Chapter 2

The summer breeze blew gently through the trees that lined the street, scattering dried leaves along the sidewalk. As we walked side by side, I couldn't help but let my mind wonder to the beauty of that man.

"What are you thinking about Eren? Mikasa texted me this morning asking how you were… are you okay man?" Armin thoughtfully asked, kicking a rock further up the pavement.

"Ah, well you probably already have a pretty good idea that I got totally shit-faced last night…" I nervously laughed. How am I going to explain to Armin that yet again I let my stupid mind fall to a dark place?

"Do you wanna talk about it?" he asked in a sing song voice, playfully punching my arm. The great thing about Armin is that he is the most open minded person I've ever met in my entire life.

"I mean, I just… I don't…" I started, trying to avoid those crystal blue eyes that could make me speak the truth under his taunting stare.

"Eren, just tell me already. I won't judge." Armin sighed in irritation.

"Ughh, okay so I tried to confess to Jean yesterday, and I-"

"You didn't!" Armin stopped, his eyes wide and clearly judging.

"This is exactly why I didn't want to fucking say anything!" Turning around quickly, I briskly walked further up the street, embarrassment rising to my features. Why do I even open my freaking mouth? God damnit!

"Eren, wait!" Armin called, running behind me and grabbing my arm. "I'm not going to say anything else. I promise… I just want to know why you finally decided to confess. What did that horse-faced bastard say this time?" he ranted, grabbing at the strap of his backpack.

"Well, I didn't actually get to confess actually." I sighed, continuing from where I left off. "I was just about to tell him I liked him, when he told me I need to leave him alone because he was trying to get with some guy he was crushing on. I mean, he could have just said he wasn't interested or he liked someone else, but no. I had to be ridiculed and made to feel as if I were nothing. What a piece of shit."

"Eren…" Arming called out, stepping closer to me. He grabbed my shoulder, squeezing gently and looking into my face.

"He isn't worth your inner torment. You were honestly dealt with a bad hand and a douche bag. IT's not like it is your fault he treated you like trash." He cracked a smile, cheering me up instantly.

"Yeah… Yeah you're right! Fuck Jean. No, fuck men!" I shouted triumphantly, throwing my fist in the air. "I am a glorious bitch who don't need no man!" I looked to the darkening sky, finally feeling a breath of fresh air escape my lungs.

"No need to go that far, freak. Let's get going. Class starts in 20 minutes." Armin giggled, grabbing my arm and pulling me away from the people who stopped to stare at my enlightened announcement.

Armin is right though, I should just concentrate on school. It might just save my heart.

"By the way, are you almost done with your final project?" Armin said, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"No… To tell you the truth, I haven't even started yet." I sheepishly said, kicking the same rock into a street poll farther down.

"WHAT?" Arming shrieked, pulling his phone out swiftly. After a moment, he looked up at me. "Eren, it's due next week! What the hell are you going to do?!" Armin held his head high, giving me an accusing look that could kill a man.

"I'll be fine Armin, really. I just need a C to pass right? I already have an A in there." I sighed, running fingers through my hair.

In actuality, I've been stressing about this project since I was assigned it. The assignment is to paint a portrait of your muse. I don't necessarily have a muse, seeing as I am a self-made sack of shit that can't hold a relationship for long, if I even ever have one. Drawing to me doesn't have a face. IT is strictly based upon the feelings I have at the moment of starting a project. It could be flowing and bright, or rigid and dark. My style is typically rigid and dark, knowing me. But when it comes to looking farther within myself, I am useless.

"Well, when we get home, I'm making you at least make a rough draft…" he sighed, walking in front of me to enter the gate of our college.

The campus was rather small, but relatively lively. There are so many interesting people here, so many different talents and perspectives on what art is. It gets my blood pumping just thinking about how creative I can be that day.

"Let's get to work." Armin winked, opening the door to our first class.

XxXxXx

Today was just a working day on a project that was due that day, yet I had some trouble. I sketched a few ideas, but each didn't sit well with me.

How am I feeling? I'm kind of motivated to do a good job, but I'm still relatively pissed at Jean. Then, a flash of steely gray eyes flashed into my mind.

That gorgeous man is still on my mind. He just had something about him that made it really hard to forget. But what is it? What is it about him that really stood out from everyone else in that dinner? Thinking delicately, I dragged my pencil across the canvas, carving out a well-defined face with god-like features. The eyes were the hardest part though. How do you capture something so glorious with graphite?

