Hey! So I thought I'd give back to my readers a bit, so I'm going to start dedicating chapters. The dedication for the next chapters will go to the funniest commenters that are relevant to the story. So the comment that makes me laugh the hardest will get a dedication for Chapter 5! 

I'm going to dedicate in Friendzoned as well, but it won't be for funny comments, but just whenever I feel like it. :) Thanks everyone, and happy commenting!

Natsu's POV

"It's that time of year again, students! That's right... assessments!"

Those simple ten words made my heart shatter and feel sick to my stomach. God, I hated assessments. I  thought they were stupid and pointless- it's like a random drawing of your knowledge! Maybe you studied for hours but for some reason, you didn't cover what was on the test and boom- you failed. What if you're having an off day?

They don't care. They just expect you to regurgitate knowledge onto a scan-tron cards using only #2 pencils.

I felt impending doom crash over me like a thunderstorm, worsening my mood for the day. It was bad enough I still was getting headaches from drinking so much this weekend, but also the fact that waking up at 7 am on a Monday should legitimately be considered illegal.

I watched with regretful eyes as Ms. Winters scribbled out Common English Assesments in blueberry-colored marker on her scrubbed spotless whiteboard. 

"The tests will be this Thursday and Friday. On your chosen day, you will show up in the library on time and be prepared with two sharpened, number two pencils. Those who are testing on the other day have a free period. I'm passing around a clipboard for you to sign up for a testing date," Ms. Winters explained excitedly, her passionate tone masking the horrific instructions.

The clipboard was first passed to Jellal, who was in the corner of the room. The desks were shaped in clusters, six clusters of four or five. My cluster included two people I didn't really know and a girl named Lucy, who was sweet and pretty cute. She really liked books and aspired to be a novelist someday, which I admired.

The clipboard slowly made its way around the room, and when it got to me, I clicked my pen, debating on which day to pick. I looked up and my eyes met Gray, who mouthed 'Thursday' at me. I nodded inconspiciously. Up the list, Gray's name was under the same column. 

I rolled my eyes. Of course. I wrote my name down and passed the sheet to Lucy.

"New look?" She guessed, staring at my outfit, eyes travelling up to my hair. I offered her a half smile and rolled my eyes. "It suits you."

"It was kind of a dare, per say," I explained to her. Lucy shrugged, as if to say 'what can you do', and wrote her name under Friday as well. "And thanks," I thanked her honestly.

"No problem. I'm Lucy," The blonde girl named Lucy held out her hand. I shook it with my own.

"Natsu," I responded.

After everyone had signed up for a testing date, Ms. Winters began to explain the procedures for testing and announcing we'd be reviewing in class the next two days. She strongly suggested for us to study on our own or with a friend outside of class, and Gray and I shared a look. I knew what he was thinking.

He sort of made it obvious yesterday at the mall.

"Why's he staring at you?" Lucy leaned in closer to me, an unreadable expression crossing over her face. "You guys dating?"

"Ha!" I chortled, probably louder than I should've. Ms. Winters glared at me condescendingly, and I shrank down in my seat. At least Gray looked amused. "No, we aren't," I hissed at her. "He's just going to help me study."

"Oh..." Lucy nodded in understanding. "Okay then."

I half-nodded and returned to listening to the teacher, who was giving us a final lesson. This quarter had been all about literature in plays, but we had learned many grammar techniques as well. I knew I had a heaping of studying to do this week.

When class ended and the bell had rung, I gave Lucy a quick goodbye, locked eyes with Gray, and before he could come talk to me, I slipped out of the room. I made a beeline for the meeting place Sting and I usually had before lunch, which was by his locker.

Sting was currently spinning the dial on his combination lock and unlocking the inanimate object as I speed-walked to where he was standing.

"Hiya," I waved shortly. Sting gasped and looked at me with pleading eyes.

"Hey, I'm so sorry I ditched you on Saturday! I went to go talk to Rose and I lost track of time and..." He trailed off, waving his hands dramatically. "Did you get home alright?"

"Yeah, somehow I conked out in some office, but I'm alive," I gestured at my body. "I met Lyon... and his brother, Gray."

Sting gasped. "Shut up," He argued. I gave him a flat look. "Shut up!"

"I didn't say anything..." I mumbled under my breath.

"Woah, you're pretty lucky. Were they nice?" Sting asked. "Give me all the juicy details!"

"Calm your tits!" I demanded, laughing. "Yeah, they were nice. I think I'm sort-of friends with them. They're cool."

"Wait..." Sting paused, furrowing his eyebrows. "Did you say you conked out? Did you get drunk or something? See, I told you that Red Heaven stuff was spiked! But no-o-o, you didn't listen!"

"Whatever," I shooed him off. "But I made this bucket list. Twenty things to do before senior graduation."

"What's on the list?" Sting asked curiously. I tapped my chin, trying to remember.

"Um... Get a complete makeover, as you can see," I gestured to myself, proud, "Make an A on a super hard test, stay up all night, weird shit like that. I don't know why my intoxicated self wrote it all out. And for the record, my handwriting was three times worse."

"Are you gonna complete the list?" Sting balled his fists excitedly.

"Yep," I nodded. "And Gray's helping me."

"Woah!" Sting gasped. "That's so cool! He's so cool! You're so-"

"Lucky, I know, I know!" I cut him off. "Quit babbling. Now let's go to lunch- I want to hear everything about Rose."

