Chapter Sixteen: Adrenaline

As we arrived at the theatre place, the director gave us our scripts for the scenes we were in. I skimmed my sheet, realising my character had a lot to say. Then I read the actions I was supposed to do in bold writing. Then I noticed something.

"CHOTTO MATTE!" I yelled at the director right before he left the room, "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?"

I stabbed my finger on two parts of my script which included:

Kiss Prince No. 1 and Kiss Prince No. 2.

"Well, what sort of romance would it be without a kiss?" said the director.

"Can't we shake hands or something?" I said, "Or a hug or…"

"Nope," said the director, "This drama calls for a kiss so that's what it'll get." He marched out, closing the case.

I sighed, so my character's a two-timer then… some princess…

"Take one!" shouted the director, "Action!"

As I said my long monologue to Natsu who looked like he was itching to get to the fighting scene, I thought about how many lines left I had to say before I was supposed to kiss him. I wonder if he knew it…?

"And… cut!" shouted the director. I immediately snapped out of the princess mode and yelled at the director, "Why the heck does my character have so many lines when Natsu has 5 to none?"

"Because the princess is the main character. Anyway, now we'll jump to the kiss scene! And… action!"

"KISS?" cried Natsu. So he didn't know…

"Yes!" said the director, "You have to look lovingly in her eyes and say your lines before you catch her off guard and kiss her! Very simple."

"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!" laughed Natsu before stopping abruptly, "Sorry, Gramps but we aren't going to do that."

"Thank you!" I said.

"OK," said the director, "I suppose we'll have to cut out the fighting scene as well… Action!"

One of Natsu's veins popped out on his head and he huffed and turned around, "Fine."

Skipping the lines, he took my face in his hands and pressed his lips to mine.

"Yes, that's it!" cried the director happily, not seeming to mind the skipped lines, just the actions, "Just hold that pose for a few seconds!"

I never even paid attention to the director, focussing more on the kiss. Natsu had presumably never kissed a girl and I had never kissed a guy before so we were both amateurs at it. I actually had no idea what I was supposed to do but it was actually quite a nice kiss for my first one.

"And… cut!" cried the director once he was satisfied. We separated ourselves. I noticed Natsu was actually blushing a bit.

Is he…? I looked at him. The faint pink was still there and he was looking away. Happy was sitting next to the director and said aloud, "You both llllike each other!"

"Do not!" we both said at the same time. As we walked off the stage to prepare for the next scene, I smiled at Natsu, "You weren't that bad."

Natsu grinned, "That's good! I've never kissed anyone before. Every time I tried to show affection to Igneel, he just pushed me away." He laughed a little bit, but I noticed he was looking slightly lonely that Igneel wasn't with him anymore.

"OK," I said, "I have to go back out for my kiss with Gray."

Gray was already on the stage in his deep blue prince outfit. I went up opposite him and waited for the director's cue.

"And… go for it!" called the director.

Gray placed his hands on the sides of my face and recited his lines flawlessly, looking lovingly in my eyes. It was hard to believe he was only acting.

Then, before I knew it, he leaned down slightly and kissed me squarely on the lips. I had always assumed that Gray had never kissed a girl before but he was a great kisser. If Natsu's kiss had been an ember, then Gray's would have been a flamethrower. I started to kiss back, my hands wrapping around his neck and his went around my waist.

"Um, you two!" called the director, "You can stop now! It's been about two minutes!"

Suddenly, I realised we were only in a rehearsal and quickly pulled myself away from Gray, almost forcing myself. My adrenaline was really going and I wanted to kiss Gray again for some reason.

What is this? I thought, does this mean I really love Gray?

"That was the extent of the passion I wanted but a bit too long of a kiss," said the director.

I heard some commotion outside all of a sudden and the director clapped his hands, "All right! The audience is arriving! Everyone into places for the opening scene!"

*After the play because I'm too lazy and I actually know nothing about plays…*

I finally escaped the blinding spotlight and pressure of the stage as the audience burst into applause. I fled to our dressing room and saw Natsu and Gray already changed.

"It's over!" said Natsu, "That fighting scene was fun!"

"Yeah," I said, "especially when you did your Dragon's Roar and the whole side of the stage burst into flames and Gray had to freeze it. Then the room was too cold and you had to make a fire to keep everyone warm?"

Natsu laughed, "It was funny! The audience enjoyed it!"

"And nearly died," I said.

"Anyway, I'll be waiting outside for you guys!" said Natsu, "See you!" He zoomed out.

I laughed at his eagerness. Then I realised I was alone with Gray.

"So who's a better kisser? Me or Natsu?" asked Gray jokingly.

"Like I care," I said, laughing. Since the second kiss in the actual play, my adrenaline was running high and I actually loved Gray's kiss more than Natsu's but I didn't want to bring up an awkward situation.

By the time we arrived back to the guild, it was already getting dark. My birthday was officially over for the day and it was the best. I saw my father, I got my mother's favourite outfit, I went ice-skating and found out I actually loved it, I didn't get stark naked in the play and I even got a kiss from the guy I loved.

When we got back, I went around to each of the groups or individuals to say thank you for such a good birthday, except Gajeel who just scowled at me. For some reason, I couldn't find Juvia anywhere. Even Mira didn't know where she went.

"She left earlier this afternoon," said Mira, "Maybe she's at Fairy Hills now."

"I'll thank her tomorrow then," I said, "I think I'll go to my apartment now."

As I walked past Erza and Natsu and Happy, I gave them big hugs and thanked them. They grinned and said it was nothing. Then I walked to Gray.

"Save it, it was nothing," said Gray when I approached him. He paused for a minute and then said, "Can I walk you home?"

"Yeah, sure…" I said, a bit surprised.

We walked out of the guild and towards my apartment.

"Seriously though, you look awesome in that dress," said Gray, "That's why I sort of froze when I saw you coming into the forest. You really reminded me of a princess."

I swallowed hard and talked to cover it up, "Well, it was my mother's and she was way prettier than I am."

"That's hard to believe," said Gray.

I pretty much couldn't think of anything to say after that. We walked in a silence but it wasn't an awkward silence, it was more like us just enjoying each other's company, not wanting words to wreck it. Before I knew it, we were in front of the door leading to my apartment.

"Lucy," said Gray.

I turned around, "Yeah?"

I flinched at how close he was. I was literally up against the wall and Gray was about two centimetres away from me. He leaned in and kissed me on the cheek lightly, "Sleep well." He turned around and walked away.

Once he was out of sight and earshot, I started hyperventilating. My cheek felt warm, similar to that time when I was sick and something had touched me on the cheek while I was sleeping. Did he kiss me that time, too?

I shook my head, still clutching my face. I waited for my heartbeat to slow and my adrenaline rush to go down before I went inside.