Marco was genuinely ignoring me. Sitting with Jaegar and his posse. I felt kicked to the curb. But I guess it made sense. And I could return to my regular eating habits, at least. I did really miss the guy, though. Sitting with Sasha and Connie was alright but... After meeting Marco, no one was really going to fill that spot of closest friend except him. I sighed. I was on my way to my next class. I had to take a different way than Marco because we usually walked the same way to get to the class and that would be awkward. I walked with Connie and Sasha on their route. "You should be happy, Jean! The way that Marco goes is the long way!" Sasha tried to comfort me. "Can we stop talking about Marco?" I asked. "Sure! When you apologize." Connie said. I groaned. "Leave me alone. I have nothing to apologize for." Connie punched my shoulder. "Yes you do you idiot! You pissed him off! Marco never gets angry so you mustve done something really wrong." I sighed... He was right goddammit. "I know... What do I apologize for?" "Everything you did wrong?" Sasha exclaimed. I groaned, "All of it?" "Yes!" Connie yelled. "Have you ever apologized to anyone before?" "I think once." I said. "No wonder you have no friends!" Sasha yelled at me. I frowned. "The nicest person on Earth is tired of you!" "What?" I asked. "Marco!" She clarified. I smirked, "He is not the nicest person on Earth." Connie and Sasha gaped at me. "... What? Am I missing something?" I asked. Then Connie and Sasha started punching my shoulders simultaneously. "What the-?!" I pushed them both off. Then Connie started, "He is literally the nicest person on the planet!" "How? He got all pissy at me!" Connie fake laughed, "I swear I'm goinng to kill you, Jean!" "Can I be a part of this?" Eren said, coming up next to Connie. "Go away, Jaegar!" "What are we talking about?" Mikasa said, coming up next to Eren. Mikasa's hair was looking particulatly beautiful today. I used to have a thing for her and I was gonna go for it when school started but... Marco happened. "Jean doesnt think Marco is the nicest guy on the planet because he 'got all pissy' when Jean did something wrong. But Jean doesnt even know what he did wrong!" "What?" Eren asked, "Dude, Marco is literally the nicest guy on the planet!" "He has dealt with all of your problems the moment he met you. And everyone in our class goes to him with their problems because he's a good listener and he gives good advice." Mikasa added. I groaned. "Look. I dont give a shit! Can I just rant in peace?! See? This is me! Not giving any fucks!" Then I flung the door open to the building where my next class was and went in, extremely pissed. Man that was loud. I hoped nobody who'd tell Marco heard it. Plus it made me a little dizzy.
The next day, I woke up pretty early. I found myself at the scale again in the shower area. I was here nearly every day now… I weighed myself a ton. This time, I felt even more terrible than before… I almost didn't leave the room… I forced myself to, though, after crying in a ball on the floor for at least thirty minutes… The day was just as annoying. Connie and Sasha wouldnt shut up about me needing to apologize to Marco. Even when we got to our class. Hanji was, for some reason, teaching it. I was trying to figure out why Hanji and Levi, who was sitting in a chair next to the teacher's desk, were in here and where our teacher, Gunther, was as I ignored Connie and Sasha yelling at me. "Okay class!" Hanji exclaimed and we all shut up and sat down. "Your regular teacher, Gunther, is on leave for six weeks due to an injury. So I will be filling in for him during that time!" Well that makes sense. "Now. Onto your projects!" She continued. "We will continue the projects you were already doing. So dont worry. And he left the plans for the rest of the semester here." Then she started listing off the rest of our projects for the semester. After that, she started explaining how we would make each and she went off on a ton of tangents until Levi pulled her back to the original subject. This went on for a while. I looked around for Marco but couldnt see him. Why wasnt he here? He was never late.
