Hello everyone! I hope everyone's doing alright! I would like to take the opportunity ti thank everyone who reviewed and followed. Thank you, you guys KNOW how much that means to me. Here's chapter two. :)

DIZCLAIMER: Fairy Tail is owned by Hiro Mashima. Please support its official release.

Chapter 2

Pants Vs. Skirts

Is anybody looking?

No?

Good.

Wait-

No, he's good.

He knew he was getting weird looks. He didn't have to turn around and face them. He could feel it.

He hated it.

Today is Natsu's first day of school. While other students are worried about how they look, whether they are going to be late, or if they had finished their homework, Natsu is worried about something else whether he 'passes'. He spots a student council member at the front of the school no doubt making sure if every student is abiding the dress code.

He swallows, and looks away, trying to look as casual as possible.

Yet he absolutely hated the stares other students were giving him.

With a determined frown, Natsu turned and glared at the nearest group of people pointing and gawking at him.

"What?!" he snaps, "The fuck are you guys lookin' at? Never seen a person walk before?!"

The group jumped and let out a startled squeak and looked away. Natsu smirks, there, that'll teach 'em! He thinks.

It had been three days since his haircut. Three days he had left to organize his closet and filled it with the proper clothing boy's clothing. Luckily, his parents are not home they had gone on a busness trip almost two weeks ago. That was when Natsu decided to take the first step in becoming a man. He knew he was making a big risk, considering how strict his school is. And how confusing his situation is now. Yet Natsu feels like if he spends another day being as someone he isn't, he will die.

He almost cried in relief, when his best friend Gray arrived and greeted him.

"Hey, what's up?" Gray greets Natsu casually. Natsu scowls, "Those assholes just keep lookin' at me," he replies darkly.

Gray nods in understanding, "They're just assholes, don't pay any attention to them."

Natsu shakes his head, "I won't." he promises.

Gray smiles, "Good, ready for another big day?" he said.

Natsu makes a sour face, "You sound like a fuckin' host at a kid show,"

"Fuck you," Gray retorts, then he laughs.

The two headed towards their usual hangout which is the cafeteria where they sat in the furthest table they could ever find. Almost hidden away from every lifeform that exist in the learning institute. Gray and Natsu were greeted with groans and lazy hand waves since it's still early in the morning and almost none of their friends are fully awake yet. Hell, they probably won't be awake until third period.

Gray and Natsu greeted their friends in the same manner, not because of sleep, but because of the fact that absolutely no one wanted to be at school in this god-forsaking hour.

As soon as Natsu sat in his usual spot on the table, Gajeel, sitting next to him, lets out a lazy yawn and said, "Shit, Natsu. Ya really went and got you're haircut, huh?"

His friends all knew how long Natsu had wanted this haircut. This change in hairstyle meant everything in the world to him, because it was the first step of starting a new life.

"Damn straight I did," Natsu said smiling.

"And ya even put on some pants too," Gajeel noticed as he bended down sideways under the table to get a good look at Natsu's new outfit.

Across from him, his friend Sting, stretched and also lets out a yawn, "So does that mean you're like a full-blown lesbian now?"

Natsu glares at the blonde, "I'm not a lesbian, dumbass!" Next to Sting, Rogue, Sting's best friend, rolls his head back and lets out a snore.

"Then do you still like guys then?" Sting still pressed on.

Jellal, who had his head down, sleeping, raised his head slowly and said in a hollow, tired voice, "Natsu identifies himself as a male. He's one of us now."

Sting still didn't seem to understand, but he seem too tired to care.

Natsu takes out his backpack and places it on the table and places his head on it. Since no one is fully awake might as well take this opportunity to get some shut eye.

It felt like he had just closed his eyes, when he received a gentle WHAK! Upside the head. And he wasn't alone, the rest of the gang received smacks upside the head as well. Natsu raises his head and groans.

"Up! Up! Up!" demanded a long, red-haired girl named Erza Scarlett, "School's starting now, no time for sleep! Get up!"

Gray glances at his phone, and he groans, "It's fuckin' 6:45 in the mornin', Erza. We still got fuckin' fifteen minutes!"

