XP

Ch2

  Things are so quiet here. It's almost annoying how silent it can be. It's only when the TV is on, or when Zeke is on the computer, and you can hear the sound of the computer keys, or when Rico comes over, then it's just some friendly chatting between the two. Eren has nothing to do for the past two weeks he's been here now.

  Now he's bored of well...being bored. He has his phone, but nothing to do on it. He's never had much use for it unless his friends text him. But it was early, which meant everyone was at school, which meant he wouldn't hear from anyone for a while.

  Eren should be at school, and even though it was weird, Eren actually missed going, if only just to do something other than lay in his simple guest room. Zeke had already assigned him to the school nearby a day after he got here, it's  just a few blocks away from here, but any way of going was out of the question till his things arrived, for all his schooling supplies was inside those cases.

  Thankfully it was today. Eren had been stuck with just a few pairs of clothing, what a nightmare that was. He always had to wash his clothing daily in order to be able to wear anything the next day, or anything clean after a shower. Zeke had complained once that washing such small loads of clothing was a waste of water, so that didn't help.

  So when he heard the sound of the door bell ringing throughout the entire house, he had waited patiently to find out whether it finally arrived, or if Zeke's friend had just come over. Zeke had knocked on his door, and upon answering it he was given his remaining luggage, and he finally sorted everything where it needed to be after a lot of failed attempts.

  Eren was never aware of how much stuff he owned until now. He had quite a bit of trouble fitting everything into the closet. It would have been nicer if he had inherited his mother's, and father's well sense of organization. He could tell Zeke had for sure.

  So now that meant tomorrow he was going to school, but now he wasn't as excited. Going would just be a painful reminder that he would no longer arrive to see the faces of his beloved friends. Eren, Armin and Mikasa would always greet each other at the door, no matter how late he ended up being. They were the closest out of the entire gang.

  Jean drove him nuts, but he had to admit that he enjoyed his company. He loved it whenever the man would come over and give small, innocent shoves, and that would turn into a small playful competition to see who was stronger. He also couldn't help but stay attached to him since they were kinda in a-ya know, relationship, if only for a VERY short time, mainly cause they were curious. But you couldn't really call it an actual romantic relationship.

  Connie and Sasha. They always put a smile on his face. They were both perfect for each other, be it platonic or romantic, whatever was going on between the two. He always looked forward to seeing them everyday.

  Mina and Hannah were the only girl friends he could actually stand. Even though he didn't spend as much time with them as he did everyone else, he admired the two. Oh and Hitch, can't forget that silly bitch. Bitch was her nick name as it rhymes with her real name. She hated it, but of course, we never stopped.

  Marco was a very pleasant friend. He was smart, and very kind to everyone. His smile always pulled you out of any darkness pulling you down that day. He was his favorite boy friend. He was close to Jean too.

  Marlowe was more in the background. But he was also a good friend, and easy to get along with. It seemed he, and him had a lot in common in certain areas, which made him a very understanding buddy.

  He got to see each and every one of them, every single day. He wouldn't this time. So now as he left the house the next day, he was dreading each footstep as it brought him closer and closer to the school. Maybe it wouldn't be as bad, for it wasn't the same school.

  Eren was right, it wasn't that bad. But it was still depressing walking through long halls alone, constantly being shoved into a corner from racing students. No one ever paid attention to him, it was like he didn't even exist sometimes.

  Eren thought he should probably make some friends, but after studying all the characters around him, he didn't even bother. Everyone here, just by glancing at their clothing and the way they prance around, you could tell they were a bunch of rich snobs who thought they were better than everyone else.

  It wasn't long till he got into a fight, and on his first day too. Eren got that he was new, but that didn't mean he needed to be sure he was put in his place. Someone in his class, a tall dude with a gang claims everything. The bathroom, the chairs in the classroom, the best seats in the cafeteria, all "their's".

  When they try to get you to pay them to go into the fucking bathroom to piss, that was something Eren wasn't going to stand. He didn't care about anything else, the stupid chairs didn't matter. But he would not tolerate such bitchy behavior. It was just plain childish.

  So when they told him to pay or get lost, Eren forced his way in. The fight ended before it could really start, but Eren had still gone home with a bloody nose. At least he had done worse to the other guy.