Suddenly the door opened and everyone looked and Hanji stopped talking, looking over, just as Marco was coming in, looking extremely embarassed. There he was. He looked so confused at why Hanji was there. I smirked at his confused state. He was cute... Ugh. I was so screwed without him. "Why are you so late?" Levi said. I-uhhh..." He stuttered. I smirked a bit more, "I got held up." He finished. Then he started towards the desks. Hanji grabbed his backpack and pulled him over to her. He looked a bit scared. I could only smirk. "Why dont you tell the class what you were doing?! Might be interesting!" I saw Levi pinched the bridge of his nose at that. Suddenly, Marco caught my eye. He made a slightly offended expression. "Well go on!" Hanji continued. Marco tore his eyes from mine then smiled at Hanji. "I was talking to this senior who found out I was from Mattheius from his friends and he wanted to talk to me. That's all." What?! I frowned as Hanji let him go and he walking over to the desk next to Armin. "Well that's interesting! What was his name?!" She asked as he sat down, "Gerald. I dont know his last name." "Ooooohhh!" Hanji said, wiggling an eyebrow. He laughed. Gerald? Oh fuck no. This was not happening. Gerald was a weirdo I knew before college. I sighed. I had apologize to him right now so I could protect him from weirdos. Marco was talking to Armin, Mikasa, and Eren when I psyched myself up to go and apologize. "Who's that guy?" Was the first thing I asked. He just looked at me. I raised an eyebrow when he said nothing. Then Eren started. "Get outta here, horseface! Marco doesnt want to talk to you!" He exclaimed. "Shut up, Jeager! Nobody's talking to you!" "Stoppit." Marco said, interuppting. "Look, Jean. I dont think it's very neccessary to let you know who he was." I looked at him and he raised his eyebrows. "Oh c'mon, Marco. You know we're friends." I said. "Maybe when you fix your attitude." Ouch. I narrowed his eyebrows. That actually really stung. "Ohhh!" Eren exclaimed. "OOHHHHHHH SHIIAATT!" Reiner yelled from across the room. Eren needed to pipe the fuck down. "Shut up, Jeager! This is not your problem!" Eren stood up, then, his chair falling and slamming down behind him. I went for Eren's face with my fist, grabbing onto his shirt. Then I felt someone grab my arm and pull me back harshly. "Stop!" Marco yelled at me. I looked at him and everyone in the room was staring at Marco or me. It was quiet then he let my arm go. I could have smiled, knowing hat he still cared... But I knew it was still all messed up. I sighed. "Marco." I needed to apologize right now, "Can we talk, like, in private?" He stared at me for a long moment, contemplating. Then I realized that his hairwas messed up a bit and I disnt think as I fixed he hair. He smacked my hand away, frowning, before turning back to his project and saying, "Maybe some other time. I need to do this project." Dammit Marco. I would apologize to him soon. I huffed. "Fine." I said coldly, glaring at him. I went back to Connie and Sasha.
The next few days were torturously long. There was only one day left until Thanksgiving Break and I was literally dying. I probably looked like shit because that's how I felt. I tried to hide it, though, because that was embarassing if somebody found out how upset I was over this Marco thing. We had to start this project that we were expected to work on over the break. Connie and Sasha were talking to me about Marco, which I was tuning out, when Connie said something that spiked my interest. "Do you ever want to have a romantic relationship with this guy?" I looked at him. "Yes." I said, matter-of-factly. "You better step it up and apologize to him then." Connie said. I frowned. "Step what up?" "Your social skills." Sasha said, "You need to understand what Marco is going through and you need to try to figure things out about his life at home and in his life before college. His dreams and aspirations. Everything, Jean." I sighed. They were right. "Okay... You're right. I'll apologize today and make sure he understands that I'm gonna try to understand what he's going through." Connie and Sasha both nodded once before we all returned to our projects. I looked up at Marco sitting across the room and we locked eyes. Hm. Seems he was already looking at me. I smirked as he looked away. Somebody knocked on the classroom door then came in. I looked over and it was Gerald?! I made a face then looked at Marco. Marco looked just as confused. Gerald went over to Pixis and said, "I need to see Marco Bodt." Huh?! "Oh." Pixis said, "Okay. Marco." I looked at Marco and he looked at Armin, who just shrugged. He stood, putting his work down, grabbing his phone(if I was sitting next to him. He would have grabbed his phone and said something to me like, "Got to take this just in case I have to call 911."), then heading over to Gerald and Pixis. "He needs to see you." Pixis said, waving