Secret Lovers (A Nalu Fan-Fic)

Chapter 38: Tenrou Island Part 3

"Good morning, Lucy," everyone greets in unison at the table for breakfast on our third day of staying at Tenrou Island.

"Good morning, everyone," I respond, sitting at the same seat as yesterday.

I glance over at the empty chair beside me that's meant for Natsu. We planned to arrive at different times, but I feel as if the planned time separation is a little too short.

"Did you sleep well?" Lisanna asks, sipping orange juice with a straw.

I nod, "Did you?"

"Mira-nee kept taking up all the space in the bed," she whines, giving her sister an annoyed look.

"Oh, I did?" Mirajane smiles sweetly.

"That smile doesn't work on me anymore!" Lisanna declares, though she instantly averts her gaze from Mirajane.

"Good morning," Natsu's voice comes from behind me. He slides out the chair and smoothly falls into it.

"How does it feel like to be 25, Natsu?" Erza questions.

"Don't remind me," he mumbles.

"Soon enough you'll be having some gray hair in that pink mess of yours," Jellal jokes.

"I can already see some of yours," Natsu retorts.

Jellal's eyes widen in response as he swiftly turns to Erza.

"No, you don't have any," Erza waves him off, not bothering to look at him.

"What are we going to do today?" I ask the group after we're done eating.

Everyone gives each other vacant stares across the table. There are tons of things we're able to do on this island, yet nothing comes to our minds.

"Let's swim for a bit," Mirajane suggests.

There aren't any objections, so we separate with the plan to meet up along the beach after we're done changing.

"The water feels so nice," I say again as I meet with Lisanna, Mirajane, and Elfman in the water.

"Doesn't it?" Lisanna agrees, gently moving her arms underwater to create small waves.

"A man could stay here all day," Elfman chimes in, his gigantic body floating atop of the water.

Once everyone has shown up in our little group, we sway around the water until I think I'm able to hear Elfman snoring as he lays down on the water.

"That's it," Natsu surges up from the water, causing the startled Elfman to sink into the water. "We're having a swimming competition."

"Swimming?" Mirajane echoes.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Natsu? I used to be on the swim team back in high school," Jellal brags.

"And I used to coach swim teams," Elfman adds.

"Try to outswim me then," Natsu challenges. He turns around and points at the shore.

"We'll start from there and go all the way to that rock over there. After that, we have to swim back to the shore," he tells them.

After getting approving nods, Natsu starts trudging through the water to get to the shore.

"I'm joining, too," Erza announces, trailing behind them.

"Let's go cheer them on at the rock, Lucy!" Lisanna beckons me to follow her.

I gulp as I look down at the darkening water while I slowly get farther away from land. I stop once the water reaches my chest.

"What's the matter?" Mirajane asks me, taking note of how far away I am from them. Lisanna is already climbing on the rock to find a comfortable place to sit.