6:30 AM
"Kid, wake your ass up."
The older man burst into Levi's room without even a second thought to knock.
"Kenny.." Levi groaned from under his pile of blankets.
"Get.the.hell.out."
"No. Wake the hell up. I'm tired of your school crawling up my ass because you can't seem to ever get there on time."
Kenny's large workboots made a slight vibration with each of his steps as he made his way to open the blinds. Levi laid still, trying to ignore all the noise his idiot uncle was making. Kenny tugged on the strings that raised the blinds, but because the house was old and practically falling apart, the blinds ripped right off the window and crashed onto Levi's wooden floor.
"Kenny!" Levi shot up, his eyes slightly red from only getting a couple hours of sleep and the dark circles under his eyes more noticeable than usual.
"God damnit Kenny, there's only two days of school left and you want to go bitching about this now?! You're such a dumbass."
"Levi" Kenny rubbed his temple, a habit from keeping him from beating the shit out of Levi when he talked to him like this.
"If you don't get to school on time these last two days, you don't get to walk on graduation day."
"Kenny oh my god. I don't give.a.shit."
Kenny stomped over to Levi and grabbed him by the arm, yanking him off the bed.
"Rise and shine you ungrateful brat. I'll take you myself."
Levi jerked back away from Kennys grip and stood straight, glaring at him.
"I'm gonna get dressed so get out."
Kenny cursed under his breath in an irritable manner and walked to the riggity door.
"Be ready in twenty minutes. I need to be at the mines by 7:40 so your ass is going to be on that campus at 7:30."
"That's a half hour before school sta-"
Before he could finish his complaint, Kenny walked out and slammed the door behind him.
"Tch...fucking bastard."
After a three minute shower, Levi went through his normal morning routine In half the time he usually does it: brush teeth, fix hair, put on his school uniform, which normally consisted of black slacks, a white button up with a black vest with his school insignia embroided on it. But all his slacks were dirty so he threw on his black skinnies. He tore his room apart in two minutes looking for his black tie and then spent five minutes looking for his all black, slip on vans. The only freedom they seemed to have at the school was their shoes; as long as they were all black and the heels weren't bigger than three inches, you could wear them.
"THREE MINUTES BRAT!"
The deep scratchy voice could match nails on a chalkboard to Levi. He caught a glimpse of his shoes underneath some school books and slid them on. He picked up his messenger bag but after a moments thought, threw it in the farthest corner of his room and met Kenny at the front door.
"I'm surprised." Kenny scoffed.
"You're actually ready. Where's your bag?"
"Don't need it." Levi said while making his way out the door.
"Whatever alright." Kenny walked out and locked the door and they both headed to his red pick up truck.
Levi got in and solemnly studied their house. He never really looked at it in detail, but then again, there wasn't much to look at. One story, bricks, dark roof, garage, some windows: a plain Jane home. Their house was surrounded by huge pecan trees, and during pecan season, Kenny would spend hours collecting the fallen pecans and sell them by the pound; coming home with over $900. Levi couldn't decide whether it was a waste of time or not sometimes. Considering it was always hot, boring and filthy work.
Kenny started backing the truck out of the driveway and Levi began to close his eyes, hoping to maybe get a sliver of sleep for this ten minute drive.
Just as he was beginning to feel comfortable, he heard the distant, yet undeniably familiar voice echoing through into the truck.
"MIIISSTTEERRR ACKERMAAAN!"
Levi groaned and opened his eyes to see the tall, lanky girl who lived next to him burst out her front door, her glasses falling off her face and her tangled up, dark hair flowing behind her.
Kenny came to a stop and rolled his window down.
"Hey look Levi, your girlfriend."
He smirked at his own tease.
"Shut the hell up."
The ecstatic girl ran into the door of the truck, her energy spiked as if it wasn't almost 7:20 AM.
"Hanji!" Kenny spat.
"Don't scratch my truck! I just bought it last year and it's worth more than what you're getting to pay for college!"
"Mr. Kenny! How can you give Levi a ride and not me! I mean we've been walking to school together since the first grade and you go and betray me like this?" Hanji dramatically out her hand over her heart and put on her best 'pity me' face. She widened her eyes at Kenny as she anticipated his response.
