Pairings: Natsu x Lucy, Gray x Juvia, Gajeel x Levy, Jellal x Erza and minor Gray x Lucy

Timeline: AU modern, highschool

Warnings: None other than mild cursing and violence

Genres: Romance/Humor/Drama

Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail

Author's note: Hello and thank you for clicking on this story! I'd really just like to say thank, nothing more, nothing less, and I hope you enjoy this story! This will be no longer than five chapters!

XXX

I was homeschooled, from the early years till up to roughly last year. I was provided with the most talented tutors in the country, and learned nearly everything from your everyday math equations to becoming fluent in nearly seven languages.

Honestly, I hated it. That's why when I was at the age to enter high school, I did. I told my father, although he wasn't happy with my choice that I was going to a normal school. That school happened to be Fairy Tail Academy.

I fumbled with the lock, the spinner getting stuck. "Need help?"

A hiss escapes my lips as I slam into the locker. It was Loke. As per usual, he was decked out in a fancy suit and blue shaded glasses covered his eyes. I normally would have found him hot, but he wasn't a normal circumstance. Loke was one of my invisible friends. One of. Embarrassing, yes, but effective enough as a child to shield loneliness.

"Go away," I mutter, twisting the lock again around. 07…07…08… There! It opened! Loke shrugged, leaving me alone, finally, and I reached into my locker, retrieving my French textbook.

Why did I still have imaginary friends? Because I didn't have any real friends, simple as that. Not that I really tried, but it was hard to make friends when I didn't know how.

Screeeeech. The sound peeled down the hallway, as the pink haired pyromaniac raced past me, lighting pieces of paper on fire with a lighter in his hands.

Jet stormed after him, his oddly done hair bouncing as he moved quickly. What did Natsu do this time?

I followed after them, barely remembering to shut my locker, as the whole school assembled in the cafeteria.

Natsu had somehow affixed himself to a high beam on the wall, recklessly hanging off, laughing. The flame flickered wildly, as he set flame to his homework.

"Get down from there!" Jet screeches, his face turning red from rage.

"You can't prove it was me!" Natsu cackles again, beaning Jet in the middle of the forehead with the empty lighter.

Curiosity spikes as I edge my way past the crowd of teenagers, attempting to get a closer look.

Jet glares at the teen, angrily scrubbing his forehead. "It was obviously you who set the climbing rope on fire!" It took me another moment to realise Natsu was indeed wearing school authorized gym clothes.

Natsu flips him off, sticking out his tongue. Jet snarls something under his breath and whips out of the cafeteria, shouting about getting the principle.

He shimmies down, landing lightly on his feet. My pupils disperse, having enough of his antics, leaving us alone.

"Hey Luce, I was pretty brave, huh?" He casually strolls up to me, unveiling another lighter from his pocket.

Despite feeling the blush growing on my cheeks from his affectionate nickname, I shook my head. "You're a moron." I began to walk away.

"Aw, come on! Don't be like that!" He calls after me, before he cursed. "Ouch, shit, that's hot!" I had to repress my giggle.

Hard to believe I was in love with this guy, right?

XXX

Spare was rolling around the corner, my eyes forever glued to the clock as my French teacher droned on… and on… plus the mindless chatter from around me was driving me up the wall.

I had somehow managed to hide my novel behind my textbook, skimming over the pages quickly. It was a murder mystery of how someone was accused of murdering their entire family. So far, the accused, also the main character, has been innocent, but reoccurring nightmares and waking up covered in blood proved otherwise. Wait, the detective is entering…?!

My book was yanked away from me, as Madame Strauss's glared down at me. Secretly, I knew she wasn't mad at me, I was her favourite, but she didn't tolerate me reading during her lessons.

"I'll see you after class, Heartfilia-sama," She said, referring to me by my last name, using the blasted suffix almost always attached. That's usually what kept students away from me. Me, the daughter of the vindictive Heartfilia tycoon was not to be trifled with, or rather, that's what they thought.

