"Hey Krista, you should come with us to the mall on the weekend?" One of the cheerleader's offered, looking at Krista.

"I'm sorry, but I'm busy on the weekend. Maybe next time. Okay?" Krista said looking at the her while changing into her gray shirt that says PINK and blue skinny jeans.

"Okay."

"Sorry." Krista apologies.

"It's fine. I hope you can come the next time." She left leaving Krista by herself in the changing room.

Krista sighs. "Maybe next time…" She grabs her bookbag and leaves the room. She heads to her locker to grab her books, puts them in her book bag, and heads out of the school. 'I really don't want to go home…at least not home to him…' Krista thought as she walked to a bus stop.

"Hey Krista!" A familiar voice calls to her. She snapped out of her thoughts and turned her head to the where the voice was calling her. She smiles when she saw Eren walking up to her.

"Are you heading home?" Eren asked wiping his forehead of sweat.

'It seems that he just got out of cross country recently' Krista thought to herself. "Yes I am. Shouldn't you be heading home as well." Krista responded.

"I should, but I don't want to. Cross country took the wind out of me and I decided I wanted to go to the corner store to get something to drink and maybe just chill out here for a while since it's not bad out today. Would you like to join?"

Krista really wanted to, but knows if she does go. Her father would be upset with her for coming home late. "I'm sorry Eren, I have to go home. I don't want my… parents…to be upset with me..."

"I'm sure they wouldn't mind if you come home a little late. Would they?"

"They would… sorry…" Krista looks down.

"It's fine. Maybe next time." Eren puts his hand on her the top of her head and messes with her hair. "I'll see you around." He began to walk away from Krista and to the store.

She sadly smiles as she sees Eren walking away. She thinks to herself that maybe just this once, she can come home late. she needs to be happy in her life. Right?

"The hell with it." Krista finally decided and runs to catch up with Eren. "Hey Eren, wait up!"

Eren stopped and looks back at Krista. "Changed your mind?"

Krista was now next to him. "Yes, I did."

"Wouldn't your parents be upset?'

'To hell with my father.' She thought. "I'm sure I can come up with something."

"Well now, feeling a little rebellious. I like it." Eren said with a smile and a wink.

Krista blushed as they walked to the store. When they both grabbed a bottle of soda, since Eren insisted that she should get something for herself and he would buy, they walked around the streets.

"So, how's your first day of cheerleading?" Eren asked.

"It was great. There is a football game next week and we are practicing cheering for next week's game."

"Really? Maybe I'll come to see you cheer. Who knows, maybe you might do something to embarrass yourself." Eren snickered.

Krista laughed and punched him lightly on his arm. "Don't jinx it."

It was quite for a while until Krista realized what Eren said.

"Would you really come to see me cheer?" Krista asked looking down so that way Eren wouldn't see her blush.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?"

"No special reason."

It was quite again. But it wasn't awkward. It just felt right. The night was beginning to settle and everyone was beginning to be in their homes.

"It seems like a good time to go home now." Eren says with Krista agreeing with him. They were about to go their separate ways until two guys with matching black hoodies walked up to them. As Krista tensed up, Eren walked in front of her to protect her from thugs' view.

"Well look who we got here Jerry?" One of the thugs said to his friend.

"A boy with his little girlfriend. Didn't your parents ever tell you that it's dangerous to walk out at the night." The thug named Jerry said.

"And didn't your parents ever tell you it's not nice to antagonize people." Eren said as his eyes beginning to anger and readying himself in a fighting stance.

"We aren't antagonizing anyone. You're antagonizing us. Isn't that right Tim." Jerry said to Tim.

"Yeah. But about this. We'll let you walk away unharmed if you give us your money and maybe have some fun with the girl." Tim said with a sickening grin.

"Over my dead body." Eren said with venom.

"You ask for it." Jerry said pulling out a knife from his pocket and lunging himself at Eren. Eren pushed Krista out of the way and grabbed Jerry wrist. Eren then punched Jerry in the throat causing him to drop his knife and cough.

