Chapter 15: I Love You

Krista remained silent, eyes wide and heart hammering. Edward raised an eyebrow and turned around. She kept her gaze to the carpeted floor and clenched her hands together tightly. He sighed and turned back around.

"Krista," he repeated, "where's your uniform?"

Krista refused to answer and only clenched her book bag tighter. Edward nodded and pulled out of the driveway. He said nothing more, gazing intently down the road and occasionally peeking at his charge to observe her reactions. The blonde fidgeted in her seat ad scooted to the window to lean against the door.

Edward knew. He knew that she probably skipped school and now he was going to tell her parents. She could only imagine her father's disappointment and her mother's distasteful expression. It was a good thing they didn't know the purpose of the trip!

"You know I'm going to tell your mother, right?" Edward said, interrupting Krista's thoughts.

Krista glanced at his face in the rear view mirror and nodded. "Yes."

"So, why did you do it?" he pressed. They were only a few kilometres away from the estate, and he was determined to dissect Krista's answer and find a motive. He wouldn't be good at his job if he didn't.

Krista shrugged and her eyes shifted nervously.

Edward pressed his lips together and gripped the steering wheel tighter. "You fear your parents far too much to do anything against them. It's ridiculous, seeing as you disobey them so much for that girl– oh, I see."

The blonde bit her lip and tried to control her trembling as Edward smirked and chuckled to himself.

"I'm guessing that your tall friend hasn't been showing up for class as of late, yes? And so, you must've taken it upon yourself to search for her, despite your parents forbidding you from being with her. Though I do wonder at your means of transportation, I suppose it does not matter, since you've done the deed and I will tell your parents."

"No!" Krista shouted.

"Now you've decided to talk? I apologize, little Krista, but it's too late; we're already here."

Edward pulled up in the Reiss' driveway and parked his car. He quickly exited and walked up the steps, ignoring Krista's pleas for him to stop. Just before he could get any further, he slammed into another man's body, falling on his back.

"What's going on here?" Mr. Reiss demanded harshly, glaring at Edward.

"Dad!" Krista exclaimed in relief, jumping over the servant and into her father's arms. He held her tightly, warmth flooding his features. "I'm so happy to see you. Where have you been?"

"Away on business trip," he explained. His eyes narrowed suddenly. "Krista, care to explain why this man is here?"

The blonde pulled away from her father and looked up at Edward, who had straightened and tried to avoid her father's gaze. "I think he's working for Mrs. Reiss."

"I see. And what, pray tell, is your purpose here?" The big man directed his question to Edward, who started to sweat nervously.

"The safety of your d-daughter, g-good sir," he stuttered as he bowed. William raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"He was trailing me on the fieldtrip – Ymir saw him. She even came with me here to make sure I was still safe," Krista continued, glaring at her mother's servant. The thought of Ymir made the blonde cringe but she stayed strong.

Her father's face suddenly frowned heavily, his voice froze over with anger. "Krista, I want you to go over this Ymir's house for the night. I think your mother and I need to have a serious talk." He kissed his daughter's forehead. "I don't know how long this will take, so I hope she's very accommodating."

Krista's lips tugged into a frown and her eyes watered. "Dad, I can't. Ymir is missing, thanks to him!" She pointed at Edward and wrenched herself free from her father's protective hold. "You screwed it all up! I never doubted her, never played with her and never lied to her besides hiding my identity for the sake of protecting her from this!" She motioned to the mansion.

William stared at his daughter in wonder. He had felt this level of emotion before. "Honey, you don't love her, do you?"

Krista closed her eyes and sniffled. She turned to face her father and looked straight into his eyes. "I do. I love Ymir, Dad." She smiled sadly. "Sorry, but I don't think you can convince me to drop this one."

Mr. Reiss rubbed his watered eyes with his hands, laughing. "No, dear, I don't think I want to do that. I've had people interfere in my love life too many times to allow the same to happen to you. You do what makes you happy." His eyes hardened. "Go find her. I doubt she's left the vicinity of the school, and something tells me she's still there. I'll take care of this lack of discipline in my house."

