Secrets - NALU

Chapter 15: Gossip and Guys

Lucy's POV

We arrived inside my 'fancy' apartment, as I called it,  and after the many gasps and looks of surprises, we settled down and put our stuff in. They had quickly went to their houses to get their own needs and they all met up with me.

"So should we start by doing homework?" I asked clasping my hands with excitement. They shot me looks of horror and surprise, well except for Levy who nodded in agreement. 

"No, no Lucy. In sleep overs, you're supposed to forget about homework, and only talk about boys and gossip, oh and boys!" Mirajane said with excitement as she prepared blankets in the middle of the living room. I rolled my eyes and laughed.

I neatly placed my bag and homework inside my room, to make sure I would secretly finish later.

They all took turns in the bathroom, getting changing into their pjs and getting ready. "Yeah well first~ let's make dinner~!" Erza happily sang. We decided on making pizza.

Erza and Mirajane prepared the dough and took turns kneading it to get it into the perfect round shape and consistency, while Levy, Juvia, and I took out some toppings. After about twenty minutes, we huddled around getting ready to place the toppings. I said I wanted mine to be plain cheese, and in contrast Erza wanted her slice to have lots of veggies, to which I gagged at. I mean, who eats veggies with pizza? 

Levy neatly placed pepperoni on her slice and Mirajane placed different types of peppers on her slice. We stared at Juvia who was thinking and staring at all the toppings.

"Oh what the heck! Juvia will just go with  pineapple." she happily placed it on top. We all laughed at her gesture.

After another two hours, we got the pizza out of the oven and got our own slices and huddled into a circle on the soft carpet. 

"So let's talk about you first Lucy!" Mirajane started, placing her pizza aside. I sighed, totally expecting it. 

"F-fine. Well first, on one occasion, Natsu decided to take me to a cafe because it was so cold outside. We went to a cafe and chatted and he drove me back home. T-then, during the weekend, he took me to the beach. It was fun and all..." I trailed off after stuttering.

Mirajane squealed, "Oh my gosh that's so cute!" she cheered.

"But?" Erza asked looking at me.

"But what?"

"Lucy, I know something's wrong. You've got that 'look'." she said and pretended to twitch her right eye. I threw a pillow at her and rolled my eyes.

I sighed, "Well when we were at the beach, I went to the bathroom and then when I came back, there were two girls basically sitting on his lap and flirting with him. The bad part is that he was flirting back too!" I said, my eyes watering.

"Lu-chan it's okay. He's always been like that." Levy said trying to comfort me.

"Well... when I was walking to school, I saw him making out with another random girl." I said blinking my tears away. I wasn't going to cry. I hated Natsu. Hated.

"Do you want me to cut his head off?" Erza offered in a soothing voice. While I was considering it, Mirajane started to talk.

"Listen Lucy, I know this seems really confusing and hard... but you need to understand that the only reason Natsu does that is because he truly feels lonely inside. If he had someone he really cared about, he wouldn't do that. He needs someone to lead him the right path, someone to change him... You can be that someone." Mirajane said, her ocean blue eyes staring right at me. I heard Juvia sniffle at Mirajane's wisdom. 

"Y-yeah, well whatever. Doesn't he have Gray? I mean, they're always flirting with each other!" I choked out, cursing Natsu and Gray.

They all burst out laughing. "Nah, they're just friends!" Levy said wiping a tear out of her eye.

"Lucy, just try to not pay too much attention to it. The more time you spend around Natsu, the better it's all going to be." Erza smiled at me.

I smiled back at everyone, and pulled my Happy plushie out and wrapped my arms around it. They all awed and I saw Erza look at me as if I were a lunatic.

"What? Natsu gave it to me." I said, causing them to aww at it, making me roll my eyes.

"I guess it's Juvia's turn!" Juvia happily raised her fist in the air making her pony tail sway from side to side. We all stared at her in suspense.

"Well last time, Gray-sama-",

"Gray-sama?" Levy asked puzzled by it.

"Shh! It's rude to interrupt Levy! Now let me continue," she flipped her hair, "last time, Juvia was walking down the stairs, but suddenly Juvia slipped. Juvia thought she was going to die so Juvia shut her eyes shut. Surprisingly, someone caught Juvia, Juvia's face landed on a soft yet very mascular chest. Juvia looked up and it was Gray-sama!" she paused to squeal and muttered, "ah my Gray-sama!", and continued, " 'Be careful there pretty lady'. Gray-sama told Juvia, and with his soft hands, he brushed strands of hair from Juvia's face and walked away!" she finished blushing like crazy yet very proud.

I squealed at the cuteness of the whole story! Now THAT was actually really cute!

Erza and Levy giggled while Mirajane muttered something about a 'Gruvia', to which I shrugged off. Gruvia, I thought,  it sounded like a mango smoothie.

"Lucy, Gray talks to lots of girls too," Juvia said looking at me, "but that's not going to stop me." she grinned with pride. My eyes widened, and I looked up to Juvia. She had so much courage and confidence, something I greatly lacked. "Thanks." I smiled and felt some hope. She was right, I actually did see girls flirt with Gray as well, but that's not stopping Juvia.

Levy then told us how she made small talk with Gajeel such as greetings and chatted about what they had done during the day. Erza threw an apple at Levy and told her that she was going to go nowhere. Mirajane shook her head in disapproval as well and assured her that she would give them more 'time together' making Levy shudder. 

Mirajane ended up telling us that Laxus, to which I flinched at the name, had started courting her home. We all squealed and I realized how much ahead she was than all of us. We all envied her for how easy she had it, to which she simply smiled back.

We then turned our attention to Erza waiting for her story. She looked up and forced a smile on her face. "Nothing." she said trying to sound cheerful. "I'm better of independent anyways." she shrugged and pretended to yawn. "We should all go to sleep." she instructed.

I felt bad for Erza, I didn't pity her, but I knew how much it hurt her hearing everyone else's stories. I decided that night that I was going to help Erza and everyone else! Everyone deserved to be happy.

Everyone.

Maybe even myself. 

Unfortunately later that night, I heard small sniffs and cries. I closed my eyes shut, knowing where the source was coming from. My heart sank and I was mad at myself for not doing anything, but I decided I was going to change it, and do something about it.