Thanks so much for all your support! :') I really appreciate it!

I hope you enjoy this chap, it took me quite some time :/ my ideas suddenly stopped flowing, but they're back and awesome!

TWELVE

My eyes fluttered open when I heard murmurs around me. The blur slowly faded as I shook my head. When I could fully see well, the first person I see beside me was Marco, -"Oh, you're awake,"- A sigh of relief escaped his mouth, -"I got scared there."

I leaned forwards, sitting up and looked around. I was in the infirmary on a long, cold bed. Marco was beside me sitting on a small round chair. Behind him was Kat working on something, -"Uh, how long have I been out?"- Immediately when I spoke, a soaring headache clouded my mind.

-"Not long,"- Marco answered and stood up, -"Just some minutes."

I stopped seeing him well since my vision got blurry again. Was I fainting? I couldn't tell. Gosh! Damn headache…

I had my hand clutching my hair while wincing in pain. Marco noticed and took something from somewhere, -"Here. Take these pills. It'll help… I hope."- His voice was filled with worry, so much worry.

-"What are they? Panadol?"- I quickly asked. According to mom, Tylenol didn't do any good and I've test it out. I was used to Panadol and it had to be Panadol. I couldn't take any other pain killer pills.

Even with my blurred vision, I could make out his nod. I took the pills from his hands and quickly shoved them in my mouth. Marco faltered, -"Wait! The water…!"- I hung the pills in my tongue and in seconds, he came with a glass of water, -"Here."

I quickly swallowed the pills along with the cold water. I was desperate for this headache to go the fuck away. I should thank him, but it didn't come out. Come on, spit it! I urged myself. God, why couldn't I thank him? Why did it felt awkward? He just saved me from shocking myself to death because of some pills!

I saw him still there as I leaned my head back in the bed, feeling heavy. He looked at me worriedly, probably figuring out my mental fight. Finally, I broke the awkward silence, -"Uh… t-thanks."- I finally apologized.

He smiled awkwardly, -"Um, sure, anytime."

After a while, my vision cleared and silence fell upon us like a rock. I looked away, he looked away, then we looked at each other and again looked away. It was awkward and it was driving me crazy, so I decided to once again break the silence, -"So, um, what the hell happened to me? I'm lost."

He let out a small laugh as he sat in the small chair beside me, -"I was going to ask you the same thing,"- That made me worry, -"You were fine trotting until you suddenly went into a run and didn't take a turn."

It all made sense now. No need for him to continue, -"And I ran into the… wall?"

Marco nodded, a smile forming in his face and then laugh, -"It was kind of funny,"- He halted his laughter, regret all over, -"I m-mean, no! Of course not! You blacked out and I got worried…,"- He nervously looked away, hiding his blush while touching his cheek with the tip his finger. Aw, he looked adorable…stupid! He looked stupid!

A small laugh escaped my lips too when a short movie about me idiotically running to the wall crossed my mind. I ended up laughing about myself, but then it hit me, who else saw me? Oh God, the whole group? If they did, I'm going to be the clown of the group; laughed at all the time… I don't think I could handle that without punching off the fuck of someone. It wasn't funny anymore. I still asked him though, -"Who else saw me?"

-"Well, Reiner helped me carry you here, um,"- He didn't want to say it, -"Everyone was worried…"- That was as in everyone saw, imbecile. I had my hands on my eyes, mourning to myself. Then, I felt Marco's hand on mine, -"But… what happened? It was weird of you."

I shoved his hand away and sighed, -"I dunno…. I,"- How was I supposed to explain him that? Above all, it has to do with him, -"… was just thoughtful."- I finally said and I wasn't lying. It was true. Shit, I can't remember well what I was thinking about… could the hit have affected me somehow? That'd screw everything, but to be honest, I want to forget some things.

-"I see…,"- Marco muttered and lowered his head, -"… um, I'm here if you need help or… anything."- He looked back up; he was serious, like he really meant it, but at the same time caring and worried.

I sat up again and looked at him. No one has told me that before, -"I'm fine, really."- I tried to smile, to reassure him, but it was failing, he still had that worried look.

Who does he thinks he is? My mother? He doesn't have to indulge in my problems. It's none of his business. My though are mine only and I'll take them with me to the grave. I still wondered why he felt so worried, why he cared so much…

Then, something popped in my mind and I realized that I too cared for him, -"Hey, um, about Art… you still have time to change group. Pixis will change you if you tell him your situation."

He shrugged and looked down with that thoughtful look of before, -"I don't know, Jean… I can't keep running. I'll just handle it like…,"- He halted. I knew how to finish it: like always, his voice was a little bit unsure and I had a feeling that there was more to it than that, -"Besides, Pixis said that the groups were already made and that there won't be any changes,"- He suddenly gave me a small but sincere smile, -"Don't worry. We'll finish the job no matter what."

