Chapter 2: Enchanted

Disclaimer: Do I have to? *groans* I don't own anything but my crappy story. Enough said.


I'll spend forever wondering if you knew

I was enchanted to meet you too

-Enchanted, Owl City


"-and then he just invited me to coffee afterwards just like that! It was so –so weird! Who does that? Then he just grabbed my wrist and dragged me to the nearest café." Sasha said as she set her phone on loudspeaker on her nightstand and crawled under the covers. She had arrived just a little while ago, and had cozied up in her pajamas.

,"Then he goes around asking me about Berthold, then telling me that it was all an arranged marriage. Purely political." She smiled as she recalled the exact same words he told her just a few hours ago. "Told me I saved him from it and that it's been moved three months later."

"Wow that's one to tell the kids." Connie said at the other end of the line. "'Kids the day I met your mother she bailed me out of an arranged marriage and I asked her out.'" He tried to say in a smooth baritone. Emphasis on the word 'try'.

Sasha snorted. "No Connie, we're not dating. I hardly know the guy." She snorted again. "And dude, you can't pull off Ted Mosby impressions. Don't bother."

"Hey that was the best one yet! And I don't see you trying. "

"I can't sound like Ted either Con. I'm not a man."

"You and I know for damn sure that you're manlier than most men."

She let out something that's sounded like a cross between a scoff and laugh, head shaking at the truth of her best friend's words. Most men can't handle eating twice their own body weight worth of food every week. But Sasha can and still had room for more. Before she knew it she was already laughing out loud, Connie following suit at the other end.

"To be honest Sash, I'm really glad to see you so calm about what happened. I pretty much expected you to be a mess when you called." Sasha abruptly stopped laughing and hoped that he didn't notice.

"Hell, I even prepared for the worst and loaded up on steamed potatoes and chocolate when I got home after the reception in case you needed any comfort food. But by the looks of things, I guess you don't."

A smile tugged at the corners of her lips at the prospect of her friend's thoughtfulness.

"Yeah I guess so." She sighed lightly, and then smirked. "But that doesn't mean I'm not taking you up on the potatoes. I'll pick them up tomorrow? Lunch time? That okay?"

"Sure go ahead."

"Yay!" she yawned.

He let out a chuckle. "You sleepy already Sash?"

"Yeah. It's been a hell of a day as you can tell. I'll see ya tomorrow Con. Night."

"Night Sasha."

She reached over and hit end call on her phone. With a sigh she lied back down on the covers and thought back to the events that happened earlier that day.

The level of confusion she felt hit a solid ten when she tried (and utterly failed) to understand how and why she spilled the entirety of her pathetic excuse of a love life to someone who wasn't Connie or Mikasa (both of which swore to take it to the grave). Then it suddenly went off the charts when she realized that she spilled all of that to a complete stranger she met in the weirdest way possible. Soon her brain went on overdrive as her confusion went over nine thousand when it occurred to her that she had just spent her entire afternoon with said stranger, accepted his jacket, and blushed all the way home as they parted ways, said jacket hanging carefully on her closet door. Truth be told Jean wasn't the first guy to do something so gentlemanly for her. There had been Berthold, Connie, hell, even Eren (once she noted that Mikasa wasn't on a murderous intent). But with Jean, it was just different. It wasn't done in a way that made her fall for him like how Berthold had done it, nor was it done out of pure friendship. It was done the same way Jean spoke, annoyingly straightforward yet had the smallest hints of pure kindness. They hardly knew each other yet it felt so…right.

She rolled and tried to lie to her left side, trying her best to get some rest. She doesn't see that happening anytime soon, not when Connie's words were starting to sink in. Why wasn't she a sobbing, overly emotional mess at the moment? She should be a sniffling little ball of tears right now, surrounded by used up tissues and crumpled up chocolate wrappers, suffocating the life out of an innocent teddy bear while watching crappy romance films like a hormonal teenager. But she wasn't. Her eyes were completely dry, she hadn't opened a box of tissues to use up and she wasn't drowning out pathetic professions of love from a TV screen. She was perfectly fine and she didn't understand why. It was only after several rounds of tossing and turning that she did.

But as soon as everything started to fall into place, she had already drifted off to sleep, a smile etched on her face.


