Young Adults

CHAPTER 9

Tuesday morning arrived all too quickly for (Y/n), and she found herself rushing out the door—a consequence of hitting the snooze button one too many times. The warm embrace of her bed had been hard to leave, but now time was not on her side.

She took the fastest shower she could manage, the hot water barely washing away the lingering sleepiness. Stepping out, she hurriedly dressed in a black long-sleeved shirt and the bell-bottom jeans she had worn to Historia's party—a casual yet stylish ensemble that always made her feel confident. She let her hair cascade naturally over her shoulders, the strands still slightly damp but adding to the effortless look. Grabbing a light gray jacket to ward off the morning chill, she felt somewhat put together.

In the kitchen, she grabbed a quick breakfast—an apple and a granola bar—tucking them into her bag for the road. "Bye, Mom! Bye, Dad! See you later, Caidence!" she called out, her voice echoing through the hallway.

"Have a great day!" her mother replied from the kitchen, while her little sister Caidence waved enthusiastically, a spoonful of cereal in her hand.

"Don't forget, it's supposed to rain later!" her father added, but (Y/n) was already closing the door behind her.

The crisp morning air greeted her as she hurried to the bus stop, the sky painted with soft hues of pink and orange. As she waited, she took a bite of her apple, hoping it would stave off her hunger until lunchtime.

The familiar rumble of the bus approached, and she boarded along with a handful of other students. Making her way down the aisle, she noticed the buzz-cut kid at the back—the one who always seemed to try catching her eye but looked away the moment she glanced in his direction. Today was no different. He opened his mouth as if to say something but then quickly ducked his head, his cheeks tinged with a faint pink.

She offered a small, reassuring smile before settling into her usual seat at the very front. Placing her earbuds in, she selected a calming playlist to ease into the day, gazing out the window as the city slowly came to life.

(Y/n) arrived at school fifteen minutes later, uniting with Eren, Mikasa, and Armin at the main entrance. Together, they entered the bustling building and made their way toward Eren's locker amidst the swirl of students.

"I see you kept it casual today," Eren teased, glancing at (Y/n)'s outfit. He was well aware that she rarely dressed in anything flashy. She rolled her eyes playfully at him.

"It's school... what's there to dress up for?" she replied, adjusting the straps of her backpack comfortably on her shoulders.

"Would've thought you were trying to impress a particular someone," Eren continued, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. Armin chuckled, while Mikasa rolled her eyes in mild exasperation.

"Are you kidding? No way 'the' Levi would want some girl dressed in all the colors of the rainbow," (Y/n) retorted jokingly, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips.

"Levi Ackerman!" a commanding voice boomed through the hallway.

The quartet turned their heads toward the source of the voice. They spotted Levi, his expression unreadable, striding away from the direction of the shout. Further down the hall stood their math teacher, Erwin Smith, his face etched with stern disapproval.

"You'll face repercussions of your actions in jail if you keep this up!" Mr. Smith called out, his voice echoing against the lockers. Despite the severity of the warning, Levi didn't acknowledge him and continued on his way.

"Man... what's that all about? It's unlike Mr. Smith to be so upset," Armin muttered, concern flickering in his eyes.

(Y/n) stood rooted to the spot, her mind racing to process what had just unfolded before her. The tense exchange between Levi and Mr. Smith replayed in her head—the stern warning, Levi's indifferent departure, and the uncharacteristic frustration etched on the teacher's face. This wasn't the first time she'd seen the two of them at odds, and each encounter only fueled her curiosity.