Forever and Always

Chapter 36 - Surfing and Schoolwork

"Baby, I'm getting up now," Levi murmured into the phone, the sound of his voice instantly washing me through with consciousness.

"Good morning," I croaked, my voice hoarse with sleep. I checked the clock. Five thirty. I had time to get in about an hour of surfing with Mikasa before I had school.

"Morning, Love. Ya know, you still talk in your sleep."

"What the fuck? I do?"

"Oh yeah. It's fucking adorable."

"Why have you never brought this up before? How long have you known about this?"

"Since Asheville," he murmured. I could tell by the sound of his voice that he hadn't slept at all.

"Jesus, what do I say?"

"All sorts of things. You have very vivid dreams."

"Jeez. I hope it isn't anything embarrassing."

"No comment," Levi snorted.

"Fuck you!" I snapped, sitting up in bed.

"Alright, Baby. I have to run to class, and I don't even know where it is, so I have to run to the Admin building first. I'll keep in touch, but I gotta let you go."

"Okay," I sniffed, not wanting to let him leave me alone. 

"I wish I could see your face."

"Maybe if you stopped buying Android, we could actually face time," I snickered.

"Apple is overrated, Babe. People just get Apple products for the image attached to it. You wanna feel cool."

"That was a personal attack."

"Maybe it was, but you're already cool. You don't need an iPhone to tell you how cool you are."

"Well maybe if you got Snapchat, you wouldn't have to get an Apple. I actually am kinda sick of Apple. Steve Jobs can go choke on-"

"Okay, Love. That's enough. We'll see. I might just make one, so I can see your face every day. Texting selfies back and forth sounds weird. I'm not super into that idea, but I'd love to video call with you."

"Whatever. I hope you make one. I miss you."

"I miss you too, Babe. Alright. I really gotta go. Have fun surfing. Text pictures. Bye, Love."

"Bye," I murmured, hitting the end call button. We had been on the phone for nine hours. I sighed, already missing his presence. We didn't even have to be talking, but just knowing he was there on the other line did something to me. I felt safe. I felt happy. I rolled out of bed, looking through my drawers for my wet suit. I finally found it, taking in the familiar heavy black fabric and the bright orange piping. I stripped down to my boxers and slid on a pair of swim trunks, stepping into my tight wet suit, zipping it up with a sigh as I pulled my phone out again and texted Mikasa. It was hot from being on all night, warming my cold hands.

Hey where are you? You about ready?

Mikasa responded before the minute was up. Yeah. I'm picking up Sasha. Be right back.

Cool.

I grabbed a change of clothes and shoved them into my backpack, checking to make sure I had all of my make up work for the last week of my absence. My mother had made the excuse for me that I was going to my grandfather's funeral in Canada. My Canadian grandpa had died more than four years ago, but it wasn't like my school knew any better. It wasn't like she could just say that I was visiting my daughter in Colorado for her third birthday. I had an undying gratitude for Carla Jaeger.