Jean sighed as he entered his apartment, feeling the exhaustion from today's events seep in along with the rain that he waded through. His parents have been calling him non-stop ever since he ran off with Sasha behind their backs, his phone threatening to tear a hole in his pants with the constant vibrating. He'd chosen to ignore the unpleasant feeling in his pocket and shut off his phone when Sasha excused herself to use the restroom. Instead of being greeted by the darkness he left his apartment in, he met his parents' stern where-have-you-been-young-man looks. Had it been his younger self, he would've smiled sheepishly before bowing his head in shame as he listened to their scolding. But he wasn't.

"How the hell did you get into my apartment?"

His father narrowed his eyes at him.

"Where the hell have you been?"

"Where is your suit jacket?" his parents asked at once.

Jean opted to ignore his father's inquiry and turned to his mother. Come on Jean, think. You can't say you gave it to the girl who objected at the wrong wedding.

"It was getting hot while I was out so I left in on a park bench. Some guy stole it while I wasn't looking."

His mother nodded and bought the alibi (thank heavens) and he turned to his father. Again began a sermon on a topic that he could never really give two shits about (*cough* taking over the family business *cough*). Years of experience allowed him to drown out his father's voice without looking uninterested or disrespectful. With a final nod his father stood from his couch and made his way to the door, his mother following suit.

"Jean."

"Yes?"

"I'm giving you these three months to make your choice." The older man led his wife out the door first before shutting it behind him.

Not even a goodbye. Tch.

With another sigh he kicked off his dress shoes and entered his bedroom, taking his phone out of his pocket as he did so. He set it on his nightstand as it turned on, glad that he didn't have to worry about them calling again.

They make it look like I was a seventeen year old who snuck out with a girl and missed his curfew.

He froze when he realized that technically he did.

Sneaking out to see a girl than taking her out on a date. Yep it seemed like I was seventeen again.

Wait.

Date? Was it even considered as a date?

I did pick up the bill.

He winced upon remembering the large dent the girl left in his wallet. What kind of girl can finish 5 plates of baked potatoes anyways?

But then again what kind of girl would object at a wedding only to realize she went in the wrong church?

He smiled fondly at the memory of seeing her through at the door, her eyes full of determination then suddenly widening with shock and mortification in the next second. It would be an understatement to say she wasn't like other girls. Not every girl can save him from the oblivion his parents dubbed the family business.

For the past months it's been the same thing over and over again; learn your responsibilities Jean, it's your duty as the sole heir to do this Jean, you have to make the choice Jean yadda, yadda, yadda…what was the point of making him take over an unstable business anyways? He groaned internally.

Ever since they got conned some time a couple years back they've been flying low. But his father kept on, pulling at odds and ends, barely making ends meet. Between his chosen course and his true interests Jean managed on his own, moving out the second he got his diploma and going back and forth between jobs. His parents didn't really seem to care. But now they seemed to care enough to get him hitched with an investor's daughter for monetary support. Was it frustrating for him? Yes. Did he make any move to disagree? Of course he did. But did he actually succeed in convincing them? Nope not at all.

A ring broke him from his thoughts. He peered at the Caller ID before hitting Accept.

"Eren? That you?"

"Hey Horse-face." Yep it was definitely him. "How was the wedding?"

Eren hadn't been able to attend since he had a seminar out of town. Fortunately enough for him, Jean hadn't minded at all. This wedding wasn't something he wanted to attend either.

Jean smiled. "On a three month hiatus."

"That's good to hear- wait what? Seriously? That's even better! What happened?"

"Some chick burst through the door and objected. She made it to the wrong wedding. Future monster-in-law wanted to move thinking it was a bad omen or whatever."

"Damn. That's the luckiest break you ever got. What about that girl? She okay? Did your parents send out a hitman or whatever after her so it won't happen again?"

Jean rolled his eyes. "No Eren, my dad isn't that sadistic." He chuckled. "Most of the time anyways. She's fine though. Talked to her a bit afterwards. Told her it was all cool." he said, choosing to leave out treating her to coffee.

"That's great." Jean could sense that he nodded at the other end. "Anyways Horse-face,"

Jean cringed at the high school nickname.

"The reason why I called is that there's been an opening here at work. I thought you'd want to be with your own kind for a while."


"Armin? ARMIN!"

Eren's voice snapped the blonde out of his thoughts.

"Huh? What?"

The brunette shook his head. "Something's obviously bothering you."

"No, it's nothing." Armin waved his hand as if trying dismissing the thought.

