notes: I got this off by helping my school's basketball camp this week.

With the last bell ringing throughout the huge high school, Lucy Heartfillia took her time to get everything and leave the hell hold where she spent nine months in. She had no place to go afterwards and she really didn't mind, either. She always loved the place when it was empty, anyways. And with everyone rushing to get out, it was making it even better for her as the hallways cleared and the classrooms became empty.

"Have a good summer, Lucy!" One by one her friends would say to her as the past by.

She would return the smile and gesture, "have a great summer!" and they were gone just like that. She wouldn't see them till August and that was completely fine with her.

Grabbing the last book that was jammed in the back of her locker, Lucy shut the metal door and turned around to walk down the hallway. Walking past her history teacher, Lucy offered a wide smile and a last wave but stopped in her tracks when she heard the voice of realization and worry.

She spun around and looked at the small man. "Yes, Makarov?"

"Are you busy this summer?" He asked making her look at him with confusion. He laughed and shook his head. "I didn't mean it like that. I need help over the summer of you don't mind."

"Oh... I'm not busy," she said with uncertainty. "what is it that you need help with?"

"Well, I'm doing a basketball camp starting from June twentieth till the end of July and I need one more helper—specifically a girl—and I was wondering if you could help out?"

"Basketball?" She said. "I don't know... I really don't know anything about basketball." She laughed nervously as she grabbed the straps of her backpack tightly. "I don't think I'll be much of help—"

"Nonsense!" He cut her off making her shut her mouth. "You don't even need to know a single thing to help out! So I assume I'll see you here next week once camp starts?"

"Well..." she bit her lip in wonder as she imagined all the time wasted that could go to her reading time. But then again, he was asking something of her that would only be for a month and it could give her something to do instead of reading all the damn time. Maybe this could be a chance for her before her senior year started. "alright." She sighed. "I'll do it."

"Great! I'll see you next Monday bright and early eight! Bus leaves at nine so pack well and don't be late!"

All Lucy could do was stand there frozen as she watched the tiny man walk away, a loud sigh escaping her lips.

It was too early for her. Summer started exactly five days ago and she did not want to be up at eight in the morning for something she didn't even want to do.

Why'd she even agree? She doesn't even know, either.

All she knew was that there were too many little boys running around for her own good and there was no sight in Makarov. It was just a bunch of kids here and there and not even a single counselor in sight. Was she even in the right place? Maybe it was some other camp that was supposed to be going on and she was at the wrong place at the wrong time. But why'd all these boys have basketball bags and shoes on, then?

Lucy Heartfillia did not know.

"Oh, Lucy, you actually came!" A voice behind her said making her turn and look to see Makarov wearing a red t-shirt that had Fairy Tail Basketball Camp on the front and large letters on the back that spelled out staff. He had a baseball cap on his head and multiple kids trailing behind him, treating him like a toy. "Glad you made it."

"No problem..." she offered a slight smile.

"Good. Now, here is a shirt you could wear—you must wear it at all times. We will be boarding the bus soon and then the real fun will start!"

"Uh, sorry, but," Lucy stopped him from walking away as she held onto the shirt. "where are the other counselors?"

"Oh, they're already at the campsite! So, you'll be riding with me and the kids there!"

If she wasn't around so many kids, she would have been crying tears and tears of pain.

—X—

The ride there was probably the worst part of her day. There were kids throwing things and screaming—she even swears one of them put gum in her hair! They were all loud and annoying and she didn't know how Makarov was so quiet and patient with them when he was considered one of the 'meanest' history teachers in the school. He was known for his yelling and lack of patience as the high schoolers would chat away. But now, seeing him laughing and talking to every single individual kid, Lucy wonders what kind of man he really was.

When she exited the large bus where they arrived to the camp site, she had to take big gulps of fresh air as the smell on the bus so terrible.

She swears her eyebrows burned off because the smell was that bad.

The kids all excitedly ran around everywhere and some of them disappeared into such buildings, making her awkwardly stand by herself as she waited for Makarov.

She honestly had no idea what to do or knew what in the world was going on as she watched kids try to do this and that while she stood there. She didn't even know a single thing about basketball which makes her wonder why she even said yes to this stupid camp.

She could have been asleep right now or reading her lovely books she purchased coupled days ago. But looks like she'll have to wait to read those.

Noticing that Makarov somehow disappeared from where he was inside the bus and how all the kids were running towards a gym, Lucy followed the excited children to the building where she heard roars of cheers and the squeaks of sneakers squeaking across the gym. The dribbling of the ball echoed throughout the area and she wondered if it was the kids playing or maybe if it was Makarov.

"Sorry," she said as she squeezed past kids lined up against the door cheering on for somebody, trying to make it inside.

Once she did, she stood against the wall by the door, looking down at the small ones cheering loudly and jumping up and down in excitement.

They all cheered for one guy and his name was Natsu.

"Natsu! Natsu! Natsu! Natsu!"

Looking up to see who this kid was, Lucy wasn't expecting to see guys about her age dribbling around and running up and down the court. She still didn't know which one was Natsu but she had a pretty good idea as she watched a sweaty pink-haired male make amazing shots and lay-ups. What she noticed out of everything with him was the huge grin plastered on his face as he played.

He honestly looked like he was enjoying himself and with the way he was so sweaty and out of breath, he's been playing for a while now.

"Go Natsu!" A kid beside her shouted making him look behind him and look right at her.

Her eyes went wide and she pointed at the kid beside her making his eyes shift towards the kid she was pointing at to back at her, giving her a wide smirk.

"Fifteen seconds!" Somebody hollered across the gym to indicate the time making the male quickly turn away and look back at where the ball was.

Lucy watched how he easily stole the ball and ran down the court dribbling the ball loudly. The bounce of every hit echoed throughout the place and she felt the vibrations of the stomps of feet that were rushing to her side as they tried to steal the ball back from the so-called-guy Natsu.

The crowd of kids started to count down for the teams, roars of encouragement shaking up the place.

Lucy watched how Natsu ran down the gym and grabbed the ball with two hands before jumping up high, raising the ball high above his head to dunk it down the net where many kids shouted out in amazement for him. He dangled from the rim and flashed the widest grin ever making her wonder who can ever have such a nice smile.

The blonde took a step back and bump into the wall as Natsu jumped down right in front of her, startling her and the kids around her.

"You saw that?" He pointed right at her, winking in her direction. "That one was for you."

All she could do was watch him walk away leaving her wondering if basketball wasn't as bad as she thought it was.

notes: YOOOOOO basketball could be actually so much fun. I was doing a basketball camp for boys 6-15 and it's actually been fun. be glad I did it bc I got a new story inspiration!

notes2: I'm really tired guys. been so busy even though it summer vacation

notes3: leave me a review if you guys like this and if I should continue it!