Riven took a seat in the back of the class room, ignoring the other kiddets who were already sitting and chatting with the few others that were there. With a sigh she rested her head on her still bandaged hand, ignoring the dull throbbing pain and the itchy bandage the was nestled now between her face and hand. She watched blankly as the others enter the building threw the window that sat a desk away from her. Her eyes closed with an inner pain and she could still hear Sargent Shadis yelling at her, his words hitting her like a ton of bricks.

"Hey are you ok, i'm sorry about earlier." A familiar voice said, snapping Riven out of her inner pity party. She looked next to her where the voice came from as saw the other almost red head sitting next to her, her legs strait, creating a triangle with the desk and floor."it's not your fault."Riven said back to Potato girl who staired with a remorse at her. "i'm happy you feel that way, so what happen to your hands?" Riven jumped slightly at the question." cut them on some glass." Riven said back in a unsure voice, which earned her an almost contagious smile from Potato girl. "Sasha Blouse." She said holding he right hand out to Riven who sheepishly took it."Riven Jace Edwards." Riven said back giving Sasha a shake before taking her hand back.

The two talked ignoring the filling class room until a booming voice filled the room."I am Sargent Brace," the voice caught everyone's attention causing them to turn to the lady standing in front of the chalk bored at the front of the room, she was a skinny brunette with a pixie cut. She stood with her arm folded behind her and a horse whip in her hand. "Anyone caught talking, sleeping, or anything other then taking notes will be kicked out of my class and forced to run with whatever class is outside this widow for the remainder of class time plus whatever amount i want to add on, do i make myself clear!?" she yelled eyeing the class as they yelled back in compliance. Outside today was Shadis who was yelling at some older kiddets who were doing push ups.

"If i am feeling nice i may give you a warning with my whip!" she yelled whipping one of the desk in the front of the class which made a load cracking noise and the blonde boy who sat at it jump in his chair. "Today's class will only be an introduction to Three Dimensional Maneuvering Gear, as some of you will be going home." The teacher looked around again eyeing the weakest kiddets and the ones Shadis told her might be trouble makers before turning her back to them.

Sagent Brace grabbed the chalk and began to write as she talked about the gear, telling them the purpose of it and a little insight to how it worked. Riven however was distracted by Sasha who was writing on a piece of paper, which she quickly folded and passed to Riven who took it and unfolded it under her desk. it said' i feel bad for making you laugh, but would you tell me what the bet was that you lost?' Riven contemplated on lying but decided not to on the fact that she was probably dropping out , and grabbed the pencil left at the top of her desk. She scribbled the story down, even telling how she cut her hand in detail, then folded it before looking around then passing it.

Sasha read silently before covered her mouth at the absurdity written and tried hard not to laugh, though a few snorts could be heard which caused Riven to blush and the teacher to turn. "Whats so funny -" she looked at the paper of names."Blouse." she finished looking back with a mixture of annoyance and impatience. Riven covered her mouth and nose as well."It smells really bad back here, i think it was him." Riven said quickly pointing to the short bald headed boy who sat in front of Sasha. His eyes widened and mouth opened to say something but the teacher just shook her head and turned back to the board letting the few student laugh.

The boy turned giving Riven a questioning look before turning back to the bored. Sasha passed the paper back to Riven, it read a thank you and another sorry. "Edwards, Blouse!" the voice boomed causing the two almost red heads to jump." I want you out of my classroom now!" she yelled eyeing the two."Seven extra laps!" Riven cringed at the voice as she got up to leave. "Give me that paper to!" she yelled with an out wards hand in their direction.

Riven paused for a second looking from her to the paper mentally kicking herself in the ass. She walked slowly to the front by herself handing Sagent Brace the folded paper."I'm going to read this at dinner with the other Sergeants." She said in a mean teasing way that reminded Riven of Marcus, who often said stuff in the same way. She quickly left the room with her head hung. She was embarrassed by the bet, the worst one she'd ever been dragged into.

At the door waited Sasha who looked at Riven apologetically. "I'm sorry." She said again to Riven who said nothing back at first."We were bound to be caught, i have the worst luck." She said to potato girl, still staring at the floor. "Well, i have pretty good luck so maybe you should stick with me." Sasha said with a sympathetic smile, trying to cheer up Riven." what bunkhouse are you in anyways?" She asked trying to get the other girls mind off of her troubles.

Riven took the paper out of her pocket and looked at it."eight." She said dryly."Were in the same bunk house." The taller almost red headed girl said taking the paper from Riven and looking it over."15 aye, i'm in bunk 23." she smiled, giving back the paper. which Riven folded again and put back in her front pocket.

When they reached the outside where the track was the window on the upper floor opened."Shadis, those two are running till the end of class, plus seven more laps!" Sagent Brace yelled threw the window at Shadis. Sargent Shadis nodded turning to the two girls taking note of who the were."Get running, i better not see either of you walking!" He yelled at the two.

