Courage (SnK AU)

Chapter 1: Starting out

And then it was the day I started high school.

I arrived, terrified. My heart beating loudly inside my chest, I made my way to my locker, 1136. I pulled my books out for German, my first class, and made it just on time. For some reason, someone thought it a good idea to have all the signs be wrong. Not really something that helped my anxiety.

I looked around the room at my classmates, all of which were slumped forward on their desks, exhausted. I sat at an area of the room that wasn't occupied, to ease the nervous energy.

A hooded girl burst into the room right then, huffing. She shuffled over to the desk next to me and sat down, stretching. I froze. Why did she sit next to me? What's interesting about me of all people? Please don't talk to me! I'll only make it awkward!

She glanced in my direction, and, for a moment, I looked her in her gold colored eyes. Immediately I averted my gaze, abashed. From my peripheral vision I could see her push her hood off her head, revealing her hair. It was dark brown, tied back in a red clip and dark strands framing her tanned, freckled face. I broke out in a nervous sweat, my mind racing in confusion.

"Hey," she said, and I looked down at my hands. I twiddled my fingers and bit my lip. "You look like you're about to shit yourself."

I gulped. How am I supposed to respond? "Oh, uh, h-hi ... I ... I guess I'm just nervous, uh," I stammered. I rubbed the back of my neck. Her sharp gaze softened.

"Hey, don't worry about it. You seem pretty cool. You'll be fine." I blinked. I'm cool to her? I half-smiled. Frightening person says I'm cool? My day's getting off to a good start. I muttered some thanks, and she nodded, smirking.

Another girl walked in. Her auburn hair messily lay on her head and shoulders. In her hands, she held a small loaf of bread and an iced coffee. She looked up at me, smiling calmly, and sat on the other side of me.

"Hamhmmhnmhhnfffhhh," she said, her mouth stuffed with bread. I blinked.

"What?" I asked.

She rolled her light brown eyes in amusement, and swallowed. "Hey, there," she told us. "I think she's Ymir, but I don't recognize you. You come from a different school?" She asked me, a small smile visible. I nodded.

"Awesome!" She exclaimed. "I'm Sasha. What's your name?!"

"U-Uhmm, I'm (f/n)..."

"Great! Let's be friends!" She enthusiastically grinned at me. I shakily nodded. Well, then.

The teacher introduced himself as Mr. Auruo Bossard. He had blond hair shaved in an undercut. He was a lax teacher, but seemed to be able to handle us anyway.

The class went on as such, the scarier girl (Ymir???) leaning back into her chair and Sasha complaining she was hungry not five minutes after she finished her breakfast. I looked around at everyone in the classroom while taking observations. I didn't even realize I was calmer than I had been before.

An hour later, I walked to my Geometry class and plopped my bags down next to a girl with short blonde hair. gathering up what little courage I had, I introduced myself and asked her for her name.

"A-Armin Arlelt," she replied, her voice deeper than expected. I looked up at her face.

Oh.

The first thing that popped into my mind was "Why does a guy have such a feminine haircut?"

I smiled. "G-Great..."

He sighed. "You thought I was a girl, didn't you?" Armin said, annoyance swirling in his bright blue eyes.

"W-What?! No, of ... of course not! I ... I just wanted to ... uh ... know the people I sit next to in class," I replied, my face flushing red.

"Whatever," he mumbled.

Ms. Rico Brzenska taught Geometry. She was particularly strict, even down to legibility. However, she knew what she was talking about, unlike all of my past Maths teachers. I was certainly grateful of that. It was a new feeling to know that I knew less than my teacher did.

As soon as I walked into my next period, English, I noticed something. The teacher was incredibly short. I know it isn't that new to be taller than your teacher, but I still didn't expect a male teacher to be only 5'2". But he made up for the height gap with grouchiness. He stared me down just from comparing heights. Jeez.

Mr. Levi Ackerman, the shorty, assigned seats for us. I sat next to another hooded, frightening girl, but not Ymir. After being reprimanded by the Shorty, she pulled down her hood, revealing her light blonde hair tied back in a messy bun with loose strands over her face. She caught my staring, and whispered an annoyed "What?" I glanced away with a "nothing" and a blush.

Mr. Ackerman went over the curriculum, his face eternally in a bored expression. I rested my head in my palm and allowed myself to daydream ...

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Hey there, anyone who's reading this fic. I know my last chapter sucked, so I hope this will be better. I don't know if I'll continue much after this if at all.
See you guys later :)
Sophie