The young woman smiled gratefully and hugged her father around his neck. He kissed her forehead and nuzzled her hair. "Thank you, Dad, and be careful."

"Where do you think you're going?" Mrs. Reiss' voice came from the doorway. She crossed her arms and glared at her husband. "And who do you think you are, ordering my servants around?"

"Krista, leave now," the blond man urged, pushing his daughter away. "I love you. Stay safe, I'll find you when I'm done here." When the blonde ran away, he turned to his wife and narrowed his eyes. "I'll have you know this is my house and she is my daughter, so any interference on your part is very unwelcome!"

"I think you're starting to forget who built you to get where you are now!" she snarled, then jumped when he punched the wall next to her, cracking the structure.

"I do not tolerate disrespect from anyone! Do not talk back to me if you know what's good for you," he shouted, blue eyes wide in rage.

"Edward, now!"

Krista heard a gunshot in the distance and refused to look back, eyes wide. Her hand went to her mouth as she struggled to contain her tears. She did the only thing she could think of: run. She ran, as fast as she could, away from the hell she'd been thrown out of. She needed to find Ymir.

She didn't know how much time had passed before she reached the slums of the city. The roads were cracked, the houses in poor condition, and the lawns unkempt. Some homes were boarded up with wooden planks, sported broken windows or even had no doors or proper stairs altogether. There were some people chatting on their patios as they smoked rolled joints, cans and bottles of beer piled at their feet. Upon noticing Krista trudge through the neighbourhood, they quieted and observed her. The blonde ignored them and continued to drag herself across the streets, though she still felt slightly uneasy.

The pavement was uneven and slabs of concrete jutted out randomly, thus causing Krista to trip over a block of cement sticking out. She dropped her book bag, throwing her arms out in front of her. With a shout of pain, she scraped her palms and knees as she fell. She lay on the warm pavement, tears of frustration slowly pouring out of her eyes. Her book bag lay open in front of her. With a push of her bloody palms, she reached forward and collapsed on top of it.

She could give up here. She could simply lay here for all eternity, no trouble at all, no hardships. Her mother wouldn't find her, Edward wouldn't find her, Ymir wouldn't–

With a grunt, she stood and wiped her palms on her hoodie. Petra wouldn't mind, she was sure. She slung her book bag over her shoulder and limped across the street. As though she passed some sort of test, the observers resumed their conversations and turned their piercing stares away. The raucous laughter of playful boys echoed through the neighbourhood, as well as the occasional police or ambulance siren.

Krista continued on her path, occasionally stopping to catch her breath and check on her scrapes. Briefly, she remembered when she ran away to Ymir to seek comfort, and she smiled nostalgically. She'd scraped herself then, too, but Ymir wasn't around to clean her wounds this time. She needed to learn to take care of herself from now on.

Finally, she spotted a bus stop and stood under the sign. It was still light out, meaning there was still a chance that Petra was at school, perhaps completing a set of paperwork. Petra said to come to her if she needed any help, and Krista hoped the offer still stood.

The bus pulled up nearly half an hour later, and she climbed aboard, paying the fare once she announced her destination. She sat in the front, huddled against the window with her book bag clutched in her arms.

She needed to see Petra, and soon, if the dark clouds looming on the horizon were any indication.

Ymir slouched by the fence, her eyes trailing over the school building. For the last week, she'd been coming after school to pick up on lessons from her teachers, under the guise that she was sick and unavailable to stay for a whole day of school. She usually left earlier than this, but then vice-principal Pixis had caught her and proceeded to explain what Krista had been up to the past week.

The brunette exhaled slowly, closing her eyes. She clutched the metal fence pole tightly. The cold against her warm palm brought shivers up her arm. She opened her eyes and witnessed the first few rain drops of the day splatter against the school driveway.

Her face remained impassive, but inside, her emotions and thoughts were jumbled and tangled together. She loved Krista – that much was certain. Her kindness, her brightness, her warmth, and her optimism – it was her sweet disposition and her gentle words that lulled Ymir into foolishly believing in hope. Not that she minded, anyway. Besides, Ymir thought with a smirk, Krista's pretty face made her think twice before saying something stupid.