"You son of a bitch!" Tim yelled tackling Eren to the ground and punching him in the face three times before Eren blocked one last punch and pushing Tim off him. As Eren stands up, he sees the knife on the ground and throws himself to the ground and grabs the knife. Tim went to kick Eren while he's down, but wasn't successful as he felt a raging pain going through his foot. Tim looked at his foot and he sees that the knife is stabbed right through his foot. Tim fell to the floor screaming in pain.

Krista was watching the fight unfold not knowing what to do. Eren was defending her, so she had to do something in return. She had to call the police. As she was taking out her phone, Jerry grabbed her from behind.

"Hey kid, look before you move." Eren turned around and sees Krista in the thug's arms. "You're going to let me go or I'll snap your little girlfriend's neck." Eren didn't move from his spot and he was beyond pissed.

"Good. Now…" His sentence was interrupted by a yelp of pain as Krista bit his arm and ran off to Eren's side when Jerry let go of her.

Eren cracked his knuckles. "Taking a someone hostage is a scummy thing to do. But when that hostage is my friend. Well then, you're asking to die." Eren's face darken and his voice became unrecognizable to Krista, she felt a bit scared. Eren then punched Jerry so hard, a teeth and blood gushed out from his mouth. As Jerry went down, Eren began to beat him to a bloody pulp. Krista had to stop Eren or else he would have beat him to death.

"Eren stop. You got him." Krista was trying to pull him off. After one more punch, Eren stopped and looked at the beat-up face. It looked unrecognizable.

"Let's get out of here." Eren grabbed Krista's hand and they left with the thugs on the ground. As they were far away from the crime scene, they stopped by a nearby bus stop. They stood their quietly, not knowing what to say. Krista spoke up first.

"Are you okay?..."

"I'm fine. Are you?" He could tell she wasn't fine. Her voice was quivering and she looked shaken up.

She didn't say anything. Without any warning, she hugged him and cried. Eren was a bit surprised, but hugged her back and tried the best way possible to comfort her. As the bus slowly made its way to them, Krista began to wipe the tears away.

"Hey Eren, I know it might be a lot to ask, especially since it's 8 right now, but could you help get home." She looks at Eren with pleading eyes. He nodded and they both got on the bus. As they sat down next to one another, Krista slowly reaches for Eren's hand and holds on to it. Eren noticed and holds her hand back. As they drive by many and many houses, they've reached the end of the town. As they got off, Eren looked around the neighborhood and notices these houses can only be afforded by the higher-class people. They walked near the end street and notice her house is a freaking mansion. 'Geez, are her parents famous or royalty or something?' Eren thought to himself. They stopped at the front gate. Krista unlocks the gate with a pin number, looks back, and hugs Eren one last time.

"Thank you Eren." She whispered in his chest.

"No problem. Just know I got your back, no matter what."

"You promise?" She looks up to him still holding him.

"Promise." He looks down at her giving her a gentle smile.

She smiled and then she zones into his eyes. She notices how beautiful his emerald eyes are in the moonlight. She always known how nice his eyes looked since she met him, but something about seeing them at night is something different.

Eren arms unwrapped and so did Krista. She went in the gates.

"Goodnight Eren." She said before closing the gates.

"Goodnight Krista." Eren two fingered salute to her as he walked away from the mansion and to a bus stop back home. As she entered her house, a butler was there to greet her.

"Good evening Miss. Reiss. If I may ask, where have you been."

"I've been out with a friend." Krista responded while heading up to her room. "Is my father home?"

"No, he isn't." The butler said while following her.

"Good."

"It's dangerous at night Miss. Reiss, I hope you understand that. Wouldn't want you to get injured."

Before she could close the door, she smiled. "Don't worry. I wasn't harmed."

"How could you be so certain?"

"A guardian angel was by my side." Krista said as she closed the door.

Author's Note: Have to admit, this has to be my finest chapter so far. If you readers like any moments that happened in this chapter, trust me, there will be more to come.

To answer Gokuu the Carrot's respond- You should buy Sonic Mania when you have the time and or money. It's worth it. And we should. Let me know in messaging.

Until next time Knights ;)