Updating a day late makes me sad. My writer's block is getting so bad with story.
But what made my writer's block go away for a bit is the plan I made for this story! From now on, I have the entire story planned and it feels so good. B)
However, as I was planning, I began to realize what I was going to have to do. So, I've done it again...
I am extending this fanfic to more than 30 chapters. I feel awful for telling you guys I was only going to chapter 30, but asdfgjk I don't want to make this story rushed at all. ;u;
So I'll tell everyone again when I for sure know when this fanfic is ending. For right now, you guys can relax and enjoy (well, maybe you'll squirm a bit) until I announce when this fic will end, haha.
Now that I've announced that, there's something else I have to say.
I'll be going on a trip next week for a couple of days, so I won't be able to update next week. Hope you guys can hang in there for a week~
Thank you so much everyone for all the reviews, favs, and follows. It really all makes my day to see you guys.
See you on the next chapter!
Lucy didn't realize how fast time flew while working at Fairy Tail.
She felt as if she had been working there for a few weeks; when in reality, she was working there for a month and a half.
Scrubbing dishes clean and dashing from table to table was something she was used to now.
However, she didn't take the few days off she had for granted as they were mostly spent eating at Natsu's new favorite restaurant.
Of course, she only paid for the meal once and only once. The other times Natsu and her ate there, they decided to split the check.
And after working for countless hours and eating at the restaurant countless times, Lucy was giving up her summer job.
"It's really been fun having all you guys here for the summer!" Mirajane proclaimed on their last day. "If you ever need a job again, don't hesitate to come back here."
"Too bad I can't leave," Lisanna sighed, slumping in her seat.
"And you won't ever be able to," Mirajane giggled. "Well, anyway, hope to see you guys around here someday!"
"Of course," Lucy assured. "We'll definitely come back here to eat sometime."
"I might even work here during the school year," Cana stated. "I can't get enough of those tips."
"Gross," Gray scoffed.
"The tips I received were pretty good," Levy mentioned. "You didn't put enough heart into it, Gray."
"How much heart am I supposed to put?" he grumbled, folding his arms across his chest.
"Since I worked here for over a month, can I get free food now?" Natsu pleaded once again.
"You already had enough free food!" Lisanna scolded, referring to the wrong orders they ate for lunch every day.
"Still," he pouted.
"Are we allowed to leave now? I'm tired of listening to Flame-brain's voice," Gray spoke.
"You're free to go," Mirajane smiled. "See you later!"
Lucy waved along with everyone else as they exited the break room. She smiled at the tables she didn't have to clean anymore.
"The second term starts in three days," Levy blurted out, leaving the restaurant with the group.
"You know what that means," Cana grinned.
"The second term starts in three days," Gray answered with a smirk.
"Nope," she shook her head. "The field trip is coming up!"
"Field trip?" Lucy echoed curiously. "The long one, right?"
"It's a three day and two night field trip," Natsu added.
Lucy's eyes widened, vaguely remembering something about a field trip that was notorious for its campfires and midnight hikes.
Also, it was a secret tradition for girls to sneak into boys' rooms at night.
"When do we go?" Gray inquired, hauling Lucy out of her thoughts.
"Next month," Cana beamed.
"It's going to be so much fun!" Levy shouted gleefully.
The group nodded in agreement, already being able to smell the s'mores they were bound to make.
"Well, I'm going to Flame-breath's for a bit to beat him at some video games," Gray began to step away. "See you guys at school then."
"Let's go, Ice Princess!" Natsu declared, instantly rushing off to the apartment.
"I wish I could go to your apartment, Lu-chan, but I have to go make dinner," Levy confessed unhappily. "I'll try to go over next time!"
"It's okay!" Lucy guaranteed, feeling incredibly relieved. "Come over next time."
"I will, too," Cana stated. "Talk to you guys later!"
Separating off into their own directions, Lucy followed the echoing clamors of Natsu and Gray. If she had her eyes closed, she would still have been able to safely make it home.
"Do you guys want dinner?" Lucy offered once she had changed her clothes to something more comfortable.
"Yes, please," Natsu and Gray promptly responded, though their eyes were glued to the screen.
"Polite," she giggled under her breath.
The moment dinner was plated, Natsu and Gray pushed past each other, battling to be the first one at the table.
"You know, Droopy Eyes," Natsu spoke in the middle of eating.
