You Mean So Much to Me

This Weekend

I woke up at 5:30 A.M, did the morning routine, got ready, read for a while, then waved goodbye and hopped out of the house to wait for the bus. Eren wasn't coming to school today or coming over after I got home. His father considered it punishment. As I was reaching up to touch my sore nose as a reminder of what happened yesterday, the bus sped around the corner and stopped in front of me. I sighed and climbed on.

"Good morning, Armin." Came the same voice from yesterday.

"Good morning," Came the same voice that replied.

Sure, I was kinda sad that I couldn't see Eren today, but I was pretty happy when Mikasa had hopped on the bus, sitting right next to me. I nodded to her as a good morning, and she nodded back.

"Hi, Armin."

"Hey, Mikasa," I started. "No Eren today, huh?"

She shook her head and leaned in close.

"I know you have a thing for him, Armin." She whispered.

My heart started racing as I stared at her.

She had the most mischievous look I had ever seen. Well, on her anyway. I opened my mouth to speak it closed it immediately. 

"What?" I struggled to keep my voice under my control.

"Please, Armin." She scoffed and put her hand on my chest and I could feel myself getting worked up. My heart was pounding and my mind was spinning. She knew. Of course she did. Mikasa is a genius, how could she not tell?

I groaned and face-planted into the back of the seat on the bus in front of me.

"Don't tell him, please." I begged.

"Don't worry," She chuckled. "It's our little secret."

I let out a breath of relief as I calmed down. I was a bit off for the rest of the day, though. I missed Eren. It wasn't normal at school without him. The bus pulled up into the school and the kids filed off again, Mikasa and I stepping off last.

Mikasa and I walked to my first class together and she took off after waving goodbye. I looked around, only to see Jean walk in and sit behind me. I closed my eyes tight and placed my head on the desk. 

'Not today, please.' I silently begged.

Just a few more hours, I reminded myself. I should just take a nap, that will make time go by faster, right?

I started drifting off to sleep within minutes, awoken when Jean had pushed me out of my chair. I looked around for the teacher. She was gone.

Silently huffing, I got up and brushed my pants off, sitting back in my chair.

"What's wrong, Arlert? Jaeger not here to protect you today?" 

I could feel Jean's hot breath burning a hole into my neck. Ignoring him wasn't working. 

Jean reached up and pushed me off my chair again. This time, he kicked me while I was down, knocking the breath out of me. I wheezed and grasped at my throat for air. The foot came crashing down again, making contact with my skull. A white spark flashed across my eyes and I yelped. Why wasn't anyone helping? Why wasn't anyone stopping him? Why won't you people help me? What did I do? I screamed as he crushed my skull again with his foot, slamming it down, over and over. Tears were streaming down my face I reached up to grab my head, my fingers making contact with the liquid. Sweat? No, it's far too thick. Blood. Why was I not unconscious yet? Please just knock me out, I can't take this.

I yelped out as a pair of gentle hands shook me. I opened my eyes and looked up.

Ms. Petra.

I reached up to touch my hair and my head. No blood. It was just an awful nightmare.