6Outside, Lucy was frantic. She really felt the need to apologize to Natsu. Her heart hammered and her palms sweated as she peeked through the widely open door. Everyone looked concerned over Natsu's hand.
The baseball team members huddled around their injured team mate. The principal himself was present to check on their precious student.
"Haah, what are we to do about your hand?" said the principle. "Do you think he'll be able to play that game with a hand like that?"
The coach, Laxus, replied, "Well the doctor said it'll heal in about two weeks, but he shouldn't be overexerting his hand for at least a month." Many sighed. The game was in three weeks.
Natsu caught a peek of the girl at the door, who seemed to be lost in her own thoughts or too focused on their conversation to have realized he'd noticed her.
"You can do this though right Natsu?" asked the principal. Natsu nodded his head hesitantly.
"Ofcourse he can! He's Natsu! He has the perfect streak of winning! This injury is just a small handicap. Ain't that right, Natsu?" Laxus said heartily as he patted his shoulder. But Natsu had already zoned out into his own thoughts.
Was winning all that mattered to these people? Moreover why was he the only one being pressurized into this? Sure, he was a good player, but it's the team that had to do well.
"That better be it, we need to bring back the cup we lost 7 years ago" said the principal. "And all this because of that weird girl." he added. "I'm not gonna let that child off so easily without a punishment. Don't let her come near Natsu, or any of the baseball players at all!"
Natsu caught the dejected look on her face. Her arms slumped and her vision lowered as she slowly turned to walk away.
Lucy was sulking, and she was sulking hard.
It'd been just a day since her transfer and she was hated probably by the entire school. And by probably she included Levy. Else the whole school definitely hated her.
"Wow that's a new record" Lucy spoke to herself bitterly.
She was currently 'hiding' in the infirmary as no one was present there and because she didn't want to go to class. Everyone would be full of hatred towards her anyway.
Her vision blurred as she realized she was crying. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks and the next moment her nose had started to run. Lucy hated crying for this very reason. More than tears, her nose would start dripping and ultimately she'd look disgusting with snot hanging down her nose.
She patted her skirt pockets for her kerchief but found it missing. Oh yeah, she'd given it to Levy, she realized. But now, what of her?
She searched the cabinet in hopes of finding a tissue roll and thankfully she did! She quickly cleaned her face up, pulled the curtains that divided the beds and made herself comfortable to rest.
She hummed a song that had recently been playing everywhere as she tried to fall asleep. Just as was seconds into falling into a slumber, the curtains sprang open. She felt like she almost experienced a heart-attack.
"Hey Miss. Nurse– wait, you're not Porlyuscia" said the voice.
Lucy turned her head towards the person who disturbed her nap. Natsu.
"Oh it's you transfer student. Do you know where the nurse went?" Natsu asked.
Lucy shook her head in reply.
"Ahh, and at a time like this too" Natsu sighed. He shuffled with the keys of the cupboard that contained the bandages and pain relievers.
"Um, I-I'm really sorry about your hand. You hurt your hand because of me…" Lucy apologized timidly.
"Nah, it's not your fault" Natsu brushed it off, still struggling with the keys.
"But the ball was heading towards me! And you held your hand out like that and hurt yourself too…because of me"
"It's okay! I did it out of reflex y'know, been in the field for a few years." Sheesh this girl was getting on his nerves.
"But it's my fault that you–"
"AHHHH, you're annoying!" Natsu said and that shut Lucy right up.
It was better that he yelled at her than just act like it was okay. She deserved it after all she thought.
Natsu took a good look at the now silenced girl in front of him. The rims of her eyes were reddish. Could it be–
"Have you been…crying?" Natsu asked. He saw Lucy flinch at his question which confirmed his suspicions.
"Damn, this 's the first time I've ever made a girl cry" he paused, and added, "I think."
"You, you're wrong! I wasn't crying at all!…. An insect flew into my eye and caused irritation and –" Lucy kept on blabbering. Natsu sympathized her act of looking strong, pretending like she wasn't crying, refusing to show her weak side…
"Is that so?" he asked in amusement "then we must get it checked right now!" he declared then cupped the side of her cheek with his uninjured hand and brought his face closer to her.
Lucy's eyes widened at his action. Their faces were so close to each other's! Her face heated up at their closeness. She could see the small details of his face by now; his naturally even eyebrows, the color of eyes, and she couldn't tear her gaze away. She felt his thumb slowly sliding down her cheekbone and rest it right there and …. yank her skin down.
"Whoa, I think I see a cockroach." Natsu said bluntly.
His breath fanned her face and Lucy immediately pulled away from his grasp. "Natsu!" she whined realizing he was just messing with her. Her heart beat rapidly against her chest. To be this close to a boy's face was a foreign experience to Lucy and she was flustered.
"You should've seen the look on your face, transferee!" Natsu laughed. "You looked like" Natsu pulled his own cheek down with a much exaggerated expression, "this" and he laughed even more.
