Waiting for Never - Post Malone

Run

"I would float down from the surface of the water to the ocean floor, but I would never get wet." She can feel Austin slide his hands around her waist and pull her up to her feet and then pull her back, flush to his chest.

"The sand on the ocean floor was always so soft and felt like powder between my fingers." Austin attaches her body to his via a harness and pulls tight, she can hear the clasps click as he snaps them into place.

"While lying on my back I can see all the way back to the surface of the water. There is always a turtle with her baby that swims overhead and once I even saw a swordfish" He removes the hairband from around her wrist and pulls her hair back into a tight bun then slides her helmet on and clicks it into place.

"The light from the sun will filter through the water and the little silverfish will shimmer and shine as the light reflects off them, like little stars under the sea." Austin puts his hands on her waist and moves them forward a few paces then stops. He pulls her goggles over her eyes and she can feel him checking the harness that is attaching them. Then she hears the door slide open and suddenly there's a rush of wind.

Austin pulls her even tighter into his chest. She can feel his lips on her ear. "You have nothing to be afraid of. I have you. I will always have you. Open your eyes, lil mama," he says. Marli counts to five and opens her eyes slowly, her breath is knocked out of her. There is so much wind and they are so high up, she just doesn't have the words to express how she is feeling. She feels like she is on top of the world, she can see Zion National Park far below her. Then the adrenaline starts to kick in - she feels limitless like she could jump. Austin grabs hold of her hand and squeezes, she nods and they jump.

The wind is whipping past her ears so much that she can hear nothing but a hollow shooshing sound. They are going so fast and when she looks down she can see the ground rushing up to them. It's a weird feeling. Austin grabs each of her hands and stretches them out like wings, she feels like she is flying. It's amazing and she catches sight of Jonas on her left he gives her a thumbs up, and she returns it and looks back down. She should be scared but with Austin strapped to her back like this, she could free fall for the rest of her life and not care.

The insanity of her thoughts starts a rumble of laughter to escape her and when Austin hears it he laughs too. Just before they get a little too close to the ground Austin wraps his arms and legs around Marli and then yanks the parachute cable. The force of the parachute being freed jerks them back, pulling them up and for a few seconds, everything feels like it's out of control.

Then everything stops.

Silence.

The wind in her ears stops whipping and they are no longer falling but gliding softly and gently. Austin taps her shoulder and when she turns her head to look up at him, he is smiling at her then he gently kisses the tip of her nose.

Being in love with Austin Post is like skydiving and Marli wonders when or if she will ever land on solid ground again.

~

They part ways after their jump, the skanks fake pouting and blowing Austin kisses as they get into the car he has hired for them to start their four-hour car ride back to Salt Lake City. Marli, Jonas, and Austin take Austin's plane down to LA. Austin has a meeting on Monday with his record label and so he wants to spend the weekend catching up with friends. Jonas looks skeptical, but shrugs. Once in LA Marli does not see Austin till Monday morning. He shows up to the meeting hungover but claims he has a cold starting. Jonas looks pissed off, but he plasters a smile on his face and suggests the company listen to the 25 songs that Austin had written and recorded. The cords of the first song knock around the board room and Marli is mesmerized, she along with the rest of the world is in love with Austin's voice. He sounds amazing. She does not know much about music, never grew up in the music world, and can't play an instrument or hold a note, but she loves Austin's music. The record label loves all the songs too, they are all looking at Austin like he has opened the sky above him and money will be raining down on them any time now.

They talk of other music stuff, finishing off the album, photoshoots, promotional appearances, and finally a tour depending on the album sales Austin is looking at either an American or world tour. The next year will be very busy. So busy that it is suggested they move back to LA for now. Once the tour is done and Austin takes a break they can live in Utah again. Austin nods and Marli has a weird swirling start in her stomach. Not much different from how it is now really. They have been spending more time in LA again lately than in Utah, but there was some comfort in the idea that whenever they were in LA, Utah would only be a few nights away. Now? Well, Utah almost feels like a fever dream, a little make-believe place she has made in her head when she wants to get away from the world.

~

Marli is woken early the next morning by a soft rap on her bedroom door. It's the pilot of Austin's plane. "Morning miss. Austin asked me to take you back to Utah, said you needed to pack and collect your dogs," he says. Marli smiles at the small man, she has always liked him. His name is Hank and he has always been nice to Marli. "I will be ready in ten minutes, thank you, Hank," she says.

Driving up the driveway to the Utah house hurts Marli's chest. This is home and she feels sad knowing that it will be a few months before she gets to live here again. The idea of keeping her dogs with her helps to ease the pain a little.

Her dogs.

She makes quick work of packing up her clothing and then Austin's. He has so much that she is not sure what to take so it turns into a guessing game. She knows he won't need any of this stuff. He gets new clothing nearly every day depending on what endorsements he is working with. When she is packed up she heads for the car. Colt, Otis, and Willadeene are already in the back seat. She takes the front passenger seat as she can't fit in the back with those three babies.