to love a liar

sina campus

You found yourself in the Sina Library, it was huge. The ceilings were beautifully designed with murals of the sky. Angelic clouds were painted and the perimeter of the room was gilded with bronze intricate designs.

"Holy shit," you mumbled.

Descending further into the grand library, you headed towards the end of the busy studying area towards where an infinity of shelves were aligned, organized by sections.

You neared the vacant area where you believed you would find books on the early laws set in place by the notorious King Fritz, one of the most abhorred men in Paradis history. Your finger ran along the spine of a book as you contemplated on whether it would help in your assignment to compile the earliest documented government policies from when Paradis became a democracy for your four-page paper.

Your bottom lip was pulled between your teeth as your gaze flicked up towards a red spined book with the title The Iconoclastic King Fritz: The Last Monarch of Paradis.

If that book didn't seem like it was a gold mine, you didn't know what would. You were standing on the tips of your toes to help gain vertical range considering how high up it was. As your hand outstretched to reach it from the sixth shelf, another hand had grabbed it before you even had the opportunity for your fingertips to skim it.

Your eyes shot to the tan hand, following up his strapping arm and physique, then finally to his face. Once again, you found yourself met with a pair of teal eyes.

Eren looked down at you, the book in his hand like some trophy, "Oh, did you want this?"

You gritted your teeth, "Yes."

You moved to grab the book from him but he lifted it further from your reach, "Cuz I need it too."

Okay, what the hell. You closed your eyes and exhaled to calm yourself, "Listen, I really need that book. I saw it first."

"Just because you see something first, it doesn't make it yours," he slowly lowered his hand, but it was clear he had no intention of handing it back to you.

"Aren't you supposed to be out smoking or something?" you bit venomously.

A sharp breath came from his nostrils, "Not when I have shit to do."

Your chin turned down closer to your chest, "You don't expect me to believe you actually care about schoolwork, do you?"

"I do," he blankly stated.

"You?"

"Yes, me," he quickly shot back. "In case you didn't know, I've been an honors student all of high school."

"Yeah, right," you entertained his baffling thought. "Now can I please have that back."

"I'm serious," he said. "Ask Armin. Whatever you saw at that party last week was me outside the classroom. I actually give a fuck about my future. And the bookshop too, I actually do study."

You retracted at his words, "So you do remember the bookshop? And me?"

"How could I forget?" he lowly muttered.

"What?" batting your lashes in disbelief.

"Don't let it go to your head, that's not what I meant," he rolled his eyes.

You fumed, "At this point, keep the damn book." You turned on your heel, "I have to be somewhere anyway."

As you started marching off, you could hear him call, "Off to hang out with a football player?"

"That's none of your business," you angrily scowled at him over your shoulder.

You continued on your path, on your way out of the library where Jean was waiting in his car to take the two of you to a movie.

The man in question was standing outside by the front of the library, all suave and cool looking while leaning against his space gray Acura. He was looking down at his phone before he realized you were making your way down the steps.

He smiled at you, squinting because of the light of the sun. He tucked his hands in the pockets of his black shorts, watching as you finally made it to his car.

"Ooh, cool," you commented about his car.

His eyes followed yours to his hood, "Thanks. You look really pretty."

"Thank you," your eyes enlarged as his words graced your ears. "So what movie are we watching?"

He opened the passenger door for you, "Well, you mentioned you're a horror fan. So that one scary movie that just came out about that hotel murderer."

You smiled at him as he closed the door. He got in alongside you, driving off as you noticed Eren finally coming out of the library and heading towards his own car. A red book in his hand.