6.

Levi got back to his dorm and closed the door behind him. Farlan was still passed out on the bed snoring. Sometimes he thought Farlan and his insomnia worked as a team to keep him awake, the amount of noise the blonde would make while unconscious. Levi sighed and stripped down to his boxer shorts before sliding under the cool covers. It was a surprise to see Harlow tonight, but the surprise was not... unwelcome. He came to that spot a lot when he thought there was no chance of sleeping. The waterfall made a nice white noise and the spot he was laying in had a clearing in the trees so he could watch the stars. It's one of the only good things about this place. The stars were clearer just like Harlow said.

Still while the company was appreciated and the conversation pleasant, Levi couldn't help but be even more confused about his feelings towards the blue-haired brat. What even were they? Acquaintances? Classmates? Friends? Levi scrunched up his face in disgust. The word 'friends' just sounded so wrong when talking about the brat. So, what were they? Levi couldn't deny that he cared for her. He had been worrying about how she was doing ever since he left her in her dorm room, especially after his conversation with Izzy. He had to refrain from texting the redhead for an update on the brat's condition. Really that was probably what made his insomnia so bad tonight, not just Farlan's snoring. He was concerned.

What's more Levi saw a difference in her tonight. She was more of what Levi could only describe as... herself. She wasn't holding back; she wasn't shy or reclused. She was confident and bold. Levi had only seen her true self slip out a few times over the past few weeks but tonight she didn't hold back. He wondered why? Not that he was complaining, the brat was actually really interesting and funny. She had made Levi laugh, which was insanely rare. They had a few common interests as well which Levi found himself liking way too much. It was nice to talk about home again with someone who missed it as much as he did. For some reason Izzy and Farlan really liked it here so he could never talk about it with them.

Levi let out a breath of relaxation, getting more comfortable in the bed. His eye lids felt heavy and his brain was misty with sleep. This was rare so early in the night. He knew it was only because of his midnight meeting with the brat. She temporarily put his mind at ease, while also leaving him while hundreds of unanswered questions. Including what the big secret with her brother was. He had seen the panic on her face when she mentioned him by accident. The hurt in her eyes sent a sharp pain through the raven and all he wanted in the moment was for that hurt to be gone. So, while of course he wanted to know more, he pushed back his own curiously for her. Odd. Levi was never the type to do that. This brat really was having mysterious effects on him. Well, he was too tired to think about it now. Levi closed his eyes and welcomed sleep with open arms.


"LEVI! LEVI RUN! DON'T LOOK BACK!"

Levi woke up with a start, his breathing wild and his eyes wide. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself back down. He'd had the nightmare again. And just like it always did, it left him with an overwhelming sense of dread and fear.

Levi swallowed dryly and wiped the sweat off his forehead before sitting up and finally noticing the person on the end of his bed. Izzy was there, staring at him with a confused expression and a cocked head before she made an 'o' face and nodded to herself in realisation. Levi rolled his eyes at her and glugged down a glass of water. His throat felt so dry.

"You had the dream, again didn't you?" Izzy asked quietly since Farlan was still asleep. Levi glared at her, raking a hand through his hair and desperately trying to slow his heartbeat.

"No." Levi lied. Izzy sighed in frustration. She was the only one who knew about his dreams since he had accidently told her one night when he got wasted at a party, they had dragged him too. Being shitfaced was the only way he could handle being round such a bunch of assholes. He was pretty sure he broke someone's nose that night, but the memory was a little fuzzy. Still, he hadn't talked about them with her since, no matter how much she begged him.

"Levi, you need to talk about these things. Keeping them bottled up does you no good." Izzy whispered harshly. Levi rolled his eyes as Izzy threw a t-shirt at his face. "And put that on, I have no interest in seeing those." Izzy gestured to Levi's abs and looked away. Levi smirked and shook his head, shrugging the t-shirt over it and glad for the change in topic.

