For You | Eren x Reader

Chapter 17- Dirty Shirley:

The week passed by like any other, but, of course, this time Eren was present. He showed up on time, dressed nicely, and finished all of his work diligently. Even so, it felt like there was something off about him. Eren moved seats to the front of the class— he worked alone at his desk, but he didn't seem to mind. I didn't mind either. I had grown used to an empty table.

When I saw Eren at lunch, he was usually surrounded by friends. Floch, Yelena, and some other students I didn't recognize. I was happy for him. It seemed that life was looking better for him. Things seemed to be becoming routine. Sure, routine can mean boring, but routine also means stability. Stable life, friends, academic success, etcetera.

Although, and maybe I was just seeing what I wanted to see, it seemed like Eren wasn't smiling any more in his newly cultivated life than in his old one. But, I had no idea. I didn't want to create another narrative for him.

Along with friends, I also saw Eren with a lot of new girls. I'd pass him in the dorm hallway late at night very often; he was usually leaving some girl's room or another. I didn't care. Like I had said, we weren't friends. And, I didn't want to be friends with this Eren. I wasn't drawn to him. Frankly, I didn't like him. I didn't like the small smile that crept up sneakily on his lips when he talked to girls, or how he'd display his arrogant demeanor in his walk and style of dress. I didn't recognize him anymore.

But, Eren didn't seem to need me either. After our 'conversation' of sorts, he got over things pretty quick.

"(Y/N)!" Jean snapped his hand in front of my face, bringing me back to my surroundings. I was with my friends out in the quad, sitting across from the fountain.

"Are you coming to karaoke night or not?" he asked.

"They don't card and it's half-off two hours," Sasha informed me while Connie nodded along.

I rubbed myself awake, feeling like I had been in a daze all day, and answered: "I'm not very good at singing," I said.

"Neither is Connie," Sasha pointed out. "But, it doesn't really matter. No one actually goes for the karaoke."

"I go for the karaoke!" Jean said defiantly.

"No, Jean," Sasha argued, putting her hands on her hips. "You go for the girls."

Jean rolled his eyes, unable to form a counter.

"Fine, I'll come," I agreed. "I need to get out, anyway. It feels like my minds been somewhere else lately."

My friends shared a look between each other.

"What?" I asked suspiciously.

"Nothing," they said in unison.

I decided not to push them on the subject.

As Sasha had said, they did not card at the karaoke place. The four of us pulled up to the side of the bar and sat down. I smoothed out my outfit— I had decided to wear something nice since we were going out— and started snacking on the peanuts. Jean undid the top two buttons of his white collared long sleeve, scanning the room for potential women.

"(Y/N) and Sasha," he started, pulling the two of us in, "I need you guys to look interested, but not too interested, okay?"

Sasha rolled her eyes, but nodded anyway. I did the same. The music was loud, but the microphones of the off-key singers were louder. The bar was lit with colorful rainbow lights that flashed around the room. People danced happily as newcomers went up to sing, everyone too drunk to care about anything. Connie ordered a round of drinks for all of us— drinks that we'd eventually have to pay him back for— and we all sat quietly, observing the people around us. Despite the commotion surrounding our group, we were very low-key tonight— mostly because Jean was focused on finding a lover.