Lucy wasn't laughing with him though. She was pouting and unamused.
"Anyway," he continued, "help me with this stuff" he indicated at his injured hand and the loosened bandage.
"I can't do stuff like that." Lucy replied, her eyes downcast.
"Then do you expect me to do it with one hand?" he asked in disbelief.
Lucy hesitated for a bit before giving in. Natsu sat on the bed as well and Lucy distanced herself to an arm length.
She held the end of the bandage with the tip of her fingers and started binding it over his hand. More like tossed the bandage around. He was an arm length away so the end result looked like someone who was really in need of toilet paper, wrapped them in their palms, to dash into the toilet right away; yeah, it was very shabby.
Natsu gawked at the entire situation played out.
"Oi! Could you take this a bit more seriously?!" Natsu cried out in desperation. He couldn't believe this girl.
"But I shouldn't touch you, y'know. My bad luck, curse, will definitely affect you in more ways. It's entirely my fault after all. I'm sorry." Lucy said nervously.
"My fault my fault my fault, CAN YOU STOP WITH THAT?!" Natsu scolded.
Lucy flinched at his outburst.
"And what is this bad luck curse? Some weak ass demon? I don't believe in those stuff nor the rumors." He stated. "Plus," he continued, "me, nor anybody else, is blaming you for this injury" he said absent mindedly.
"Are you kidding me right now?" Lucy's voice shook. "You're probably the only one who isn't blaming it on me!" Lucy sobbed, "The entire school blames this incident on me Natsu, I don't even know how I'm going to deal with all this!" she said pitifully and a tear rolled down her cheek.
Natsu looked at the girl with a frown. She swiftly recovered though.
"So please, it'd be better if you kept your distance from me. They said you weren't at your best form recently so I was told to keep away from making you worse." Lucy said and got up to leave.
"Wait, who said I wasn't in my best form?" Natsu asked. "I'm Natsu, I'm the best on the team" he whispered to himself.
"Those fangirls of yours," 'and also your coach' she mumbled-whispered (Natsu couldn't have caught that, right?) , "the same people who threatened me to not go close to you…" Lucy almost felt guilty about giving the culprit after looking at Natsu's current expression… he looked so.. let down.
She left the infirmary anyways.
Once she was outside she felt as if she missed something. She went to the washroom, did her business, but she still kept on wondering. Something… … …
SHE LEFT THE INTERVIEW MATERIALS AT THE INFIRMARY!
Barging right in, she saw that Natsu was still in the position she left him to be; however, expression had darkened. Natsu took no notice of her presence. Lucy let out a deep breath and sat beside Natsu. It was probably hard for him too, all of this.
Lucy gently held his wrist and kept it in front of her. Natsu realized someone was there only after he felt her touch. He watched her skillful hands neatly wrapping the bandage up.
"I can't do stuff like this" Natsu mimicked her from before. "Yeah, right."
"It must be hard for you, right?" Lucy said with her gaze fixed on the hand she just tended to. She could still make out the swelling and bruises from her memory.
"Hmmn? What'cha talkin' 'bout?" Natsu said in a carefree tone. But deep down, perhaps he knew what she was implying, and Lucy probably knew he did too. So, she said nothing further.
"I think I'd rather thank you." Natsu let out a breath and averted his eyes.
"Did you hit your head too now?!" Lucy asked frantically.
"Huh? My head? Why would you–OH, of course not, you weirdo" Natsu said first in confusion and then realization.
"Then why would you possibly….?"
"I haven't been able to take a break for a really long time. I guess this'll just have to be the excuse!" he grinned.
Seriously, this guy. Trying to make the good out of things.
Lucy tsked.
"But still, don't thank me. That's weird. And also, I'm still sorry about what happened."
"Ahh, shaddup, you're the weirdo here."
"By the way," Natsu began, "how good are you in academics?"
"Fairly good." She replied. Something clicked in Natsu's mind and Lucy couldn't read what it was.
"That's settled then! We're a team then!" Natsu said as he walked to the door.
"Wait, what?" Lucy said confused, trying to catch up.
"You're gonna be my right hand" Natsu opened the door handle. "Basically, assist me in everything– now that I have to attend a few classes as I don't have much baseball practice."
Before Lucy could ask any more about it, Natsu had already exited the room.
"Bye, Weirdo!" he said with a large grin before he turned and jogged away.
Lucy paused for a minute to let all of this sink in and let her thoughts. Also, she realized, COULD THIS GUY NOT CALL HER A WEIRDO?!
A/N : I'm surprised I haven't been lazing around to write!
Big thankyou to everyone who faved/followed + hugs for those of who reviewed! It honestly means so much! I can't stop thinking 'bout this fic when I sleep gods. Save me. We're all like this when we come to our own fics, right?
Thankyou for reading the second chapter of Take A Hit! Do leave a review with your thoughts xx