Chapter 3 - recap

I catch sight of Natsu with his arm wrapped around Lisanna.

"Guess the Basketball Star went for the Cheer Captain," Levy notes, catching my line of sight.

"Yeah, it's sort of cliché though, isn't it?" I fake a laugh and smile.

"I guess so," I don't catch Levy's odd look in my direction.

"Well, let's go to choir," I shrug and turn the other way and head down to the choir room, ready to sing these mixed emotions away.

• * •

Chapter 4 - A Walk in the Dark...

After choir Natsu comes up to me and Levy in the hall. I smile at him and Levy and I fall into step beside him.

"So, we saw you with Lisanna," Levy says in a sing-songy voice. I knew she was doing it to draw information from him.

Natsu closes his eyes and laughs, "Yeah, I was with her earlier."

"So, anything you wanna share with Lucy and I?" She asks. Yup, there is the true intent of this admittedly painful conversation.

"Nah, I have nothing to say," he shrugs before we walk to our seats in Ms. Vermillion's room. I sit stiffly beside Natsu, trying not to show anything I felt.

"Okay class," Ms. V calls for our attention.

"Today I will be explaining how you will potentially advertise and spread the reach of your business. You must start out simple by creating flyers and posters and going door to door. If you aren't actually selling a product or service make sure to notify them of that. They know the drill here, everyone has done this project. After you have done this basic advertising you can focus on expanding. You can let people's chatter spread the word for you." I leaned on my hand as she spoke, blocking my sight of Natsu with my hair.

"Well now, since you will have settled down to work and are just letting the system do the hard work for you, you can make your product or service and begin to sell it or make advertisements for specific things. Though you may have to still do some work in basic advertising, depending upon the situation you received," by now everyone was catching on.

"Every month you will revive the next part of your scenario, and it won't be as random as before, but it will pertain to your previous situation while still having a hint of uncertainty--as life is never as straight as an arrow," she turns to the board. She begins to draw a diagram.

Situation 1

|

\/

Sitch 2.1

Or Sitch 2.2

Or Sitch 2.3

"Do you understand how this will work?" She turns back to face the class.

"Yes," we all chime. Of course some of us didn't but we would all get it eventually...

"Good," she seems satisfied.

"Now, on to our first unit..."

• * •

At the end of the day I shoulder my bag and begin to head home. Natsu had an hour of practice and would be back soon after myself. I trekked back along the sidewalk alone, watching cars whiz past me.

The sun was slowly beginning it's decent as I reached the apartment. Soon after Wendy got home and started her homework in her room. I set my backpack down by the side of the couch and began my own homework, though I was hardly able to finish it.

My emotions where going crazy and they wouldn't calm down. I made myself some calming tea, but to no avail. I tried reading but I couldn't focus. I attempted to sleep but I only tossed and turned on the couch. After still not shaking the strong emotions I was feeling, the mixes of anger, sadness and even numbness...I decided to take a walk. I stepped out of Natsu's apartment and sighed before heading outside and onto the sidewalk.

The sun was sinking, turning the horizon a mix of pink, orange, and purple. The grayness of the clouds offset the colors beautifully. I shoved my hands in my skinny jeans pockets. A soft chilly breeze blew through my hair, lifting stray blonde strands.

I look up again and the sun is gone, with only a few stars peeking through the now black clouds. The dim street lamps lit small circumferences of light and between them where dark patches where there was only shadow. I turned around and began quickly heading home, suddenly very uncomfortable.

Then my nagging fear blossomed to life before my eyes, as two shadowy figures stepped into the light. Two older guys, probably a little older than college guys, stood blocking my path. One held a beer bottle and the other held a can.

"You have to be kidding me..." I mutter.

"H-hey sexy," one guy slurred.

"No, no no." I slowly inch backwards.

"Why don't you come with, with us," the other guy added.

"I'd rather just go home.." I laugh slightly, awkwardly.

"Awe but that's noooo fun," the first guy began stepping towards me.

"How about we talk at a safe distance of about far away," I keep inching backwards.

"How about, not," he got even closer to me.

I took off, sure that I could outrun a drunk man. But I had to slow to round a corner and tripped over a hose and the wheel of a tricycle.

"Ahh-!" SMACK! I shrieked as I fell, but it was cut short as I slapped the concrete. I heard the shuffle run of the drunk men.

"There's the blonde," the sneered.

"Time to go sweetheart!" One called, reaching for me. I rolled over onto grass and began pushing myself away.

"Stay back!" I snap.

"Heh, what are you gonna do?" He slurs, "Run again?" He laughs causing the other guy to burst out laughing. Tears streamed down my face as I struggled to my feet. I stood up, my knees wobbly and my stomach churning.

"I said, stay back!" I picked up a nearby child's toy and flung it at them.

I was breathing hard but I wasn't just going to let them take me. "No way in hell." I murmur to myself.

"I'm done playing games with you, you bitch!" The guy closest to me roared, dropping the glass bottle letting it shatter upon contact with the concrete.

I took off again looping around them, back in the direction of the apartment. I looked behind me to see them chasing me down, gaining speed. I pushed myself farther and turned back around as I slammed into someone.

The first thing to escape my lips was, "Help me!"

The person groaned a bit from beneath me. "Jeez can't a guy walk home-" he cut his sentence off when he stood up and saw me lying on the sidewalk.

"Lucy! What the hell!" Natsu leaned down.

"The guys! They are coming! Natsu we have to-!" I can't finish the sentence because he whirls around as the guys come bounding at us. He takes a fighting stance as the first guy came flying. Natsu raises a fist and the drunk runs right into it. The other tries to slow down and comes to a stop right in front of Natsu.

"You wanna fight me?" Natsu growled.

"N-n-no! No way in hell man! You took Ripper out without flinching! Screw that, man!" He raced away, into the shadows.

• * •

Chapter 5 - The Basketball Star and the Cheer Captain?! - Preview

I thought I had pushed my emotions away, righted myself somehow. I knew I could be okay with them being together. It was Natsu's life and feelings and I shouldn't interfere. Even if the dork will probably break her heart, I still can't step in.

I made my way to class hugging my notebooks to my chest, weaving through people on autopilot. I was silent, though Levy was chattering away about a new book she was reading. I reached the class and sat in the back, writing notes but not about the class.

"I am okay with this," was written all across the paper in my delicate handwriting. Because I could be okay.