High School Reunion

Chapter 12

Patience is virtue

Lucy sat in her living room with the sunlight streaming through her ivory curtains. They swayed with the light breeze that came with the beautiful spring morning. Sitting on her brown suede sectional couch, she was enjoying the latest edition to her library. The book was captivating and she felt like she could actually climb into the story herself and live there. If only life really happened like in the stories.

Things would be so much easier that way. She finally managed to get Natsu off her mind, using the book as a way to occupy herself and she has even started on her next novel. She felt accomplished and was overall in a really good mood. The only downer was that she was selling her house.

It held too many memories for her and she wanted a fresh start. And that meant with everything. Recently she has been sleeping on the couch because of how much she would miss Sting when she was in the bedroom. She would roll over in her bed late at night, expecting to feel his warm body laying there only to find it cold and empty. No, she wasn't in love with him, she knew that now but she did still care about him and missed his presence.

It was only Sunday and tomorrow Lucy had plans with a realtor to not only help with the selling of the house but looking into buying another. The house was too large just for her anyway. She doesn't understand how she didn't realize it before.

Her house was filled with flowers of every type, scattered all about. She was running out of places to put them. Natsu seems to have went on the obsessive side for every time her door bell rings it's more flowers being sent her way. It was a sweet gesture but she truly hoped that he didn't think that a few flowers would make her leap into his arms, singing praises and telling him how much she loved him. No, she was far from that.

The book was getting better with each word she read, she found herself on the edge of her seat waiting to read what happened to the scarred heroin. Suddenly the door bell rang and she jumped in surprise causing her to fall from the couch and land on the plush carpet beneath her. She scoffed before pushing herself back up to her feet and marking her place in the book.

With a quick dust of her clothes, she made her way to the front door. She wasn't expecting anyone so she thought she had an idea of what it was.

"If it's more flowers then send them back. I don't want them." She called out through her front door. Honestly, she just couldn't take in anymore of them. Did Natsu actually think she would take in so many?

"It's not." A quiet voice spoke. If they spoke any lower she wouldn't have been able to hear them. Her heart began to race as her eyes widened. No matter how low that voice was, she would always recognize it. She quickly shot the door open to find her fears were confirmed. Standing there in dark jeans with a white t-shirt was none other than Natsu Dragneel.

"N-Natsu?" She questioned. She was shocked to see him there. What was he doing here? She still didn't feel like she would be able to face him, she couldn't even look him in the eye without feeling the pain all over again. "W-what are you doing here?"

"Can we talk?" She found herself unsure how to answer. It's not like he was going to jump her the moment she let him in or something, he just came to talk right? "Just to talk, nothing else. Please Luce."

As if he could read her mind he answered the very question that she had asked herself. But should she? She could hear the pleading in his voice and hearing the nickname he bestowed upon her all those years ago made her chest tighten. Other than at the reunion, she hasn't been called that in a long time. Her mind told her no while her heart screamed yes.

She was more of a rational thinker though, and would normally listen to her head than anything else. It's what has gotten her by all these years. Her mind was warning her, telling her that this could only lead to more heart break for her while her heart was saying that this was her chance. Her chance to either reconcile with her long lost best friend or have the opportunity to become something more. Like she had always wanted.

With a sigh, she moved to the side allowing the pinkette to cross over the threshold. She wasn't sure why she was doing this, but the least she could do after all these years is hear him out. It's not like he spoke very much at the reunion and all the little notes with the flowers didn't say much either. She gestured for him to follow and lead him into the living room. Being the polite hostess she is, she decided to offer him something.

"Would you like something to drink or eat?" She asked in a low tone. She felt uncomfortable being around him once more. It didn't help any that he still looked the same except even better. Maybe if his face had changed more, then it wouldn't be so hard to look at him. He still had that childishly handsome face he had all those years ago, the only difference was the look of aging he held in his deep black orbs.

"No, but thank you." He seated himself upon the couch and leaned on his knees. She was rather surprised that he didn't take her offer, remembering how the boy had loved food so much growing up. But then again, this was no longer a boy but a man. Lucy nodded before sitting herself in the ivory accent chair across from him. She didn't feel right sitting next to him.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Lucy asked after several moments of silence. The tension was steadily growing in the air and it was killing her. The pink haired man shifted nervously in his spot as he seemed to try and think over what he was going to say.

