldn't have picked.
"Dressed like that, what… are you doing here?" I managed to let out, before the phone call earlier tugged at my memories. "Actually, where are we going?"
"You pick." Levy smiled, as if she had been waiting for me to ask all along. She took my hand, pulled me back to my bed, and sat next to me. "Look at you-you're a mess! Well, second night of your break-up with your first boyfriend. I guess that's to be expected. My point is, you really shouldn't underestimate me, Lu-chan. I don't want you crying over someone who's not worth it. We can go to a bar, or a bookstore, or a coffeeshop, or a gym-whatever you want!"
"Levy…" I sighed. How did my bluenette best friend not understand? "I appreciate you coming over and all, but I'm really not in the mood to go man-hunting…"
"See, this is why I hate him so much!" Levy's voice heightened and I couldn't help but avert my gaze. "How is he able to turn my prideful, sexy Lu-chan to this insecure mess? Look, I'm your friend, and I get that you're feeling sour and just want to eat cookies-'n-cream dough while watching netflix, but I can't bear to see you like this."
"But that's how it is." I chocked out. "He's changed me, and I… I don't think I ever want to fall in love again. What's the point, Levy? We'll get hurt in the end no matter what. We risk getting betrayed, getting cheated on, getting hurt-all for a short-term happiness we know won't last! It'll all end up the same. Why should I have to do it all over again?"
"It's normal to feel that way after a break-up." Levy tried to reason. "You're amazing-I mean, look at you! You're so gorgeous, and you've got a killer body-guys are at your feet every day, begging you to give them a chance. That goddamned prick should be on his knees begging for you to come back, because he doesn't deserve you! You went trough how many years in your life without him, happy, so please at least try to today? With me?"
"Levy-chan…"
"Please, Lu-chan?" Levy held my hand. "They say people leave you so you can find better people."
"…All right." I gave in and Levy squealed. "But! Only one place, and I can leave when I want to."
"YES! Gosh, you're so not going to regret this, I promise!" Levy squeaked, and then looked down on me. "Get ready!"
"I just need to change my clothes, right?" I wiped the invisible dust off my pajamas. "I'm looking great already."
"Lu-chan." Levy looked at me seriously. "There's a tiny drool on the corner of your mouth, your eyes are all red and puffy from crying, your hair looks as if you haven't brushed it in a month, and you have tissues all over you."
I really don't want to dress up for anyone other than him, though.
Oh, no.
Bad Lucy, don't think about him.
"I, um…" I touched my cheek awkwardly. "Okay…?"
"Let me help pick your clothes!" Levy excitedly jumped. She'd always loved rummaging trough people's closets. Thankfully, I had already removed photos of me and Sting, so whatever. I think.
I nervously stared at Levy who was opening my closet and bit my lips.
"Lu-chan, you still keep these?" Levy looked at me. I turned my gaze to the slips of photos she ripped off from my wardrobe and then to her eyes again. I hated her look. She was looking at me with pity, sadness, and… Disappointment? I don't know. I couldn't put my finger to it.
She stared at me like I was sick, and I hated it.
"Oh, err… I… thought I threw them away, but guess not." I tried to shrug it off casually but I guessed Levy knew what was up. She repeated back to me my words in a somewhat suspicious manner, "Guess not."
"The Fairy Bar, huh… Not a bad choice, Lu-chan." Levy mumbled loud enough for me to hear. We were standing in front of a dark, trendy-looking bar Natsu mentioned to me once. He told me he and the guys hung out there a lot because the drinks weren't that expensive, and, well, obvious men reasons. He asked me to go there with him a couple of times, but I always had plans with Sting.
I glanced my eyes downwards, feeling a bit guilty, but quickly shook my head and turned to Levy. I don't remember her going to bars a lot, but then again, Levy had always been somewhat secretive. She could be a stripper on disguise, I wouldn't know. Anyway, Levy was eyeing the bar with an expression I couldn't my finger to, and smiled at me. "Actually, since we're here and all... There's someone I want you to meet."
"Huh?"
"Remember when I called you yesterday and said I found a hot guy?" Levy stuck out her tongue. "This was kind of the place where I met him."
"…That so?" I stared at Levy, who was smiling embarrassedly at herself. Whoever the guy was, he had to be pretty special for Levy to act like that. What was Levy's type of guy again? I knew she had rejected Jet and Droy, but as for guys she actually goes for… Does she like fellow charming bookworms, or shady-looking guys? Or none of that, uhh… A charming gentleman or something?
