A/N: This is a build-up for the next chapter, but I promise it's good! I'm super excited to write ch. 5 because it's going to be filled with Lalu goodness (; Anyway, it would mean the world this ol' author if the reviews could reach 50 this chapter; please? Thank you those of you who continue to support me, you're all rock stars!
Did you know that a pound of Saffron flowers can cost $1,200-$1,500? The more you know…
Decoding
Laxus Dreyar was entirely too many things: too hot, too rich, too manipulating. And he has his sights set out for a certain, unsuspecting Heartfillia.
Chapter Four
Dig a Little Deeper
"How would you like to be part of the student body council?" He asked, two days later. Although, coming from his lips, it didn't even sound like a question. It was his own form of demand—which after you subtract a few a carry the two, the end result becomes 'you will be part of the student body council.'
"Do I even have a choice?" Lucy narrowed her eyes. Laxus going out of his way to offer her a spot in the council could not be a good thing, if that godforsaken evil smile was any indication.
"Of course you do." Translation: Do you want the expulsion?
Lucy rolled her eyes. She knew he was having fun riling her up, so she will not give him the satisfaction of doing so. "Okay fine. What do I have to do?"
"You will be required to show up to every council meeting I attend."
"What?" So she basically had to follow him around like a puppy to its owner—how pleasant, she just could not wait!
"Make yourself free for any meetings after school." Oh, she hated him.
Lucy quickly stepped out of the room, letting out a sharp, relieved sigh as a string of colorful names describing the oh-so-amazing president left her mouth. If he thought he could order her around like it, he was in for a punch in his beautiful face.
She stopped at a water fountain—though it was a far cry from the ones at public schools where you had to bend over to take a drink—to think everything over. Everything the President did and plan was to ultimately humiliate her. She knew that, yet she can't do anything about it. What was it that made bastard so interested in her, anyway?
A melodious ringing suddenly buzzed from inside of Lucy's bag, and it took her a minute to realize that her cell phone was ringing. A couple of students walking past gave her a weird look as she turned in an awkward half-twist to locate her phone. The screen flashed with an unknown number.
"Hello?" she answered anyway.
"Just calling to inform you that the first meeting is today," Came the low, husky voice that belonged to no other than the spiky blond president.
"What—how did you get my number?!" Lucy whispered angrily, careful not to raise unwanted attention to herself. She quickly slipped into the bathroom.
"I have my ways."
"You—ugh! Whatever, I don't care. You know I can't go today, I have to work."
"That's a problem you should solve, no?"
"You're doing this on purpose!" Lucy hissed. "I'm hanging up."
"Go ahead," he dared from the other side.
"Okay—fine."
A deep, throaty chuckle vibrated through the earpiece, sending a (regrettably) pleasant shiver down Lucy's spine. "Save this number, princess. You'll need it." There was a click and the line went dead.
Not in a million years, she thought, shoving the offending phone back into her bag. Even if he was the last possible person to go to come one fateful day and had a choice between calling him for help and ending world peace, she will gladly choose the latter.
. . .
All eyes were on her the minute she trudged into the meeting room after the Vice President. Funny story—the stoic male just happened to be stationed outside of her economic class and had so kindly escorted her to the council meeting that she was obviously not trying to avoid.
Damn Drayer and his followers.
She took a quick scan of the room; it was like visiting the morgue, the sunlight beaming on the pale skin of the members as they sat there, motionless (saved for one guy who was asleep), and the President himself wasn't even present! Half of the very un-lively group recognized her as the new scholar transfer, while the other half looked as if she was a foreign invader from Mars. After an agonizing silence of about one minute, someone finally spoke up.
The speaker, a scrawny black haired male with black rimmed glasses sitting closest to the door where she stood, fixed his spectacles said not too nicely, "I'll have you know that this is no place for a commoner to mingle. Shoo."
Well, I'll have you know that under my foot is where your face should be you bastard, Lucy seethed in her mind. If four-eyes wanted her to leave, then by all means, she'll be damn happy to!
"Is there a problem, Fujiokaji?"
"President!" Four-eyes squeaked in surprise, but quickly composed himself as to make a good impression. "This girl was disrupting the meeting, President, I was just telling her to leave."
Laxus's face sported an amused look as he smiled, "She came in with Freed, didn't she?"
"Y-yes, but-" he was trembling now.
"So I invited her. From today forward, she will be an unofficial member of the council."
Unofficial, because she wasn't important enough to be an official member. Lucy almost snorted. Everyone in the room all exchanged curious looks, saved for the one guy who was sleeping, of course.
"B-but why, President? We don't need-"
"Fujiokaji."
One word from the blond, and that shut Four-eyes up good. Lucy would have felt bad for the guy if he didn't openly insult her five minutes ago. The room was quiet as Laxus took a seat at the far end—without a doubt his personal seat, and flashed Lucy a charming smile. "Lucy-san, come take a seat." It was so sarcastic and full of mock, the way he said her name, like it wasn't worth coming from his mouth.
Lucy seethed—calmly, because she will not make a fool out of herself to satisfy him.