Ymir thought of the hope Krista had given her and felt her lips pull down, her eyebrows frowning. She had hope once, long ago, but it was cruelly snatched from her. However, this time, she was avoiding the pain by letting it go. Then why did it still hurt?

She already knew about Krista's secret, it was evident the minute the blonde came to school in a fancy sports' car. Her wealth made Ymir think, and it was the nagging belief that, deep inside, Krista was playing with their friendship. It was an illogical thought, since Krista had made her intentions known from the start, right when she kept pushing to befriend Ymir despite all of her cruelty and harshness.

However, it was no lie that Ymir caused Krista harm.

Ymir always brought trouble to Krista as well as hardships. Nack hadn't been lying when he said that. Ymir grit her teeth; she'd caused Krista harm, when all Krista did was brighten her day with a smile and bring hope to her dull existence. Her heart tightened painfully and depression pervaded her thoughts, weighing heavily upon her shoulders. She pushed the most wonderful girl away, when all she wanted to do was wrap her arms around her, murmur crude compliments in her ear, see that endearing blush cover her cheekbones before leaning in for a kiss.

No.

That was not allowed.

The rain became heavier, quicker, and Ymir let go of the fence pole to cross her arms. She walked out onto the street and stood in between both lanes. She dropped her bag from her shoulder and lowered her head, salt water mixing with the rain. The downpour was merciless, each drop chilling Ymir to the bone and replacing her warmth with a frigid numbness. She closed her eyes, ignoring the twin streams from her eyes and locked her jaw. Her hair, now wet, clung to her freckled cheek bones and stuck to the back of her neck uncomfortably.

Her hair was loose, untied, and it made her reach for her pocket, where the hair clip Krista gave her resided. At the last second, she shook her head and opened her eyes to look up at the grey sky. The rain pricked her eyes but she didn't care; it was nothing compared to the breaking of her heart.

Briefly, she heard the sound of an oncoming vehicle – a bus, from the sounds of it- but made no effort to move. Why should she? Maybe she should just end it here; she had nothing to lose anymore. Maybe she could even join Berik, wherever he ended up. This way, she'd finally be able to find out if heaven existed or not.

The bus was coming closer and the driver sounded the horn, but Ymir simply stuck her hands in her pockets, gripped Krista's hair clip and shut her eyes tightly. Right now, living didn't sound very appealing. She lost her hope twice, and she wasn't in the mood for the third time's charm.

The engine rumbled against the sound of the torrent and the headlights pierced the veil of frigid showers. The driver sounded his horn numerous times consecutively, his pattern erratic and urgent, but Ymir still didn't care. This was the end.

"Ymir!"

Krista leaned her cheek on the cool window. She sighed when she spotted the curtain of rain that she hoped to avoid. At least Petra would be able to provide her a roof over her head, until she could arrange something for herself. Well, she hoped so, anyway.

She jumped when the horn blared and glanced around her seat to see the driver muttering curses under his breath, body tense. His eyes were wide and he slammed his palm on the horn again. Krista frowned and looked ahead, past the foggy windshield, to see a figure standing smack-dab in the middle of the road. She gasped and shot up from her seat. She stumbled to the driver with her book bag in her hand.

"The brakes!" she reminded loudly. He jolted, glancing at her, then nodded, flooring the brakes as hard as he could and pulling the e-brake for good measure. The tires screeched against the asphalt, and Krista hoped the rain water wouldn't cause trouble for them. She gripped the top of the driver's seat with both hands until the bus came to a complete stop.

She released a shaky breath and opened the bus doors to run out. The rain was harsh and she mentally thanked Petra for the hoodie. She splashed against the wet puddles as she approached the figure, and once she recognized who it was, she gasped, eyes wide, and dropped her book bag.

"Ymir!"