But Erza ignored him, after giving her boyfriend, Jellal a quick peck on the cheek, she places her gym bag and her school back down and starts going through her things. She takes out a large coffee thermostat, places it on the middle of the table and passes out four, stainless steel plastic mugs around the table.

"Come on, guys drink up," she said.

Gajeel, groans but nonetheless, take a mug pours himself the bittersweet beverage into the mug, "Fuck, Erza how the hell do you manage to carry all of this shit?"

Erza is practically famous around the school for carrying so many things. Some people even call her the 'Walking Pharmacy' because she seem to have everything for every little ailment available. Got a papercut? Go to Erza, she'll give you a band aide along with an antiseptic to disinfect your wound. Feeling nauseous? Don't worry, Erza has some Alka zelter for you. On your period? She's got you covered. She has some pads and even some ibuprofen to ease your pain.

Jellal, who had already helped himself to the coffee, turns to Erza and said, "I love you, Erza."

Erza, who is shaking both Sting and Rogue awake, doesn't look at him but her flushed cheeks were visible, "I know," she said, then she takes out her fan and smacks the two sleeping friends, "GET. UP!" she barks.

After finally succeeding in waking up all the males in the table, Erza takes a seat next to Jellal, "So, now you are a boy, right?" she asks Natsu.

Natsu nods, takes a sip and shudders as the bitter liquid goes down his throat, "Y-Yeah," he croaks. He passes the mug to Gray, who drank the whole thing in one gulp. How in the hell can he drink that stuff?

Erza nods, "I am glad you are fulfilling your dream, Natsu. I'm proud of you."

"It's not a dream, Erza." Natsu retorts, "I've always been a guy."

Erza smiles, "But nonetheless, I am still proud of you, Natsu."

Natsu did not say anything, it was useless. No one understand. No one gets it. No matter how many times he had explained to them that he is a male and not a female. Hell, even Natsu had a hard time understanding what he is. His friends could only nod and say they get it. But they don't. They think it's just some phase Natsu is going through or it's just some fad that he's into. But it's not.

This is who he really is. What he always been.

He knows he should be grateful for having friends like them though, who didn't argue or tried to talk him out of transitioning. Even if, they did not understand. They all had his back. He's happy that they had stayed true to their word. They had not gawk at him or treated him any different since he had arrived with his new haircut.

Still, he had to admit, the only person who really get him, is his best friend, Gray Fullbuster. Gray who had been with him during all the times he had cried, screamed and fought when he tried to express himself for what he truly is. He had been there when Natsu had one day told him he wanted to wear boy clothes. Hell, it was Gray who let Natsu have his old uniform from last year. And not once, did Gray gave him a weird look, criticized him, or turned him away.

And now, with his new haircut, Gray is still by his side.

"So are you planning on telling Lisanna?" Rogue said after taking a sip of coffee.

Natsu blushes, "L-Lisanna?" he repeats incredulously, "Wh-Why would I tell her?"

"Ain't that why you wanted to become a guy for?" Gajeel said stretching his feet that had fallen asleep, "So you can go out with Lisanna or somethin'?"

Lisanna is the girl Natsu had been friends with since the second grade. He wondered though, how would she react once she found out that he is a man now? Would she still be his friend? Would she reject him?

"I didn't become a guy for Lisanna, Steel brain," Natsu said, "I've always been a dude." Then he adds, "And I didn't do this for her…"

"So then…" Sting still scrunched up his nose in confusion, "You're straight?"

Rogue shook his head, "How can Natsu be straight if he's a girl. He's obviously a lesbian."

"Natsu's not a lesbian," Gray said finally speaking up. Everyone at the table turned to him, Gray crossed his arms, "Natsu is a man, through and through. And if Natsu likes girls that's fine. If he likes guys that's okay too. As long as Natsu's happy…that's all that matters."

"Well said, Gray." Erza said smiling.

"I don't fuckin' get it," Gajeel said.

"You don't have to," Jellal said smiling.

"This is confusing as fuck," Sting confessed.

The bell rang everyone simultaneously got up from their seats.