The two ran for an hour and a half constantly being checked on by both Sargent Brace and Shadis, being yelled at when ever either talked in more then a whisper. As class got out and everyone walked past staring the two began to count their laps, People snickered as they passed, but everything soon became quiet as they all left leaving the two to run in silence.

Riven reached her her goal at around 7ish panting she watcher her new friend and partner in crime continue running. With remorse for her new friend she left, though happy that she to, did not suffer her fate of running until she could not run took out her paper and looked it over, drips of sweat dripped for her forehead and on to the paper leaving soaked spots that would never fade. She reread the bottom of the page again before flipping it over to look at the map.

The place for drop out to head was at the entrance where they all came in. She looked back at her friend as if to say goodbye with her eyes and made her way to the entrance just as she had planned earlier. She let herself slip back into the feelings she had earlier as she walked to her destination.

When she reached it she took in the sad faces of the few who signed their names on the papers, there wasn't many, but still enough to probably fill a wagon. Riven got in line, but something else entered her mind. what would she tell her parents when she got home, how do you tell your parents that you ran away and joined the kiddets because of a bet. Yes, she agreed with sargent Shadis that she was an idiot and tended to do stupid things on impulse, but she'd be even more of an idiot to leave over a good yelling at, and one that she deserved.

She took one look at everyone else, taking in their looks of sorrow and self loath before leaving. Her heart pounded and she looked back to watch her chance to leave roll away, with those who took it. "i'm sorry mom, but i'm not coming home." she whispered to herself before fully turning and walking away as the sky sky began to paint itself orange.


It was already dark when she arrived at the mess hall and most of the tables were filled with her overly chatty peers. Riven sat at a nearly empty table with her bread and grey meatless stew. She watched the crowd that surrounded a table where the loudest and most overzealous kid here. She ate her bland grey food silently while watching the crowd and listening to bits here and there.

"do you mind if i sit with you?" Riven turn to the voice to see the same blond boy from earlier in class. He was cute in a way boys shouldn't be, he was shorter then her, with chin length hair that was cut into a kinda weird bowl cut, and she noted that his voice was filled with a lack of confidence and a little higher then the other boys. "uhh yeah, go ahead." Riven said back kind of awkwardly as she continued to stair at the dandelion like boy.

He sat down next to her with his food and began to eat a little before looking back at her, which she was still awkwardly staring at him. "so i saw you walking toward the drop out zone earlier." he said trying to break the icy awkwardness that was between the two. Riven's eyes widened before she looked down at her food." y-yeah? i was going to leave, but i couldn't face my mom." she said not even looking at the dandelion haired boy as her voice cracked. He jumped at her mannerisms and quickly put his hand on her back to calm her down but instead made her jump to.

The two staired at each other for a second. "i-i wasn't going to cry." Riven slightly stuttered lying to the boy who quickly removed his dainty hand from her back to his head. "S-sorry." he stuttered back creating an awkward air between the two. "I'm Armin Arlert." he said quickly while scratching his head." Rive Jace Edwards. . ." She said back in a way that sounded more like she was questioning it.

She followed Armins eyes which led to her bandaged hands. "your hurt?" his voice more of stated then asked. "Yeah, it happen at home." She said back lifting her hands for him to see better. "Glass." she stated so that he wouldn't ask. He nodded. "Would you mind telling me how?" She cringed at the question and covered her face with her bandaged hand."y-you don't have to tell me." He said quickly holding up his hands,but before Riven could even say anything the overzealous boy stood up catching Armins attention, which caused Riven to watch as well.

A horse faced kid stood there and the both glared at eachother before the overzealous titan kid slapped his had away leaving. As he did a girl with eyes different then ones Riven had ever seen got up to fallow him, she was stopped by the horse faced boy who blushed wildly and began to stutter a few quiet words before yelling out how beautiful her hair was. in return he only got a thank you as she left.

silence fell on everyone as they watched, he quickly dashed out after her, which caused a few kiddets to fallow close to the door to listen better, but nothing could be heard. "Dont mess with my clothes, what did you wipe on me!?" Riven looked towards the door as the others who where there laughed wildly. She could only hear the muffled voice of who she guess was the horse faced boy say something, but whatever it was, she couldn't make it out.

Riven looked at Armin, who returned the gaze before excusing himself and leaving. She then decided to leave to, feeling worn out both physically and mentally.


I was going to release this tomorrow, but decided why not tonight. also i can seem to figure out why i've been posting chapters at 12-5am. This does bug me a little. i did fix chapter 1 messed up sentences.

Anyways yay some Armin in this chapter, and yay for their awkwardness. I will also try to get everyone's personalities better, it just kinda hard.

Well, not that anyone asked but next two months maybe slow when it comes to me updating. I got a special interview and am applying for my passport so i can go see my in laws for two months over in China. just thought id let you guys know ahead of time.

One last thing, i'm having trouble seeing how many people viewed my story, its saying 0, but i have two or more reviews, i say two or more because only two show, but i got an email saying someone else posted one, yet i cant see it. This is very disheartening to me and i have reported it already.