Levi leaned forward and gave her his 'are you fucking kidding me?' face and Kenny rolled his eyes.
"Don't you have parents of your own that could take you?"
"Well Mr. Kenny, as a matter of fact, they aren't in town. So no."
"Where'd they run off to this time?"
" Charlie, Africa."
Kenny sighed and began to feel slightly sorry for the girl. Her parents were never home since they were in the peace corps.
"Get in you weirdo."
Hanji beamed and darted to Levi's door side and hopped in and scooted next to him.
"I didn't know this truck was a bench seat truck!" Hanji exclaimed.
"Yeah well" Kenny started backing up again.
"Gotta be prepared for events like this."
Levi sighed and gave up any hope of being comfortable on the ride to school since Hanji was taking up so much space.
"Levi! Can you believe we're about to graduate?"
"Nope."
Hanji giggled and she wrapped an arm around him playfully.
"Levi, you should make the most out of these last couple of days. I know deep deep DEEEEEP down inside you're gonna miss our little squad at school."
Hanji poked Levi's chest over his heart and smiled.
"Did you figure out what you wanted to do after graduation? You can't be a bum. "
Levi shifted, it always made him uncomfortable talking about his future mainly because he hadn't even begun to plan it out.
"No. Not yet."
"You know I'm here to help you..."
"Yeah."
Hanji noticed that he was looking down, an indicator she's picked up after knowing him for years that he was uncomfortable. She exhaled and looked out the window.
"You know Levi...it's not too late to apply to the college I'm going to..."
"Hanji, I don't want to be in the CSI like you. I don't want to be like you."
Hanji felt a small pang in her heart. She knew he didn't mean it the way it sounded but it still hurt to hear.
Levi looked over and immediately regretted what he said, he felt lost for words.
"H..Hanji...I...didn't..I.."
"It's fine. Don't worry about it." She turned to face him and gave him a small smile. Levi felt a bit better, she had been his friend since the first grade, the only one to ever approach him and want to be around him. When a group of kids were daring each other to approach Levi, Hanji threw her entire milk carton at them and went up and asked Levi if he's ever had a bologna sandwich, because apparently at the time, Bologna was the best thing since Vienna sausage.
Levi chuckled quietly to himself as he thought about the memory.
"Alright you shits we're here."
Kenny did a hard break causing Hanji and Levi to jerk forward.
"Gah Kenny! Jesus what the hell is wrong with you?!" Levi growled and unbuckled his seatbelt.
"Thanks for the ride Mr. Kenny! See ya!"
"Later losers."
Levi and Hanji hopped out of the truck and Kenny leaned over to them a bit.
"Hey brat, I'm gonna be home tomorrow evening. We've got work to catch up on in the mines. If you want dinner but don't want to cook just go to Hanji's. Go get laid or something too."
Levi slammed the door and stuck his middle finger up.
"AND DONT BE LATE FOR SCHOOL TOMORROW OR I'LL KICK YER ASS!"
And with that Kenny sped off.
Levi growled and clenched his fists.
Hanji put her hand on his shoulder.
"Hey...he's a real jokester isn't he?" She chuckled.
"No, he's a dumbass and needs to mind his own damn business."
Hanji squeezed his shoulder slightly and straightened out her dark grey school skirt.
"There's almost no one here.." Hanji did a full 360 turn and raised her arms, her voice bellowing as the sun was rising
"YAAAHHOOOOOO!"
Levi covered his ears and rolled his eyes.
"Hey keep it down! Just because you don't see anyone in our radius doesn't mean people can't hear your loud ass voice from inside the buildings!
"Levi loosen up my friend! Everything's fine! Come on! Let's go inside! I'm almost sure Mr. Smith is here!"
Levi's eyes slightly widened at hearing his history teachers' name.
"Yeah...yeah alright let's go." He and Hanji made their way inside and walked down the long hallway. They made the next right and passed door after door until they got to the end where the last door was open.
Hanji slightly knocked and walked in, Levi followed.