A sudden anger shadowed a weird worry and panic in me. How could he say that? I can't understand him! He's supposed to stay hidden from Frank and yet…! Would he really go that far for a damn project? Does he put his life behind the stupid project? Was he that nerd?

Then, several car honks were heard and I shot up immediately. Marco faltered but I was already leaving the infirmary by the time he stood up. He even called out to me, but I didn't stop, -"Hey, Jean, your backpack!"

I was half way to mom's car when I looked back and saw Marco with my backpack on hand. I sighed angrily and went for it. Again, I leave without my backpack and again, Marco reminded me. I took it and gave him a last glance, not thanking him.

On the drive home, I kept thinking about Marco and it drove me crazy. The more I tried to think of something else, the more I thought of him. It was getting really annoying.

When we arrived home, I took a snack from the fridge and went up to my room fast. I didn't see dad, so I figured he was still working. Again, I took a very long bath and went to bed early. It took me some time to fall into slumber, but when I did, I had another dream.

An Assassin fighting a very tough Templar.

Next day of school was glorious. Hanji, Erwin and Rico were absent. No math. God was smiling at me today. Though, it would've have been even better if Levi didn't, heck, if every teacher didn't come.

The first class hour I spend it in the McDonald's with a few of twelve one, including Frank. Apparently, my girlfriend was absent so I send her a message asking her, but she hasn't answered it. We began to talk about soccer and suddenly, Frank changed subject, -"Too bad Erwin didn't come today. That hour's best for hunting those nerds."

Everyone agreed with him and they started making plans to catch them later, obviously leaving me out. In fact, they left me out the whole time, even when talking about soccer. I wanted to cut Levi's, but I didn't dare.

When I reached the class and met a pop quiz, I wanted to turn away.

It was an easy quiz with three questions, but when I read them…. They were like written in another language and I figured that if Levi wrote his tests like this, I was screwed. One of the questions was: do habitats affect mammals on their reproductions and evolution of their kind? Do they inhabit it with their fiancé? If they do, explain. How the fuck am I supposed to know how a mammals fucks their bitch on a place they don't like? I would have nailed the quiz if it was about turtles and amphibians.

I sat reluctantly and just stared at the questions. I didn't answer them and when Levi collected the quizzes, he quickly corrected them and gave the grades out loud. I honestly didn't liked that much, but I didn't care at this point. My grades were the worst and everyone in this group knew it, but a three question pop quiz? Fuck… not to forget that the topic was a piece of cake!

Levi took us all by surprise, well, at least me, -"Reiner Braun, 9/10, Sasha Braus, 8/10,"- Levi called us all and told the grades. I wasn't surprised, these nerd were nerds for something. They all had 9 of 10, or so I though, -"Ymir, 2/10, Samuel, 4/10"- I was surprised, I had to admit. I guess I was wrong about this group. I was still the worst though, -"Jean, 0/10."

I looked down when some people looked at me in surprise, including Marco, but his look was more… worried.

Levi just sighed and said nothing.

After that, I went to McDonald's looking for twelve one. Obviously, they were there, including Frank, always cutting class. I tried to talk and join conversation, but they left me out and ignored me. It went on the whole morning and I naturally left. Walking around the school alone, I checked if my girlfriend answered me, she didn't. Eventually, I reached the upper rondure, the geeks and gamers liar and saw Marco there. He was sitting and drawing like always. Today, he had a white blueish jean with his usual black drawn over Converse. He also had a white Superman badge jacket and a different beanie; this one was white and had Superman and Super Girl flying on the side. I admit again, he looked cool and I looked lame.

My legs began to move in his direction, but what happened yesterday crossed my mind. I was still mad at him, but seeing him lonely like that and coincidentally me too…

He noticed me and turned to me, waving his hand while smiling, but I was long gone by the time he began to stand up.

I kept going on circles until launch hour came. Like the whole morning, I went in alone and left alone. My girlfriend still hasn't answered my message so I figured she stayed sleeping or got sick. Why was I worrying about her? She never worries for me. All she worries about is herself. Multiples decision crossed my mind, specially breaking up with her, but right now, I felt lonely and she's the only one who spends time with me. Even if she doesn't love me the way I love her, I still wanted her. I wanted a girlfriend my whole life and now that I'm not twelve I got one and I wasn't going to waste that, but… was it really worth putting pride over my own feelings?

Art came next and that's where I saw my girlfriend. She was beside Marco, in my seat, probably mocking him. She kept telling him things and he just ignored her. He began to flinch and look at her. He was about to tell her something until she saw me, -"Oh, here comes the best guy in the world, my boyfriend. Hey, sweetheart."

