You're Not Alone

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Part 1
~Flashback to Bootcamp~

"Sophie Jaeger! Hurry your ass up!" The training officer shouts at me as I jog down the snowy hill.

It's nearing the end of March, yet there is still a whole bunch of snow covering the ground even though the sun is burning high in the sky.

My ankles and knees are extremely sore due to having to hike all the way up a giant hill to get the fire wood to cook dinner. Sasha got out of it by complaining of a stomach ache, which means I've had to make three times the amount of trips to get enough wood.

This is my fourth time heading down the hill and I can see clearly that the other cadets are having a snowball fight in the center of the training field.

Including Sasha...

"Must be nice," I mutter to myself.

"Jaeger?! You hear me?!" The man yells again and I let my head fall.

"Yes Sir-!"

My boot gets stuck under a root from a nearby tree and I'm sent tumbling down the hill, lucky to be cushioned by the snow.

The wood that I'm pulling on a makeshift sled is left behind and my body rolls farther and farther down the steep hill.

I try to stop myself, but due to the slick snow, I pick up speed and soon enough I'm at the bottom of the slope, flat on my back with tender aching spots across my body from every rock and stick I hit on the way down.

"Well that's one way to do it, but you forgot the wood missy," Reiner towers over me, his large build blocking the sun from my face.

I squint my eyes open, seeing the smile grow on the blonde boy. He sticks out his hand and I let out a grunt as I take his large hand in my small slender one.

"Easy there," he pulls me to my feet and I stumble forward.

"Sophie, where's the wood?" Jean approaches me with Marco by his side.

"Who cares, can't you see she just fell down the hill?" Marco frowns at his friend.

"I saw. I laughed. Now I'm wondering why she didn't bring the wood with her," Jean chuckles.

"Shove a sock in it," I glare. "You go get it. I'm done going up that hill."

"We'll go," Marco smiles. "You rest up, okay?"

With his gentle words, I let Reiner bring me over to a wood barrel where I sit down and take off my boots, dipping my legs into a bucket of hot water.

"This should help your muscles, don't stay in too long though, maybe just fifteen minutes," he steps back, taking his heavy jacket off and hanging it on the side of the fence. "If you feel better, come join my team. We could use your accuracy."

I give him a thumbs up and then lean my back against the fence, staring up at the partly cloudy sky. If my days are counted right, tomorrow is Eren and I's birthday. We'll be turning fifteen.

Time really has flies. I mean, about five years ago our mom was taken from us and just three years ago we joined the cadets. Eren and I never told anyone about our birthday, so we haven't celebrated it since we were at home with our parents.

I miss it...

I miss moms delicious dinners and homemade cookies... I miss dad dancing with me in the living room like we were at some fancy party. I even miss how Eren and I would argue over who got to open their gift first.

I don't have that anymore...

"Hey, how are you doing?" Armin skips up to me, his nose and cheeks pink from the cold snow he's been playing in.