Chapter 30: Future plans
Ever since Natsu and Lucy decided to call off their arranged marriage, the two couldn't be happier. Their parents might have expected them to get married in six years but they guess the six years were too short for them to experience what true love really was.
From that day on, Natsu and Lucy took hold of their destiny, whether it was going to be a fun ride or a crazy ride. But no matter what happens, they have decided to stick around.
During their last year in High School, they have sent out college applications and waited for a reply back from different Universities. They may not be all together in one university, but the proximity of the school they chose was still close enough for them to get together.
"So Loke, what are you taking for college?" Gray asked as he sat down to one of the court benches after playing basketball with the others. Loke then glances at the raven haired teen before fixing his eyeglasses, "Didn't I tell you already?" The orange haired teen sarcastically answers earning an irritated look from his friend, "Would I ask if you told me already?!" Gray shouts as he hits Loke's head making the teen growl for messing his 'beautiful' hair.
"Then what did I tell you before?" Loke asks as he fixes his hair before looking back at his friend. Soon enough the other boys came and sat along with the two to join the conversation.
"You just mentioned that you'd be going to Astral University…" Gray said as he unconsciously took off his jersey shirt and threw it somewhere. "Where the hell is Astral University? Is that even a school?" Gajeel asks as he slumps down next to Gray who laughs at his remark. "Of course it is! They are best for courses in Astrology which me and Aries would be taking together."
"Forcing a course to your girlfriend is bad, tsk tsk…" Sting commented as he shakes his head in disappointment. Making it worse, the boys started copying the blonde which made the orange haired teen to swear drop, "I-I didn't force her! She even surprised me with her chosen course because I wanted her to take fashion design since she liked creating clothes."
"Wooh! Excuses!" Natsu teased as he stands in front of the boy. Bringing the attention to himself, Jellal then glances at him and starts asking him, "About you Natsu? Where you going for college?"
"He's going to Fiore University with us." Gray states as he begins to wipe his sweat from his chest but taken a back later when he hears Natsu disagree, "Actually no, I took the scholarship in Magnolia De Fiore University" Natsu slowly looks at his friends who were all wide eyes at him. Breaking the sudden news, Jellal begins to ask again, "Scholarship? For playing basketball?"
"Sort of…but I also got in their program for Chemical Engineering." Natsu scratches his head as if he felt guilty for not mentioning the news earlier, "Chemical Engineering? So same school where Laxus studies?"
"Yeah, MDFU is best known for engineering courses." The pinkette finally feeling weak in his knees sits down next to Gajeel who looked unconcerned about the news. But, the question that Gajeel asked made the pink head to look sad, "Does Lucy know this?"
It took a few silent moments before Natsu answers, "I haven't told her yet. She knew that I was going to take Chemistry in Fiore University since I was in doubt to be accepted in MDFU. But last Monday, MDFU sent me an acceptance letter and they need me there a few days after graduation."
"What?!" All the boys unison shouting at the pinkette which made the teen cringe because of the loudness, "Graduation is in two days you idiot! Why only now telling us this?! Specifically Lucy!"
"I'm planning to tell her today!" Natsu shouts back at Gray who was now somehow furious in annoyance, "I'm just…looking for a right time."
"You know Natsu, you need to tell her soon. FU is far from MDFU…it's a long travel." Jellal reminds Natsu before he taps his shoulder and nods towards him. "I know…she'll probably hate me though." Natsu then looks down at his shoes and glares at it, "How I wish I could have mentioned it earlier."
"Well, you just got the news recently. Can't be helped." Loke reassures his friend who looks up at him and gives a slight nod.
After hearing his friends, he quickly stands and grabs his bag from the floor and looks back at his friend, "I better go. I can't waste precious time anymore." And with that, Natsu sprints away from his friends and disappears in the next corner. When Natsu was no longer in view, the boys were still left stunned, unable to create any response to what they just heard. "Well, I better get to my girlfriend before Lucy stills her because of her crying mode." and with that Gajeel stands and slings his bag to his shoulders, "See you tomorrow wimps"
HEARTFILIA RESIDENCE
Ding dong!
A beautiful blonde middle aged woman walks closer to the doors to open it wide enough to see the outside world and the person ringing their doorbell. As soon as Layla opens the door, a nervous pink haired teen boy stands before her holding on to a peach and pink bouquet of peonies.
"Natsu, come on in." Layla then moves aside as a sign for the boy to enter. With a respect, Natsu bows before the older blonde before entering the Heartfilia home.
As he enters, he walks on towards the living room and patiently waits for the older blonde to invite him to sit, "Lucy is in her room, I'll just call her. Take your seat." and with that Natsu sits down, obeying the blonde who took off to head up stairs and call her daughter. After a few moments, Natsu's heart began to leap as soon as his girlfriend steps down from the stairs that had her biggest smile on.
Feeling as if time stopped as Lucy walks closer to him, he couldn't help himself to be at awe as the blonde walks in front of him. Waving her hand in front of Natsu, breaking his daze, Lucy just giggles at her place as she witnesses her boyfriend to snap out of his trance.
"Oy Natsu, I know I'm beautiful but I'll melt with your stares…" Lucy commented as soon as Natsu was now sensible to talk too. Helplessly blushing, Lucy continues to look at her lover, "Natsu…"
"Luce" Natsu shakes his head awake, "Uh, I just got caught up with your beauty"
Blushing more while giggling towards her boyfriend, Lucy couldn't help to feel a leap in her heart. Knowing soon that she'll be weak in her knees, she sits down at the couch next to Natsu and just keeps her gaze at the coffee table. "So, what are you doing here?"
