Content warnings: mild language.
songs I listened to;
dandelions-Ruth B
somewhere only we know- Keane
A couple of dismally and tedious days had passed and the annual spring dance was finally held tonight. I wasn't so sure if I wanted to go anymore, but Historia strongly insisted. A part of me was hoping that Eren would be there, but the other part of me didn't want to see him.
School was the same old routine, a lengthy lecture and another confounding day with the neat freak. Except this time, I had to run twenty laps around the field because I didn't wear my uniform for the past two days. Jean and I moved passed the dispute between the both of us, though, we haven't spoken to each other since. I hadn't talked to Eren either, since he offered to leave me alone.
"...I am so excited! Usually, I don't really care about these school functions, but Armin asked me!" Annie said, softly blushing.
"So cute, so happy for you! You know, that guy at the banquet—Levi's personal chef? I'm going with him." Sasha replied, crunching on her potato chips.
"Niccolo?! How in the world are you going with him?" Hanji queried, leaning in closer to her.
"Well, turns out, we actually have a lot in common. Besides, he really liked that I enjoy his food—he said no one ever enjoyed it as much as I did." She stated, smiling from ear to ear.
"(Y/N), you excited to go with Jean?" Mikasa asked, but her tone seemed passive aggressive.
My face reddened, as I lowered my head, hoping they wouldn't see my perceptible blush. I started fidgeting around with my fingers, pensively coming up with some sort of answer without everyone trying to pry.
"...Oh—uh, I'm not going with anyone. Not that I didn't want to, it's just that I'd much rather go by myself." I replied, giving everyone a sarcastic smile.
"...What happened with you and Jean?" Ymir asked, squinting her eyes, as if she was trying to analyze me. Everyone else's eyes focused on me, intensely waiting for an answer I couldn't give.
Historia sighed and rolled her eyes, "Nothing happened—they're fine. She just doesn't want to go along with anyone. We talked about this yesterday, didn't we, (Y/N)?" She said, looking over at me, as she noticed how uncomfortable I felt.
"Y-yeah." I agreed.
"Alright, fine. Mikasa, who's your date?" Ymir sighed, turning her eyes towards Mikasa.
"...Oh, right. I'm going with Eren." She spoke, tugging on her scarf.
I stared up at her, slightly creasing my eyebrows, as I felt a sudden wave of irritation cloud up my mind. I rolled my eyes and sighed heavily. I had no clue why it was bothering me so much that he was going with Mikasa.
"...Don't you think it's best he goes alone?" I unintentionally asked, causing some eyebrows to raise.
"No, why would you say that?" She retaliated, as if she were offended.
I didn't answer, I just sat there and patiently waited for all of us to start getting ready. Ultimately, that time came after our small talk. I went over to Eren's yesterday and had Carla retrieve my dress for me because I didn't want to see Eren's annoyingly attractive face.
She had asked me where I had been, but I lied and told her I was helping a classmate with a bunch of projects. I just didn't have the guts to tell her what happened between Eren and I.
Historia offered to do everyone's makeup, since she was so good at it. We had all changed into our expensive dresses and took turns getting our make-up done. I decided to curl my hair and add sparkly accessories that matched my dress effortlessly to go in it.
Sasha sighed, "...Does this dress make me look fat—I feel like it's showing all my tummy fat." Sasha asked, twirling around.
"Stop it, you're beautiful. Niccolo will think so too!" Hanji complimented, playfully smacking Sasha's tummy.
❀
We entered the entrance hall and sauntered to mess hall. Walking in, I discerned that it was completely transformed and neatly decorated with all kinds of vibrant spring colors. Lights were continuously changing colors, there was confetti presumably everywhere, there was a photo booth, and the tables were back against the wall, where drinks and snacks were being distributed.
I saw the rest of our friend group, signaling us to come over. I nervously sighed and trailed behind the girls. After our small talk, as expected, the group quickly dispersed.
Sasha pulled Connie and Niccolo into the dance floor, Annie walked away with Armin, Historia and Ymir went to dance, Hanji walked off somewhere else, Reiner and Bertholdt trailed off to see who could dance with the most girls and Mikasa was nowhere to be found—leaving me stranded with Jean.
She's probably with Eren, ugh...
"...Hey, you look beautiful, (Y/N)." Jean complimented, completely flustered.
I half-smiled, "That's nice of you, thanks Jean." I replied, twiddling with my fingers.
