I know it's been super long but i've got motivation for this story again! I wrote this really quickly and it probably has some mistakes, but i hope you guys like this chapter! Soon we'll have the harvest festival and the dance...hehehe...

QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT: ***I'VE CHANGED THEIR AGES TO 17ISH, SO THEYRE IN THEIR JUNIOR YEAR INSTEAD. SOPHMORE WAS TOO YOUNG, SO ITS JUST A MINOR CHANGE! ***

CHAPTER 8- A DRESS FIT FOR AN ANGEL

Lucy sat on her couch and worked on some of her homework after she left the bar. Her mind kept returning to the kiss Natsu had snatched from her as she was leaving the bar, which meant she wasn't productive with her work at all. She'd been staring at the same calculus problem for the past half hour, and hadn't made any progress. Luckily for her, Levy called to save her from her homework for a shopping spree in preparation for the Harvest festival and dance in a week. Lucy readily agreed and planned to meet her friend at a smoothie place on Main Street.

"I can't believe I'm getting a dress when I haven't even been asked yet. I don't think I even have money for a dress! Or for the carnival games…" Lucy muttered anxiously as she walked to the smoothie bar. By the time she had reached the doors, Lucy had worked herself into an intense frenzy about money and the dance and Natsu.

"Lucy! Over here!" Levy called when she saw the blonde walk through the doors of the store. Lucy dejectedly meandered over to where Levy was sitting with some other girls in a corner booth and plopped down onto the bench.

"Hi Levy." She said, not noticing the other girls sitting around her.

"Lucy, are you okay?" The blue haired bookworm asked.

"Oh I'm fine. I don't have a date to the dance, or money for a dress since I left my dad, or even money for simple carnival games. I know Natsu would love to play the one where you smack something with a big hammer and it tells you how strong you are. What if I can't try out for the soccer team because I'm still sore? How am I supposed to feed myself this week when I haven't even gotten a pay check, is Natsu going to be angry with me for not-" Lucy blurted, becoming increasingly frantic as she spilled her worries.

"Lucy! Stop!" Levy exclaimed, shaking the blonde by the shoulders to get her attention. Lucy finally stopped ranting, and blinked. She looked around and saw all the other girls sitting at the booth as well and her face warmed.

"Levy…I'm sorry." She muttered. Levy laughed, and patted Lucy's back comfortingly.

"Lucy, I'd like you to meet the girls! You've been so busy with Natsu recently that I haven't been able to introduce you. This is Cana, Juvia and Erza-who you know already- and Laki." Levy said, pointing to each of the girls as she said their names.

"It's nice to meet all of you." Lucy said shyly. She was still reeling over her small breakdown in front of people she barely knew.

"So this is the Lucy I've heard so much about! She does have a nice rack!" The brunette- Cana- slurred. Lucy blushed and folded her arms over her chest.

"You have to tell us about your relationship with Natsu! I've heard so much about you two!" Laki squealed.

"R-relationship? T-there's no r-relationship! We're just friends. Who hang out platonically." Lucy stuttered, her face red. The memory of Natsu's kiss earlier that day flashed through her mind but she shook it out of her head.

"Even I don't believe that." Levy scoffed. Lucy sputtered. The girls all looked at her expectantly. Even Erza was leaning in for gossip.

"I mean, sure, the idea of dating him has crossed my mind. But I don't think I'm ready for a relationship with everything that's going on right now. I'm trying to get enough money for food and basic necessities, and worrying about school so I don't have time for a relationship." Lucy said, waving her hands dismissively.

"Bullshit." Cana said with a snort. "I've seen you two together, and being busy isn't an excuse when dating Natsu would make your life easier."

"I just don't think it would be a good idea right now. I'm not…" Lucy started. She subconsciously touched her ribs, where the worst of the bruises were starting to heal.

