Photograph ( Marina )

Chapter Thirty-One

"HELLO? MAYA?! OH MY GOD, SPEAK TO ME BUDDY!!!" It was nearly 6am in North Carolina when Vic's phone started ringing. At first, she had ignored it and rolled over into her pillow. But soon after realizing that it was in fact, Maya's designated ringtone, well, the brunette had found herself, head down ass up, on the floor while she scrambled to find her mobile device. When the lieutenant's raspy voice reached her ear, all sorts of questions racked her brain. One being, 'What the fuck are you doing calling me at 6am?', another more along the lines of 'How the fuck are you talking to me right now?'.

"Okay, the reason I called you instead of Andy was because I thought you could maybe keep your chill. Guess not, eh? I should learn never to overestimate you." The blonde-haired woman chuckled into the phone. By now she had made it to Washington and was waiting for her connecting flight. 

"Well fuck Mai, give yo girl some credit. The sun ain't even up yet! But, how da hell are you even talking to me right now, let alone from your phone?" Vic ran a hand through her dishevelled locks while picking herself up from the floor. She didn't even have classes that day, which meant the marine was stepping on her much-needed beauty sleep. However, just like in high school, there wasn't a thing that Vic wouldn't do for her best friend. Which also meant swallowing her pride and not yelling at the blue-eyed marine through the phone about just that.

"Well, don't bust a nut.. But, uh... I maybekindasortacominghome..." 

"Say that again?" The brunette felt her heart stop beating for a moment, had she heard her wrong? She could've sworn Maya just sa-

  "I'm coming home.. For the weekend." The older girl chuckled nervously as she paced around the waiting area by her gate. "And I need you to not tell Carina. I want to surpri-" The words weren't even out of her mouth before she had to pull the phone away from her ear due to Vic's persistent yelling.

"YOU'RE FUCKING WHAT!!!!!!! YOU DIRTY LITTLE WHORE, WHERE ARE YOU?! OH MY FUCK, CARINA'S GONNA BE SO HAPPY-"

"Okay, yeah but Vic I just said not to-"

"SHE'S BEEN SO MOPPY AND SAD ALL THE FUCKING TIME, SHE'LL FUCKING SHIT RAINBOWS WHEN SHE FINDS OUT YOU'RE," Vic paused for a moment once she had time to register what Maya had asked her. Oh right... Don't tell Carina. "coming home.. Okay, I'm not supposed to tell her. I got that, yeah. But, Mai, how do you expect me to keep that from the little ball of sadness when I could barely keep your ass in the closet during high school? I nearly dragged you out of there!"

"True. But like, this is a surprise. So, think of it as Carina's birthday gift. Which reminds me, I need you to pick something up for me at Spicer's Jewellery. Do you still have those pictures of us that I sent you?"

"Of course, I do!! What kind of captain would I be if I didn't save every precious Marina moment to my camera roll? Mai, it's like you have no faith!" The brunette straightened herself up the moment Maya mentioned surprise, Carina, and jewellery in the same sentence. Ouuuu, this is gonna be good.

"I do have faith, relax Vic. I know you ship us harder than we do. But, anyway, I need you to pick it up, make sure everything's okay with it. Hand the best picture over to them and they'll know what to do with it! Uh, then ask them to wrap it up. It's all payed for so you shouldn't owe them anything, if they charge you for wrapping then I'll just buy you a coffee. Which also reminds me, could you possibly pick me up in Jacksonville tonight or tomorrow morning?" Maya had finally taken a seat, now opting for twiddling her thumbs after she had put her earphones in to speak with Vic. Holding the phone was far too much work for her aching arms. God, she couldn't wait to get a proper shower. 

"Well, I can't tonight Mai. Car has that exam today and we promised to take her out to eat afterwards, because let's face it. She's gonna pass. So, what time tomorrow were you thinking? We've got a cake and shit ready for a small party at your guy's place for tomorrow around, uh six so we'd have to get you here at least before it's over. She's not working if that's your next question, we made her book the day off like you asked us too."