Amaranth

Chapter 15: Camellia

The next day, Mikasa woke up and grunted in disdain. After much debate with Carla, she had decided she couldn't afford to miss school today, and as much as she wanted to run from this problem, she knew it would be better to deal with it now rather than putting it off.

She grumpily got out of bed as she fixed her hair and put on clothes for the day. After all that was done, she lazily thumped down the stairs to eat her breakfast, not bothering to hide her mood from anyone in the household.

"You're in a mood," Eren commented as he sat at the table, causing Carla to cringe as she sat across from the siblings.

"You're surprised?" she asked in the same, annoyed tone.

"Nah, I just like messing with you," he argued with a smirk.

"This is why no one likes you," Mikasa commented as she ate the eggs and toast Carla had cooked and served to them.

"No one likes you either," Eren quipped, causing Mikasa to scowl at him, "Too soon?"

"Obviously some people like her," Carla smirked as she gave Mikasa a knowing look.

"Can we not?" Mikasa complained as she shoved her eggs into her mouth.

"Can we?" Eren asked, interested.

"This is between you and your sister," Carla said.

"Gee, thanks," Mikasa scowled.

"Do explain," Eren smirked.

"No," Mikasa said simply.

"Oh, oh, oh!" he said as he jumped out of his chair, jumping up and down excitedly before sitting down again as if nothing happened, "Does it have to do with Annie?"

"Huh? Wh- Why? " Mikasa asked, stumbling over her words miserably.

"Pfft," Eren laughed, "so much for your poker face."

"You know what, this is why no one tells you shit," he huffed as she angrily bit into her toast, throwing the last half at him as she went to rinse and clean her plate.

"Apologize," Carla said sternly though calmly from her spot at the table.

"But I'm not sorry," Mikasa shrugged.

"Apologize," Carla said in a firmer voice.

"I'm sorry I threw my toast at you, Eren," Mikasa apologized in a deadpan, "Please eat the toast, so I don't waste your dear mother's magnificent cooking."

"Better," Carla nodded in acceptance as Mikasa scurried up the stairs to brush her teeth and properly brush through her hair.

When she finished getting ready she lazily walked down the stairs and sluggishly put her shoe on, trying to waste as much time as possible.

"Wow, I'm ready before you for once," Eren quipped as he opened the door, leaving ahead of Mikasa, "Catch me if you can."

"You know I can!" she yelled after him as she jumped onto her feet, grabbing her backpack before racing out the door, limping slightly from the cast on her leg.

As predicted, she caught up to him rather quickly, meeting around the area in which they usually ran into Armin. As she caught up, Armin appeared, seemingly out of thin air, and he and Eren began talking animatedly.

Mikasa followed behind them silently as they walked to school. She couldn't help but panic about what the kids at the school would think now that they knew everything. People were bound to look at her differently after realizing she'd kissed a girl, killed someone, and lost her parents.