WE STILL EXIST

Chapter Twenty-Nine- *Sex On the Beach*

CODEN JAMES

The past month has been a roller coaster of emotions with the uprise in the family drama. The higher-ups are scrambling, Avery and his dad are just nowhere in general, and people are starting to question authority more so that the rumors have been aired out.

Noah and I haven't made any progress with out relationship. To be honest, I am scared shitless about it. We discussed some things back at the university and some over the course of the last few months, but there is just something so sweet about it.

I feel we can be what we are right now and call it a day, there is much more going on than we can imagine. We are in a rhythm of love if you want to call it that, a routine. I wake up, I am scolded by my father, I check over meetings, and greet my girlfriend. Girl, friend? Girl-friend? Whoever she is, I meet her, we walk up the hill to the waterfall, look at all of the progress made, talk to some people with construction, and go to the beach.

Our days are filled with work and play, sometimes we kiss, sometimes we fool around, and sometimes we just sit in each other's company. More days like this are to come when the project is complete. Beach days, working days in the sectors, and whatever work we need to complete.

"Hey." Noah walks into my room where Maddie leaves us be. She wanted some girl time before we went out today, she claims she hasn't been a good friend. I beg to differ, she's been under stress and has a lot on her plate.

"Hey, beautiful." I watch her face redden from the compliment and she turns away to hide her smile. "Look at me," I stand from my bed and walk over to her near the doorway.

She looks up through her lashes and I use my thumb to caress her chin. Her shining eyes are bright with curiosity as I leab down to her lips. My mouth attaches to hers and I melt under her touch, the soft warm lips mold to mine.

I pull away and she slightly pouts. Her eyes crinkle when I chuckle at her disappointment, "there will be much more of that later." Hr smile returns.

"Come, we have some stuff to do before we head to the beach." We walk hand in hand to the kitchen where Maddie and my mom are sitting at the table. "We are stopping by the sector c workshop, need anything over there?" None of them replied, "great."

Noah stigles a laugh as I pull her out of the house. "Why are we stopping there?" She takes an extra step to keep up with me. "I want to show you something."

The walk was quite quick and we made to the sector workshop in a few minutes. We say hello to some people, they ask how everything is going and Noah answers them. We get to the back of the workshop on the inside and I lean over to grab something from the shelf.

Last week, Noah has been struggling to come up with a way to make the filter water levels easier to read other than testing every couple of days to a week. I went to the university last week to check some stuff out at the library, there are specific metals and temperature gages that form an equation to imply the level correctly. You only have to do it twice a month, its simpler than anything.

"In one of my classes for elective work, we learned about environmental studies." I grab the objects and place them on a workbench, "there is this metal which turns colors with different levels of water." I grab the temperature gauge and connect a magnet to keep them together. "If you add water whether it be hot, cold, murky, clean, or already filtered water, you can use an equation to estimate the time and level the water is."

Noah walks closer to the table and picks the pieces up. Her eyes open wide at the sight in front of her wanting to just stare at it forever. My feet shuffle a bit nervous, I stiffen when she turns away from me.