As I worked around the eyes for now, I kept my mind racing, trying to figure out the expression he was giving me as I left the dinner…

As I walked up to the register to pay, the waiter named Levi stood in front of me. I gave him my credit card, and felt a shock as soon as I handed over the plastic. Our hands touched, and I looked into his eyes, seeing as we were closer than before.

"Your change will be $1.35, and here's your receipt. Have a nice day… Mr. Yeager." He winked as I did earlier. He smirked coolly before turning to walk away, leaving a lingering sense of cockiness, and something else.

XxXxXx

"Wow, that's really good Eren!" a happy voice called out from behind me. My art teacher stoop happily behind me, a smile etched on her face.

"Thanks ." I smiled nervously. Where did this lady even come from?

"You even got his eyebrow wrinkles right!" she giggled, sitting down in the chair beside me.

"Do you know this guy?" I asked, holding up the picture so she could see even clearer.

"Yeah! That's my childhood friend, Eren! He works over at that little café like a block away right?" she chuckled, holding my drawing in her hands.

This is awkward… "Well, I hope I did him justice." I joked, putting a fake smile on as she looked it over again.

"Yes, except… He never really looks this… how do I put it? Content? Tranquil? Well, my case is, he usually looks like you just insulted his mother and spit in is general direction. Do you see where I'm going with this?" she laughed at her own joke, placing the picture down in front of me.

"But he looked really nice to me." I said quietly, looking at the eyes that stared back at me from the paper. I feel like the emotion she was looking for was mystifyingly beautiful.

"Hmm…" she smiled, her eyes glowing with something indescribable as she walked away from me to check on the other students.

What the hell?

XxXxXx

As I walked off of the campus, I pulled my sweater on. Although it is warm during the day, it always gets freezing at night. I had stayed for an extra hour to finish up my painting. By the time that was over, my math class began and lasted for what seemed like the entirety of my youth.

"I hate calculus…" I sighed, shoving my hands in my pockets.

Soon, the café was in view, with the lights off and the sign no longer glowing. It seemed so quiet and gloomy. Soon, I found myself just standing in front of the little building. It had a lot of charm and heart put into it, I could tell by how clean it appeared, even when abandoned for the night. It reminds me of home in a way…

"Come on, baby. You owe me for the ride I gave you last week." A voice rang from the alley way between the café and its neighboring building.

I walked closer and held my breath. I hope no one is hurt… As I came to the edge of the building, I saw two figures leaning against the adjacent wall. The taller figure had his arms on either side of the other's sides. What the hell was going on?

"I already paid you back you shit spewing dumb shit. Now kindly fuck off." A familiar voice rang out, putting the other guy in his place.

"Don't talk to me like that, bitch." The taller man lifted his hand and smacked the other across the face.

This can't be good. That guy seems dangerous. I need to help.

I stood at the ready, waiting for an opening to jump the fucker. Than they moved, coming closer and closer into the light that the street lamps projected and revealing their faces.

It was Levi, and some other bearded guy who looked like a thug. The bearded man smacked Levi again, this time hard enough to knock Levi to the ground. This is my chance.

"Hey! What the fuck do you think you're doing?" I yelled, running up and grabbing the man behind the neck, than kicking strategically at his Achilles tendon. With him beginning to hunch over in pain, I kneed his stomach, then flipped him to the hard concrete ground.

"If you mess with him again, I won't hold back, you fucking ass hat." I shouted, giving one last kick to the side to let him know I meant business.

Then, I looked up to see a shocked Levi, standing up now. He held his cheek in obvious pain, but looked like he would bolt at any minute.

Shit.

"H-hey. Are you alright?" I asked, taking a step forward. When he didn't respond, I took the chance to grab his hand and pull him out of there.

"Are you crazy?" I asked, trying to make things less awkward as we walked away from the scene of the crime. I just beat the living shit out of this guy I don't even know, to protect another guy I don't even know. He must think I'm homicidal or something.

"You could've been killed, man! Next time, just yell 'rape' or 'fire' or something." I scolded him, still walking farther away from what just happened.

Out of nowhere, I heard a small laugh, that slowly turned into a louder and even breathless laugh. He sounded like an angel, or a siren with how his laugh chimed through the brisk summer air.

"You are the crazy one here, stupid brat."

You know, I feel like I'm literally putting myself in another situation again… This guy really is going to be the death of me.

(Props to the Annie kick Eren used on that poor bastard xD And note is Petra for those who had to look it up like me :D )