Natsu's mind was reeling, he had finally gotten up the courage to come and speak to her now he was fumbling for the words. It was clear that she didn't want to see him yet here she was, being the same as she has always been by letting him into her home and greeting him like he wasn't an unwanted guest.

"Well, you see I-" He sighed and ran a hand through his rosie locks before his eyes locked onto hers. She felt her breath hitch as the sudden eye contact but did her best to keep her emotions in check. She didn't want him to know just what she felt for him. "I want to take you out to dinner."

His words caught her off guard. Yes, she knew that he was supposedly going to try to win her back but she still wasn't expecting it so soon and for him to so...blunt. Did he really expect her to just jump right in and start dating him? Ignore what happened in the past and start all over again. She had to admit that the idea was made her heart flutter but she would rather wait, test the waters and make sure that he would never hurt her in such a way again.

"Natsu, I'm sorry but I can't." A small smile tugged at the sides of his lips as he glanced to the side. Something about the look in his eyes suggested that he knew she was going to say that. Did he really come here knowing that she would turn him away? "You have to understand Natsu that we just were reunited and I don't know a thing about you anymore. And the same goes for you. You don't know me, we haven't seen each other in years and you expect me to just go out with you when the last time we really spent time together ended in such a way? I don't even know if I can trust you anymore."

"I do understand. But if you let me take you out, we will learn what we don't know about each other. Find out everything that we have missed over these years. Just let me prove to you that I can be trusted!" She could hear the desperation in his voice, almost making her say yes. Almost.

"I'm sorry, I just can't. I don't even know if I can trust you as a friend let alone in a relationship."

"Then we can start off as friends. Please Lucy, I am willing to wait as long as it takes. I will do everything I can to prove how I feel. It doesn't even have to be a date, just dinner between friends. Let me show you just who I have become and prove that I am worthy of you."

"I don't know, can you give me some time to think about it?" Natsu sighed yet he knew that he couldn't push her. Right now, that is the last thing she needed. He nodded earning a small smile upon the blonds pink lips.

"Can I at least give you my number so that you can call me when you figure things out?" She shook her head, knowing that she didn't need to feel the pressure of calling him. She would find a way to let him know her answer.

"Don't worry, when I decide you'll know." She spoke softly trying her best to keep on a straight face. She needed to hide all that she felt when she was near him. The fast beating of her heart, the warmth in her stomach, the tightening in her chest and the yearning. Oh how she wished she could forget what happened. She just wanted to pull him closer, and do all she could to make up for lost time. But no, she won't do that. She was going to listen to her head this time around.

She walked him towards the front door and opened it for him. Every room they passed through held a different floral scent from all the flowers that he had sent. He couldn't stop the smile on his face when he realized that she had kept each one. He hadn't noticed on the way in, too nervous to pay attention. But seeing it now made him feel slightly better. To him, that meant hope. Hope that he might just have a chance with her if given time. If time is what she needed then that is what she will get. He would give her all the time in the world as long as their was the chance that they could be together in the end.

"Goodbye Natsu." She said as he stood on the threshold facing her. "And thank you for the flowers." She added the last part quietly, slightly embarrassed to be saying it for some reason.

"No problem Luce!" He said those words in the voice she knew so well. The same tone he used often when they were younger. The grin that stretched across his features made her heart skip a beat and a pink coat to dust her cheeks. It was that very grin she had fallen in love with all those years ago. He even called her Luce, that same name he gave her as teens. The blushing blond in front of him didn't go unnoticed by the pinkette but he chose to continue smiling like he didn't see it.

Today was a good day for him. Everything that had happened, even with her turning him away, showed that he still had a chance. That he might still have a place somewhere in her heart and to him, this was the best day he has had in years.

Okay, finally I managed to find the time to update and I really want to apologize for taking so long. My life has become hectic recently making it tough for me to update like I used to. Well I hope that this chapter is worth the wait, please let me know what you think! Thanks so much!