  Zeke wasn't happy, and told Eren that he wouldn't have such foolish behavior on the first day. Eren didn't say anything during that small lecture his brother gave him, he just wanted to run to his room, and find out if his friends had texted him, or called him.

  It made him smile to see so many notifications upon turning on his phone. They all talked to him as if he never left, albeit with the addition of saying they miss him, and can't wait to see him again.

  It made Eren worried when his friends announced that a their school was going to take the students to camp, so that meant if they went, he wouldn't hear from them. But he was content till then, that day not even bothering to cut himself while his friends called to him.

  It wasn't till next week that things really got bad. Another fight after another, they just wouldn't leave him alone. Eren couldn't do anything because then he would get in trouble. What kind of messed up shit was that? He gets pushed around and nothing happened to the people trying to pin him down like some kind of dog, while if he reacts to them he is seen as a bratty teen who needs punishment.

  Teachers are so blind. His own fucking brother always takes their side.

  "They threw my lunch on the floor! What was I supposed to do about it?!" Eren was arguing with his brother after his fourth fight the following week.

  "The professional thing to do would have been to ignore them." Zeke always replies so calmly, although his tone was firm and his voice was strong, so you know when he is angry at you. "Why can't you just behave instead of give all of this unnecessary trouble?"

  "I am NOT just gonna sit their and be bullied! I will fight! I won't be a wimpy coward like everyone else." Eren is seething at how much Zeke doesn't even care about his reasoning, just sitting there on the couch and not even making eye contact.

  "Then just complain to the teachers if you need to. Reacting like that to bullies is childish. If they get a reaction from you they won't stop. You should know how this works." Zeke finally looked at him, "I'm not gonna tolerate you fighting anymore. As long as you are in my care you will do as I say."

  Eren heaved and tossed his hands up admitting defeat, or rather giving up before grabbing his back pack, and stomping up the stairs. He never had to deal with this before, not when friends were constantly around him, when family always defended him if someone treated him wrongly.

  Mikasa would have knocked the shit out of them for even laying a finger on him. His mother and father would be asking the teachers to do something about it. But his brother does nothing! Like hell are they ever gonna listen to him, they never do!

  Eren dropped his pack and closed the door, then while gripping his hair he groaned and fell onto his back against the mattress.

  He wasn't so angry about the bullies, and he knew he wasn't just being a hormonal teenager. But he would appreciate it if Zeke would at least acknowledge his problems, or even him for that matter. Eren hadn't ever said this due to deciding not to, but he missed his brother the ten years he had left them alone. Just the age of four he and his brother had been so close, Eren wonders whatever happened to that man, what went wrong? Did he ever do something wrong and that made him leave him?

  When Zeke left them, that was when the first wound appeared on his heart. Then when his mother died, then just three weeks ago his father. Now it was just a scar. Now after all these years, Zeke doesn't even treat him like family anymore.

Eren glanced at his desk, seeing his knife and immediately going for it. He needed to get his mind off of this, away from the stress that school brought him, and the giant weight of depression.

  He pulled up his white sleeve, studying his irritated flesh, pink and raw. Taking his knife he cut the suffering skin, feeling a sigh of relief as he watched it split slowly.

  The sound of his phone ringing made Eren jump, and that accidentally caused him to stab his hand.

  Eren didn't mind the pain, and grabbed his phone, seeing that Armin was calling to face time. Glancing at his bloodied arm he quickly moves to find his towel, and clean up before putting himself in front of a camera.

  "Hey guys." Eren smiles, coming face to face with Armin, Mikasa, and even Jean.

  "Hi Eren! We decided to go ahead and call you, we didn't interrupt anything did we?" Armin asked.

  Eren shook his head and scratched his head with his right hand, the one without cuts.

  "No, you aren't interfering with anything."

  "You okay there Jaeger bomb? You look kinda pale." Jean peeked over at the camera near Mikasa's shoulder.

  Eren shook his head, "I'm fine, just a little exhausted by all that's going on at school."

  "Like what?" Mikasa comes in.

  Oh boy. He really didn't want to talk about it. They were just gonna worry for him, and fuss over how many fights he's gotten into. He didn't want to make them feel that way for him.