"Well, I don't have a date—so uh, if you want to dance, I'll be here." He said shyly, ruffling his hair.
I laughed, "I'll keep that in mind for when the slow dances come up." I said, as I walked towards the lively crowd.
The dance was already permeated with people and I ended up getting lost in the process of trying to find someone I knew. I looked around me and perceived a bunch of happy couples, dancing, kissing, and laughing —and here I was, standing alone in the middle of the dance floor. I couldn't help, but think about one person and it saddened me.
"Hey, you're the new girl from that short man's class." Yelena pointed out, shouting over the loud voices.
I looked up at her, "Yeah.." I sighed.
She had a puzzled look on her face, "What's wrong? Not that I really care." She replied, rolling her eyes.
"I don't know— I just really miss someone, but that person hurt me, yet I still can't get him out of my mind." I admitted, lowering my eyes.
She hummed, "This person you're talking about—do you love him?" She queried, swiftly changing the subject.
"...I'm not so sure of that." I reddened.
She furrowed her eyebrows, "Chase after him." She replied.
"Eh-what?" I asked, slightly frowning.
"If you love someone, chase after them—at least that's what I think, but I wouldn't know because I love nothing—no one." She commented, shrugging.
"Ignore her. You're (Y/N), right?" Marlene asked, smiling at me.
I nodded.
"Look, people make mistakes. They say or do things they don't really mean, but if you're willing to except that he isn't perfect, then your mind is more than open to forgive them." She explained, giving me a reassuring smile.
Small tears formed in my eyes, but were reluctant to fall, "He isn't giving up on me, so should I really forgive him?" I asked her.
She nodded, "If he's fighting for your forgiveness just to have you, you should fight for him too." She replied.
Fight for him too, huh? I should go find him.
"Onyankopon!? What the hell are you doing here?" Yelena swiftly asked.
"I came to dance—with you, of course!" The tall boy responded, blushing and smiling brightly.
"Oh, I'm sooo flattered." She responded, sarcastically.
Suddenly, a boy with Auburn hair, pushed his way into the crowd, approaching me with a huge grin on his face. It was the same boy I saw Eren talking to that day at the campsite. He held out his hand, waiting for me to grab it, but I swiftly declined.
"I insist." He said, grabbing my wrist and pulling me away from the crowd anyway.
I frowned, "I'm sorry, who are you!? And let me go, asshole!" I yelled, swatting his arm, as he continued to pull me away.
"I'm Floch." He replied, letting go of my arm.
"Well, Floch— if you want to dance with someone, I suggest you ask them first, instead of forcing them to." I said, crossing my arms.
He peered over his shoulder to look at me, "Yeah—except, I don't want to dance with you, my boy just wanted to see you." He said, stepping out the way to reveal Eren in a tuxedo, standing with his hands behind his back.
My eyes expanded and my heart fluttered in ways I couldn't even imagine.
"Pieck, will you stop arching your back on the table? And Porco, stop encouraging her!" Floch yelled in annoyance, before walking away.
Eren quickly walked over to me and practically pulled me into his embrace. He squeezed me tightly, but I refused to hug him back.
"I missed you more than I thought I would." He said, softly stroking my hair.
I shook my head, "But you came here with Mikasa." I stated, pushing his body away from me.
"I didn't come here for her, I came here for you." He replied, massaging my cheek with his thumb.
I pushed his hand away from my face, "Eren, you can't just act like you didn't hurt me." I stated, trying to hold in my tears.
"I didn't mean what I said." He said, intensely staring at me.
"How do I know that?" I queried.
"This is how," He delicately grabbed my hand and placed it on his chest; I felt his heart racing. "You do this to me. You make my heart race every time I hear your voice. Hell, even just looking at you drives me insane." He explained.
"Eren..." I called out, softly.
"(Y/N), I'm glad I've saved you that day because lord knows I'd be beating myself up everyday if I had let you go..." He said, his cheeks slightly tinting.
I sighed. I was unsure if he was lying or not, but by the look on his face and his body language, it seemed genuine.
He sighed, "I'm sorry for everything, (Y/N). I should've listened to you and I know what I said was out of line, but I'd save you a thousand times if I had to, even if it meant the cost of my own life." He said.
"At the cost of your own life, but why?" I asked, confused.
"Because I fucking love you, (Y/N)." He responded, bringing his face closer to me.