them off. Then Marco and Gerald left. I sighed. What the Hell... I was close to the other door that was across the room which led out to the hallway so I scooted my rolling chair over to it, opening it a bit. Connie and Sasha looked horrified and everyone looked at me. But I didnt care. I frowned as I listened to Gerald and Marco. I heard Marco say, "... have to get this project started for Thanksgiving break." "Can you talk to me over lunch?" Gerald asked. What. The. Fuck. I narrowed my eyebrows. Bitch no! Get the fuck off my man! "I'll text you an answer in a few minutes, okay?" Marco said, kindly. Good. Be skeptical, Marco. "Sure." Gerald said, "You're so ridiculous. Coming and interuppting my class so you could ask me out to lunch" Marco said. "You're worth it." Gerald said. Blleeechh! I was gonna vomit. "Jean get away from there!" Armin whisper-yelled. I closed the door and whisper-yelled a "Help me!" Back. Armin made a confused face. "He asked him out!" I practically yelled. Armin raised his eyebrows in understanding just as Marco came back in. I went back to my project. But I felt like Armin wasnt gonna do anything... I was screwed. Marco would be taken and that would be it... I sighed, grumbling to myself as I pressed my pen down too hard on my project and Connie and Sasha looked on in fear for their lives if they even said anything.
When class ended, I went to the studio building and as I was unlocking my studio, I noticed Marco walking to the second floor of the studio building. Dammit. That was where Gerald's studio was... And he said that he would text Gerald his answer. He probably said yes and now he was going to get him for lunch. I slammed my head on my door just as Armin came over. "Jean." He said. "Hm...?" I responded, leaving my head on the door. "Marco said that he wasnt going to go out with Gerald. So-" What? Armin helped me? Oh my God! I turned around to Armin in shock! "-you need to start acting on your feelings for him. He's going to get more admirers and he'll be gone sooner or later." "Thank you, Armin!" He smiled. "No problem." I ruffled his hair then went into my studio. Armin headed to his own and I set my stuff down then I went to the door and opened it a bit to wait for Marco to pass by. I saw Marco come down the stairs then when he got close to my door, I grabbed him and pulled him in. He stumbled but I just slammed the door, blocking it with my body. "What-Jean-why?!" He said, I turned to him. "We gotta talk about that guy." He blinked owlishly at me before narrowing his eyebrows and asking, "Were you spying on me? Jean seriously I'm not-" "Shh!" I shushed him. If I was going to apologize and convince him that Gerald was wird, I had to make him listen to me. He didnt like that. He crossed his arms and frowned. "Marco. That senior's a weirdo." I started. "Really? Because he said you were a weirdo." I raised an eyebrow. Oh Hell naw. "You're a weirdo." I said. "You're a weirdo! Now let me out!" He exclaimed. I slammed my back against the door in order to block it. He just smirked. "You know I can pick you up right?" Oh shit. Right... "Not today!" I exclaimed, "I put on three pounds, muthafucka." I tried distract him. He laughed. It worked. "Stop!" He exclaimed. "Let me out!" "Dude. That guy's weird." I said again, "Trust me. He doesnt have any friends." "I doubt that." He said, "I'm serious!" I exclaimed, "We went to the same highschool together and we were pretty okay friends. Then he started being weird and I kind of slowly backed away. And he still doesnt have any friends." "Jean." Marco said, "I've had two real friends in my life. I know how that feels. Now let me out." "Fine do whatever you want but dont come crawling to me when you get stabbed in your Bodt butt." We were quiet before I said, "Did you say yes...?" I looked down. "No." Marco said, "I didnt." I sighed in relief. Thank God. We were quiet again. Then Marco asked, "That's not all you want to talk about, is it?" I sighed a bit. "No." I said. Marco shifted a bit. "Dude." I started... Damn this was gonna be hard, "I'm sorry. For making you drag my ass around all the time when I'm a complete asshat. I just dont even have any social skills. But that's no excuse. I'm gonna try harder to learn how to get all this stuff you're going through." I looked at him, feeling like it wasnt enough. He smiled, though. "Yaay! I forgive you!" Then he suddenly picked me up into a bear hug. Holt shit! I struggled and made a disgruntled sound. "Duuuuuddeee!" He finally put him down after a few long moments. This idiot... I smiled and brushed myself off. Suddenly, Marco kissed his cheek. My face got hot and I was extremely shocked. "I-I'm sorry, Jean!" He exclaed. "I didnt mean to-! I mean-! I just got caught up in-!" "It's fine!" I exclaimed, interuppting him, "Marco. It's fine." I smiled, "It's fine." I sighed. "So..." I started, "Do you want to go get lunch?" He smiled. "Yes."