  "Nothing really, it's just there are a lot of jerks here, and the math is fucking tough." Eren growled with a roll of his eyes, thinking about the same guy targeting him. That one part wasn't a lie, the math was rough. He swore there were more ways to do a problem than necessary.

  "I hear you there." Jean sighed, leaning back on the couch they were all sitting on, his face going out of the screen.

  "So how about you guys?"

  Armin shrugged, "Nothing more than usual. Although yesterday Connie accidentally slipped in the bathroom and had to go get stitches." Grimacing, Armin smiled sheepishly. "But he's okay."

  "Well at least he is okay." Eren bit his lip, hating to hear such news. Thankfully stitches wasn't as bad as a concussion.

  Armin became silent and fiddled with his hands. "So uh....you know about the camp the school is going to this year?"

  Eren furrowed his eye brows curiously as he replied, "Yes."

  "We all talked about it, and felt it would be a good idea to go. Especially since now is the perfect time to go with the weather."

  Eren felt his heart drop. There was an announcement at his school as well for a trip, but he didn't want to go, nothing but trouble was in it for him. And there wasn't any way he would see his friends there. So what was the point?

  "I see." That's all Eren seemed to be able to say.

  "We just wanted to be sure it was okay with you. None of us will be able to make contact with you since iPhones aren't allowed. We just wanna be sure you'll be okay?" Armin explained softly, all three of them watching his reaction.

  All of them were concerned for him, Eren guessed it was because he told them about how he feels so rejected here. It didn't help that a while ago he talked about how much talking to them made him feel better.

  But Eren didn't want to be the reason for them to not have fun. That felt selfish.

  "I will be alright guys. You go on and have fun. I think I can survive." Eren gave a forced chuckle, trying to lighten the mood, seeing it worked by the way Armin smiled.

  "You sure buddy?" Jean raised and eye brow, him being the only one seeing past the small mask.

  "Yeah, I'll be fine. I will of course miss you but it's just for a month right? Just go on ahead." This time Eren gave a more convincing smile.

  "Okay, I'll let everyone know then." Jean took out his phone and began texting.

  The rest of the conversation Eren couldn't remember. He was feeling somewhat panicked. A month, would he really survive that? He hadn't been so needy to cause self injury when talking to them, with them gone for that long, his anxiety may increase.

  He already felt his fingers itching towards his knife that still glistened with his blood.

  "Eren."

  The young man jumped from being interrupted from his trance with his knife. Armin was looking at him with a soft expression and a kinda smile.

  "I know that your brother is driving you crazy. But you should try giving him a chance." Armin said. Jean's and Mikasa's voices were in the distant background.

  Eren sighed, blowing a strand of his hair away from his face and fingers twisting around another.

  "Don't know if that's even worth it. How can I give him a chance when he doesn't even care if I'm being bullied."

  Armin's eyes widened. "You're being bullied?!"

  Eren cringed. Oops. He quickly put a finger up and shushed Armin, hoping that the others hadn't heard his friends words of surprise.

  "It's nothing I can't handle Armin. Just....don't tell Mikasa. She already worries enough about me. I don't want to be a burden on your guy's trip." Eren explained while showing Armin the slight plea in his eyes.

  "You won't be Eren." Armin leaned forward, his face now laced with concern for his child hood friend. "I won't promise not to tell her, but just be careful Eren. We both know your condition-"

  "I'm fine Armin! I'm passed that now." Eren rolled his eyes, tired of the subject.

  "No you're not. When C-when your mom died, you know that you went into depression. Now with your dad gone..."

  Armin was right, but Eren was stubborn, and talking about this was making his itch to cut increase at the reminder.

  "I'll manage. You forget I had you guys with me and taught me how to get through that. I know how to be strong Armin. I am strong." Eren spoke firmly with a smile.

  Armin returned it. Eren could tell he wasn't convinced, though. But the boy realized that Eren wasn't going to take any reason.

  "Alright, well. Goodnight Eren." Armin's hand moved to find the mouse and get ready to stop the call.

  "Goodnight."

  Armin glanced up from the screen, "We'll call you one more time before leaving tomorrow."

  "Alright."

  Eren felt his heart fully sag as the screen of his phone went blank, and his friend disappeared.