"You don't stare of into space for an hour for nothing." Mikasa said. To Eren, it sounded like a deadpan. To Armin, it felt like a bull's eye. He shifted uncomfortably on the couch.

Noticing how uneasy he was Mikasa asked in a kinder voice. "What is it Armin?" she looked back down at the shirt she was folding, but still obviously waiting for his reply.

Armin exhaled heavily. He knew he would have to tell them at some point.

"I met a girl today."

Mikasa's hand froze halfway through placing the shirt in her suitcase and she immediately looked back up, moonstone eyes showing the slightest glints of- wait was that surprise? Mikasa Ackerman? Surprised?

"So what? You meet a lot of girls at work. Geez Armin you didn't have to make such a big deal out of it." Eren stated so innocently.

Armin could've sworn that Mikasa was going to face-palm then and there. Instead she shoved the last articles of clothing in her case and zipped it shut. He sighed before turning to the brunette.

"I also gave her my number."

That was when green eyes widened and strong hands gripped onto lanky shoulders.

"Who are you and what've you done to Armin Arlert?!" Eren asked hysterically, shaking the blonde back and forth. The Armin stared back at him completely terrified.

"Answer me damn you! Where did you keep him?!"

"That's enough Eren." Mikasa didn't bother getting up from her chair.

"Eren, you're literally about to dislocate my scapula if you don't let me go!"

His hands flew off him in an instant. "Oh good it really is you."

Armin grabbed his left shoulder with his right hand and rolled the joints, hoping to regain feeling back into it.

Eren had already gone back to his spot on the couch and continued filling the remainder of his bag with toiletries.

Armin stood up and grabbed a small suitcase he had placed behind the couch and started filling it with some comic books. He had already finished packing the essentials earlier that day and opted to pack the things he'd need to pass the time at work.

"How'd ya meet her Armin?" Eren inquired, trying his hardest to zip up his overstuffed bag.

"I bumped into her while I went out to get some coffee today."

"Wow. Seems really random." The brunette stood up and proceeded to carry his bag to the front door.

"She was really nice though. And pretty. I bet she already has a boyfriend." Armin sighed before sneaking another glance at his phone.

"I hardly doubt it Armin." Mikasa spoke up. She smiled at him slightly. Eren plopped down beside her and nodded. "Yep she's got a point. She would've told you if she did. Damn it my best friend is getting some before I could. I'm so jealous." He then pretended to wipe tears from his eyes to emphasize his point.

Armin rolled his eyes and grinned. "Nah you already beat me to it." He glanced at Mikasa. Her poker face remained intact.

"Huh?"

The blonde sighed in defeat and shoved a novel into his suitcase. "Nothing."

Silence passed for a few brief moments. But when Armin's phone started ringing, neither Eren nor Mikasa bothered to ask who it was from. The smile on his face as he texted back was the only answer they needed.


Ymir rolled her eyes and cursed under her breath.

"Krista I swear you've been pacing back and forth for the past hour and its driving me insane. Just call him already."

The smaller girl stopped in her tracks and clutched the phone closer to her chest, her watery gaze meeting an annoyed one.

"But what if-"

"Oh please like hell he'd give you the wrong number. You're too cute to be played with like that. And that guy seems like a way better option compared to that moron you're being forcibly hitched to. Now dial in his number before I do it myself."

Krista let out a shaky breath. "I'll just text him."

"Ugh fine. I'll leave that to you. Anyways, it's getting late and I should go now before your mother makes me." She patted the smaller girl's head and made her way to the door.

Once the freckled girl was out the door she collapsed into a heap on her bed and thought of what to send to him.

Shaky fingers flew over her phone as she typed it out.

Hi Armin :) It's Krista. I just want to let you know that it was nice meeting you. I hope we get to see each other again. Goodnight! :)

She hit send with a satisfied sigh. The reply came half a minute later.

Hey Krista. And yes, I was enchanted to meet you as well. Sweet dreams :)

His choice of words wasn't what she was used to (he must've gotten that from all the books he reads) but her heart still flutters at the reply. She set her phone on her nightstand and lied on her back, her heart still beating frantically. She drifted off to sleep, hoping and praying it won't be the last time that it does.


"Are ya finished packing Sash?" Connie asked the girl beside him as he paid most of his attention to the TV screen. Sasha arrived as planned and they were slumped in his living room, a full on death match coming under way in their virtual forms.

The brunette held the controller in her right hand when her buzz-cut friend hit pause, took a bite of a baked potato with her left and nodded. She swallowed and turned to her friend. "My bags are already set out on my front door. You?"

