Stopwatch

❂Ch 1: Clouds

Today is a beautiful day. The sun is going to sleep, using grey clouds as its blanket. They move slowly over the sun, slower than time itself.

"Hey, Eren." Mikasa comes towards me smiling. She looks great today, wearing the red dress I gave her last year.

"Hey, Mikasa," I reply smiling. She sits next to me and smiles again.

"What is it?" I laugh, knowing she is hiding something.

"Happy Birthday!" she gives a nervous laugh as she reveals the gift she was hiding behind her all this time.

"Thanks, Mikasa," I answer politely as I open my gift, a key. We have been dating for two years, after she confessed to me senior year. I didn't feel the same, but she was, and still is, my best friend and I couldn't tell her that. I'm guessing the key is to the new apartment she got.

"Is this, your apartment key?" I ask knowing the answer already.

"No." She responds quickly.

"Huh? Wait...then what-" I get interrupted.

"Hello," Levi walks in. "Eren, Mikasa, I'm sorry but I need Eren for a bit," Levi apologizes as he sits down next to me.

"Ugh, fine. I'll see you tomorrow," Mikasa leaves giving Levi a death stare. Levi and Mikasa have never been able to get along well. Mikasa keeps on blaming things on him, saying he doesn't try enough. It's not his fault, but Mikasa can't seem to understand.

"Eren?" Levi looks at me.

"Sorry," I apologize quickly.

"No need. Anyways, Eren, are you sure you want to do this?"

Of course I'm not. I never wanted this. It's not his fault, I know that, but that question just pisses me off. On the outside I'm smiling but on the inside I'm dying.

"Yes," I reply as strong as possible, beaten by the tears in my eyes.

"Ok then, see you tomorrow." He gets up and leaves the room, the room falling in total silence.

I wait for something to happen, something, I don't know what, just anything. A miracle. But nothing happens.

"I NEVER ASKED FOR THIS!" I yell as I grab my pillow and throw it at the door. "I never...." I stop and cry. "Why can't time just stop now? I'm running out of time!"

I remember I was with Armin, we were planning on going to the beach. That has always been my dream. Armin introduced me to that idea, but it soon became mine. It felt like it was mine, part of me. I think I'm obssesed with the beach so much because my aunt died there. She was my favourite person in the world, she would always play with me when my father wasn't home. My mother died when I was ten, so my father asked her to take care of me. One day she got diagnosed with cancer and she decided to go to the beach. However, when she got there, she got in a car accident. My father and Mikasa always get mad when I talk about going to the beach, they think I won't be able to handle it. Still, I want to go. I want to go to the beach and come back in one piece, proving everyone wrong. You see, I really hate weak people, yet right now I'm one of them. I don't mind facing something as long as I do something about it. Unlike this situation.

I turn left and watch the clouds pass by. The clouds pass, going slower, and slower, and slower. Pieces of precious memories play in my head, making me cry even more. "I want to stop time," I tell myself.

I want to stop escaping death.