"Hey, nobody's forcing anything. We just think you two are soul mates." Levy said, making the girls laugh. Lucy giggled. Soon talk of boys had passed, and now the girls were discussing costume ideas and plans. Levy was going to be the Princess Belle to Gajeel's beast, and Erza was going to dress as a warrior princess- armor and everything. Laki wanted to dress as a witch and Juvia was working on a mermaid costume.

"There's a costume contest, and the best couple win the Harvest Throne. I think Gajeel and I have a good chance this year." Levy said excitedly. Lucy grinned. She had been coerced by the group to go as an angel-which she and Levy had talked about the other week.

"I think it's so cute that you and Gajeel are going together." Lucy swooned. The other girls, except Erza, sighed in longing as well.

"I-it's just a-a dance. Not like we're d-dating officially." Levy stammered, her face pink.

"If you two aren't dating, I don't know what dating means." Cana said with a roll of her eyes. The girls grunted in agreement.

"How about we go shopping now?" Levy asked in an attempt to change the subject away from her relationship with Gajeel.

"Doesn't feel good when people talk about you and another person, does it?" Lucy teased the bookworm quietly. Levy continued to sputter and stammer while getting the girls out of the smoothie bar and to the nearest boutique. Levy was still looking for a Belle dress, and Lucy figured she could get some sort of white dress and put wings on it to be an angel.

"Ooh! Lucy, look at this dress!" Cana called from the back corner of the store.

"That was fast," Lucy muttered. They had barely walked into the store and Cana had already found something.

"What is it?" Lucy asked as she pushed past a rack of puffy dresses to reach Cana.

"Here, look!" She said, holding up the dress. Lucy took one look at the gorgeous dress Cana was holding up and her mouth literally fell open.

"Oh my…it's so pretty!" Lucy exclaimed. It was white and had gold accents. The dress had silk fabric wrapping around the chest and waist with golden floral filigree accenting the left side, and the skirt melted from the bodice. The skirt had one pure white silk layer and a layer of sheer fabric folding on top. Golden stars were scattered around the skirt like on the bodice and the white fabric rippled as it moved. It was a celestial dress.

"It's…too gorgeous. I could never wear that." Lucy said nervously.

"Oh come on, at least try it on." Cana tempted, shaking the dress in front of Lucy like a trainer would do with a treat to a dog.

"Trying it on won't hurt, right?" Lucy said, too in awe of the dress to think clearly. She took the dress from Cana and went over to the nearest dressing room to try it on.

"Cana, is she putting it on?" Erza asked. Her head popped out from between the dresses on a rack behind Cana, and soon the other girl's emerged from similar hiding places.

"She's putting it on. Phase one complete." Cana said confidently. Levy dialed a number on her phone and quickly updated Mira on the situation.

"I have a plan." Levy said deviously.

"Do share." Mira said, her smile turning more devilish. All of the girls leaned in to listen to Levy's idea.

"So, we get Lucy an amazing dress for the dance, and she can be an angel while Natsu is a demon. It'll be perfect. They'll totally win the throne." Levy explained.

"I like this plan. And when they win, they have to dance together. Which is the perfect situation for confessions." Mira giggled gleefully.

"Exactly! So it's important that we get Natsu into a costume as well. And he can't see Lucy before the dance. His face when he sees her in a badass dress will be the best part." Levy said.

"YES!" Mira screamed. The girls squealed about their plan to get Natsu and Lucy together and continued to work on their plan.

Lucy looked into the mirror in the dressing room in awe. The dress was amazing. There was no question this dress was made for her. It flowed down her curves elegantly and accentuated her figure. The gold accents complimented her hair and tied the whole image together.

"Lucy! Is the dress on?" Cana's voice called through the curtain.

"Yes!" She replied.

"Let us see!" Levy begged. Lucy took a deep breath and pushed back the curtain between her and the others. As they took in Lucy's glowing image, their mouths fell open, and soft gasps fell from their lips.

"It's perfect." Erza whispered. Lucy pulled at the skirt nervously.

"You don't think it's too much for a high school dance?" She asked.