Thanksgiving Break happened. And this time, I had someone else interesting to talk to(Marco)besides having to talk to Connie and Sasha. Or anyone from Eren's posse. Considering all of our families live in New York. Sure, we just communicated by texting and calling and selfies but that was fine with me. More interesting than my family who didnt really care about me. My mother was the only one who really cared at all and she spent everyday with me during the break which was great and I missed her... So... Marco was really my only form of human interaction outside of my childhood friends and my mother. And we tried to talk once a day, at least. But we sent random texts and pictures to each other, too. However, over the break, my mother finally noticed how I was eating and she confronted me about it one evening. "Jean. Have you been feeling okay?" She had asked me, her round face scrunched in concern. "W-Why?" "I don't know. You just… Look a little sickly." I had broken down then. Explaining to her that I was so stressed out about my weight and food and everything. I was actually reduced to tears. Lame, right? We had a talk and… I admitted that I did have a problem. That's first, right? I went to at least four types of doctors. and of course they diagnosed me with an eating disorder. An early case, meaning not as severe. But any stage is severe. It doesn't matter if it was in an early stage. I was told to stop jogging. And then my mother set me up with these doctors in Pennsylvania that the ones in NY had recommended. I had a calorie plan and everything now… It would be harder to keep it on the downlow now… Especially since Marco and I would be in the same dorm now. I wanted to keep this from Marco because I didn't want him to worry about me and I just didn't think that it was a necessary thing to tell him, yet. All my friends thought I should, though. I hadn't actually let Marco know that I switched our rooms yet but he's find out. I let everyone who had grown up with me in highschool know about my new eating plans and Armin gave me this lecture about telling Marco then Connie gave me the same lecture except adding to it, "If you want to date him he has to know." I would let him know eventually even though I didn't really want to. On the day and around the time that Marco said he was coming back, I went to the airport to pick him up in my new shiny black car. I named it Nick. Dont tell anyone. I had arrived the previous day on my own. The car was something that I had requested my parents get me a week or two before Thanksgiving Break and I was expecting it as a Christmas present but they gave it to me the day I got home for Thanksgiving so... I dont know what logic that was. Anyways. I walked into the airport and found a place to sit. So I flopped down and played Bejewled while I waited for him. Getting texts every now and then from Connie or Sasha in a group chat that would ask if I had seen Marco yet which I would respond to with a no every time. Then I noticed movement in front of me. I looked up and Marco was there. I smiled. "Hey!" I exclaimed, standing. "Hey." Marco said, smiling back then asking, "What are you doing here?" "I thought I'd pick you up from the airport." I said. I really had missed this guy... I noticed a tattoo on Marco's wrist whichh must have been new. It was red around it so it had to be healing. It was Marco's last name, Bodt, in bold letters and a blue bird underneath, spreading its wings. "I missed you." I said. Marco turned red. "I-... Really?" He asked me. I smirked. "What? You didnt miss me?" I asked. "No it's not that!" He exclaimed, laughing a bit and rubbing his nose. Cute. "I just..." He said, "Wasnt expecting that... I missed you, too." Thank God. I looked down a bit, half-smiling, and shoved my hands into my pockets. Suddenly, Marco stepped closer to me and pulled me into a tight hug. Oh my God... I slowly wrapped his arms around him, hugging him back. He smelled good... Like gingerbread and clean laundry. I heard him sighed softly. I could feel his heart beating and I reached my hand up to stroke his hair gently. We stood there for a few moments before Marco pulled away. I smiled at him and he smiled back. "C'mon." I said, grabbing his suitcase and heading for the door. Marco followed, asking, "Jean. How are we going to get a suitcase on a motercycle?" "Oh! Right!" I exclaimed, "I got a car over the break." "Wait... You did? Why? Thanksgiving isnt meant for gifts." "I know. But I figures it'd be better for me to have a car so I asked my parents for one a few weeks ago and they gave it to me this past week. I was expecting it to happen at Christmas so it was a shock but, hey, whatever works." He was probably so done with my family being wealthy. We approached my car. I opened the trunk and put his suitcase in, closing it after. I looked at him. "... Well go on and get in." Marco looked terrified as he got into the passenger seat, closing the door behind him. I got into the driver's seat, putting my seatbelt on and closing my door. Marco put his own seatbelt on as I backed up out of the parking space, resting my arm on the back of Marco's seat. I heard him take a shaky breath and I glances at him. He looked pretty scared. When we were out of he parking space and I turned back to put both hands on the wheel, I ruffled his hair. Then I drove us back to Coirtney.