My face reddened, "Love?" I said, flustered.
He loves me? Oh my god! What?!
"In all honesty, I couldn't understand what love was, what this feeling was, but now I understand what it is every time I look at you." He stated, pressing his forehead against mine.
"Eren, for the past week, I've been nonstop thinking about you and I—you make my heart melt in the most loving ways possible." I replied, gazing into his teal-green eyes.
"Oh, yeah?" He smiled, "I couldn't stop thinking about you, since the day I've met you." He cupped my cheeks and pressed his lips against mine, kissing me with a passion I've never felt before. We ended up dancing and swaying back and forth, enjoying each other's sweet presence.
"...What the actual fuck!" I heard a familiar voice shout in the near distance.
I turned around— and that's when my entire world froze. At this very moment, I knew that nothing was ever going to be the same.
I was standing face to face with Jean and the rest of my friends, whom were standing behind him. My face tinted with red, as Jean's was filled with anger and confusion. The look of disbelief on everyone else's faces, made me want to run and hide away forever.
"What the actual fuck is going on? First Mikasa—now her? Why the hell do you keep doing this shit to me, Eren!?" Jean voiced, clenching his fists.
Eren glowered, "I didn't do shit to you, what the fuck are you talking about?" He responded, flailing his arms up and down.
"Fucking bullshit! You try so hard to make my life fucking miserable, don't you? We were brothers and you fucking changed on me, I mean look at you—stealing my girl!?" He voiced, indignantly.
"She was never your girl to begin with, genius!" Eren retaliated.
He shrugged, "Well now, I'm fucking glad she wasn't." He stated, rolling his eyes.
"...Can we just calm down, please?" I stated, timorously.
"How long?" Jean swiftly asked, staring down at me intensely.
"Wh-what?" I questioned, slightly choking up.
He sighed, "How long were you messing around with Eren behind my back?" He asked, impatiently tapping his foot.
I stammered, "I-I don't know—just let me explain," I said, tearing up. The expression on Jean's face undoubtedly pained me in ways I couldn't even imagine.
For once we looked at each other as if we were strangers.
"Don't. I don't care about your tears, they mean nothing to me now. You know, I really thought you were fucking special, but you're far from that. You're just like every other bitch in this damn school." He said, a couple of tears escaping from his eyes. He lowered his head from disappointment and forced his way through the crowd.
"I thought you were cool, (Y/N). You're not who I thought you were after all." Connie said, before trailing off with Jean.
"So not cool, that was my best friend you just hurt." Sasha commented, walking away with Niccolo.
"I knew there was something off about you. Mysteriously getting stuck in the woods with Eren, wearing his shirt at the kickback, that picture going around. Yeah, I'm not stupid!" Ymir intervened, shouting at me.
"Ymir, stop! Leave her alone." Historia pleaded.
"You're seriously going to be her friend after this? She's a backstabber." Ymir replied, flailing her arms up and down.
Historia tugged on her shirt, "Watch your mouth. She can't help how she feels, so mind your own business and get the hell out of here!" Historia screamed, pointing towards the direction of the door. Ymir rolled her eyes and walked towards the exit.
She exhaled, "I told you that someone would get hurt in the end, but I'm glad you made your choice. However, you two should probably bail this stupid dance." Historia suggested, giving me a hug.
Eren and I happily took Historia's advice and left the dance. We decided to walk in the park for a little bit, before going back home. I knew for a fact that I had just lost four good friends of mine, all in one night. Although the dance was bad and shitty, at least one good thing came out of it.
"So, what made you show up to the dance? I didn't think you'd show up." I asked, feeling curious.
"I wouldn't have, but I needed to see you and I knew you were ignoring me—so, I had no other choice." He explained.
I chuckled, "You're so persistent, Yeager." I blushed.
"You look perfect tonight, by the way," He stated, fixating his eyes on the dress that hugged my figure effortlessly.
"I can say the same about you." I replied, my face promptly heating up.
"Can you come home now?" Eren asked, in a whiny tone.
I playfully rolled my eyes, "If you promise not to tell me to leave again." I said, smiling.
"I promise." He answered, holding my hand tightly.
I nudged him, "Then we have ourselves a deal, pretty boy." I winked at him.
"I'm sorry this happened to you tonight." Eren said, quickly changing the subject and giving me a worried look.
I smiled, "I'm glad it happened because in the end, I chose you. And it'll always be you."