"Yeah I'm all set. We leave tomorrow after lunch right?"

"Yep. I don't see why we have to leave so early though. We could leave like what, an hour or two later and we'd still make it before five in the afternoon or something."

"You were the one who wanted to have a couple of drills with the target boards before everyone else gets there."

"Ugh. Fine."

"Speaking of work, what happened to Mike anyways?"

"Not really sure. Some prank Eren pulled again?"

"Probably."

Sasha turned back to the screen about the same time Connie hit start again.

Silence passed by, both still absorbed with kicking each other's virtual asses.

"So how are things with you and Jean?"

"For the last time Connie we are not dating. I don't even have his number for fuck's sake."

"Fair enough. But Sash," He grunted in effort from playing before continuing. "You seem a lot happier now than before you met him. I don't know what it is about this guy but he really seemed to have this effect on you."

Sasha pursed her lips for a slight moment. "Maybe."

The truth was Jean did. It had all started at that small moment of physical contact when he reached for her hand across the table. He stuttered and looked away awkwardly after realizing what he was doing and let go. All warmth that rushed through her disappeared. The next thing she knew they spent the entire afternoon together, chatting up on the weather and people watching. They noted customers who they deemed to be out of the ordinary like that blonde whose gender they profusely debated upon, or that elderly man who yelled his order at the barista with eyes that made him look like he was on some sort of narcotic. They had stayed until the café closed. It all just ended up being so…pleasant. She hadn't felt that way in a while. Especially after Berthold told me about his proposal plan.

Sasha half-heartedly pushed a few buttons for a combo and sent Connie's life bar down to zero.

"Dammit Sasha!"

Laughter bubbled from her lips. "We're taking the 1:45 train with Eren and the others right? Then the 2:30 bus?"

"Yep."

"Okay."

Silence followed, neither making a move or a sound.

"Round 2?"

"You're on."


The Sina Country Club was a spacious villa that took up most of the area down south of the state, neighboring most of the rural area. It would take a good three hours to get there from the city so it required its employees to live in the lodging behind the main building. Sasha had been working there for 2 years, give or take a few months, and had always been enjoying the fresh air. It was one of the many things you scarcely find in the city.

With a smile she hopped off the bus, quiver and bow slung carefully on her shoulder. She exhaled in satisfaction. It's so good to be back.

The Club closes during the winter to ensure the wellbeing of the horses and of the employees and also for the holidays. The rest of the year requires the employee's perfect attendance, especially in the summer when most of their members tend to visit. Amidst the breeze that lightly shook the trees, she heard grunts of effort come from the bus.

"Sasha are you just gonna stand there or are you helping me out?" Connie asked rather annoyed, multiple bags crowded at his feet.

She playfully stuck her tongue out at him and laughed. "Yeah, yeah, I'm on it. Let me have my moment Con."

"Your moment is taking too long and I don't want to be the one to carry your food bag."

"Fine. Meanie."

Sasha shuffled over to where Connie was and lugged her bags with minimum effort. "Where's Mikasa?" She asked as they made their way to the front entrance. "I gave her the key to our room while we were still in the bus."

"She already went ahead with Eren and Armin while you were busy having your moment."

She huffed in annoyance as they reached the glass door. But before Sasha could shuffle her bags to one hand to open it with the other, someone had already opened it for her. She grinned when she saw who it was.

"Hanji! It's so good to see you!" the taller woman grinned back and gave the girl a warm one-armed hug.

"Good to see you too, kiddo." She pulled away to give Connie the same.

"So how are Sawney and Bean?" Sasha asked, referring to Hani's pet centipedes. Connie winced uncomfortably at the thought of them. But Sasha held a strange interest toward them when Hanji brought them with her to work last season.

"Oh they're doing just fine. Still weird how they ended up in Mike's saddle though. I didn't think they'd actually bite him in the pe-"

"Okay Shitty Glasses that's enough." A gruff voice cut in.

"Oh, hey Levi. Didn't see you there." Hanji held a fist to her mouth trying to conceal her laughter. "Your height makes it hard to spot you."

Sasha and Connie swapped glances for a split second before stifling their own laughter. The shorter man walked over to them, eyes slightly narrowed. "Careful there Shitty Glasses. I could get you fired for that." He turned to look at Connie. "And you. Shitty Shit. Standing beside Braus here you would've looked like her son if I hadn't known any better."

