I'm actually quite satisfied with that last chapter! (But that's just my opinion.) I hope everyone is excited to see what happens!

To answer the questions of those who reviewed:

ShiningStellar: I am indeed explaining what happened in Lucy's past in later chapters. Not exactly sure what chapter it will be in – I'm kinda going with the flow. And I didn't really think the angst was... excessive. I was just putting lots of detail :( I didn't know if it would bother anyone... but thanks for your review!

(I really hope this chapter is long enough for those always-waiting readers... ._.)

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but this story

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Chapter 2: The Hook Up

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Lucy couldn't help but smile as she made her way to her desk. She could feel everyone's stares, but she couldn't care less. She just reunited with her best friend from grade school. How could she not smile?

After a couple more moments of staring, everyone just went back to gossiping, like they didn't even notice. She heard the same group as always talk about her.

"Hey, man... she's smiling."

"Didn't she run out of here crying?"

"Yea.. I wonder what happened?"

"I'll go ask."

One of the two guys from the group went next to her. "Hey! What's up?" he asked.

She figured that she couldn't ignore them, but she didn't want to talk to them, either. So, she looked up at the boy that was talking to her, smiling brightly.

"It doesn't concern you. Please go back to your little 'clique' and stop talking about me. It's annoying."

The boy looked surprised, at a loss for words.

Lucy gave him a dark glare. "Now."

The boy gulped and headed back towards his friends.

"Dude. That chick is scary."

"She hates you man. How could she be nice to you?"

"Why don't you try then?"

Again with the game.

The other boy came towards me, but I shot him a smile before he made it all the way.

"Please leave me alone. I don't want to have anything to do with you or your friends. Thank you."

The boy rushed back.

"Dude, you're right. She is scary."

"Oh my. Gray and Natsu actually agreeing with one another."

Giggling.

"Oh, shush Lisanna. It happens every now and then."

Lucy looked up at the clock, ignoring the rest of their conversation.

The teacher should be coming any second... then school will end... and I'll get to see Levy again!

She grinned to herself, kicking her legs back and forth. She couldn't contain her excitement.

An hour later, the class was over, and it was time to go home. Lucy rushed out of the classroom, and went straight to the class next door and went up to Levy.

"Levy!" Lucy said happily.

"Hey, Lu!" Levy replied with a large grin. "What's up?"

"I was wondering what direction your house was," Lucy said with a grin.

"Oh. It's on Shishizu Street. What about you?" Levy asked.

Lucy grinned. "Mine's on the same street!" she giggled, pointing to herself.

Levy's eyes glistened. "Awesome! Let's walk home together, then!" she offered.

"Of course! It'll be just like old times!"

"Let's get goin' then!"

Lucy nodded and they set off for their homes.

"Hey, Lu. Have you even gotten a boyfriend yet? Much less a crush since 5 years ago?" Levy asked suddenly.

Lucy stared at her. "No, why?"

Levy gave her a look. "Man, Lu, you need to get one. But, that's what to expect because apparently you've done nothing but MOPE these past 5 years." She sighed. "What am I going to do with you?"

Lucy looked down. "Well... if you were in my position you'd probably do the same thing... but I guess it WAS a little... over the top..." she said, pouting slightly.

Levy grinned at her. "Well, maybe I could hook you up with some one? I don't know you're taste though," she teased.

Lucy blushed a bit and playfully glared at Levy. "Jeez, do I really have to tell you?"

Levy smirked at her. "If you want a boyfriend, then you do."

Lucy groaned. "Fine, fine." Levy looked at her, her eyes sparkling as she waited for an answer. "Well... I guess they have to look good, y'know? And... have a good personality, like nice and caring, and kinda funny too. You know, like the amusing kind of funny. And uhhhh... well, I can't really think of anything else."

Levy fist pumped into the air. "Okay! I'll do the best of my capabilities to find you a guy, Lu!" she yelled.

"Shhh! It's embarrassing... Oh! And don't mention my name. PLEASE don't mention it. I don't want something going around saying 'Lucy's looking for a boyfriend! How strange!' and treating it like a joke!" Lucy whined.

Levy shrugged. "Okay, okay. I won't. I'll just say 'my best friend is looking for a guy,' okay?"

Lucy hugged Levy. "Thank you! Thank you!" she cheered.

Levy laughed. "Oh, stop. It's nothing, really," she said in a bragging kind of way. "I'll have one by tomorrow. Promise that even if you get embarrassed, you will NOT run away!" she said, pointing her finger at Lucy.

Lucy sighed. "Okay, I promise," she groaned.

Levy grinned. "Okay! I'll work on it as soon as I get home!" she said with a thumbs up.

Lucy looked at her. "Just how many guy friends do you HAVE?" she said in awe.

Levy winked at her. "Just a few," she giggled. "Anyways, we're at my house now, so I'll have to leave you here! Oh, and also, come to the school gates early. Like around 5 AM. I'll tell him to go around that time too. Bye-bye!" she said and closed the door before Lucy could say anything else.

She put her hand on her hip, smiling. "That Levy..." she whispered to herself. She turned away and made her way to her empty house.

When bed-time came, which was around 8 AM so she could get up easily tomorrow, her phone vibrated. It was Levy.

"Let's see..." Lucy opened her phone, and opened the message. 'I have two guys ready for you.' Two? 'They'll see you at 5 AM, like promised. Hope you get along! :)'

Lucy groaned. "It'll be a GREAT day, tomorrow..." she muttered sarcastically. After that, she set her alarm clock for 4:30 AM and went to sleep.

Lucy opened her eyes to the sound of that annoying beeping that everyone hears almost every morning. She groaned, wiping her eyes, then looked at the clock. "4:30? … Oh... right... that... hook-up thing this morning..." she said with a yawn. "Better get ready..."