I suddenly had an impulsion to do something without thinking about it. I walked over and she immediately lifted her arms and gestured me to kiss her, I didn't and instead, pointing to another chair, -"Move aside."

She looked at me confused while lowering her arms, -"Why? I want to be here beside you."

-"That's my chair."- I simply said.

She shrugged ignorantly and her sweet and lovely mood changed, -"It doesn't have your name on it. What's the difference?"

I tch-ed angrily and pulled the chair along with her aside and pulled another in between them and sat. She had her eyes wide in shock and surprised. She stood like that through the whole class and didn't spoke to me and stopped mocking Marco.

-"Jean,"- I heard a very familiar voice beside me and when I looked, Marco's eyes pierced mine with worry, -"Are you… okay?"

What the hell happened to me? –"I-I…,"- I spluttered, unsure if I'm okay or what happened there. I wanted to smack my head, it was obvious: I made Trisha stop mocking Marco. I have that same feeling I had a day ago to stand in Frank's vision and eyes away from Marco. This time it was Trisha. I wanted to be in between them, especially to prevent her from looking at him and mocking him. In the end, I gave him the same respond as always, -"Uh... I'm fine, yeah."

He gave me that skeptical, doubtful and worried look I was beginning to familiarize with, but he said nothing and just nodded slightly.

During the class, everyone worked on their plans for the project while we did nothing. Marco was beginning to draw the model on his notebook, like a preview and showed it to me. It was Gotham City, he was smiling and so excited, -"It'll be so cool if we do it! We can even make Batman and a few thugs!"

My stomach began to tickle, as if I had butterflies in it. Excitement flowed in me and a smile like never before formed on my lips, -"Y-yeah… I never thought of it,"- An amazing idea lighted in my mind, -"Oh! We can make a multi-dimensional city! Like half Gotham and the other half Metropolis with Batman and Superman in it!"

His face light up and I swore that if the lights turns off, his face would be a lantern. His cheeks flushed slightly as he began to draw my amazing idea. His smile grew wide, -"Here!"- He said happily when he finished the draw. He lifted it and showed it to me, -"Well, something like that."

I looked at it and inspected it, -"Hmm,"- It was blurry and a bit crappy, but hey, he did it just now and it was just a preview. Still, I felt like adding something. I took the pencil and a lot of memories flowed into me along with an unnatural happiness and yearning as I drew the tower in which Batman hangs from Gargoyles, -"That's should do it."- Though, the gargoyles looked like monkeys.

I was slowly becoming who I used to be.

-"Wait,"- He took it again and began to draw the Superman sign in the air. Only that it was its half. Then, he gave me his notebook back and I knew how to finish it. While I finished Superman's half sign with Batman's other half, Marco looked at me and at the draw. When I finished, we both looked at it. God… it may be crappy, but at the same time it was utterly amazing. More emotions that I haven't felt in a long time kept coming as Marco and I looked at each other. We both had smiles that reached our ears and felt the same emotions: happiness, so much happiness, excitement. We were like in our own world and no one was there. Just us and the draw. Only I yearned for something. I yearned for this to last forever; I yearned for things to be the way they used to be, I yearned for someone like him since the beginning…

-"What? Are you serious? I'm not doing a child's playground,"- I heard Trish's mocking voice beside me and the small journey I had just seconds ago crashed. She brought me back to the cruel reality and my greedy mood was turned on, -"What are you? Kids?"

Marco and I kept looking at each other for a few more seconds and then broke off. Trisha was laughing her ass off and that's when the bell rang. I quickly stood up and left, not telling him anything. My mind was a never ending street where many thoughts raced.

Physical Education was already over and I was packing my things to leave since soccer practices weren't taking place since Frank was on detention. Outside, I saw Marco waiting on a bench. This time he was reading Hunger Games, as always. He read and perked his head up and again read. Was he looking for someone? Me? I couldn't look at him; I couldn't face him until I figure things out, until I figure what happened back there. It was just too weird. I kind of had a nerdgasm, I think. I haven't had one of those since… uff, until today and above all, it was with him. It was odd and weird. I came to the conclusion that I was changing again… or maybe he's changing me and I wasn't sure if it was right or that I'm not ready. Maybe I'm too stubborn for change. Back there though, I felt so comfortable and happy with him. I haven't been like that since a long time ago.

So fucking confusing. My mind was saying something and my heart was saying something else.

Like I said, I had to think this through.

I'd like to mention that everything in this story's school; the rondure (gamers and geeks liar), the McDonald's and the love nest is in my high school :3 I'm just sharings things with you guys ;) There's a say: "A good writer is the one who shares ideas and thoughts with his fans."

;P nah, I came with that up just now lol