Survival of the Unfit

Chapter 8

Levi

Three Weeks Earlier…

“Yeah, yeah, hi,” I said pinching the bridge of my nose, shaking my head around. “How, uh, how are you?”

She giggled on the other end. “I’m good. How’s high school, you big bad senior?”

I laughed as well and swung my legs over the side of the bed. “Shut up, you know it’s terrible.”

“I know, just teasing. College isn’t much better.” There was a pause, and then we both laughed. “Oh god, who am I kidding. College is bliss.” I lay back down and shut my eyes, rubbing them and happily letting her continue to speak. “You can skip class if you want. There are endless food options that don’t taste like spam. You can wear what you want, you can dye your hair what you want. Go where you want…” she drifted off. “Levi?”

I opened my eyes and shot up, running a nervous hand through my hair to get it off my forehead. “Yeah?”

She laughed infectiously again. “Were you asleep by eleven for once?”

I considered lying, but quietly responded, “Yeah.”

“Well get a shirt on. I wanna talk to you.”

“Shirt on, how do you—“ A rock hit my window and I jumped, turning around and seeing Casey on my lawn in sweatpants and a t-shirt, red hair pulled up in a messy bun with little wisps falling out. I couldn’t help smiling. “I see.”

“Hurry up! Have you been working out, by the way? You just look…damn, never mind. We’ll talk when you get your lazy ass out here.” She hung up before I could respond.

I got up and dug through my laundry for a half-decent shirt to throw on, grabbing clean sweatpants off of a neat stack. I tried to fix my hair on the way out of my room, but it was hopeless. No, I should go back and do something to calm it down. No! She’s waiting. Maybe she can’t stay more than five minutes. God, but you’re going to go out looking trashed?

I clenched and unclenched my hands out of nervousness. I had no idea and no forewarning she’d be here and I still hadn’t talked to her in three months, until two minutes ago. This ain’t no flashback, kiddos.

Tons of questions flooded my mind, and there was this underlying sensation I was definitely going to screw something up. Why was she even back in the first place? College had started for her more than a month ago. A trip back here is more than two hours from where she was. What was our conversation, even? If I had been more conscious I knew I would’ve screwed it up somehow. I was going to screw up. It was inevitable.

With a deep breath I walked out the front door, shutting it softly behind me and heading toward Casey on my front lawn, iPhone in hand and that shy smile of hers. It started to grow as I got nearer, and she attacked me for a hug. I laughed a little and stumbled backwards, gladly putting my arms around her.

Neither of us said anything for a minute. Just hugged conservatively, and it felt okay at first. But…damn, I was confused. I hadn’t talked to her in three months. I thought our relationship was done, even though neither of us specifically said, “I’m breaking up with you”. And now she’s back for no reason and we’re…I don’t know. There was one thing I knew for certain, and it was that I missed her.

“I’m sorry to show up out of blue like this,” she mumbled, face still buried in my shoulder. She sighed and relaxed more.

“That’s…that’s okay,” I said, hesitant. “What are you doing here?”

“I can’t stay long,” she said, pulling away and keeping her arms around my neck, downcast. My spirits sunk as well. “But I thought I’d come and see you.” Her pretty brown eyes looked up.