First thing she did was fall out of the bed. She got up, rubbing her head. "Ugh... it is way to early..." She looked around in her wardrobe for the school uniform. "Here it is..." she muttered as she picked the white top, the gray long-sleeved jacket that went over it, the black skirt, and the black school shoes that went with it. She looked at the clock after dressing. "4:45... shit..." she muttered, and quickly moved to the kitchen to make breakfast.

She had settled for toast and some eggs, sunny-side up. After she finished, she put the dishes in the sink and grabbed her backpack. She walked to the school gates as fast as she could. When she got there, she looked at the watch on her wrist. "5:58... just two minutes..." she said with a yawn. She rubbed her eyes, then saw two figures walking her way. "Here they come. Better wake up some..." She slapped both her cheeks at the same time. "Okay! Wide awake. Let's g- oh no way."

Coming her way were the two boys who had messed with her yesterday. "Oh shit... shit shit shit SHIT!" she whispered to herself, frozen. She started to leave, but then Levy's words played back in her mind.

"Promise that even if you get embarrassed, you will NOT run away!"

Lucy groaned. "Why these two, Levy? Of all people, these two..."

They had her in sight. She looked over them quickly. The first guy she recognized as the boy that bumped into her yesterday. The other one was a boy with rose-colored hair and weird greenish-gray eyes. Lucy could tell they were surprised to see her.

The rose guy came over to me. "Hey! Your that girl in our class!" he exclaimed.

Shit.

"Have you seen some other girl around here? My friend Levy told us she would meet us here around this time."

I was dumbfounded. This guy... is an idiot.

The blue guy gave the rose guy a glare. "You're such an idiot. This is obviously her. Why would any other girl be here at 5 o'clock by the school gates?" he spat.

The rose guy glared at him. "What'd you say you stupid idiot?"

The blue guy glared right back at him. "I said your an idiot! Get a clue, you retard!"

Lucy face-palmed. Stupid idiot? Really?

After they got done arguing, they looked at her. "So, your the girl, huh?" the blue boy said.

Lucy flushed. "Apparently! 'Why would any other girl be here at 5 o'clock by the school gates?' remember?" she exclaimed, crossing her arms, looking away. Her face was a light pink, but they didn't seem to notice.

"Tch.." The blue guy grumbled, obviously a bit embarrassed.

"Hey! Hey!" the rose guy yelled, getting in her face.

She shrieked and fell on the ground. "Jesus Christ! Don't scare me like that, dammit!" she groaned.

The rose guy held out his hand to her. "Sorry, sorry!" he apologized with a grin.

Despite the hand, she got up on her own, wiping off her skirt. She gave him a kind-of glare. "I don't need your charity."

The rose guy let out a nervous laugh. "Ah... sorry..." he apologized, more serious this time.

Lucy let out a sigh. "Don't worry about it," she murmured.

"Ah! We should introduce ourselves!" the rose guy exclaimed.

"You should've realized that by now, you idiot," the blue guy said with a roll of his eyes.

The rose guy grumbled, looking at him, but not say anything, much to Lucy's surprise. "Anyways. My name is Natsu Dragneel. This idiot over here is-"

"I can introduce my self, stupid!" the blue guy yelled. He let out a sigh. "I'm Gray Fullbuster. Nice to finally meetcha, Lucy."

"Ah... yeah... I guess..." she stammered, pretty nervous. Wait... finally? What'd he mean by that?

"Yeah, we've been trying to get your attention so we could see if you'd let us be our friend or somethin'" Natsu explained, scratching the back of his head.

"Yeah, we've saw you sitting alone since you've transferred, and we're not the types to just let anyone go unnoticed so... yeah," Gray said, looking away and scratching his cheek.

Lucy was completely shocked. That's why... that's why they kept trying to get my attention? It wasn't some... game?

"Ah... uh... thanks... I guess...?" Lucy just didn't know what to say. Were there guys out there who are really like this? That's pretty hard to believe... but... nothing's impossible.

"So, why were you avoiding anyone, anyways?" Natsu asked.

Lucy froze. "I... uh... let's not... talk about it..." she murmured.

"What? Wh-"

"Just let go of it okay?" Lucy yelled. They went silent as she looked down. "I don't want to talk about it. I don't even want to remember it. So just... stop... please..." she said, her voice wavering a bit. I have to control this. Control it. Don't cry. Don't cry. She looked right up at them with a smile. "So, let's move on to another topic, okay?" she asked.

They both were a little, no, REALLY surprised. When they were SURE she was about to cry, she changed moods in a matter of seconds. There was an awkward silence between them. "Ummm... so-"

-RIIIIINNNNNG-

All three looked over at the school. "Well, look at that. The bell rung," Lucy commented, looking at her watch. 6 o'clock. It's been an hour already? Lucy gave them a little wave, turning away. "See you in class!" With that, she ran off into the school.

Gray and Natsu stared after her.

"Guess we'd better go to class, fire-freak," Gray stated as he started to head into the school building.

Natsu glared at him. "What'd you say to me, you ice-obsessed brick-for-brains?"

They headed inside, both of them arguing still. They both REALLY wanted to get to class as fast as possible, for almost obvious reasons.

Watching the two walk away, someone else stepped out in front of the school gates. The person grinned.

Lucy... huh?

AND THAT'S THE END!

Please review :3 I'm really looking forward to writing the next chapter! Don't you love it when you're writing your own story, and you can't wait yourself to see what happens next? (I doubt anyone else is like that though ._.)

And I just realized I didn't do this "ending" thing for the last chapter... Oh well! ^^

See you next time!