"Of course not! If you don't wear that dress to the dance, I will personally hunt you down and kill you." The redhead declared. Lucy paled and took a step away from the scary woman.

"How am I supposed to buy this though?" Lucy asked somberly.

"I'm sure they'll let you rent it." Laki said. Lucy nodded, smiled at her friends. She was going to wear this dress to the dance. She was going to the dance. Lucy felt a burst of happiness that she hadn't felt often since her father, and was too focused on her imaginary scenarios about the dance to notice Levy snap a few pictures. Lucy dashed back into the dressing room and quickly changed back into her regular clothes, being extra careful with the dress.

"I'm going to go find out if I can rent the dress for the dance, and how much it'll be." Lucy said as she exited the dressing room with the dress draped across her arms. She walked up to the desk and started to talk with the clerk while the mischievous girls hovered around Levy to look at the pictures of Lucy in the dress.

"Mira is going to love this." Levy said as she sent the pictures to the barmaid.

"Lucy looked so beautiful in that dress, don't you think?" Juvia sighed. The others agreed. Levy's phone started to vibrate uncontrollably as Mira sent her fangirling via text.

"Next is the hard part. Getting Natsu to dress up." Laki sighed. Erza smacked her fists together, and announced, "I'll get him to wear what we want."

"S-scary…" Levy muttered fearfully.

"Hey guys! I worked out a plan with the manager, and I'll be able to rent the dress for the dance while I pay a little bit every week!" Lucy shouted in excitement as she rejoined the girls.

"That's amazing Lucy!" Levy exclaimed.

"Now all you need are the wings." Juvia said. Lucy froze, and seemed to lose all life.

"How am I supposed to make angel wings?" She asked.

"Don't worry about it. We still have a week, and we'll help you!" Levy said.

"We got it, Lucy." Erza said.

"Yea, no worries." Canna shrugged.

"Juvia will make sure you are no longer a love rival!" Juvia said enthusiastically.

"We're here for you." Laki smiled.

"You guys are the best!" Lucy cried. The girls finished looking around in the boutique and voted to go get some food since it was almost noon already.

"Levy, don't you need to get a dress?" Lucy asked.

"Oh, I think I'll be fine." She replied. Unbeknownst to Lucy, Levy and the others already had their costumes ready. They wanted to focus on Lucy and Natsu. The romantic tension between the couple was driving everyone around them insane.

"If you insist." Lucy said with a shrug. The girls wandered around the square looking for a suitable restaurant to dine in.

"How about some cheeseburgers?" Cana suggested, gesturing towards a café across the street.

"That's fine with me." Lucy said. The others agreed, and the girls went in and grabbed a table. The restaurant was bustling since it was lunch hour, and it took a while for their food to reach them after they ordered, but the girls didn't mind the wait. They spent that time chatting and discussing their plans for the week.

"I have my first day tomorrow, and everything is finally starting to get back to normal." Lucy said with a relieved sigh.

"I can't believe Natsu got you a job at Fairy Tail." Levy said with a smile.

"I'm grateful. I don't know what I would have done if I didn't get a job." Lucy shrugged.

"Can you imagine, though. Working with Natsu. You two will be together basically all day everyday at this rate." Laki commented. Lucy felt her face start to flush at Laki's observation.

"I mean, some of the Fairy Tail boys work there too." Lucy said quickly.

"Gray-sama works there as well. Juvia sometimes visits him during his shifts." Juvia said. Lucy pictured Juvia following Gray around the bar and glaring at girls that tried to flirt with him.

"But Natsu will be very protective of you." Erza said with a raised brow.

"How so?" Lucy asked.

"Well you remember what he did to that guy that kept flirting with you." Erza replied. Lucy bit her lip anxiously at the memory.

Lucy was standing in line at the cafeteria to get her lunch, since she no longer had a chef to make it for her, and it was taking forever. Her bruises were aching, since it was only a few days since her father's beating, and she was tense and stressed.

"First time in the lunch line?" A masculine voice said from behind the blonde. Lucy turned back and saw a tall jock with bleached hair and an irritating smirk staring at her.