The brunette snapped her eyes to her and looked ready to bolt, but faltered when Krista wrapped her arms around her waist tightly. The blonde buried her nose to Ymir's side and cried. Ymir stood awkwardly, arms out stiffly. She needed to get away, and fast. Being around Krista now was making her stomach curl in on itself and her heart clench.

"Krista, let go!" Ymir shouted over the rain.

Krista shook her head and tightened her grip. "No! If I let go now you'll slip between my fingers. Ymir, you almost died and–" her voice cracked as tears rushed forth, "don't leave me, please. I need you."

"Well, I don't need you so leave me alone!"

Ymir grit her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut. She was lying to herself, saying she didn't need Krista when she really did need her, like she needed the breath in her lungs. What was life worth without Krista by her side, cheering her on and encouraging her? What would she do without the little blonde giving her a reason to live, to laugh, and to love? It was almost impossible to imagine a life without her.

However, they couldn't be together, it was illogical and not practical. Krista would continue to get hurt on her behalf, and Ymir would not be able to help her. She couldn't stand to see the blonde suffer because of her, for her. It made her feel weak, like when Berik was killed. No, if Krista didn't love her the way she did, then there was no point in continuing their friendship. Berik was her brother, but she wanted Krista to be her lover. With the way Ymir had treated her, though, she was surprised the blonde continued to cling to her, almost as if– Ymir scratched the thought before she could finish it. No, impossible, absolutely not. You're stronger than this, Ymir, much stronger, she thought defiantly.

Krista ignored Ymir's harsh words and desperately wished she wouldn't leave. She clung to the hope that the tall girl wouldn't get annoyed and ditch her in the rain. She forgot about her identity, her getting disowned, her lack of a home; all that mattered right now was Ymir and their bond. If she didn't fix things now, they would end up irreparable, gone, and lost. No, she couldn't allow that to happen; Ymir was all she had left in this world. She once heard Mikasa mention something about the world being cruel and beautiful at the same time, and now she truly understood what the girl had been trying to say.

She held on to the hope and love bubbling in her chest and allowed them to dictate her actions. Maybe Ymir just didn't understand how much Krista needed her, how much she craved her attention and love; she needed to show her.

The blonde loosened her arms slowly and, before Ymir could think about it, pulled the taller girl by her shirt collar and pressed their lips together. Ymir's eyes widened in disbelief and she uttered a noise of protest. She tried to pull back but Krista wrapped her arms around her neck and deepened the kiss. Ymir exhaled through her nose and closed her eyes, relenting. Whatever defiance she held within her bosom melted at the feel of Krista's soft lips against her own. It was ecstasy; she could feel the pleasure course in her veins. I love you, Ymir thought firmly, I fucking love you. She leaned forward and cradled Krista's face in her palms. Their lips moved together on an uneven rhythm, and their teeth knocked together whenever they tried to take it a step further. It was clumsy, messy and sloppy, but it was the most amazing kiss they could have ever imagined sharing.

The rain slowed to a slight drizzle when they both separated. Their eyes were hooded and their breaths intermingled as they panted softly, lips barely brushing. Ymir gingerly swept Krista's hair from her face to the side and cupped her cheek. The blonde smiled brightly in return and pecked her lips softly. Ymir blinked then smiled genuinely, laughing lightly and hugging Krista to her body. She was still bent over the smaller girl's frame, allowing the blonde to nuzzle her face into her neck and plant a kiss against her pulse point. Ymir shivered and remembered their sodden clothes.

"Krista," she whispered into her ear.

"Yes, love?" Krista murmured. She bit her lip and nearly swooned when the endearment slipped out of her mouth; she couldn't help it! She felt euphoric, blissful; she really couldn't help but express her affection.

Ymir blushed slightly but coughed to regain her cool. "We're all wet. Mind if we go back to my place and get changed?"

Krista pulled back and smiled sweetly. "I'd love to."

Ymir smiled and took her small hand in her larger one. She picked up their bags and dragged Krista with her to the sidewalk. Together, they walked, pressed against one another, hand in hand, and the harsh rain finally receded to a dull memory.