"Morning Mr. Smith!" Hanji beamed and sat on a desk.
Mr. Smith looked up from his desk where he was looking over his lesson plan for the day.
"Well aren't you cheery for being here half an hour before school starts."
The man in his late twenties had a deep, rustic voice that matched his big, fit stature. He was blonde with dark brown eyebrows, reminded Levi and Hanji of a California surfer. But in a more professional sense.
Mr. Smith stood up, his dark grey slacks perfectly tailored to him and his lighter grey button up and black tie made him look like he worked in a top notch corporation. Which made Levi wonder a lot why he was working at their shitty private school.
"Levi."
"Erwin."
"Hah." Erwin chuckled and gave a sly smile.
"Still the only person brave enough to call me by my first name. I admire that."
Levi nodded and made his way to Erwin's desk and sat in the large black roller chair.
"Hey Mr. Smith." Hanji picked at a small scratch on the desk.
"Why aren't you a male model or something? Why do you teach here?"
Levi looked in Erwin's direction, Interested in the answer.
"Well, I know a lot of things. History has always been my favorite subject. I spent four years in the Marines and all I ever wanted to do was learn about the history of the military."
Erwin went and sat on the corner of his desk and crossed his arms.
"I figured maybe I was suited to teach. So after my service was done, I went to become a teacher. That's all." He turned and smirked at Levi.
"I think I made a pretty good choice. Don't you?"
Levi kept his eyes locked onto Erwin's bright clue eyes.
"Yeah."
"H...hi..." A weak voice came from the door. All three of them turned to see a young boy, short brown hair and bright green eyes.
"I'm so sorry...I was um, sitting in the hall, and I was a bit bored so I was wondering if it was okay if I could come hang out in here too?"
"No." Levi shot daggers at the boy with his eyes and harsh tone.
"Yes! Come on in! Don't mind the grinch!" Hanji patted the desk next to her.
"What's your name?" Asked Erwin.
The young boy slowly walked to the desk next to Hanji and smiled.
"It's Eren."
Levi rubbed his temple and started digging through Erwin's drawers.
"Hey Erwin. Have you graded the finals yet?"
"Almost all done. Why?"
"What's my mark?"
"Can't say until I've graded all the papers."
"Erwin don't be a sap. Tell me. You know I barely talk to people besides shitty glasses and the few friends she has."
"Alright." He smirked.
"You missed one question."
"Yeah. I know. I didn't want to make you think I was some stellar student when we know that's not my style."
Erwin chuckled and winked at Levi.
"I admire your modesty."
Ten minutes rolled by as Eren, Hanji and Erwin went on to talk about democrats and republicans and Levi stayed in the chair, staring at them all.
They all get along so easily...and I just can't help but feel like I don't belong. Even with shitty glasses here.
Levi zoned out and his head popped up upon hearing the bell ring.
Hanji jumped up and shook Erens' hand.
"Nice talking to you Eren! Come find us at lunch in the science room if you ever want to talk!"
Eren nodded and started walking to the door, taking a look back at Levi, his face full of curiosity. Levi shifted his eyes away from Eren and tapped his foot. Eren sighed and walked out.
"He's a sweet kid, Levi you should try to be more social."
"Don't tell me what to do."
Levi stood up and stretched.
"Levi you didn't bring your bag?"
Erwin raised an eyebrow.
"Why would I need to? There's nothing going on these last two days."
"There's a pop quiz in my class today."
"You're the only bastard on campus who would do that." Levi smirked and walked with Hanji to the door.
"See you later Ackerman."
"Whatever."
Hanji poked Levi's side and hooked her arm with his.
"You in love with Mr. Smith?" She said playfully.
"Don't be weird, four eyes."
"Oh please, I know you think I'm totally hot with my glasses." She winked and nudged him.
Levi let out a small chuckle as they approached the room to their first period.
"Ready Freddy? " Hanji gripped the door handle.
"Ready as I'll ever be. Welcome to hell."
Hope you enjoyed this part! I felt anxious to start something and I was afraid of dragging it out. But the next part will go on to each class and be ready to see some of your favorite ships!