"Mou, whatever, let's just get in! And Lu-chan, don't be weird if we do meet him!" Levy told me, her cheeks flushed red, as she took my hand and pulled me inside the bar.
You're the weirder one though…
The inside of the bar was red. Beautiful, velvet red. It wasn't as shady as it looked on the outside - inside, it was modern, and had a welcoming, soothing aura to it. The bar wasn't as crowded as I thought it would be. There were a few groups of people here and there, but it wasn't packed like some other bars I've been to.
"Lu-chan, you see that?" Levy asked suddenly. I trailed Levy's gaze to find her staring at a guy with blond hair and somewhat sharp eyes. He was wearing a pair of glasses, worn out-looking pants and a plain, white polo t-shirt. Despite his outfit, the guy looked strangely adorable and friendly. He had a muscular guy beside him who was wearing all black. I assumed the guy was his bodyguard.
"Hnn, so that's the… hot guy?"
"Yeah," Levy giggled before sneaking a glance at me, "I kinda thought you'd be more surprised."
"Nah, I can imagine you with him."
"You can? So you mean like," Levy's face suddenly blocked my vision. She puffed out her chest and smiled, her cheeks pink. "I suit him?"
"Not so fast." I pushed Levy's face out of the way and started to walk towards the guy. Shady guys can camouflage, after all. I removed the face of the grinning, blond-haired bastard that suddenly popped up to my face. I needed to check out what kind of guy Levy was into.
"Hey." I barked, trying to sound mean. Or something. The glasses guy peeked up at me from his book and raised one of his eyebrows. As if he didn't know me. Well, Levy was still behind me, so I guess that's that. The guy finally closed his book and flirtatiously smiled at me. "Hey."
Creep.
I balled up my hands and was about to give the guy a piece of my mind, but then Levy took my hand and looked at me weirdly.
"Lu-chan, what're you doing?" She asked. I stared back at her with the same weirded-out look, because she was the weird one, not me. "I'm just saying "Hi" to your… friend."
"But Lu-chan, that's not my friend." Levy whispered loud enough for me to hear. I once again trailed her gaze to find, well, the guy I thought was the bodyguard. "He is."
"Whoa. Whoa."
I repeated the word because it seemed necessary.
The guy Levy liked with a muscular guy with piercings all over his nose and ears. The black-outfit I mentioned was actually a dark-blue hoodie and navy jeans. The guy stared at me with his blood-red eyes, like a hunter eyeing it's prey.
"Gajeel!" Levy squeaked and gave the pierced weirdo named 'Gajeel' a throat-tightening hug. The 'Gajeel' seemed surprised at first, but then blushed and turned away. Levy let go and smiled at him, to which he awkwardly responded with a slight nod. "Shrimp."
"Mou, I told you not to call me that!" Levy puffed out her cheeks and stared at him. Gajeel looked away and rested his hand on Levy's head, making both his cheeks and Levy's red. "But you're so small, and… puffy, like… like a shrimp."
The hell kind of teen romance am I watching?
And what's with that guy? He looks like he has nothing in common with my naive Levy-chan!
"Gajeel, meet my best friend, Lucy Heartfillia-chan." Levy gestured for Gajeel to acknowledge me. Gajeel stared at me with those scary eyes of his and raised one of his eyebrows amusedly. "Lu-chan, this is my friend, Gajeel Redfox."
He looks like he's ready to rape me.
"H-Hey!" I squeaked out, and immediately after that, cussed silently at myself for stammering. I was supposed to be the overprotective, mean best friend! Gajeel smirked and held out his hand for me to shook it, to which I took half-heartedly. "Hey."
"I see you've met my friend, Hibiki." Gajeel gave a me a look and tried to avoid Levy's gaze as he gestured to the blond guy whom I mistook for Levy's guy a few minutes ago. The guy smiled and took my hand. "Heartfillia-san, Levy-san."
I guessed he wanted to take Levy's hand, too, but Gajeel's scary ass eyes made him think otherwise.
I studied Hibiki. He had a handsome face. Girls probably swarm around him wherever he goes. However, I gulped at this, he wasn't bad. Perfect for rebound. If I get bored with him, he definitely wouldn't get broken-hearted because he had tons of girls.
If I wanted to get over Sting, that was my golden chance.
Come on, Lucy.
You're ready to find other guys, right?
You can do this.
