Unspoken Norms | Levi Ackerman ✔️

Chp 5 ~ The Library Encounter

Fun Fact: Levi hates English. 

Sorry, this will be a longer chapter than usual. 

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Your POV

It's been four days since I first started at Eldian High School, and to be perfectly honest, I've settled in quite nicely. Jean's group of friends have welcomed me into their circle, giving me a chance to know each of them individually. To the Horseface's credit, all his descriptions of the people before I met them aligned very well with how they actually behaved.

While I've found a great group of friends, the learning aspect of school was... typical.

There were three types of teachers; one being very strict about school rules and expectations; another being remiss and allowing students to do whatever they wanted; the last one being highly talkative and had a boring method of teaching.

Unfortunately, this lesson was geography. Meaning Mrs Archendes, who taught us this subject, was the Type 3 teacher.

"...resultingly, these are some wellbeing indicators that can be measured," concluded the ample woman, silvery blond hair curled around a fleshy shoulder. She pointed to the rectangular whiteboard spanning from one corner of the room to the other, with scribbled writing formatted in a messily drawn table.

The letters blurred together, plus from my position at the back of the room, I couldn't read a single word. It was probably something about quantitative and qualitive factors.

I nodded and pretended to understand, scrawling down a few words in my notebook. I was totally going to fail this term's geography exam. In the corner of my vision, I could see Jean noting down some information beside me.

"And so, by creating surveys for people in that region to rate their human wellbeing..." Mrs Archendes continued.

I sighed and braced my chin in the palm of my left hand, glancing around the room. The first person my eyes went to was Levi, the smartest in our class. He sat two seats in front of me, chewing on the tip of his pen as he listened to the teacher—and I mean actually listened.

Beside him sat Hange, who seemed to be dead, forehead on her desk. Erwin lurked right behind the science enthusiast, his broad frame blocking most of the board. He was multitasking between reading a book and jotting down notes, eyes scanning between the pages.

As my gaze sailed over the rest of the class, spotting Eren and Connie competing in a yawn-the-widest contest, while Mikasa and Armin wrote diligently in their books, I failed to notice Jean staring at my notepad in confusion.

"What is this?" he asked, running a finger along the words I wrote. "Mrs Archendes... most boring teacher... talk to my grave..."

Jean looked back up at me, and in expectation of him giving me a lecture, I felt my shoulders rise, head shrinking inwards. Instead, he snickered. "I have to agree."

***

The four-note bell rung, announcing the end of school for the week.

I gave hugs and goodbyes to my group of friends, before heading off in the other direction. I've only been to the library once, but that one visit was all it took to steal my heart.

It was located in the two-storeyed annex of the right Academic Building, occupying both floors. I released a sigh, mind flashing back to the beautiful layout. Wouldn't it be nice to spend a Friday afternoon in the library?

As soon as the glass doors slid back, I felt the roots of a smile growing on my mouth.

A large rectangular room swept out in all directions; exhibiting organised rows of wooden shelves. The library reception desk took up the left space beside the entrance, and stationed in the centre of the room, various furniture covered the navy carpet. The furnishings ranged from low-lying coffee tables and white armchairs to oak desks and benches, with vases of lavender on each table.

Not many people were in the library, which was good; less noise.

I strode up to one of the long desks, placing my bag down before diving into one of the aisles. Above me, the ceiling was two levels overhead, with balconies—hosting more dark oak shelves—lining the second floor. A chandelier hung down from the roof, facets of crystals creating a kaleidoscope of light.

As my fingers glided along the spines of books, I heard a quiet curse echo from a row behind. Curious, I tiptoed to the edge of the tall shelf and peered over the frame. A small open space was created by the shelves, two upholstered armchairs sandwiching a coffee table. Levi occupied one of the chairs, hunched over a series of paper with text on it. His head was buried in his hands, hair spiked up on all ends.

"Why can't I fucking do English?" he muttered to himself, heaving out a tired sigh. I raised my brows at his words, surprise flittering through me. Everyone knew that he was the smartest, acing every subject like blowing out a candle. To think that he couldn't do English... That was shocking.

I think I was leaning too far to the side, because a moment later, two books tipped off the shelf's edge. I launched back from the frame, catching a glimpse of the boy snapping his attention to the fallen volumes. Heart in my throat, I stuck myself to the wood, hoping Levi would just mistake the movement as some passing student.

As soon as I heard flipping pages and a pen scratching on paper, I expeditiously dashed back to my claimed table, swinging my bag over a shoulder. My legs pumped speed, swiftly carrying me past the reception desk and through the double doors.

Screw my plans.

I could sacrifice one library afternoon if it meant I wouldn't be under Levi's suspicion.