"Oh, God!I'm so sorry!"she cries out."I'll let you go.Don't worry about it.I'll figure it out somehow."
"No.You've already got me on the phone.So what's your question?"
"It's not that easy…"
"Try me."
"All of it?"
Baffled, I pull the phone away from my ear and just stare at it.There's no way I heard her correctly.
"What?All of what?All of Chemistry?You want me to teach you all of Chemistry right now?What the hell were you doing in class?What about the tutors?Something?Anything?What the hell, Lila?"
"Don't be mad," she cries out."I tried.I really tried.But this professor is like a traveling adjunct or something?Nothing he talked about was in the books.He'd go off on these weird tangents about bats in the belfry, napalm, and oh, you'll love this.He had a whole discussion on how breasts are made up of fat."
I blink, doing my best to digest her words.I mean… he's not wrong.But… "What the hell does that have to do with Organic Chemistry?"
"I don't know!"The wail in her voice nearly vibrates the phone."I've tried the tutors, but it's like they're speaking Greek to me.I just don't get it."
"Latin or German more likely."I half wince as I await her response.
"Not funny, Nate."
Chuckling, I shake my head."I thought it was humorous.What are you working on right now?What made you call me?"
"Can I switch to video?"
"Not unless you want to see a whole lot of me you'd rather keep out of your mind."
The line goes silent as she seems to puzzle through my words."You're naked?Why are you talking to me naked?That's weird."
"Well, you did call me while I was trying to soak."
"Who the fuck soaks at like…" she goes silent again, presumably so she can count the hours between us."One-thirty in the morning?"
"Someone who's worked all damn day keeping people safe and just wanted a moment to relax."It comes out gruffer than I anticipate, but honestly, I'm so tired and weary I can't seem to control my vocal tone.
"Sorry.I'll just send you a picture."
"That would probably be for the best."
Putting the phone on speaker, I step out of the tepid water and wrap myself in a towel.Even with the small soak, my muscles still scream at me.Soon I'll be able to take a break.Soon I'll have a moment to just breathe.
Once I'm in bed, I scroll through what she sends me and smile.Thankfully, it's just basic Chemistry.Just how I remembered it.Nothing new.Nothing fancy.Nothing that really calls for an emergency.For me, at least.
With a soft sigh, I settle in as I do my best to sum up an entire semester in small, easily digestible bites for her to understand.At least an hour goes by before my eyelids droop down and I start to nod off at the melodious sound of her voice.Now that it's not laced with panic, it's actually quite soothing.
"Nate?"Her voice is soft and tentative."Are you still there?"
"Yes, Lila," I grumble, my voice thick with sleep."Still here."
"You were snoring."
"Was not," I tease as my mouth stretches wide in a grin.
"Was too," she counters."Could we possibly pick this up again tomorrow?"
"That would probably be for the best.Night, Little Lily."
