So Far Yet So Close [Fairy Tail Fanfiction]

Lucy Heartfilia

Lucy laid still on the bed. Nothing could help her get to sleep now; if music did not do the trick then she knows nothing else would. She stared at the ceiling, remembering how everything came to be.

"Father, you called?" Lucy was nervous.

Every time her father called her to the study, it was never for anything good. They would always end up in a disagreement of some sorts and she would be grounded for a week or so. The longest lasted for a month.

"Lucy." Jude started with a distant and cold tone, authority brimming from it, "How was the exam?"

"As usual, nothing I can't handle." Lucy returned the tone, silently telling him that she wasn't going to submit to him.

"Good." He continued approvingly, ignoring her silent message. "I have registered you into the London Business School in Europe for further studies. If all goes well, you'll be accepted."

Lucy stared at her father in disbelief. Europe? That's at the other side of the world! I'll be even further away from mamma! She wanted to retort, but she knew that it would just fall on deaf ears and cause her to be grounded. It was high time she played smart.

"I see, what will have to be done?" Lucy inquired, tone remaining indifferent.

Jude turned to face his daughter, finding her acceptance of the news oddly quick and calm, but her face proved difficult to read.

"An interview would be held shortly after the results of your exams are out. You are to skip the pointless graduation ceremony and go for the interview. Am I understood?" Jude observed his daughters reaction, hoping to catch any of her emotional slip up to better understand what she was planning. But nothing showed.

"I understand." Lucy maintained monotone and left duly.

When she finally entered the confines of her room, she leaped onto her bed and let the cushions absorb the stray tears that made their way down her cheeks. She felt like hitting her dad upside down when he called the graduation ceremony pointless. Did he know how much she and her friends were looking forward to it? But she bit it in, she couldn't let herself be grounded and have the security watch her every move before the time came for the interview. That's right, she had everything planned; what to pack, which route to take, where to go, how to get there, when to get there. It was perfect. However, sleep came first.

She slept that night with a nervous yet anticipating heart. She was looking forward to finally be free of the accursed mansion and the regulations that followed it, and yet, she was afraid that she wouldn't last a day out of it. Her soul in desperate need of comfort, looked for a memory to soothe the quivering soul. And it did.

She listened quietly as the group teased and taunted her. She was used to their bullying. She never did anything to deserve this but her mother had only taught her to be a nice girl, never to hurt others. That was until one of the boys hit a very sensitive topic.

"Oh wait! No… I'm sorry, I forgot your mommy died last month and daddy don't care about you…"

She could no longer hold it in. Her mother taught her to never cry in front of others. If she really needed to cry, she had to make sure she was either alone or in her mother's embrace. There was one exception too but it could not be applied to her current situation. But, they were right, mamma is dead and papa doesn't care anymore.

She cried. She let it out but did not stop to sob because she knew it would give her away. She wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of seeing her breakdown.