Who could've thought she would go to this thing. It was only for one night, sure, she wouldn't stand it anymore. Then why did she come? Annie wondered to herself as she sat on the little couch. It was her last year, sure, she had to come. If she didn't then she would be the odd one out, although she already was. She just had to come to the stupid prom becaus of the deal she made with Reiner. If she was to come he would stop teasing her about her loner way of being.
She was dressed in a layered short black dress, black heels and her usual hairstyle. Some girls took the whole day preparing, she only went to buy a dress, the black one being the only one she liked. The black rose was only a decoration in her hands. Something she could entertain herself with because she was sure no one would invite her to dance.
She saw all the couples in the dance floor, so happy and excited to be in this party when all she wanted to do was go back home and plug her earplugs in and disconnect from the world.
Everyone was having a good time, except her of course.
It took her by surprise when he showed up. Standing so kindly in front of her, his hand held out. He was always so nice to her, so kind. Only him would invite Annie Leonhardt for a dance.
She looked up to his eyes, his too blue eyes. She couldn't say no, it would be rude to, and he was so willing to invite her.
She takes his hand as he takes her to the dance floor. He places his hands on Annie's waist and She feels free to put them around his neck. He smiles at her, but why would he? No one had ever smiled at her honestly, the way he always does when he sees Annie.
She doesn't even think of the song they're dancing and almost miss it when he tells her "i didn't know you danced" he says matter of factly.
"I haven't danced in a long time" Annie confesses "i don't like this kind of things"
"I don't either" he shrugs "i was forced to since it's prom.Y'know...being the school president"
"What is it about prom that everyone is so excited about?" She asks him, almost ignoring him. "Everybody getting perfect for just one night. Just twelve hours and everybody thinks is the end of their lives"
"Yeah. I see it as a way to be united as a prom once again, before graduation" he gives her a little spin, expecting a little smile from her, but there in none to show. "You're coming right?"
"Huh?" He gives her another spin and almost drops her, but pulls her back up "oh, sure"
"You don't sound so sure" he raises his brows "you can't miss it. I'm gonna be awarded and you have to recieve your diploma and I have to-" he pauses.
"Well?" Annie frowns "I am coming, so stop worrying"
There's a long silence "I had never seen you in a dress"
"Huh?" Annie looks down to herself. It was true, she never used dresses.
"N-no!" He says "it looks nice! Black suits you! You look beautiful, actually"
Annie laughs, an actual, real laugh. She keeps on the smile and looks down. How many times had someone said she was beautiful? Sincerely at least. She had a pretty horrid nose, dead eyes, plain chest, petite, her short blonde hair always in her eyes. She wasn't pretty, but the compliment made her smile "Thanks" she almost whispers "but I'm not pretty"
Armin searches her eyes and smiles "smiling makes you look pretty, always does, you should make it more often" Annie smiles just a bit "see?"
The song ends and Armin guides her away from the dance floor to drink something. It was already midnight and the crazy hour was starting in a couple of minutes. Suddenly Armin takes her hand and pulls her to take the picture. She places her in the middle to take the photo alone, but she gets her hand in the way trying to pull a lock of hair behind her ear.
Connie and Sasha are taking the pictures "and in couples?" Sasha asks "there are two photos, one alone, one in couple"
Annie tries to go away, but Armin pulls her back again. "C'mon! You habe to have a picture!"
Annie sighs "I don't have to"
"I'm trying to make you have fun" he says poking her arm playfully "try to act along"
He puts his hands on her waist from behind making a tiny shiver go through Annie's spine. They had danced like that, but it felt different to her. He tilts her head woth one finger under her chin "you okay?" He frowns bit she just smiles. How many things had people never said to her. The list just kept increasing.
She puts a hand on his shoulder and plants a little kiss on his cheek. He made her feel like she was important, not just one more person.
"What was that for?" He asks, a tiny blush showing.
"Just playing along" she shrugs as they get away from that little scenario.
"LA HORA LOCA!" Someone screams and the place suddenly explodes in laughter and cheers and music.
Annie runs away from there, heading to the little garden outside wich had a path to walk by. She slowly walks around, trying to get further away from the party. Too loud and noisy for her.
She thinks and thinks as she walks. She thinks about prom, graduation, Armin... What is it with that boy? Always so charming and bright and smiling. So different from her... How he asked her for a dance when no one dared to, it wasn't even possible in Annie's mind. She wasn't pretty, good or anything. She wasn't likeable in general. People either were scared of her or just didn't care.