"Heh, okay..." Sting looked to the side, cheeks warming to a soft pink color. I raised my eyebrow, mind cranking with thoughts as I swiftly got my own supplies out of my adjacent locker and prepared for my afternoon classes. When we had everything we needed, we made our way to the cafe commons area, located in the vast space in the dead-center of the school building.

Sting and I took our usual seats by one of the window walls- a window that reaches up to the ceiling, for you uneducated folks- and pulled out our lunch bags. I took out my typical lunch, tuna fish sandwich, cherry cola, cool ranch Doritos, and a vanilla yogurt. 

"You know, I'm glad you're eating again..." Sting mumbled. "Even if it's junk food, you're still keeping it in."

I looked down, embarrassed that he brought that topic up. I didn't really know what to say. "I don't know, Sting. I can't help myself- I like the taste of junk food, I eat when I'm stressed, and then I feel bloated and disgusting..." I admitted, peeling the tab off my yogurt and dipping the spoon inside.

"You aren't fat," Sting whispered harshly at me. "Please, Natsu, understand that, okay?"

"Yeah," I muttered half-heartedly, pressing my hand to my stomach. "Stupid junk food."

"Maybe you should follow your parents' eating regimen," Sting chuckled. "I bet you'd love eating tofu turkey and bean casseroles every day, ne?"

"Nooo!" I whined, giving him a disgusted look. "Ew- that just sounds gross. Tofu turkey?"

"Your mom gave it to me once. Wasn't all that bad, really," Sting admitted. I reached across the lunch table and whacked his arm.

"Don't you betray me like that ever again," I demanded jokingly. He waved me off and bit into his sliced pears. "Okay, my body is ready. Tell me about Rose."

"Haa... um, what do you want to know?" Sting tapped his fingers together, avoiding my piercing, information-seeking gaze. 

"Everything," I grinned wickedly.

"O-okay, I guess. Um, her name is Rose, duh. She's in drama, like me. She has really pretty ruby-red eyes and black hair. Uhh... her favorite color is black and she plays the bass guitar. We did a romance skit in drama last week and I don't know, I guess I started seeing her in a different light... she's actually quite funny too, even though he seems quite reserved." Sting babbled, keeping his voice down.

"He," I clarified, suspicious.

"Huh?" He asked.

"You said he seems quite reserved," I repeated, raising my eyebrow. 

"Oh, slip of the tongue. My mistake," Sting said a bit too quickly. If I hadn't known him for so long, I wouldn't have noticed. 

"Is there something you'd like to share?" I leaned my chin on my palms, staring intently into his eyes, searching for false information, knowing if he looked away I'd catch him. 

"No...?" Sting said with a confused tone.

"Alright, alright," I raised my hands in defeat, watching as he visibly relaxed. "Anyways, some of these things on this bucket list are kind of far-fetched. I don't even know why I wrote them."

"Like what, for example?" Sting echoed, seemingly relieved the topic was off him now.

"Dancing and kissing in the rain? Falling in love? I sound like a mushy-gushy chick," I fumed, narrowing my eyes and holding my hand out to the side. "And stupid things too, like stay up all night and go to a concert. What was I thinking?"

"You know, no one's forcing you to do this," Sting reasoned, resting his cheek on his fist. "So why are you?"

"I don't know. I guess Gray egging me on and helping me is sort of inspiring me, you know? It's a bit of a change, I guess," I admitted, looking hazily in another direction. 

"Right..." Sting struggled to think of what to say. Out of the blue, his eyes flashed with an emotion I didn't recognize and he abruptly stood up. "Hey, I see Rose. See you later?" Sting offered kindly, packing away his lunch leftovers and tucking it into his bag. 

I immediately looked behind me, as if on instinct. There were too many people in the cafeteria to tell who exactly Rose was. And as for black-haired people, I could only spot two- a girl with long, ebony-colored hair and a boy with emo-fringe-y hair slightly covering one eye. I assumed Rose was the girl, obviously.

She was pretty enough, I noted. I hope she and Sting are a good match.

"You'll introduce me to her soon when y'all start dating right? I really want to meet her," I looked up at my best friend hopefully. He nodded and slung his backpack over one shoulder. 

"Her..." He whispered under his breath, thinking I couldn't hear. Puzzled, I raised my eyebrows in confusion. Something was up with Sting, definitely. I could just tell. It was one of those best-friend tingling senses, you know? "Ha- yeah! Definitely! That is, if we start dating," Sting blushed.

"I'm sure you will before you know it," I predicted. "Now go get him."

"O-okay," Sting nodded, grinning before speed-walking over to the cafeteria. I continued to eat my tuna fish sandwich, the only thought on my mind being he didn't correct me when I said him.

And I had a good idea what that meant.

I took out my phone and pulled up my text messages. Setting Gray as the recipient, I typed a hasty message. I  think I know who I'm going to be matchmaking.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

*whispers* sting u so obvious

Hey all, I'm back with another surprise update :) Guess I just really wanted to update...? I've already started Ch5 now, lucky you guys. So now Natsu's going to complete #3 and #5 on his Drunk List! You go, boy! 

Thoughts on Sting's suspiciousness? Natsu's issue? Gray?

Oh yeah, since Thanksgiving break is tomorrow and since my travel plans got cancelled, I'll be sitting at home for five days. And since I've been really inspired to write tons lately, expect updates!! (Feel like I'm jinxing myself out and I'll end up being so lazy and writing nothing so here's a possible sorry in advance) 

Please remember to vote and leave a comment, thank you! You all make me smile every day :) AND TYSM FOR 300 FOLLOWERS! ILYSM!! xx