"Yea." She said quietly, turning back to face the line.

"You're the new girl, I've heard about you. Gotta say though, I didn't expect you to be so hot. Even with those sick bruises." The jock said arrogantly. Lucy rolled her eyes and turned her head to glare at the man behind her.

"I'm sure you look even better without those bruises." He continued.

"Look, I'm flattered, but I just want to get my lunch." Lucy said with a forced smile.

"Hey, I'm just trying to be nice. No need to be such a bitch about it. Now I see why your dad beat you." The jock spat. Lucy froze. Her mind sent her back to that moment when she was curled up on the floor and her father was kicking her, and how helpless she felt. Her breath quickened and her hands started to shake.

"But I'm a forgiving guy, so if you go to the Harvest Festival with me, I can overlook this." He said, his hand stroking her hair. Lucy was still petrified. The asshole then smirked and put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his chest. Lucy came free from her daze and tried to push herself out of his grasp.

"Let go of me." She cried.

"Come on baby, don't be that way." The jock said. He started to pull her out of the line, and Lucy continued to struggle to get away from him to no avail. Her ribs were throbbing in pain due to her scrambling, and tears started to fill her eyes. Before the jock took another step, there was a loud thud, and he was wrenched away from the scared blonde.

"Get away from Lucy, fucker." Natsu growled. He punched the jock in the face again, sending him crashing down to cafeteria floor. Natsu kicked the jock once, and then rushed over to Lucy.

"Are you okay?" He asked, his gaze searching her body for any sign of injury, or more injuries.

"I'm fine. He just said something about my dad beating me is all. It's fine, Natsu." Lucy said, forcing a smile for her friend. She blinked back the tears in her eyes, but Natsu saw them. A scowl marred his face, and he marched back to the guy, who had just gotten up again.

"You hurt Lucy." He snarled. Natsu swung at the jock, his fist connecting with his face- again- and then again, his other fist smacking into the jock's chest.

"Natsu, stop!" Lucy yelled. She rushed forward and grabbed his arm, her hand wrapping around his clenched fist.

"It's okay." She whispered. Natsu growled at the jock again, and Lucy was surprised to feel the rumbling sound in his chest.

"He's trash." Natsu spat.

"Yea, and he isn't worth your time. Just let it go." Lucy begged. Natsu's furious gaze met hers, and his face softened. He stroked her cheek fondly, and Lucy leaned into his hand.

"Fine." He said calmly. He looked back down at the jock, who was still sprawled on the floor.

"Come near her again and I won't stop next time." He threatened. Lucy pulled him away from the crowd and back to the table. Levy and Juvia were gaping at Natsu, and Gray just nodded in approval. Erza was, luckily, nowhere to be seen. When Lucy saw the jock in the halls, he always avoided eye contact and practically ran away from her. Ever since that incident, Natsu either waited in line with Lucy or made her lunch.

"Well, that was one time. And I'll be at work, he'll be busy working." Lucy stammered.

"If he sees one of the drunks getting too handsy or flirty with you, he'll definitely start a fight." Erza declared.

"She's right." Levy agreed.

"Well, then I'll make sure to talk to him and make sure he doesn't do anything rash. I can handle myself." Lucy grumbled, taking an angry bite out of her burger. Conversation drifted away from Natsu, again, and they kept talking long after finishing their food. Lucy was laughing at all the crazy stories about Fairy Tail. Lucy's phone was left on the table, but she wasn't paying attention to it at all. Until it started to vibrate. She ignored the noise at first, but then the vibrations kept coming over and over again.

"What the hell?" Lucy muttered. She picked up her phone and saw a million messages from Natsu.

Natsu: Lucyyyyyyy I got off an hour early where are you?

Natsu: ur not home, where u at

Natsu: Luuuuuuuuuuusssshhhhheeeeeeeeeee

Natsu: luce if u don't answer me I'm gonna get worried

Natsu: did u go out w levy?