"Well you wouldn't have to if you didn't sneak in here every other night, creepy little shit. What do you just watch us sleep? You know you could get expelled if your seen around the boys' dorms." Levi replied nonchalantly. Izzy smirked.

"You know as well as I do, they will never catch me." Isabel said proudly. Levi sighed; the annoying shit was right. She was weirdly stealthy for such a clumsy person.

"I know, that's what pisses me off." Levi mumbled to himself. Izzy chuckled as Farlan sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"Hey, Iz. What are you doing here, it's a Saturday? You normally lay in on a Saturday." Farlan yawned. Levi looked for an answer too.

"Well, I thought you would both want to know how Harlow was doing but maybe I was wrong. Alright I'll see you later." Izzy shrugged and stood up, turning towards the door. Both Levi and Farlan reacted at the same time, bolting forwards and catching both of Izzy's wrists.

"Don't leave! Tell us!" Farlan begged, clearly, he had just remembered the day before now that he was out of his sleepy state. Izzy nodded, prying of the hands on her wrists and sitting back on the end of Levi's bed. "So, how is she?" Farlan encouraged. Izzy smiled sadly.

"She's as good as anyone could be after something like that. She stopped crying after I found her in the dorm. She didn't want to talk about it, I don't blame her really. We watched movies all day and she calmed down a bit. She's strong, she'll be fine." Izzy finished and Levi let out a silent breath of relief although he didn't like knowing how upset the brat was when he left her in the dorm. Maybe he shouldn't have left her alone. Maybe he should have waited with her until Izzy came up. Levi heard his name being called and he looked up to find both his friends looking at him with curious faces.

"Levi, we called your name like 10 times. You alright?" Farlan asked, concerned. He didn't even realise he'd spaced. Levi nodded. "Okay..." Farlan replied, unconvinced.

"Well, anyway, I wanted to say sorry to you, about yesterday." Izzy turned to Levi with a guilty expression. Levi raised an eyebrow at her.

"What for?"

"For being so snappy and rude. It wasn't your fault and yet I projected all my anger on you. So, I'm sorry." Izzy finished quietly, looking at her hands. Levi's eyes softened, he hated seeing his friend so deflated. She always got this way when she felt bad. Levi leant forward and ruffled her hair like he always did when they were younger. Izzy had always been a little sister to him.

"Don't worry about it, red. You have nothing to apologise for anyway." Levi replied sincerely. Izzy looked up at him with her green eyes and smiled.

"Thanks." She said before turning to Farlan. "So did campus security detain the bastards?" Izzy asked, the fire back in her eyes. Farlan smiled.

"Yep. I showed them where they were, and I watched them get dragged away. Fucking satisfying I'll tell you that. Not as satisfying as beating them to a pulp though." Farlan smirked and Levi and he couldn't help but smirk back. It had been a while since he had been in a fight with Farlan. It brought back some fond memories of the good old days.

"Ugh, I can't believe I missed a chance to drive my fist into Bryce's stupid face because I was too busy doing fucking Freud." Izzy sighed dramatically, leaning back on the wall. Farlan laughed and Levi gave a silent chuckle. Their friend was always terrible at fighting but the most determined by far. However, they did always used to save her a few hits once the opponent wasn't a threat anymore. She did pack a mean right hook she was just terrible at coordinating herself.

"Sorry Iz. Next time yeah?" Farlan laughed. Izzy laughed with him but then her expression became serious.

"Hopefully there will be no next time. Bryce needs to be locked up, you saved Harlow but who knows how many girls he's tormented." Izzy said sadly. Levi and Farlan nodded.

"It'll be alright. They can't ignore what Bryce did. Even if the truth doesn't come out about those other girls, they can't ignore what happened with Harlow. Attempted rape still offers considerable jail time." Farlan comforted logically. Izzy sighed but nodded in satisfaction anyway. Farlan was right, they can't ignore the facts. But even if they did Levi knew one thing for certain. That mother fucker was not going to lay a finger on Harlow again. He'd make sure of it.