She gets to the little chapel, decorated with flowers and lights. She twirls the black rose in her hands. She spins it around and around. The rose is almost perfect, black and dark, but perfectly formed, intact. She wonders how something so simple can be so beautiful.
She feels something moving behind her and doesn't doubt it when he asks him "what're you doing here?"
She feels him stand beside her "same as you"
There's a long uncomfortable silence. "You followed me?" Annie asks laughing a little.
"Kind of" he turns to look inside of the chapel, while Annie looks outside, the rose still in her hands. "What is that?" He says pointing at the black rose, brushing her fingers, sending another shiver down her spine. His hands are warm and hers are cold as ice.
"Something I can entertain myself with" she pauses "didn't think anyone would invite me to dance"
"Why?"
She sighs "i'm not much of a likeable person"
"Don't be too hard on yourself" he says kindly.
"It's true, no one likes me" she sighs again "they are either afraid of me or just don't care"
"I like you" he says smiling. But it instantly brings a blush to Annie's face. God, she thinks, why is he so sweet with me?
Suddenly she's not happy anymore "you can put down the act" she says looking down.
"Huh?" He frowns "what act?"
"Reiner probably paid you to be so kind to me" she lets out a half hearted laugh.
"Nobody paid me to like you" he says a little sadder "i like you because i chose to like you" he smiles to himself "you are a good person Annie"
She quickly rises her gaze to him "what?"
"You're actually a good person" he pauses for a second "right?"
"No one had ever said it for me to believe it" she looks down again "no one had ever told me I was beautiful, or tell me I looked nice, or make me smile honestly, or ask me if I was okay. Not even told me I was a good person, ever. How can you have told me all that in just one night?"
"Because it's true" he says simply "I only speak the truth, or have you ever heard me lie?"
They stay in silent for a while. Annie still doesn't understand how he can think all of this of her. She keeps spinning the rose in her hands and gets a spike in her finger
"Ow" she says dropping the rose to the floor. She kneels down to pick it up and when she places her hand on the rose again, Armin's hand touches hers. She raises her eyes to meet his and a memory instantly comes to her mind.
Last year maybe, when she was heading to class. She was looking down at the floor, as always, evading everyone's gaze. Someone got in her way and dropped his book and notebook. She mumbled a sorry and kneeled with one leg to help. She suddenly touched the end of a knee and raised her gaze to see Armin's blue eyes. He smiled at her, picked up his books and left. No one had never seen her straight in the eye.
She snaps back to reality when she finds herself kneeled on the ground, a hand in front of her. She had been stuck in that memory for almost ten seconds straight. She takes his hands and he helps her stand up wincing at the sudden pain in her feet.
"Heels suck" she says leaning against one of the colums. "How can people stand to walk on this things?"
"Take them off then" she shrugs and heads for the little bench at the far end of the chapel. She slumps on the bench, realizing how tired she actually is, and leans in to undo the little strap of the heels but retracts her fingers when she feels the little spike wound still hurts. She sighs angrily and puts her hands at her sides, looking down at her dress.
"Stupid rose" she mutters to herself.
There are a couple of silent seconds and then she feels hands on her feet. She jerks her head up to see armin kneeled in one knee in front of her, his hands on her feet, undoing the straps. She blushes, hoping it doesn't show that much. His hands are so gentle and warm she relaxes a little. He takes his time and when he undoes the second Annie smiles down at him.
He lets it down "thanks" she says.
He stands and smiles back to her, offering his hand to help her up. She takes it and they stand face to face. Annie hadn't realized, but Armin was like ten centimeters taller than her and she had to tilt her head a little to see him in the eye. He was smiling down at her, like always, so kindly it made her insides twirl. Why? She asked herself, why has he have to be this nice to her?
"Do you wanna dance?" He asks and she almost misses it.
"Huh?" She was so lost in his eyes she didn't realize he was talking to her. "Dance? With no music?"
"Sure" he shrugs "why not?"
They position themselves and start dancing, slow dancing. Annie had never danced so close to someone before. Her arms around his neck, her head resting in his shoulder. His arms were wrapped around her, hands resting in her back. She breathes slowly, trying to relax.
None of them say anything as they dance slowly around the little chapel. She has her eyes closed, but opens them to see the illuminated walls and the roses around. It's beautiful.
