"Where are you going?" the voice made her shudder. The blonde stopped in the middle of the hallway and turned around to her father, who was standing by the door of the living room. Why did he care?
"Work."
"You got fired from that job in McDonalds though, didn't you? So tell me Annie, where the fuck do you think you're going?" her father wasn't intoxicated. He was just being an asshole.
"I told you last week!" Annie raised her voice. All that alcohol must have been corroding his brain because she had explained to him last weekend that she had a new job.
Her father suddenly lunged towards her and Annie let out a gasp. The man grabbed hold of her arm and pulled her towards him. He tightened his grasp and it felt as if he was going to snap her fragile limb in two. Getting away with a simple bruise will be getting off lightly at this rate.
"Look, bitch. How many times have I told you not to use that tone with me?"
"Let go of me, I'm going to be late." Annie needed to keep her cool. She knew how temperamental her father was. He wasn't drunk this time (which was a rare occurrence). He was just irritable from craving his precious alcohol, she didn't even know what was worse.
The man saw red and smashed her back against the wall. Annie let out a yelp and squirmed in discomfort.
"Little shit. If you're in that much of a rush, I hope you won't even bother coming back! How does that fucking sound?" he snarled angrily. She had really aggravated him this time. Annie remained silent and glared at him through the pain. He tightened his grip even further on her arm, obviously not approving of the look that was on her face.
Annie's eyebrows scrunched together, "Sounds great" she muttered it under her breath but of course he heard. He raised his free hand and grabbed the bun in her hair. Her father then ripped out the hair tie and pulled down aggressively. Annie cried out and she felt tears of pain form in her eyes.
"What the fuck did you say?" His face contorted in pure rage and she was scared he was going to rip the hair right out of her skull.
"Why did you force me into going to those Judo classes and help build me up if you were just going to use your strength against me to knock me back down again!?" the words spilled from her mouth. Annie felt like screaming and kicking him, but she had learnt her lesson from the last time she had started screaming and lashing out. She had received a black eye for it. She watched her father's angry face morph into one of disgust.
"You may look like your mother, but you're nothing like her. You're nothing but a poisonous bitch, a bitter reminder." The man sneered and released both her hair and arm. Annie was tempted to retort back but she wasn't stupid, it would have been very foolish to say something considering that he was absolutely fuming. He had released her, so now was her chance to escape. "Go on. Get out of my fucking sight. Ungrateful little cunt." his voice was low and Annie ran.
"What book do you have there?" Armin's voice made the blonde girl jump, she hadn't heard the door. Just like last weekend, he said he would come by and keep her company while she worked on her shift.
Annie was taking her break and had decided to take a look at one of the books there. The one she picked up was about astrology. She had always thought that horoscopes were stupid, but this book interested her. The blond boy leaned over her to take a closer look and she blushed lightly as she felt him brush against her.
"It's about astrology." The pale girl's eyes remained on the book as she answered him.
"Oh, when is your birthday, Annie?" It was shocking how little he knew about the girl, especially since they spent so much time together.
"March 22nd. Yours?" she asked, throwing the question back at him.
"November 3rd, so, you're still fifteen?"
"No. I'll be seventeen on my next birthday." Annie's cheeks tinged pink in embarrassment.
"Oh" Armin was surprised that she was older than everyone else in their grade, but he didn't question it.
"I had to repeat a grade because I missed a lot of school last year. I had to care for my mom." Annie's tone was abrupt, she knew Armin was curious and decided to just get it over with and explain.
"Ah, I u-understand…So what star sign does that make you?" Armin quickly turned the conversation away from the path it was heading and decided to focus on the book again. He wondered if their zodiac signs were compatible, he didn't know much about the topic. How amazing would it be to find out that they were destined to be together by the stars?
"I'm an Aries and you're a Scorpio. According to this, I'm a fire sign and you're a water sign…" she laughed, because this meant they were complete opposites.
"Oh. I guess that makes us…incompatible?" he sounded somewhat disappointed.
"I don't really believe in this stuff…" she stated, "Who cares if it's not written in the stars?" Annie felt herself blush lightly and looked back down to the book, avoiding looking at Armin.
"I guess" we can always make it work. "Well…what does it say about our signs?"
The blonde scanned the book for the section that listed information about each sign, "Aries are independent, generous, courageous, intelligent, short-tempered, impulsive and impatient…" she paused feeling somewhat awkward because a lot of the traits listed matched her personality. "Scorpio…let me see. Loyal, passionate, observant, dynamic, manipulative, suspicious and unyielding. That's both the positive and negative characteristics…" Annie looked up at Armin and they both blinked.
