(yk the drill)

It was maybe eight going on nine o'clock when you guys found yourselves riding your boards through the Chi. The crisp October night air lightly tussled with your braids and the city's homey smell flowed through your nostrils. Your body cut through the air like a knife cuts through butter. Leaning slightly from one side to another, you kept a steady pace, not even paying attention to your surroundings. You were looking down at your beat up chucks you threw on before meeting up with Ocean and his friends.

Still riding, now slightly ahead of the group, you took note of all the people you passed by. The river walk was filled with a certain group of people at this time. Some drunk college students, some young couples on little dates, walking and awkwardly trying to get passed the shy phase of their relationship. You also observed how a few pigeons decided to take the walking route instead of flying. Their little necks bobbing out with each step they took.

When you started to run out of things to look at,you grew bored. Figuring Ocean was not too far behind you, you decided to have a little fun.

"Can't keep up ?" you called back to Ocean who was lingering behind you, swerving and swaying.

Before you said anything, he was doing the same thing you were before. Looking at different people, and making up how their lives probably are in his head. His hands were in his pockets and his green chucks remained on the board, reaching one out everyone once in a while so that he could continue moving.

He looked up, now with a smug smile on his face. Without saying anything, he stuck out his left foot to push himself further, to where he went right passed you. "Can't keep up ?" he asked you mockingly. You suck your teeth and playfully flip him off before speeding up, challenging him to a race.

You skated far enough to the point , you thought there was no way he'd catch up before you guys got to the river walk. Alas, it didn't take long for you to hear the sounds of wheels rolling on concrete creep up behind you. At first, you figured it was either Eren, Sasha, or Connie since Ocean seemed to far back. But once you looked to your right, you could see Ocean trying to pass you.

For the next five minutes, all the way through the river walk the both of you were neck and neck. It wasn't until you two actually got to a corner where you were finally able to pass him, by a smidge. You stuck your foot out to slow yourself down and come to a stop.

You rested one foot on your board while you waited for everyone else to catch up. "Surprised you didn't fall," the blonde teased, stopping himself right as he got next to you.

"Surprised she even outskated you, O. Right, Eren ?" Connie said nudging the tall, stoic one.

He shrugged, "She was alright," he mumbled.

Before you could ask him what his obvious problem was, Sasha jumped up. "(y/n) ! I wanna show you this spot I wiped out at." She wasted no time grabbing your hand and leading to a pair of stairs she was talking about while the boys stayed behind.

Ocean waited until you and his brown eyed friend got far enough so that you wouldn't hear the conversation that was about to take place.

"What's up with you ?" Armin nudges Eren a little, whose gaze was still fixated on you.

"Nothing," he answers coldly.

"'She was alright ?' What was that about ?" his blonde friend pushed.

"You want me to act like she's Tony Hawk ? She beat you in a playful race Ocean. Sorry I'm not doing backflips over it."

Weird. "Whatever-"

"Do you like her ?"

Both Connie and Armin have Eren a confused look. Connie however was genuinely confused on why Eren would get at something like that but Armin was confused on how Eren could pick up so fast.

Obviously, to Armin, you weren't just (y/n) who was captain of the cheer team who happened to date the football team's captain. You weren't just someone who hung around the jocks. You were Vixen. His friend for over a year who found her way into his little heart. Before knowing who you were, it was safe to say that Armin did have a thing for you.

But since you have a boyfriend, he never said anything. And it's not like you guys finding out you go to the same school and having the same classes, helped. If anything it made him like you more even though he knew the bullshit he would endure if anyone else find out.

But one thing he didn't know was how Eren could spot it so quickly and most importantly why did he care ? It couldn't be just because he didn't like you. Actually it could be that. Or maybe Eren actually had a crush on you, though that wouldn't make sense.

Ocean quickly brushed his thoughts off realizing he was taking too much time to answer his friend's question. "No. (y/n)'s a friend," he responded.

"Well what ever she is, it better stay like that. She could only cause you trouble-"

"Hey ! Why don't we just take a chill pill aight ?" Connie patted the two harshly on the back. "Let's not keep them waiting."

Connie pushes Eren to walk forward before looking back at Ocean with reassuring eyes. Connie himself was confused as hell as to what was going on but he knew his friend could use a little bit of reassurance.

"Wanna try it ?" Sasha asked you, looking down at the steps she was showing you she wiped out on.

You gulped. "Um I dunno. It's been a while." It was a lazy yet true excuse as to why you were a little scared.

"Oh come on ! You beat Ocean so you could do this," you hear Eren say from behind you.

"You don't have to do anything you don't wanna, (y/n)," Ocean assured you. I'm any other case, you would've accepted his words and backed out of it. But there was something about the tone in Eren's voice that made you feel as though he was challenging you. No. Not challenging. Mocking you. And one thing about you, pops ain't raise a punk.

You took your board a little farther back so you could get a good start. From there you planned on grinding the rail down the steps. It didn't seem like that challenging of a task and when you used to ride heavily, you would do this quite often. Sure it was a bit ago, but you still had it. Right ?

Wrong. It started off strong. You and your board successfully made it onto the rail together but then your board kind of said 'see ya !' and went off of the rail without you. This caused you to not only fall but tumble down the raining few steps. There weren't that many but it's still hard contact onto concrete. If it wasn't for you focusing your attention on your now scrapped up hands,knees, and side of your left cheek, you would've been embarrassed. "Oh shit !" you hear Sasha's red Vans make their way down the steps to see if there was anything she could do.

Shortly after, Connie and Armin followed, checking if you were okay. "Damn you ate it- Ow!" Connie was interrupted by Armin nudging him.

"Are you okay, snail ?" Armin's hands were holding yours up to his face so that he could see the severity of your bruises. He took out a water he had in his back pack and poured it onto your hands and knees. It stung a little but it was helping.

"Yeah I'm cool. Thanks."

There was a brief moment, that in reality was maybe five seconds but seemed as if it lasted for five eternities. Armin's deep ocean blue eyes caught your brown eyes and were in the middle of a battle for who could see whose soul first. His blue orbs softened as he saw the subtle painful expression on your face. But they didn't seem to catch how that painful expression of yours seemed to fade away when he started helping you.