"Cover your mouth," Lucy whined.
"It feels like you've never supervised us like you said you were going to," Natsu continued with a hand now covering his mouth.
"How am I supposed to when I've been working the entire summer?" Gray cocked a brow. "You two have better not be doing weird things while I'm gone."
"As if," Lucy scoffed. "We don't have much time either. All we've been doing is working, too."
"Good," a satisfied smile spread across Gray's lips.
Lucy nodded slightly, adding in her mind, "As if I had the courage to do that."
The boys finished eating when Lucy was halfway finished with her dinner, and after she accepted to wash their dishes, they bolted back to the living room.
So with Gray coming over to supervise for the remaining school-free days of summer, it wasn't long until it all calmly came to an end.
But that didn't mean the second term was going to be as calm as summer, though.
"Was that your first?" Natsu asked gently.
"It was," Lucy whispered, forbidding herself to look away from his intense gaze.
As faint as the wind that breezed past them, she felt Natsu place his hand on her cheek. She couldn't help but lean into it with a smile.
"How about I give you a second one?" he offered smoothly, leaning in towards her.
Without a second thought, Lucy closed her eyes and waited for the sweet lips she could still feel from that night at the beach.
Yet instead of meeting up with a kiss, she was met with blaring alarm.
"What the hell was that?" Lucy breathed out after swiftly rising in her bed due to the loud noise.
Leaning over to turn off her alarm, she lifted her covers and heaved herself out of bed to brush her teeth.
"That did not just happen," she shook her head to get rid of the vivid dream.
However, as she stared at herself in the mirror while brushing her teeth, she could still feel Natsu's hand on her cheek.
Shoving that to the back of her mind, a giddy feeling surfaced in her chest at the thought of returning to school.
Although the first term ended merely two months ago, Lucy was sure her summer vacation lasted longer than it should have.
She had missed how her school uniform felt on her.
"Morning," Natsu yawned out several minutes after breakfast was done.
"Good morning," Lucy replied, watching him scratch his stomach.
"Breakfast?" he questioned as he walked to the bathroom.
"Eggs," she answered.
Despite only being able to see half of his face, Lucy could tell he was smiling.
She tried not to think about her dream too much when passing the hot sauce to him, but it was still too fresh in her mind.
"Your face is redder than my hot sauce," Natsu chuckled across the table. "What are you thinking about?"
"I-I'm excited for the first day back, that's all," Lucy stammered.
"Aren't you a little sad we won't be sitting next to each other anymore?" he remarked.
"We won't be?" her eyes widened in surprise.
"We get new seats each term," he reminded her, standing up from his seat. "Let me get my bag and we'll go."
"Okay," she nodded, disappointment sprouting somewhere inside of her giddiness.
She didn't want anyone but Natsu to sit next to her.
Now that she knew she most likely wouldn't be next to him anymore, she anxiously waited for Natsu to return from his room.
But before he could come out, Lucy heard a few knocks on the front door.
"Lu-chan, you really need to lock your door!" Levy exclaimed, entering the apartment.
"Levy-chan!" Lucy gasped, hurriedly going to the front door to stand in front of her and block everything from her sight.
"We're coming in," Cana said behind Levy with a grin. "Do you have any breakfast for us?"
"Sorry, I just ate it all," Lucy responded.
Anxiety crawled all over Lucy; she had no idea where Natsu was behind her.
"We wanted to pick you up so we can go to school together," Levy stated. "Let's go before we're late."
"I'll meet you two outside!" Lucy subtly pushed them outside. "I need to go get something in my room."
"Sure," Cana shrugged. "Hurry up."
Closing the door halfway, Lucy spun around and searched the apartment.
"Natsu?" she whispered.
As she whispered, a pink head popped out from the side of the couch.
"Why can't we just tell them already?" Natsu grumbled. "I'm tired of hiding each time they come."
"I'll tell them," she answered hesitantly. "Someday."
Natsu studied Lucy for a moment, his eyes softening at her worried expression.
"No rush," he assured. "Go now before they come back inside."
"See you at school then," she quickly waved, slipping through the door and clicking it shut.
Happily walking with Levy and Cana to school, Lucy couldn't hold back her smile when it came into view. It was always refreshing to see it after a few months.
The hallways were vibrating with laughter that blared out from each classroom. Of course, Class S was included.