"That's very intriguing." Armin smiled softly, "I think you match your sign."
"You too…But I still don't believe in any of this crap. It's just a coincidence." Annie shut the book and went to put it back on the shelf. "Though, I admit it's interesting."
After break, Annie got back to work. She had to admit it was way better than working in McDonalds. It was nice that Armin was there the whole time, asking her if she needed help and chatting with her about all sorts of things. She didn't like it so much when he asked questions about her though, and preferred to listen to him ramble on about a book or a country he wanted to visit.
It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, though. Annie hadn't told Armin anything about her father, continued to hide the bruises, and dismissed him when he tried to ask her about it. She knew that he was suspicious and curious, but she didn't want him to know anything. She didn't want anyone to find out. One thing she was certain: she would rather endure the abuse than be pitied by people. Surely if Armin found out, he would tell that loud mouth Eren Jaeger, and then the whole school would be talking about her behind her back.
That wasn't even the main concern. It was probable that Armin would no longer even want to be associated with her if he found out the truth. Her father didn't support her mother in her time of need; instead, he turned his back on them both. So who was to say that Armin would stay? He was so gifted, a complete and utter genius. He had a bright future ahead of him. Why would he stick around and be dragged down by her shit? Annie couldn't help but feel slightly guilty about constantly lying to him, though. She didn't know if they were in a relationship or not, but she knew they were something more than just friends. He was a nice guy who didn't really deserve to be lied to. This was exactly why she hadn't even wanted to get close to anyone in the first place. It was too late now though, because it had got to the point where she didn't think she could live without him. She had fallen for him, and hard.
"I'll help you with those books." Armin offered as usual. It wasn't like Annie needed the help. The girl was perfectly capable herself and undoubtedly stronger than he was despite being much smaller in size.
"You don't need to help me, Armin. Your grandfather is paying me to do this job." she rolled her eyes but her lips curved up into a small smile.
"I know…" Armin blushed "but I like helping you." He came towards her and took half of the books she was carrying. Annie let out a sigh but thanked him anyway.
"H-hey Annie…" Armin placed the books down on the counter and paused. He didn't really know what to make of his relationship with the girl. Were they a thing now? Neither of them had really confirmed it.
Even Eren was curious. His best friend couldn't make out what was going on with Armin and the antisocial 'bitch' as he liked to put it (obviously when he was out of Armin's earshot).
"Have you kissed yet"?
"No."
Of course Armin wanted to. The thought of pressing his lips against Annie's soft-looking, cute, pink ones was enough to make his breathing become heavy.
"Yeah…?" there was curiosity and a hint of impatience in her tone, she wondered why Armin hadn't continued with whatever he was about to say. His face was all flustered, too.
"Um," he diverted his gaze "do you want to go and get a hot chocolate or something after your shift here is finished?"
Annie felt her heart beat escalate, it looked as if they were finally going to just hang out. Not at school, not at work, but out of their own free will. "Sure." her cheeks tinged pink.
After it turned five, Armin locked up the bookshop and the two of them made their way to a small coffee shop nearby. It was already dark by now, and also freezing cold. Armin noticed that Annie didn't have a hat or scarf again, and for someone who was affected so badly by the cold, it must have been torture for her. He knew what he'd be getting her for Christmas.
The shop's interior looked beautiful, especially with all of the Christmas decorations put up. It was also incredibly warm and cosy, which Annie was thankful for. Armin opted for the hot chocolate and upon asking the blonde what she wanted, Annie simply shrugged and said that she would have whatever he was having. The couple took a seat at a table in an isolated corner of the shop and Armin removed all of his outer garments. Annie took off her jacket and mittens but the hoodie remained, as usual. Armin hadn't seen her in anything different. It wasn't always the same hoodie of course; she had a white one which seemed to be her favourite because she wore it the most. She also owned a grey-white striped one and a light blue that matched the colour of her eyes perfectly. There was something different about Annie today, though.
"I noticed you left your hair down. It looks really pretty." Armin complimented. Annie had always tied it back and although the hairstyle really suited her and showed off her face, her hair looked undeniably beautiful while resting on her shoulders.