"So, where're you from?" I asked, and gave him a flirtatious smile. He raised one of his eyebrows in a somewhat surprise manner, but then immediately regained his cool and smiled flirtatiously back. "Pegasus High, heard of it?"
Sting wouldn't do that.
Wait, no, stop.
"No, but I should study it if it has lots of guys like you."
"You should, but there ain't gonna be anyone better than me."
Whoa, prideful much?
Still, compared to Sting, that's-
Lucy, no.
"So… May I have the honor of having your number, Heartfillia-san? I… seem to have lost mine."
Hibiki winked at me and handed me a piece of paper. I could feel my palms wet as I reached out for the pen Hibiki held out for me.
Tell him, Lucy.
You don't want to be stuck on a bastard forever, right?
I finally took the pen.
Awesome, Lucy, now just write your-
*click*
The bar door opened with a soft click. My eyes widened as a certain pair of a blond-haired, muscular guy and a petite, beautiful, silver-haired girl walked in.
Damn it, why now…?!
"Ah, Heartfillia-san…?"
I can't.
His sharp, dark blue eyes looked empty as they studied the room, searching for something. I've never seen that look on his face before. He'd always been so full of life, so bright. Looking at the Sting now was as if looking at an undead. I narrowed my eyes. His gaze met mine, and the butterflies attacked again.
[You're beautiful.]
Fucking hell, I can't.
I quickly averted my eyes, and gave Hibiki his pen and paper. He looked confused, and seeing that expression on his face, guilt washed over me. He opened his mouth to say something, but then quickly closed them again and gestured for me to go.
I'm sorry.
The last thing I saw was Levy's shadow trying to stop me as I started to run. Everything else after that were blurred with tears.
I'm sorry.
"Right now, that was…" Yukino whispered out, staring at the door which someone ran across a couple of seconds earlier. She stared at her blond-haired friend who had casted his eyes downwards, his bangs covering his eyes. Although Yukino'd known him her whole life, she couldn't guess what was running around Sting's head at that very moment.
Sting chose to ignore her, and instead, walked over to the bar counter and sat his ass down. Yukino was glad she at least managed to get him out of his house, but she never expected Lucy to be at the bar she usually hung out at. She'd never saw her there.
Yukino had mixed feelings about Lucy Heartfillia. She hated the blond for taking her Sting away from her - though he really never was hers. But at the same time, Lucy Heartfillia was gorgeous, and kind, and bright, and talented, and she was everything Yukino wasn't. It wasn't hard to catch her defending her friends every now and then, her eyes glowing as if she had no doubt in them. To Yukino, it was crystal clear and perfectly understandable on why guys kept falling in love with her.
"You still love her, don't you?" Yukino whispered as if it wasn't obvious, sitting on the stool next to Sting. He didn't answer, and she wasn't expecting a reply either. Sting's drink soon arrived, and Yukino ordered the same thing. Yukino sneaked another glance at her blond friend and sighed, as if saying it can't be helped. "But if you love her, then why did you…?"
She let her words trailed off, realizing her childhood friend hadn't been listening to her since the start.
Whoa, okay, okay. So we see that Sting probably still has lingering feelings for Lucy, and it's hinted he did do something that made Lucy end the relationship. On the other hand, Lucy tried to get a rebound, but failed due to Sting's arrival. We also see GaLe moments - I'm not a really big fan of them, but hey. On the next chapter, Lucy goes to school!
I also feel like I portrayed Lucy like too much of a crybaby in this story? But she is a crybaby in the manga, right? Or/and anime. Yeah, same thing. I mean, not really, but if you count the number of times she's cried, that's… Especially if you count the movie and fillers. Although I don't blame her - girl's been trough a damn lot.
Anyway, I'm saying this based on experience (doesn't necessarily have to be me, but) after a breakup, whether it was with your significant other or your friend, you really do cry a lot. Every time you recall them, every time you pass by places that reminds you of them, when you see them… In fact, when you find out about something and you get the urge to tell them but then you remember you guys don't talk anymore and then, yeah.
Favorite and/or follow if you enjoyed, please! Leave me a review, because I really do enjoy reading them and it motivates me to make another chapter sooner, faster, yeah! If you have any interest in what else I might be working on, check out my profile! I write about Fairy Tail and Sket Dance on my Chocolatesaregood account, and Vocaloid on my other account, RinnyRinRinArmy.
I have a test that'll decide whether I get to pass to the next grade or not next week, I don't remember what that's called - midterms was it? - so wish me luck on that!
Love you!
-Skye