Snapping to look at the blonde, he was taken a back by the soft smile Lucy was giving him, "Oh uh…" Feeling his grip getting tighter onto something, he quickly realizes he was holding a small bouquet of flowers, "For you!" Slightly shoveling hard towards the blonde the flowers, Lucy was startled at the sight of flowers. Slowly taking the bouquet from Natsu, she brought it up to her nose and smelled the sweet scent of the flowers, "thank you…"
Still not looking back at Natsu, Lucy keeps her attention to the flowers as she asks again, "I'm pretty sure you didn't come to just give me flowers…so what's up?"
"Well…I was planning if we could talk. You know, about the future…" Natsu said rubbing his neck in nervousness as he glances at the stunned blonde, "F-future? What a-about it?"
"Well, in two days we will be graduating from high school then in few weeks, we'll be starting college…So I was planning to-"
"Natsu, we're going to the same college, remember?" Lucy tilts her head as she looks at the pinkette who was beginning to fidget in his seat, "Well about that…"
"What?" Lucy suddenly shifts in her seat to fully face the boy knowing this was going serious. Natsu copying the blonde, he changes his position then places his arms to the couch and looks straight to the most beautiful brown eyes he has ever stared at, he swallowed hard then continues. "Do you remember the time I told you that I sent an application to MDFU?"
"Yeah, you said that you applied for a scholarship there with a course of Chemical engineering. What about it?" Lucy asks again. With her question, Natsu slowly takes her hand and begins to draw invincible circles while giving it an occasional squeeze. "I got the scholarship…"
Silence immediately enters in their conversation, which made the pink haired athlete to feel nervous. He was beginning to feel regret as he contemplates that this was going to be the worst news Lucy has ever heard. "Luce?" softly squeezing her hand, Natsu tries to read her face, "Comment please…"
"Uh…so you got in MDFU…congratulations!" and with that Lucy somehow leaps in her seat before giving Natsu a tight hug. Stunned with the way she reacted, Natsu quickly pulls away and holds her shoulder to stare at her, "Aren't you mad? Annoyed?"
"Well…surprised, yes. But mad? Annoyed? Of course not! I'm happy for you my baka..." Lucy says as she caresses her boyfriend's cheek who just stared back at her with pure surprise. "I need to leave two days after graduation…don't you hate me?"
Laughing at Natsu, seeing how he wants her to be mad at him for something she knew she'd be proud of. "I know baka…MDFU really asks their new students to enter college earlier than usual because of their pre-programs." And with that, Lucy scoots closer to Natsu and leans her head to his chest as they rest their back to the couch. "I know also that your chosen school would be a far travel to my chosen school…and I am still not mad at you."
Looking down at the blonde, amazed how she is so understanding and caring for him, he couldn't help himself to lean down and kiss her fully in the lips. Surprised at first, Lucy squeaks at the kiss making her still but after a few sweet seconds, she returns the kiss. Cupping her cheeks to deepen the kiss, Natsu begins to tilt her head to get a new angle in the kiss.
As the two was lost in their own world, a middle aged man suddenly steps out of his office and sees his daughter with the unmistakable boyfriend of hers.
"Ehhem…" Jude audibly clears his throat as he stands before the two teens. Because of the sudden clearing of throat sound, the two was too startled that either one of them, squealed. "Natsu…" Jude calls as he stares at the stunned pinkette.
Realizing who just broke their intimate moment, instead of giving an irritated remark, Natsu quickly stands and bows before the middle aged man, "Good afternoon Uncle Jude!" Lucy quickly scoots away from the teen and tries to pretend that her face was not red despite being caught kissing with her boyfriend. "Papa…" Lucy softly calls as Jude dismisses Natsu from bowing, "So, you two were…"
"Jude~" a sweet voice called making the three stop breathing knowing that a middle aged woman was just near them, "Yes honey?" Jude answers back as he peeks at his shoulder
"Can you not disturb the children and leave them be?" Layla said sweetly despite her words were being a threat, "Jude…"
"Alright honey, I'll be heading to our room instead…" and with that Jude turns his heel and heads towards the stairs. But before Jude even sets a foot to the first step, he looks back at Natsu who was taken aback by the stern gaze he gave, "behave you two". Jude said trying to remind the two teens but the message was more for Natsu. And realizing that it was intended for him, Natsu swallowed hard first before nodding in compliance.
After a few silent and slight awkward moment, Natsu looks at Lucy who was turning to look at him as well, "Well…where were we?" Lucy asks as she smiles at Natsu
"Kissing?" Natsu said nonchalantly which earns him a hard slap to his arm coming from the blonde, "Natsu~! Don't say that…papa might hear you"
"I'm just kidding…" Natsu then taps Lucy's head as he moves closer to the blonde, "we were talking about me leaving for Magnolia De Fiore. So what will be the plan?"
"I don't know…I mean, I can't drive yet nor dad would allow me yet. Since, we will be freshman there would be a lot of course subjects and I don't know how I'll fit that in." Lucy then looks down at her lap as she fidgets with her hand. With her hand being held softly, Lucy looks up and sees that Natsu smiling warmly at her, "I can drive…I can visit you"
"You have motion sickness…"
"But I'll get sick more if I won't be able to at least spend time with you. And besides, you'd take care of me after the drive." Natsu then grins wide making Lucy chortle at his face and realization, nothing can stop Natsu even his sickness…
"Alright, we can always date Friday's so that you can pick me up and drop me here for the weekends…how do that sound as a plan?" Lucy asks as she tilts her head in question, "best plan ever…" with that, Natsu wraps his arms to Lucy's waist and mumbles quietly to herm "But it would be an agonizing moment for me…"
Once again slightly chuckling at her boyfriend she couldn't help herself to brush his hair with her delicate fingers, "me too…"
-End of Chapter 30-