Runaway

Alone

 Eren's POV

Great. Fucking great. I mean, I know I've been messing around with school lately by skipping days but I didn't think I'd end up getting a call from my music teacher saying, "You need to step your game up or I'll fail you." Do you know how awkward it is receiving a call from your teacher? Not only did she ring me, she rang my fucking parents, which means I got grounded. My life was so thrilling.

"Eren!" Mom called from upstairs, snapping me from my frustration. My room was in the basement, I liked how confined it was and separated from the outside world and I was surrounded with posters of my favorite bands. I loved getting lost in music, which is why I was so upset when I heard I was failing the subject. "Yea mom?!" I called back.

"I suggest you come upstairs." She didn't sound angry anymore so I let out a sigh of relief, even though I know I wasn't off the hook just yet. I rolled over and pulled myself out of bed. As I walked up the stairs and towards the kitchen I squinted at the bright sun outside. I had one single beam of light in my room, I had an obsession with vampires and despite most people, I actually felt safer in the dark. I turned the corner and sat down opposite of my mom at the kitchen table.

"Right, Eren, can you tell me why exactly you were skipping school?" She asked, gripping a cup of tea. I wrinkled my nose at it, don't get me wrong, I like tea, but it's no match against coffee. "Mom, haven't we been through this already?"

"I'm just trying to make sense of why you thought you could pick and choose days to go to school."

"Because I don't fit in. I hate it." I mumbled, not wanting to have that conversation again.

"Well I don't want you moving schools again. It took a lot to get you into that school."

"I'm not asking you to." I said with a little more anger in my tone than I'd meant to. In response she slammed down her mug.

"Eren Jaeger. Don't you get angry at me when all I'm trying to do is help you." She almost shouted back.

"Sorry mom..." I almost whispered.

"As I was saying, we're not going to move you again. But we need something to give you that push." Just as she finished her sentence, Armin walked through the door to the kitchen. He took in the scene before he quietly sat down next to me.

"What's going on mom?" He asked, picking up a cookie from the plate in front of him.

"If Eren doesn't get his act together he's going to fail music" She replied, not taking her eyes of her teacup.

"What? But you're so creative, Eren!" Armin genuinely sounded shocked.

"But I suck at guitar."

"So we're trying to find some way to get Eren to pass." Mom cut in. We were silent for a moment before Armin smiled.

"I have an idea."

"What?" I asked, doubting that his idea would actually be any good. I love my step brother, but sometimes he really did come out with complete bullshit.

"Well, you know Levi?" Suddenly my mom mirrored Armin's grin.

"Levi Ackerman?" She asked.

"Yea well he's an amazing guitarist. Maybe he could teach Eren?"

"Hang on Armin; I don't even know this guy, who says he'll help? Plus, I'd feel weird learning from someone older than me." I tapped the table.

"Because Levi's a really nice guy. He's into the same kind of music as you and everything. And does age really matter? He'd only give you some tips on how to play bass guitar." Armin responded, clearly pleased with his idea. Before I could say anything else, mom chimed into the conversation again.

"I think it's a brilliant idea. Armin would you mind calling Levi?" Armin beamed and jumped out of his chair. I, on the other hand, wasn't so keen on the idea—I didn't want Armin's friends knowing I was failing music.

"Sure." And with that, he left the room, leaving me with my mother.

"Cheer up Eren, you'd never know, you might end up being friends with him." She patted my hand and took her mug to the sink.

"Doubt it." I muttered. I was in a foul mood and all I wanted to do was go to bed and sleep.

"Can I go back to my room now, please?" I asked, agitated and fidgeting in my seat.

"You spend too much time down there." She frowned.

"But I want to do some paintings, I don't want to fail Art class too." I figured my excuse to paint was pretty good as my mom changed her expression and nodded. Finally, I was free to do something to express myself. As soon as I got into my room I began mindlessly splatting paint onto a blank canvas.

"Eren!" Armin called from behind my bedroom door. I hated people coming into my room without knocking or anything, so Armin had always warned me before he made an entrance.

"Yea, what is it?"

"Everything's sorted. Levi's coming over tomorrow."

Oh goodie, I thought.