The Only Exception | Armin x Annie

Chapter 4

Annie's Point of View

A whole week has passed by since I met Armin for the first time. As soon as I got inside the car that night, I wrote him a text telling him how grateful I was and at the same time begging his pardon for making him stay up late. He replied and told me that it was fine and texted me a good night. 

Good night was an understatement since it was more than a great night. Just talking about what stressed us at work, our weaknesses that we didn't want anybody else to see, confessions about what we could have done to ourselves if we didn't find each other, and a lot more things we had in common made that night memorable.

But that was the last time we talked and his last message to me was a good night. I didn't want to look obsessed with him so I prevented myself from replying anything more. But as the time spent without interacting with him passed by, I felt frustrated and lonely. I felt unmotivated and the feeling of void within me just grew more every passing day without seeing him.

There wasn't a day where I stopped surfing the internet just to see how he's been doing. But since he was on hiatus, only old articles popped up on my feed.

I have to be honest, there is something about him that attracts me. His eloquent behavior, his eyes that speaks emotions, the way he softly chuckles at every word I say. It was fascinating how he could make me this single-minded about him.

 I wouldn't call this love for I wasn't unsure if it's because I lived such a horrible life that when he does the bare minimum, I fall instantly. I won't confuse true love from infatuation. Maybe it's by the comfort I felt from him in just one night that made me this interested about him. Maybe it's because how sincere he was to me despite me being a complete stranger to him. Maybe I just wanted to be friends with him.

As I was scrolling through twitter, my phone rang. Bertholdt was calling me.

"Hey Annie. Have you eaten dinner?"

"Yeah." I shortly answered as I was preoccupied in reading the trending list.

"If you don't mind can I come to your--"

My eyes widened when I saw a specific name on the trending hashtag list on twitter.

"I'm sorry Bertholdt something came up I'll be right back." I said and ended the call while my eyes focused on a specific trending hashtag.

#ArminArlertComeback - 1M people tweeted about this

I pressed the hashtag and it led me to several posts of fans about their thoughts on Armin coming back to the industry. I didn't expect him to be this big and having millions of people talk about him. I barely held my phone before since my manager restricted me from using it but his name ridiculously sounded familiar when I first read it and this trending hashtag gave light to my curiosity.

But as soon I saw the context of all these posts, my heart sank.

Post from @ http_daddy: Lol he still thinks he has fans left after breaking poor Christa's heart. #ArminArlertComeback

Post from @ eirinaxx: He's just doin this for publicity he really thinks he did sumth #ArminArlertComeback

Post from @ frstrtdmofo: we were better off without you #ArminArlertComeback

I had a lot of time on my hands since my latest project had just ended and for now, I want to go see him. I want to comfort him just like how his book did to me.

I just stopped him from taking his life but I haven't saved him yet.

I wore my disguise and quickly went to the parking lot to let my driver take me to his apartment again. It's another reckless late night visit to his place again but I didn't care. All I wanted was to check out if he was alright.

As we arrived, I immediately got out of the car and ran towards his room. Negative thoughts filled my head once again as the thought of him doing it filled my mind.

I repeatedly pressed the button to ring the bell but there was still no answer.

"Please please please open the door." I whispered to myself as the negative thoughts started flooding my mind and all I could see is a gruesome scene.

The door opened and there he stood with his sweater looking surprised again. I mmediately pushed him inside and closed the door with my foot. I took off my disguise in a hurry and hugged him without further ado.

"Annie..." He softly spoke my name.

My heart was pounding so hard but I wanted to hug him right now. I wanted to make him feel that I care for him. That I missed him in just a span of a week.

"Are you alright? Don't listen to them." I said as my embrace was still intact with his torso.

I felt his chest move as he chuckled. I looked up to him and saw his pale lips and red eyes. He was trying his best to smile but I could see how hard he tried just to make me comfortable.

"You don't have to pretend, Armin. You don't have to show me you're alright when you're definitely not. I'm here." I said as I placed my hand on his upper back and patted it repeatedly.

He laid his head on the blade of my shoulder and I could hear his soft whimpers as the cloth began to dampen.

"I'm sorry for not texting you. I thought I was doing you a favor by staying away from you since my reputation isn't so good as it seems to be." He mumbled as he still laid his head on my shoulder.

"Stupid..." I whispered. There were countless of thoughts in my head about the possible reasons he didn't text me again. But what he said was unexpected. I thought he didn't like me as a person, I thought he found me boring, I thought that maybe that night wasn't memorable to him after all. But I was wrong. He didn't text me back because he doesn't want to stain my reputation with his. It was a selfless part of him that I have only seen right now.

"You probably saw me in articles and you probably read about some comments already. Why are you here? I'm the bad guy." He mumbled again as he slowly raised his head and looked at me with his tear-filled eyes.

I cupped his cheek and wiped his tears with my thumb as I looked at my reflection from his marbles.

"I don't know what happened to you two, but I don't believe anything in the media unless I see it with my own eyes or hear it with my own ears."

He smiled weakly and looked down. Why do I feel sad when I see him like this? Why did I feel pain as I read the posts made for him? Why do I feel this way?

"Armin I know we just met once, twice right now but since the night I met you, I couldn't stop thinking about you. I liked the way you talked with wisdom and understanding. I want to get to know more about you. I'll be your friend so please...Tell me about your day and let's talk about it, hmm?"

His eyes shone and his smiles felt genuinely happy as tears still fell down his eyes.

I spent the past three hours in his place listening to his rants and he did to me as well. We both had another conversation about life and I got to know him better. There were a lot more things I wanted to know about him but I know that I'll get to know them in the future.

I didn't want this night to end. I loved the way we weren't rushing anything. We were just enjoying each other's presence and I've never felt more at peace in my life just by talking to him.

"I'm always here you know so..." I stopped as I had second thoughts of what I was going to say next but then I realized that if I become shy, I would regret it in the future if I didn't take this opportunity.
"text me or call me if you want to talk or hang out."

He nodded and smiled. I wore my disguise and prepared to leave. I looked back at him again and waved to him before twisting the door knob.

I was about to open the door when he grabbed my hand and made me face him. His sudden action made my eyes wide as I felt my heart pounding roughly again.

"Annie...Can you stay for the night?"