"Huh…? Oh…thanks…." Annie felt herself blush, his words had caught her off guard and she brought both her hands to place the golden strands behind her ears. She could still feel pain on the back of her head from where her father had ripped her hair tie out earlier that day. She hadn't had the time to go back and get another one to tie it back.
Armin continued to stare at the girl sat opposite him and admired her features. He watched as she looked down and wrapped her hands around the cup of hot chocolate, avoiding his gaze.
"I think you are beautiful." Armin's voice was soft and sincere as he spoke, as always. He watched Annie's face flush bright red.
"…Thanks…" she mumbled, not even looking up at him. She hadn't expected him to say something like that.
"It's true. I really do think you're beautiful." Armin assured her, in case she didn't believe him. "Oh, and your nose is so cute." The last comment was enough to make Annie feel like exploding.
"…Stop…" she grumbled, feeling the temperature of her face rise even more. What was he trying to do? Make her die of embarrassment? I bet he wouldn't find those bruises beautiful. The thought that suddenly crossed her mind made her heart lurch, because it was true. What guy would find that attractive?
Armin laughed softly, "I'm sorry for making you feel embarrassed. I just wanted you to know." His face was glowing red.
There was an awkward silence while they sat and sipped at the hot chocolate. After several minutes, Annie had the courage to look up at him again. He gave her a soft smile and she couldn't help but smile back. Armin absolutely adored that smile of hers and he thought it was a shame that it was so rare.
"D-do you want to go somewhere else after we finish here?" Armin suggested. He was feeling confident today.
"Um, wait a sec." Annie suddenly started to feel unbearably hot, most likely because of Armin. She guessed she could remove her hoodie, she had a long-sleeved striped top on underneath. "I have to get out of this" she mumbled while pulling the garment over her head. As she went about taking it off, she did not realise that she accidentally pulled up the top she had on underneath along with the hoodie.
Armin's eyes were instinctively drawn to her bare skin. He was absolutely horrified. Black and purple marks scattered her tiny waist and ribs in harsh contrast to her pale skin. Annie still hadn't noticed what had happened and her bra was now visible, "A-Annie…!"
When she realised, Annie felt like screaming. Why did this shit have to happen to her? Why is the entire universe constantly going against me!? She quickly pulled the hoodie back down before Armin could see anything more. She swallowed hard and her facial expression portrayed a mixture of hopelessness and a frown. Judging by his face, he must have seen those bruises. I give up. I just give up. I don't care anymore. Her eyes met the table and she felt like crying. She looked up again when she felt his hand reach over the table and rest on her arm.
He was smiling. That smile didn't meet his eyes though so she knew something was up. "It's okay, Annie."
"What's okay?" she was confused. As far as she was concerned, nothing was okay.
"Um…you don't need to feel embarrassed about your body or anything."
Armin knew if he mentioned those bruises, she would flip out. Of course it was because of her father. It wasn't rocket science, it was obvious. It had been obvious all along. The reluctance to talk about her personal life, the time he had actually heard her father yelling at her, the unexplained bruises — she had said she got them when she did Judo, but when did she even get the time for that anyway? Armin hadn't fully believed her a month ago when she told him, but he wanted to. He didn't want to believe in the worst case scenario. He didn't want to imagine her being hit. He couldn't. She was so small and pretty and didn't deserve it. He was furious, more than he had ever been in his entire life but he had to control himself for her. Armin knew what had to be done. First, he had to cover up the fact that he saw anything.
"Huh?" Annie's face flushed red again. What was he on about? He had for sure seen those bruises. He had to know something, didn't he? Armin was smart, of course he must have realised what was going on by now. So why was he sitting there and smiling at her like that?
"P-please don't be ashamed. It was only an accident, I d-didn't even look." A blush erupted across his cheeks.
Annie just stared. So he wasn't going to bring it up? This is weird. She had to leave. This was too much for her to try and understand.
"Armin, I have to go home now." She stood up quickly and knocked the table, almost causing their cups to tip over. Armin blinked as the blonde girl made an abrupt getaway.
"Slow down" Armin let out a very strained fake laugh as he caught up with her. He wondered how she was able to make it half way down the street so fast.
"Just go home, Armin. It's snowing." Annie stated, not even turning to look up at him as she spoke.
"You know I'm going to walk with you anyway. So there's not really much point in saying that."
"…I guess." Annie muttered.
The small girl mostly kept her head down as they walked back in silence. She had ruined their evening. It was going so well, too. Before she just had to try and remove her hoodie and expose her nasty marks.