I tried to conversation with him the whole ride so he wouldnt be so scared. "Did you start on that project?" I asked. "Yeah. It's in my suitcase." He answered. "How far did you get?" "About halfway done, I would say." The fuck? "How do you do this shit so quickly?" He laughed a bit. "Because I actually work on it." I smirked. Bitch. "I work on it too!" I exclaimed, "You must have Bodt bots or something. Clones." He laughed harder. "Bodt bots! You should patent that!" He exclaimed. I laughed. When we reached Coirtney, I parked and pulled the keys out of the ignition, stuffing them into my pocket then getting out of the car. I stepped out, as well. I walked around and opened the trunk, pulling Marco's suitcase out, setting it on the floor, then closing the trunk and locking the car. Marco grabbed his suitcase and the two of us headed to the dorm building. Then I decided to tell him about what I did. "Hey." I started, " I did something you may or may not approve of." "Whaat...?" He said, raising an eyebrow. "I requested a room change over the break. And... Then I requested another room change, under your name." What?! "Jean!" He exclaimed. "What?! Why?" "Dude! We have the same dorm together now! Be happy!" I exclaimed, grinning. Marco just pinched the bridge of his nose. "I dont think I can handle you for that long. You do something ridiculous every two seconds." What!? I laughed. "Hey! I thought we were friends, Marco!" "What's the room number?" He asked, "Do you have my key?" "Yeah!" I exclaimed, handing him the key. "It's room 135 on the same floor as before. And you'll have to give your old room key to Armin." "Right." He said, putting the key into his pocket then shaking his head. I laughed. "I swear..." Marco said as he picked up his suitcase and carried it up the stairs to the floor that our new room was on.
I helped Marco unpack and when he went to give Armin his old dorm key, I might have snooped a bit more through his things. Just because I was a jerk. When he came back, we went to the lobby of the dorm building. And Annie was carrying a big ass tree into the building with Reiner and Bertholdt's help. Annie nearly hit Marco with the tree, not seeing him. I frowned when she did that. Bitch. As Marco dodged it, he fell onto the floor, making a disgruntled sound in the process. "Oh sorry, Marco." Annie said. "I-It's fine." He responded, standing. "You alright?" I asked him. He nodded. "That's a big ass tree!" Ymir yelled from the couch in the lobby where she was with Christa, Sasha, and Connie. Exactly, bitch. "Hell yeah it is!" Reiner yelled back. "Okay." Annie said as they got to where they wanted the tree to be. "How are we going to put this thing down?" The three of them did some yoga shit to get themselves so Bertholdt, who was at the end, was standing next to the spot they wanted to put the tree. Bert and Reiner started to position their parts of the tree down into the spot but Annie couldnt push the top up. Shorty. "Let me help." Marco suddenly said, heading over and replacing Annie with himself. This guy was too nice. He pushed the top of the tree up as best as he could, but he couldnt get it. I was going to volunteer to help when Bert said, "Marco. Let's switch jobs." As they switched and let go of the tree, however, Reiner almost died, yelling, "FUCK! TREE! ORGANS! CRUSHHEDD!" I couldnt help laughing a bit as Reiner recovered when Marco and Bert grabbed their new parts of the tree. "God you guys! Do you want me to die?" Marco laughed a bit and exclaimed, "Im so sorry, Reiner!" Then they started successfully placing the tree down in it's spot. When it was done, Annie said, "Thanks, Marco." "No problem." He responded, smiling at her.