Natsu: luce I'm bored come hang out w me

Natsu: luce I'm gonna come find u

"Sorry guys, Natsu is being needy." Lucy explained. The girls just laughed and went back to what they were talking about before Lucy's phone exploded.

Lucy: Natsu, I'm fine. I'm with Levy & the girls, I'll hang out with u later.

Natsu: but I wanna hang out now

Lucy: u were with me literally not even five hours ago

Natsu: yeaaaa, but I'm bored

Natsu: happy wants u to play w him

Lucy: it'll have to wait. I'll see u at my house later ok? We can get dinner

Natsu: fine. But I want spicy chicken wings

Lucy: fine :)

Natsu: im all fired up! Ill see u for dinner ;)

Lucy smiled and a small giggle escaped her lips, drawing the attention of the group of girls sitting around the distracted blonde.

"Hey Lucy, what you giggling about?" Cana asked, scooting closer to the girl.

"Oh, sorry. It's nothing." Lucy said with a polite smile.

"Oho? Is your boyfriend making a joke?" Cana teased.

"He's not my boyfriend yet!" Lucy exclaimed. She gasped and covered her mouth at her slip.

"Yet?" Erza asked, an evil smile on her face.

"I-I didn't mean that." Lucy stuttered. The girls had leaned in closer now, and Lucy felt trapped.

"Yet implies that there is hope. That maybe later on he will be your boyfriend." Levy said. The other girls nodded in agreement, all of them wearing matching devilish smirks.

"So what if I'm crushing on Natsu? I only met him three weeks ago! That's not enough time for those kind of feelings to really develop!" Lucy rambled.

"Oh bullshit. You can't help this kind of thing. You can't honestly tell us that you and Natsu have a connection." Cana said.

"Well, I do feel like I've known him for forever." Lucy said after a pause.

"Well there you go. Time isn't a good gage to determine emotions and relationships. I know people that were together for five years that got divorced and I know people that got married after four months and have been together ever since." Cana said, taking a swig from her drink.

"Well, he'll never ask me to the dance, or to be his girlfriend. I don't even think he knows what that even means." Lucy grumbled.

"Trust me. He knows, or at least he does now." Erza assured. Lucy smiled at the redhead.

"We'll see." She said.

After talking for another half hour or so, the girls went their separate ways. Lucy returned to her apartment, and was a bit more productive with her homework this time around. She finished all her work, and yawned. She stretched out her arms, and was relieved when her ribs didn't throb in pain. The worst of the injuries had almost healed, and Lucy was relieved to see the purple skin disappearing more and more each day. She had made an appointment with Dr. Newbell for Monday afternoon to see if she could try out for the soccer team. Tryouts were the day before the Harvest Festival, and Lucy was growing more nervous about her chances of getting on the team each day. She could manage most of her everyday actions without pain, but strenuous activity still made her chest hurt.

Lucy yawned again, and decided she could take a nap before Natsu came to get her for dinner. She settled in on her couch and felt her mind drift into the dark abyss of sleep.

Natsu had gone home and did a little bit of his homework, but spent most of his day playing video games as a distraction. He still remembered how happy Lucy had looked after her interview, after the prank she pulled of course, and how he couldn't resist pulling her in for a quick kiss. She drove him insane. He'd asked Gray about dating and relationships, and luckily the icy bastard decided to help Natsu out, after he finished laughing at him that is.

"Look, love is special and different for everyone. It makes people do crazy things, but also amazing things. The person you love should encourage you to be a better person. You should want to share everything with them and have them to do the same with you. I can't believe I'm saying this to you. Go ask Erza." Gray had said to the confused pink haired teen.

Natsu had asked around with most of his friends, and he'd come to the same conclusion. He was falling in love with Lucy. But the question was, did she feel the same?

I hope y'all liked it! Let me know what you think and advice is always welcome! Reviews feed my soul

Also, here's the link to the dress I used as a reference when I was thinking about Lucy's dress. The one she's gonna wear is less formal, but still badass

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