Ch. 48 - chicken fight!

As I pulled the strap of my swimsuit up to my chest, I couldn't stop imagining feeling his warmth between my legs. I squirmed at the thought. Forget about that, Lucy! I hang my jacket inside the locker and closed it, revealing Lisanna who was changing into her swimsuit.

Lisanna and Sting used to date, huh? I was shocked about that part.

Lisanna looked in my direction then, pouted. "Huh? What's with the look, Lucy? Are you mad at me or something?"

I shook my head, eventually waving my hands along with the way I shake my head. "Nope, not at all. I was just thinking of something else."

She closes her locker and sighs, "Too bad. I'll be partnered with your Natsu darling."

I nodded. Wait, what?! My eyes widened at her statement. "Sorry, I-I feel like I misheard you. Did you just say you're partnered up with Natsu...?"

She nods, "It's the truth. Principal Mavis told me we're partnered up with the person we're sitting with in the bus." she finally finishes her touch then waved goodbye as she left the room, leaving me quite unstable.

I crampled my hands together. "Lisanna and Natsu...?" that's a BIG mistake. All this time, I've been feeling nervous of him in between me but now, I'm much more worried with Sting's head in between mine. Oh, God! Help me!!

Natsu's POV

Gray came up to me as he was dipping his feet playfully in the pool. He smirked, "Yep, just the right temperature to get the circulation going!" he screamed with satisfaction, stretching his arms out and in, getting ready for the fight.

"Aren't you the least bit worried?" I asked out of the blue. He jolted his head, looking towards Levy, who was walking towards us.

"About what?" Gray asked, lifting an eyebrow.

Levy waved then placed her arms on her hips. "Hey, guys! What's happening?"

"Wait. Aren't you partnered up with Juvia? You know, since she's been your partner since the dance off competition yesterday?" I asked. But, when I finished, Gray's shoulders suddenly shivered.

"Uh, we were told our partners for today are the people we're seated with in the bus." my eyes widened hearing his instructions.

All this time, I was excited to be with Lucy and now I find out I'm fighting with Lisanna?! I scoffed at the thought as she interrupted this when she was yelling my name.

"Natsu! Guess we're partners for today..." she pauses for a bit to nudge me by the elbow with a wink. "partner." she emphasizes as she got away to talk to the other girls.

I folded my arms against my chest and sighed exasperatedly. "Damn it. I was really imagining Lucy and I as a team together. This sucks..."

Just then, the student body prez, Erza, came wearing her black bikini suit with arms resting on both sides of her hips. "Everyone, to your places, quickly!" she ordered, making everyone go to their partners.

Lucy's POV

I was pulling up my hair to tie it into a ponytail when Erza entered, blowing her whistle, ordering us to hurry up and get to our partners. This meant I need to go to Sting...

And so, I went outside to find Sting. Eventually saw him leaning his back against the wired fence in his boxers. He looked uninterested, as usual. But, I ran towards him, anyway.

"Sting, guess we're partners for the day, huh?"

He sighs in disappointment, "Yeah, I guess..." He looked really out of it today. When I followed the direction where his eyes were looking at, I saw Lisanna beside Natsu, fooling around with him. As if they were practicing how they can go into the water with her on top of him.

Instinctively, I felt myself heat up and pout at the sight. But, then felt my body become light. "Whoa!" I exclaimed when I saw Sting's head. "S--Sting...?!"

It was then that I had realized he already placed me on top of his shoulders with my arms resting on his head and his arms holding my legs. "We've got a fight to win, blondie, and I ain't gonna lose to him." I looked in Natsu's direction and saw Lisanna on his shoulders. I shuddered at the sight. "I'm beating her off of him!"

Sting high fived mine as we went into the water. At first try, it was really scary since I can't swim well and being on top of Sting made me lose focus and get dizzy because of the height I'm looking at. It already felt like I was soon about to fall.

"Quit struggling and focus!" Sting gruffed, tightening his grip on my legs as I tightened my arms on his shoulders.

"Kyaa! Natsu, be careful or else we'll lose the game! Moh." I looked up to see Lisanna right in front of us, slapping Natsu by his hands when he was holding her legs.

I bit my lower lip at the sight. "Let's do this, Sting." I ordered as soon as Erza blew the whistle.

"As you all know, the game of chicken fight, each one of you must fight fair and square, no cheating or you'll find yourselves in hell, under me." Erza glared at everyone, making them shiver nervously. "Now then, here's the main deal--and that is to get every single ribbon attached to the people on top and whoever gets the most ribbons win the game. Prizes will be announced after the game is over." Erza raised her hand, signalling us to wait.

"You got this, blondie, you know what to do." Sting said, making me nod at him. As soon as Erza blew the whistle, everybody started pushing everyone out of their ways. Sting tried moving, usually someone could only walk since the water pressure is too strong but with Sting, he moved swiftly and calmly. Not what I was expecting.

Everytime we encounter someone, I manage to always pull the string of their ribbon and tie them on to my arm for safe keeping. We're going to win this and definitely take Lisanna way from Natsu.

"Luce, look out!" I heard someone call. I looked in front and saw someone push me. With me realizing this late that I fell into the water. I ended up letting go of every single ribbon I recently got and found myself struggling, fighting the water pressure.

Ohhhhhh... I-I can't breathe!
Natsu!!

Natsu's POV

"Shit!" I shouted without thinking, looking up to find Lisanna looking shocked at rhe scene. "Lisanna, get off me for a sec! I have to rescue Luce!" she nodded in understanding, her legs shivered as she got on the floor. I went and dove into the water. That's where I found Lucy's body about to hit the floor.

Before it could happen, I grabbed her hand and pulled her into my arms, close to my chest as I hit the wall instead. I began swimming up to the surface and saw everyone panicking, screaming. Good thing they calmed down when Erza blew the whistle.

"Everyone! Out of the water quickly! Natsu," she looks in my direction as she was running towards me, grabbing Lucy's hand. "Hand her to me."

She placed Lucy gently on the wet floor. Luce was still unconscious. I breathed in and breathed out. This is bad. I can't seem to calm down. Watching Erza push Lucy's chest up and down over and over again but still, there was no sign of breathing.

She looks in my direction, "Natsu, do you know how to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation?" I shook my head in the process.

"But, I'll try... for Luce." I stammered as I quickly crawled to her side. Checking her heartbeat if it was beating right. She seems nervous. I placed both of my hands the proper way on her chest and pushed in and out. There was still no sign of movement.

I quickly crouched to her lips and placed mine to try and breathe air into her, pumping her chest three times each time she hasn't breathed yet.