Brand New Life

Chapter 30: Fairy Forest

Armin and Annie

Armin's POV

Today's our first day back from the trip, and today was the free day. Eren and Mikasa were sleeping in... and I was too hyper. Grandpa was working today as well... so that only left... Annie.

Picking up my cell phone, I hoped it wasn't too early, or that Annie was sleeping when I called. Hearing it ring 2 times, I sighed... maybe she was sleeping in as well- "Hello?" Her voice comes through. "Armin?"

"Morning Annie..."

She chuckles softly, "Morning, cutie..." Blushing, she only calls me that to make me blush. Mostly, she would call me that because I look cuter when I'm blushing. "So... why are you calling me on this early Monday morning?"

"I-I was wondering... m-maybe we should hang out together..."

"Oh, a date?"

"W-Wherever you want to go, Annie. The places that you choose are amazing, and I wouldn't mind going to a different place... as long as you're happy on the date... that's what matters to me."

Behind that phone, I could see her face, clearly. Her fingers twiddling with the crystal on her necklace and smiling softly. She takes a deep breath, and says a destination. "Wanna come with me to the Fairy Forest?"

"Forgive me for asking... but where is that?"

She laughs, "One of my favorite place to go... it's up on the mountain... but pretty low, okay? It's high enough that you can see the city from there... but low where we don't have to drive far... and we should go at 6-"

"Well, it's 10 right now... what are we gonna do for 8 hours?"

"I have some lessons to attend to, for martial arts. That would take... oh, at least 3 hours. For 2 hours, I need a nap, leaving me 3 hours to kill. Maybe we can spend those 3 hours together..."

"Why not? With that in mind... I only got 5 hours to spare... I might just hang out at a bookstore-"

"And what? Study?"

"Uh... yeah..."

She scoffs, "Armin, you gotta rest that pretty brain of yours, understand?" Her voice became panicky and that I knew she was gonna be worried. "Keep working that brain... and you'll kill it before our mid-terms. Calm down, okay?"

"Heh... I'll only spend an hour or two studying... and maybe, I'll hang out with Eren and Mikasa until you're done. With them, I would definitely lose track of time..."

"So yeah... I should be at my house around 3. We can take a bus to a cafe or to a mall, what do you say? It's a date?"

Smiling, I know she wouldn't see it... but a part of me thought that she knew I was. "Yes, Annie. It's a date."

*   *   *

"Thank you, Ms. Carla... for dropping us off at her house." I thanked Eren's mother as I got off to get Annie. Eren and Mikasa were sitting in the back. I just came from their house, and Ms. Carla made plans to head over to the mall.

She smiles, "Now Armin... if you want, I can drop you guys off at the mall. I wouldn't mind an extra person, since we're all going to the same place."

"But... we're planning to go to the Fairy Forest-"

"I can pay your bus fare. And please, feel free to stay at our house, Armin. I mean it. I'm sure you can keep Eren busy for awhile as Mikasa's helping me with some other chores."