I could see the horror in his eyes. I know he tried to be nice and cover it up, but he was disgusted. He's extremely observant and clever. There isn't a doubt in my mind that he knows, not that it takes a genius to figure out. I've ruined everything. I'm no good for him.
Armin didn't know what to say on the way back. It was clear to him now why they always walked back to Annie's home in silence. It was because she was always dreading going back to the place. Just before reaching the entrance to the apartments, Annie hesitated in her tracks and came to a stop.
"Armin…" the sound of her quiet voice caused Armin's heart to skip a beat. Annie swallowed a lump in her throat before proceeding to say what was on her mind. "Do I really look like a good person to you?" she knew full well that Armin knew she was a liar. She must have been losing her mind. Why the hell was she the one feeling guilty? She was the one who was being abused for crying out loud.
Annie was the real victim at the end of the day, but she just couldn't help but feel like a terrible person. It was because she was lying and keeping everything from him. In the past two weeks, Armin had really opened his heart to her. He had told her about his mother and father, and how he remembered his mother reading to him as a small child. He told her how it had been his grandfather who had given him his name. He told her that his most treasured memory was when his parents and grandfather took him to the beach for the first time and he got to swim in the ocean. He had confided in her, and she refused to ever tell him anything. It wasn't fair. As nice as he was, Annie knew that everyone had a limit. Armin was only human after all, and eventually he would grow tired of her shit.
The blond boy blinked upon hearing the question. Why was she torturing herself like that? Armin couldn't understand it, he couldn't understand her. Why didn't she tell him anything? Did she not trust him?
Armin walked towards her, quickly closing the space between them. They were almost brushing against each other as he looked down at the girl. He brought his tender hands to gently cup Annie's face and watched as the snowflakes stuck to her long eyelashes.
"Yes, Annie. You are a good person, to me at least." His voice was quiet but firm. He really wanted her to know that he cared for her, now more than ever. For some reason he half expected her to push him away, but she didn't.
Annie blushed under his touch and couldn't speak for the life of her. She stared up at his boyish features, her pale blue eyes wide. His hands were warm. He was always warm. She was the complete opposite.
Armin started to shake and his heart was banging against his ribcage like it had never before. Without much thought, he shut his eyes and drew his face closer to Annie's. His body went into overdrive as his lips met with hers. They were cold and soft at the same time. This was all new to him, and he hoped he was doing it right.
Please Annie, kiss back.
Annie froze. When her senses returned to her after several seconds, she eagerly returned the kiss. Her arms instinctively wrapped around his waist and her eyes were glued to his face, while his remained closed. Her heart was pounding and she hadn't realised until now how much she had wanted this.
Her lips were even softer than he had imagined, and she tasted divine. He kept his movements slow and gentle because the last thing he wanted to do was alarm her. Neither of them were sure of how long they stood like that, in reality it had probably only been three or four minutes but it felt like much longer.
When finished, Armin looked down at Annie with half-lidded eyes. His cheeks were flushed and he was unsure of what to say to her.
Annie's nose was red and there was a dark blush spread across her face. Her hands shook as she slowly released her arms from his waist. "…I'll see you at school." Annie's voice was quiet. She gave him a nod and took a step back.
Armin blinked and also nodded, "O-okay, good night." she barely heard his voice as she turned around and entered the building.
He would have followed her but he was frozen in the spot. He watched her climb the first set of stairs and when she disappeared from his view he began to shake uncontrollably. It soon came to his attention that the vigorous shaking was not only from the fact that it was snowing, but mainly, because he feared for Annie. She was being abused by her own father and he felt sick to his stomach. As much as he wanted to, common sense told him that marching up to her apartment and confronting her father directly wouldn't be a good idea.
The boy only wished she had said something to him in the first place. It was clear that she didn't fully trust him despite all his efforts to assure her that he was trustworthy and cared about her. They had even just shared their first kiss and, nothing. He couldn't hold it against her though, and he cried because he felt terrible for her, terrible that she had to suffer even after losing her mother to cancer. All Armin wanted was to wrap her in a nice warm blanket and make everything better.
As he walked back home he considered going straight to the police, but realised that it might be a bit rash. The best thing to do was go to the school counsellor. She would for sure know how to help, Armin knew first hand because he had taken a trip to her last year when he was a freshman for personal reasons. Yes, on Monday, first thing, that's exactly what he would do.
I promise you Annie, I'll help you. I'll get you out of this terrible situation. I'll fix you.