Mikasa suddenly came in with Eren, carrying a ton of Christmas decorations. Oh fuck off Eren. "Found them!" Eren exclaimed. "Good for you, Jeager." I said. "Shut up! Oh. Marco's back!" Eren and Mikasa came over and put the decorations down. Mikasa hugged Marco and he hugged her back. I didnt like it. I grinded my teeth together. Then she pulled away. "Do I get a hug?" Jaegar said, holding his arms out to Marco. Oh fuck no. Marco laughed. "Su-" "No!" I exclaimed sliding in to stand in front of him and glaring at Eren. Marco laughed a bit and put his hands on my shoulders, saying to Eren, "Sorry, Eren. I guess you dont get a hug." Eren smirked. "Fine. Whatever." I felt Marco poke me. "Dont be such a jerk. He just wanted a hug. He's my friend." I ignored that statement. "Trust exercise-GO!" I exclaimed, falling back. Marco grabbed me, letting out an, "Eep!" And a, "Dont do that! I was legitimately afraid that I'd let you drop." "But you wouldnt." I said, grinning. He sighed. "Help us decorate!" Eren yelled to Armin who was coming down the stairs. "Fine. Fine." Armin responded. Marco, much to my dissapointment, let me go. "Did you have sugar before you left for the airport?" Marco asked me, "No." I said, turning to him and smiling. "I'm just excited to see you." Marco turned red. Sasha and Connie suddenly showed up next to us. "Are you guys dating yet?" Connie asked. My face got very hot and Marco turned a deep red. "I-uh..." Marco managed. "I'm gonna help decorate the tree." Then he went over to Armin, Eren, and Mikasa. Lucky bastard got away from the awkwardness. Christa and Ymir were on their way over to the decorations, too.
Finally, Bertholdt got the star on top of it with some help from Reiner. It looked alright. I saw Marco head for couch and flop down into it. Good time to attempt to ask him out. I came over after a few moments, smiling at him and sitting next to him. He smiled back. "So..." I said. "Yeah?" He asked. "About what Connie and Sasha said..." "Y-Yeah?" I rubbed the back of my neck and my face got hot. Dammit this was hard... "I just..." I started, "Well... I wanted to... Urg." I sighed in frustration and looked at him. "Marco... Would you... Could we... Maybe go ou-" Eren suddenly flopped down on top of us really hard. "AHH!" Marco yelled. "OOOF!" I yelled. "Hey guys." Jaegar said. "What're you two up to? Not doing anything that would be too good for horseface, yeah?" Oh this mother fucker! I pushed Eren off of me with a "Get the fuck off, Jaegar!" And when he hit his head on the coffee table as he went down, I snickered a bit until Marco stood and exclaimed, "Eren!" Marco helped him up and I groaned and stood as well. "Jean. Cant you be nicer?" Marco said, "Nobody has to get hurt." Was he being serious? "Yeah horseface!" Eren exclaimed. "Can I not just have a private moment wih you, Marco?!" I yelled. Then it got really quiet in the lobby and I realized that everyone was staring at us. Mikasa ran over and grabbed Eren, pulling him away. "What do you need to talk to Marco privately about, Jean?" Ymir questioned. My face got hotter and I tried to come up with sometring to say when Marco suddenly said, "Just..." I looked at him, "Nothing, guys. Okay?" Everyone seemed to calm down and go back to what they were doing. I sighed with relief. "Thanks..." I said to him. "Of course..." He responded. "Now." Marco said, "What did you want to say to me?" Now that I thought about it, Connie hadnt asked Sasha out yet so I shouldnt be trying to ask Marco out. "Bah... Forget it. It's not important." He sighed. "Okay..." But if Marco asked me out, that was okay. "Did you have something to say?" I asked him. "No." He said. "Marco!" Armin yelled for him and he yelled. "Polo!" back, walking over. Dork.