Hanji merely punched him in the shoulder playfully. "Aww lighten up Levi. I know you can't really bring it in yourself to get me fired. And besides, my position makes me invulnerable to termination."

"Maybe that's because you're fucking the head director." Levi muttered under his breath.

"That's rich, coming from the guy who's screwing the head barista."

"What was that?"

"Anyways," Sasha cut in, hoping to escape the awkwardness of the situation. "I really ought to go to my room now. Mikasa probably set out her stuff already."

She glanced at Connie and nodded, both muttering their goodbyes. They were barely five feet away from the two they exploded in laughter.

"My god did you see the look on Levi's face?"

"He looked like he was about to murder someone."

"Did ya hear? Rumor has it he's planning on proposing to Petra."

"Where'd you get that from?"

"Hanji. Duh."

"Meh she could never keep her mouth shut anyways."

She raised her eyebrows and cocked her head to the side in agreement.

"Anyways Con, give me time to finish unpacking before we head over to the courtyard. Thirty minutes?"

"Yeah sure." They both nodded and went to their respective rooms.

The rules in the dorms were simple. Girls take the rooms on the second floor, boys on the first. That was the only way to prevent and catch any hook-ups. That along with the creaky staircase and barred windows. Director Erwin had been pretty insistent on avoiding anything of the sort.

Sasha finally reached the door to her shared room with Mikasa, glad that the raven-haired girl left the door open for her.

"Hey Mikasa."

The other girl nodded and proceeded to fill her drawers. "Any idea who might replace Mike?" Sasha asked as she set her bags on her bed.

"Yeah. He's an old high school of ours. He's had experience for a while." Mikasa closed her drawer and walked over to help out the other girl. The brunette nodded gratefully proceeded to grab the bag filled with food and hide it under her bed for safe keeping.

"Hmm…I guess he'd fit in with Erwin's standards. He ever been to the club before?"

"Nope. The first time he's heard about the club was when Eren offered him the job." They both started to fill the other drawers with Sasha's belongings, the two of them sitting Indian-style on her bed.

"Does he know how to get here from the city?"

"Eren forgot to offer him a ride with us so he had to fend for himself."

"That poor bastard."


"Son of a..ha..ha…hachoo!" the man sniffed roughly and groaned. "Goddamit."


Sasha entered the main lobby, sheen of sweat on her forehead after a few warm up drills outside with Connie right behind her. Everyone else had already gathered there, light chatter filling the air along with the smell of dinner cooking up from the kitchen.

Levi stepped out in front.

"Shitty brats. Listen up I've got an announcement."

All chatter immediately died down. He nodded and continued.

"Ever since that unfortunate accident with our last Equestrian Coach," Levi turned to glare at Eren. The boy cringed under his gaze. He turned back to the others, ignoring the glower Mikasa was shooting his way. "Mike Zacharius chose to retire for his health. In other words he wanted to die a natural death that involved him in a shit-filled adult diaper rather than die of a heart attack induced by you lot. Anyways, with Jaeger's help we managed to find a new employee to take Mike's place before we open tomorrow. But the idiot's late so I'm giving him until 7:00 before I fire him."

Sasha peered at the clock on impulse. 6:46. Nah I'm pretty sure he's not getting fired. The guy's got plenty of time.

It took five minutes.

Exactly three minutes before the door opened.

Another two minutes for the man at the entrance to shuffle to the front where Levi was and glare at Eren.

It took exactly five minutes before her eyes nearly exploded from their sockets upon first glance at who it was.

No fucking way.

"Everyone meet our new Equestrian Coach Jean Kirschtein."


A/N 1: So I decided to edit a few parts again. Just some italicizing and corrections. Nothing drastic I swear.

A/N 2: So its been a while since I posted and this is waaay overdue. But life was getting in the way. Along with school. Anyways, in the past month I celebrated my birthday (Its the day before Marco's XD), I've been bombarded with exams and projects and I've spent meaningless time posting covers on soundcloud. The link to my account is on my profile.

A/N 3: Shoutout to all of those who reviewed and followed. Like seriously. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine something like this XD

A/N 4: The blonde with the undetermined gender I was referring to was Nanaba XD

A/N 5:Post a review if you have the time. The lesser reviews the longer the delay. Shitty readers (lol Levi mode XD don't worry i'm not that harsh :D)

till next time (^o^)V

edgeofmyemotions