𝚁 𝙴 𝙵 𝙻 𝙴 𝙲 𝚃 𝙸 𝙾 𝙽 | 𝙴𝚛𝚎𝚗 𝚡 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛

𝙵 𝙾 𝚁 𝚃 𝚈 - 𝚃 𝙷 𝚁 𝙴 𝙴

With only a month left until graduation, and ultimately the amount of time I had left with a certain someone, Eren and I found ourselves spending more time together than ever.

I told myself it was just to get the project done on time, but I still felt the overwhelming need to just be around him as much as I could. Despite the way we set our relationship, I knew it didn't change the way I felt... And though he'd admitted that he didn't regret the kiss, I didn't entirely know if he felt the same way I did.

But over the next few days or so, I noticed myself becoming less sad around him—and more or less found that I was trying my best to enjoy every minute I spent with him.

I'd thought that being around him would make me feel worse—since it only reminded me that he was leaving... but in reality I couldn't be happier trying to make the last month with him the best that I could. Plus, I also wanted him to feel good about going—to become excited for himself the same way I was.

But Eren didn't always seem to reciprocate my attempt at trying to make the most of what little time we had left. And though we were spending a lot more time together, it sometimes felt like I was losing him before he'd even left.

It was like he shut down sometimes, becoming quiet and withdrawn around me. It was like he was fighting this internal battle within himself that caused his mood to change randomly; I couldn't help but feel my happiness falter sometimes at it.

But that didn't stop me from trying my best to make him feel less guilty about leaving. Which I had no idea why he'd even feel bad about it in the first place. His two closest friends were coming along after all. He should be more than excited to be going away.

Currently sitting in English only a few days after Eren told me the news, I couldn't help but glance back at him multiple times. It was like a weird reflex that I couldn't entirely explain.

Although Mr. Ackerman made sure that didn't go unnoticed.

"(L/N)," he stated calmly, the class already quiet. "Eyes on the front."

My eyes snapped to him, but at least this time I'd only been zoning out as I stared at my paper in front of me—thankfully he hadn't caught me staring at Eren.

A few eyes glanced my way in confusion to see what I'd done to get Ackerman's attention in the middle of his lecture, but their glances didn't last long.

Overall, I'd finally begun doing a lot better in my classes, and actually found myself beginning to care about them again. My grades were going up just in time for graduation—but that didn't mean they could drop again at any given moment. I still had to be careful.

But with all the work I did with Eren... it helped me in more ways than one.

Once the lecture was over, Ackerman gave us an extra five minutes until the bell rang for lunch—five minutes in which I'd usually spend talking to Connie. But he wasn't at school today.

I made a mental note to check in on him later about that.

But my three new friends must've noticed my sitting alone and came over.

"Hey, (Y/N)," Mikasa greeted me, standing in front of my desk with her books in hand. Armin stood behind her, saying hello quietly.

I always noticed how sometimes talking with those two was a little bit awkward at first, but that somehow made me like them even more.

I smiled up at them and said hi back just before Eren made his way over to me and sat in Connie's usually occupied chair.

He sighed, shifting around to get comfortable by crossing his arms and leaning back. "Damn, I like this seat a lot better." He squinted his eyes at the front of the room. "I don't have to strain my eyes to see the board either."