"What're you thinking?" He asks her, not stoping to look at her.
"How beautiful this place is" she responds sighing "How can something so simple can be so beautiful?" She looks around again.
"There is a logic explanation to everything" he says, probably smiling "maybe because it is not trying to hide it's colors or greatness, just looks nice as it is" he gently pushes her away a little and takes a white rose from beside him "like roses"
Annie raises her hand to look at the black rose, realizing that she had never really seen one black nor white. They were always red or pink or purple.
Looking at both of rhe roses in the same place, noticing what type of people were holding them. It almost represented personalities Annie was a loner and dark. Armin was bright and kind. They were si different.
She puts her hands at her sides, looking at the white rose in front of her. She analyzes it, but theres really nothing to see or point out, it's just...
"Perfect" Armin completes her thoughts "the simplicity of a rose makes it perfect" he frowns at the flower "It's difficult to find a white rose"
"Then we're pretty lucky" Annie says simply, still twirling the rose in her hands "have you ever seen a black rose?"
"No, not really" he smiles kindly "how'd you find it?"
"They gave it to me for free in the store" she frowns "they looked at it with disgust. Saying it brought bad luck or something. So different and such rejection. Yet so beautiful"
"Sounds a bit familiar"
Annie doesn't understand so she just pushes the thought out of mind. She looks at the clock outside. It's already close to three in the morning "wow" she mutters "it's very late already. I should get going. Bye Armin" she plants a kiss on his cheek and turns around to leave. Passing quickly the garden.
She wants to get home and be alone with no one to bother her. Wants to forget someone was ever kind to her. She wants to so bad, but it felt so good when he told her, so different. She walks quickly across the party and gets to the gate, suddenly realizing...
"Oh shit" she forgot her cellphone.
She had to call Mina to pick her up. She could ask Reiner, but he's probably drunk as hell and can't walk. She looks down the street, it's dark, only illuminated by a couple of posts. She's a tough girl, she can defend herself. So she parts to walk alone.
The first couple of minutes it's cool, but then it starts getting colder and colder. She hugs her arms and makes friction with her hands to get a little heat, but it doesn't work too well. Her house is like ten blocks away, but it's so cold.
"Annie!" She jumps at the sudden call and turns to see Armin like ten feet away from her.
"What're you doing here?" She calls back.
He hold up Annie's shoes in one hand. How could she have forgotten ber shoes? "You forgot your shoes"
He catches up with her and hands her the shoes. She puts them on quickly, not minding the pain it'll bring her. "Thanks" she mutters as she stands back up, going back to hugging her arms, a shiver going through her body.
Armin doesn't hesitate. He takes off his coat and puts it around her shoulders. A wave of heat goes through her body and she lets out a sigh of relief. "You just saved me from freezing to death" she says as she pulls the coat closer to her "thanks"
"No problem Annie" he shrugs "at least I have long sleeves and trousers"
"Yeah" she agrees, completely.
"Why are you walking? Thought Mina would pick you up"
"Forgot my cellphone"
"And-"
"Reiner's drunk" she completes "so I decided to walk back home"
"Oh" he says simply.
"Why'd you follow me?" Annie asks him.
"Well, i had to give you back your shoes. And-"
"Eren and Mikasa are drunk too"
"Yeah. My house is not too far from yours, mind if I walk with you?"
"Yes, please, this street is freaking me out" another shiver foes through her body.
They wall side by side. Again, none of them saying a word. They walk the cold and lonely streets until they get to Annie's house. They stand on her front door. "Thanks again"
"You don't have to" he says smiling "I would've walked with you anyways"
"No, not because of the walk" she pauses and smiles a little "it's been a long time since someone made me feel beautiful"
"Don't worry Annie" he says kindly "you don't need me to remind yourself you are"
"No, really. Thanks. It's been a good night"
"No problem" he takes both of her hands gently and plants a kiss on her cheek. Then he kneels in one knee and plants a kiss on her hands "it has been my honor" he then stands, turns around and leaves, leaving a blushing Annie behind him.
Annie raises her hand to her cheek where he kissed her, feeling how hot it is. She smiles to herself and feels her heart beating fast. Her stomach does soummer saults and her hands are sweating a little. She remembers how he said the black rose sounded familiar "so different and such rejection" she quotes to herself "yet so beautiful..."
He meant her.
She had tried to deny it all night long. But Annie had a crush on that guy.
"Oh shit" she mutters.
He knows.