"Hey!" Lisanna waved from her desk that she sat at during the first term. "I feel like I have seen you guys in forever!"
"It does feel like that," Lucy admitted. "What did you do for the next three days?"
The question circled around the rest of the group as they arrived one by one. And once everyone had shared what they did for during those days, the first bell of the day rang.
"Didn't miss hearing that," Gajeel muttered.
"Says the one who said they missed school," Levy giggled softly beside him.
"When did he say that?" Lucy questioned when no one was listening. "Did you see him over the summer?"
"I went shopping at the convenience store a few times," she revealed with a small smile.
"Oh, really?" Lucy leaned forward and wiggled her eyebrows—a gesture only Levy had mastered.
Levy puffed out her cheeks in response, facing the front of the classroom before Lucy could tease her further.
"Well, now that the second term has started, you all know what that means," the homeroom teacher announced.
"New seats," the student spoke in unison.
"Here's the box, you know the rules," he waved them off.
Lucy sighed as she scooted her chair back. She didn't want to be alone at her new desk whatsoever.
"Hopefully we get to sit together in the back," Natsu mumbled behind Lucy once they had shuffled into the line.
"We'll see," she answered plainly, though she could feel warmth creeping up her neck.
She wanted nothing more than sitting in the back with Natsu.
Lucy was at the front of the line much faster than she would have liked, but she knew she had to get a new desk sooner or later.
Holding her breath, she slid her hand into the box and picked the first slip of paper that grazed her fingertips.
Unfolding the paper, she blinked several times at the desk number.
"I got your desk," Lucy said slowly, turning to Natsu with a puzzled expression.
"Let's see what I get then," he replied.
She stepped out of the way, walking to her new desk that was all the way in the back.
She could already see the look on Natsu's upset face as he turned to her and told her that he sat in the front.
But instead of seeing that, she watched Natsu come up to her with a smirk.
"Looks like we're neighbors again!"
"You received my desk?" Lucy asked as he plopped beside her.
He nodded, nonchalantly putting his hands at the back of his head and leaning back.
Lucy looked back down at her desk with a smile—all this was too good to be true.
"We're the only ones by each other," she spoke once she noticed all her friends were at the front of the class now.
"I'm not that far!" Lisanna interjected, being two rows in front of them.
"Whose test am I going to cheat off now?" Natsu groaned, glancing at Lucy for a split second.
"Don't even try," she threatened.
"Yeah, yeah," he chuckled.
Before the chattering became loud again, the homeroom teacher cleared their throat.
"Since everyone has been assigned now, I would like to introduce a new transfer student."
"New student?" Natsu repeated with interest.
Lucy perked up in her seat with interest as well. It was unusual for students to transfer, so when it did happen, everyone was immediately intrigued.
It was silent as the door to the classroom slid open. Each student held their breath at who was going to walk in.
It was a girl—a blue-haired one—who confidently strode into the classroom.
"Please, introduce yourself," the teacher instructed.
"Juvia Lockser is Juvia's name! Nice to meet you!" she exclaimed.
"Treat her well, everyone," the teacher stated. "Okay, Juvia, you may pick any empty desk."
Juvia smiled politely and scanned for a seat while everyone clapped to welcome her.
When she was seated, the attention was directed back to the teacher, but Lucy couldn't take her eyes off Juvia.
Juvia's neighbor's eyes were larger than Lucy had ever seen them.
"Gray doesn't look happy to have her beside him," Lucy softly mentioned to Natsu.
"I've seen her somewhere," Natsu squinted at them.
"I feel like I have, too," Lucy agreed. "Was it during the summer?"
"That's it," he nodded. "That's the girl that kept following Gray at the beach."
Lucy hummed, having a strange feeling settling in her stomach. "It's just a coincidence she transferred here and got the same class as him, right?"
"You don't think she actually planned all of this?" Natsu scoffed.
"Of course not," she defended herself. "But you never know—"
"Lucy, if there's something you need to say, please say it to the entire class," the teacher interrupted her.
"I-It's nothing," she stammered with embarrassment. "Sorry."
"Learn how to whisper better," Natsu teased when the teacher resumed speaking.
"Whatever," she rolled her eyes.
With that, Lucy spent the rest of the day occasionally zoning in and out. But even then, the feeling in her stomach never faded away.
And there was no doubt in her mind that this feeling was surely because of the new transfer student, Juvia.