First period hadn't even started when Natsu was already sent to the principal's office. He hadn't even put one toe into the room, when the teacher screamed in shock and told Natsu to report to the principal's office.

Natsu reluctantly obeyed. He had a sinking feeling this was going to happen sometime soon. Oh well, as long as his old man wasn't involved he should be good…right?

As soon as he arrived to the principal's office, Principal Gran Dono gives Natsu a very dirty look as soon as he walked in and bowed.

"What is the meaning of this, Miss Dragneel?" he asks glaring at Natsu's attire.

Natsu raises an eyebrow, "Whatcha' mean, old man?" he said, "I'm still wearin' the uniform, ain't I?"

Gran Dono balls his hands into a fist, "But it's not following school dress code!"

"Yes it is!" Natsu said looking down at his attire, "My shirt's all tucked in even though I'm sweatin' like a fuckin' pig in heat-"

"Language, Miss Dragneel," the principal warned.

But Natsu ignored him, "My pants are clean and ironed…"

"that's not the point, Miss Dragneel," Gran Dono said slightly raising his voice, "The point is, you're wearing the school uniform in the most inappropriate manner…"

"How is this inappropriate?" Natsu cuts him off, "I ain't showing skin or wearing my tie all crooked…"

"Don't play dumb, Miss Dragneel," Gran Dono barks getting up from his seat, "You know full well why you are here. Why are you not wearing the girl's uniform? And what's with that horrible haircut?"

Natsu glares at him and crosses his arms, "Why should I wear the girl's uniform?" he shot back, "And I so happen to like my haircut, thank you very much!"

"Magnolia High School is a very well respected learning institute in all of Magnolia. We don't need this kind of reputation…whatever it is you're trying to pull. So please, Miss Natsu Dragneel, go into the girl's restroom and change into the girl's uniform!"

"I will not!" Natsu said hotly, "And it's Mr. Natsu Dragneel for now on. Not Miss Dragneel. And I can wear whatever the hell I want!"

"Not in this school, you don't!" the principal bellowed, throwing a gray skirt at Natsu's face.

Natsu balled his hands into a fist, and stormed out of the office.

Ignoring the principal's calling, Natsu slammed the door shut behind him. As soon as he was out of the front office, he slammed his fist at the nearest wall, angry tears streaming down his face.

How dare he? How dare that bastard tell him what to do? And he even had the audacity to throw the skirt in his face. Like he was mocking him, and reminding him that he could never become the person he is trying to be. No, the person that he is.

But who gives a shit about that bitter old man? Fuck him. What does he know? He wasn't he dad anyways. Speaking of fathers…

"No…" Natsu whispers to himself, "Don't think that."

Wiping his tears bitterly with the back of his hand, Natsu takes out his phone from his backpack and begins to send a text to Gray.

Hey, can I stay at ur place tonight?

Natsu sighs and places his phone in his front pocket. He hated using Gray at a time like this. But he was left with no choice besides Gray was used to this anyways. Whenever he was in a pinch, Gray and his family had always welcomed him with open arms.

Natsu suddenly found himself at the locker room, then he slowly kneels down and hugs his knees. He sat there in silence staring aimlessly at the floor.

A buzzing sound was heard, Natsu dug into his pocket and took out his phone. It was Gray.

Sure. Principal was a bitch, huh?

Natsu makes a bitter smile.

Yea.

He texts back.

Natsu did not have a chance to put his phone down when he received another text from Gray.

Where u at?

Natsu groans. As much as he felt like he needed a hug he did not want Gray around at this moment. He feels like he had been using Gray too much. Its time that he takes matters into his own hands. He's a guy now, right? Might as well start acting like one.

Natsu decided to ignore the text message. He knows Gray would worry, but he will understand.

He always does.

"You ask me why I cut my hair

and changed myself completely

...

I now know my name

I don't play by the rules of the game

So you say I'm not trying

But I'm trying

To find my way."

~ "I Don't Know My Name" By Grace VanderWaal

Poor Natsu! He's all sad, confused and all alone! I hope he gets better! Ja ne!