The only seat available was sandwiched between the sleeping male and an unpleasant red head. She and a beautiful brunette with glasses (who coincidently sat next to the President) were the only females between the eight other males. Lucy sat down as the red head glared hatefully with her cat-like black eyes.
Hello to you too, Lucy grumbled. She then toned out the chatters and stared at the wall, where an expensive looking grandfather clock proudly leaned against and estimated how long until she could leave. The sleeping male besides her, sporting a head of crazy, half-shaven midnight blue hair, turned his head slightly before waking up.
He blinked, seemly unaware of his whereabouts for a second and raised his brows at the newcomer until it practically disappeared into his hairline. Then he stuck out his tongue with a wide grin.
"Laxus' new toy? What a shame, you're pretty cute," he laughed; his voice was surprisingly smooth for a 'thuggish looking guy,' as Lucy put it.
"I'm not his toy!" Lucy hissed lowly, narrowing her eyes.
"If you say so," he grinned. "I wonder how long it's going to be this time. Laxus gets bored easily, but you can always come to me afterwards, baby."
Lucy leaned back away from him, lips twisted into a distasteful frown. She decided that it would be better if she tone this lunatic out instead.
"—our basketball team has an upcoming game this Friday against Sabertooth," She heard a monotonous voice reported within the crowd.
Bor-ing, she took a quick glance at Laxus. He looked entirely too bored with the meeting, leaning back in the plush chair with one leg propped across the other as his face expression varied from you're annoying to shut up.
"I've already taken care of hiring someone to be the mascot," the male who Lucy did not care enough to know continued with a hint of pride. Leave it to this school to hire somebody to be the mascot―but whatever he said seemed to amuse Laxus enough that his eyes perked up slightly.
"Fire him," he drawled. The suddenly distraught council member started to protest, but Laxus cut him off, his eyes traveling to the innocent blond. "I already have the perfect candidate."
Lucy caught his sinister glint with a hateful glare, already knowing who he wanted to place inside that mascot suit. "You'll do it won't you, Lucy-san?"
She ignored the question and continued to glare at the President's head, chanting colorful curses in her head like a mantra and hoping that her make-believe laser beams will somehow set his glorious hair on fire.
It didn't.
"I'll root for ya, cheerleader baby."
She replied the blue haired male with an impressively powerful kick in his shin.
. . .
"Welcome home, Master Laxus."
Laxus ignored the elder butler as he pushed past the front door, undoing the buttons on his shirt. His shoe tapped softly across the floor and was annoyed to find that the butler was following behind.
"Master Laxus, Hades-sama requested a meeting."
The old man knew better than to bother him with company matters when his father was around. Laxus growled; he didn't have time for whatever the older Dreyar pushed his way. He had better things to do, things like pestering his newest interest Lucy Heartfilla.
Catching his young master's drift, the old butler bowed in apology. "Hades-sama asked for you," he said, "he's waiting in the back garden."
"Lead the way, then," Laxus said with bitter mirth. Hades, why did that name ring a bell? Perhaps he was his father's business partner.
Upon reaching the back garden, he found Hades sitting at one of the glass tables by the impressive Saffron flower bed. Laxus identified the white, river-like long hair; he was definitely a business partner.
"My, Laxus, have you grown since the last time I've seen you," Hades looked up from his cup of tea that a maid served minutes ago. He was Ivan's longest partner―Laxus's old man never trusted the man enough.
"Is there a particular reason that you had to request a meeting so suddenly, Hades-san?" Laxus took a seat across from the prime founder of Grimoire Hearts. He didn't trust him.
"Ah, I can't come and say hello to the next heir of Dreyar Corps?"
"Of course, it's an honor," Laxus humored. "Without your help, Dreyar Corps wouldn't nearly be as powerful today. Likewise, Grimoire Hearts wouldn't come close to the top without us. We complement each other, wouldn't you agree?"
Hades strained a smile. How dare this kid talk to him like that! It seemed the blond had taken after the grandfather more than he liked.
"Dreyar Corps has always been strong, yes, but it is even stronger with Grimoire Hearts―wouldn't you agree?" he shot back calmly, tipping his teacup for a sip.
Ah, he is here with an objective. Laxus knew that white haired man wanted to secure and continue his company's relations with Dreyar Corps―with a new heir, Hades also knew that he might lose his place. Dreyar Corps is already on the top of the charts in Japan, and its influences had spread and anchored wide across the Pacific and even Atlantic, both Laxus and Hades knew it could do without uniting the company with Grimoire Hearts.
Hades was safe for a year―with his intellect and knack of having absolute control over everything, Laxus would be taking over the Corp right after he graduate.
"You are right," he said, noticing the slight ease in Hades' demeanour, "and it will continue to grow stronger without any help."
Expensive china met the glass table with strained force. This kid took on Makarov well, and that will not do―he'll have to figure something out. "I see," Hades stood with a forced smile as he brushed invisible lint off of his sleek suit. "Well, it was good to see you, Laxus."
Laxus stood as well. "Likewise," he motioned for a maid to see the man out. "I'm sure things will all work out in our favor at the end."
"As do I." And it will, so long as Hades is still alive and breathing.