I nod, praying for class to end so I could spend my time skimming book covers with my fingers in the overstocked library. Although I did enjoy high school, having no friends was tough.

XXX

After I got my book back, I settled down into a secluded corner of the library. It was my favourite spot. I could watch others have a fun time, and they couldn't see me, speaking to my imaginary friends.

Only Loke and Gemini appeared. Gemini was adorable, a set of blue rag doll like twins with a cheerful personality. We chatted quietly, barely hushed whispers, speaking of nothing really.

My attention was snagged when the student council president giggled, her back pressing against the bookshelves. She giggled? The demon student council president giggled? A boy, who must have been a senior with her, had her pinned, nipping at the column of her neck. I felt like a pervert for watching. An intricate tattoo framed his eye, and that's all I got on description besides bright blue hair.

Erza glanced up, meeting my intrusive gaze. She shoved him away from her, and he immediately understood, leaving quickly with a self-satisfied smirk on his face. Erza stomped towards me, Loke and Gemini standing like protective walls. Not much good that would do.

"Forget what you saw," Erza says her voice dangerously low. I gulp, suddenly afraid for my life and nod. I seem to be doing that a lot lately.

She narrows her eyes once more for good measure, then smiles. "I hope we can be friends, Heartfilia-san."

I swallow the fear and say, "Me too, Scarlet-san." She leaves, and I let out a sigh of relief.

Loke pats my knee. "It's okay; I'm here to protect you."

"Gemi is too!" Gemi exclaims at the same time Mini proclaims the same thing. I smile softly.

"I'm sure you are." They poof, leaving me to my thoughts. In the end, I don't think of anything useful and just fidget with the pale blue pleated uniform skirt.

It's a wonder how I can just sit here and not be bothered by the appearance of others. Probably from all those years in solitude. I'm quite the loner. I think, that if I was like a normal child, would I be a chatter box? Or would I be like this?

XXX

"Luce!" Natsu's warm fingers catch my wrist. My gaze goes to his hand immediately, finding it covered with blisters and welts. It was red but he didn't seem to mind. I could feel each and every burn against my wrist.

"What?" I ask, keeping my eyes locked on his hand. Why does he like fire so much if it hurts him so? I force myself to glance up.

Natsu grins crookedly, "Can I walk you home?" My mind freezes for a split second.

"O—okay," I stammer, blush working its way up my neck.

"Great." He releases my wrist and hooks his hands behind his head. His brief case hangs limply from one of his hands.

Awkward silence envelopes us, and Lyra pops up next to him. My eyes widen and she merely winks, playing a few notes from her harp. Natsu inclines his head to that sound. It honestly was so amazing it felt palpable, even with her being a figment of my imagination.

"Do you hear that?" Natsu asks, before he shrugs. "Never mind."

A nervous bubble in my stomach causes a snort of laughter. My blush deepens. If Natsu heard it, he didn't show it.

"Why do you like fire so much, Natsu…?" I question, walking down the path with him. We'd left school grounds and were off in the direction of my home.

He doesn't say anything for a while, in fact for so long that I think I've offended him. But he retains the crooked grin.

Natsu abruptly stops, a cherry blossom petal lands delicately in his hair. I nearly stumble, twisting around to face him.

Although the grin, he seems deadly serious. "I'll tell you, but not now. How about at the cherry blossom festival in a few weeks? I'll tell you then."

"S—sure." Even without prior knowledge to dating, it honestly did sound like a date proposal. Hopefully.

He sends me a cheerful wave and jogs off, "See you tomorrow!"

Okay… maybe there was a valid reason I loved him…

Did you really think the conflict would be this soon? Haha. Maybe in one or two chapters… I hope you enjoyed it! Stay tuned, review, favourite, whatever suits your fancy and I look forward to seeing you again!

~Emerald~

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