Jeankasa High School

Chapter 6, Shoeboxes

Team tryouts. Even worse, football team tryouts. When the lists were posted, there was drama everywhere. Friendships broken, alliances formed.

Eren was so excited, he woke up on his own. He was practically running out the door.

Mikasa didn't try for anything. She had goals to take advanced classes and get higher scores in dance this year, but she was happy to support Eren, and console him when he wasn't accepted.

At school Mikasa walked with him to the list, and to her surprise, Eren was on it. For the first time in his entire school life so far.

"Mikasa, do you see that?!" He exclaimed. "I'm on the team!"

Eren left to go tell Armin, who he had forgot to wait for at home. Mikasa also went to leave when Levi stopped her.

"Why didn't you try out for anything? You would be a great addition to the team," he told her.

And so Mikasa explained that even if she wanted to be on a team, she wouldn't have the time with everything she has to do.

-

Jean rolled out of bed like normal. He quickly came out the back door so his mom wouldn't drive him. Her car was covered stupid bumper stickers from when he was four.

He walked past the gym, then remembering he tried out for the football team.

So, Jean turned around and walked back to the list, and checked the names. He was there. He silently congratulated himself. When he looked up he saw Mikasa talking to M.Levi. Remembering that they talked quite awhile last night he thought that maybe it would be okay for him to talk to her.

Jean decided to wait for her, maybe they could walk to their lockers together. He felt more confident than before. After the movies, he thought he could relax around her a bit.

"Hey," he said to her when she was done talking.

"Hi," she responded.

"What did M.Levi want? It's weird that he was by the gym," Jean asked. That was the stupidest question he ever asked. He knew it.

"He wanted to know if I was planning on joining any teams," she paused. "He teaches the girls gym class and the junior boys gym. That's why he was here."

They talked more as they walked to their lockers. Jean discovered that she danced, so she wouldn't be joining any teams, and that he and Eren would both be playing together. He felt somewhat better knowing that Mikasa and Eren are siblings.

They both went to class, Jean didn't want their time together to end. But the bell rang, sending them separate ways. He thought. He had no idea what class she had.

-

When Mikasa went to art class, they had a new project to start. Shoe boxes. They were told to decorate them, with their names showing. This is to be their storage compartment for the projects they start.

Mikasa didn't know what to do. She had a box and paints. She chose black because, well she didn't know why.

Everyone around her was working, even Eren had something going. So, Mikasa painted the box black. What next?

She looked in the bins with decals and ribbon for any ideas. She found a white bird. She could work with that.

Sitting down an idea struck her. She collected a variety of gold paints and made a bow out of a maroon ribbon.

She painted the back of a cage, waited for it to dry and then glued the bird to the lid. Then, after that dried, she painted the front of the cage adding lighting accents as she went. Gluing the bow on the top she looked at her work.

It wasn't her best. It was rushed, but it would get the grade. She looked at Eren's. He painted a large wall. Figures. Then she looked at Jean's. He painted a collection of characters. It was really incredible. He managed to put it together in so little time.

Mikasa could recognize some characters. He had real talent, when they talked he said he drew a little.

The bell rang, and the students flooded the hallway. Jean felt proud of himself. He normally didn't do that well under a time limit.

That, and Mikasa. He still couldn't get over the fact that she existed. He really liked her. He thought about telling her. He drew her with his remaining time in art. He scribbled, "I like you." In silver pen.

He decided to scrap it. He folded it up a few times before shoving it through the crack of his locker.

Only it wasn't his locker, it was Mikasa's.

M. Is the French abbreviation for Monsieur (Mr.) and Mme. Is Mademoiselle (Miss).