The Soldier's Girl

Rogers, Barnes and Smith

I hummed as I tied up my shoe laces on the kitchen table. I had just finished my chores for the day.

It had been three months since the best summer of my life. I had officially enrolled at college. A young millionaire payed my fees because he said something about me becoming a young miracle and he wanted the credit.

I didn't argue.
I was wearing a simple outfit consisting of black pants and a green shirt. I was meeting with Steve today as I had the day off. He told me about enlisting in the army again. He was so hell bent on getting in. I knew there was no chance of it happening but I supported him.

I helped him forge his entrance slip. It was illegal I knew that. But this was Steve we were talking about, my best friend. When he has his heart set on something you better believe he will do anything for it.

I was going to meet him after his enrolment. I tied my hair up in a ponytail before calling my mum a quick goodbye and heading out on the streets. A lot had changed in three months. Steve was enlisting in the army, I was at college for mathematics and science and Bucky was already in the army training.

I wrote to him nearly everyday. We had never been apart this long and I missed him more than anything. I sighed pushing my thoughts back making my way to the theatre where Steve told me he'd meet me. I was just about to get in front of the building when I heard two very familiar voices.

"Oh, you're from Paramus now? You know it's illegal to lie on the enlistment form. Did Ali help you? And seriously, Jersey? I thought she was smarter than that!"
I turned the corner to find my two best friends in a deep conversation gazing into each other's eyes.
"I am! A lot smarter than you by the sounds of it Barnes." I called making myself known.

The two heads whipped to me and a giant smile grew on Bucky's face. I rushed into his awaiting arms and sighed into his shoulder taking in his scent and his new uniform.
"Ali." He mumbled into my neck.
"I missed you Buck." I spoke softly before pulling away to study his face.
"I must say you look dashing in your new uniform." I joke.
"Why thank you ma'am. Ready to be of service." He spoke dramatically, saluting me.
I laughed and looked at Steve seeing his saddened expression.
"Just think how good you'll look in yours Rogers." I smiled making him gaze up to me in admiration.

"Thanks Ali. You get your orders?" Steve asked Bucky.
"The one-o-seventh. Sergeant James Barnes. Shipping out for England first thing tomorrow." Bucky smiled.
"Tomorrow? But you just got back?" I asked sadly.
"I know Al, but they gave me time to come back and pack up my things before heading off again. Hey, at least I got to see your beautiful face before leaving again." He joked making me roll my eyes.
"I should be going." Steve spoke sadly. I knew he had been rejected again and he didn't do so well with it.
"Come on, man. My last night! Gotta get you two cleaned up." Bucky smirked.
"Why?" I ask him.
"Where are we going?" Steve added.
"The future." Bucky spoke dramatically again, making Steve and I share a glance before rolling our eyes and following him.

Later on I stood in my bathroom glancing at my reflection in the mirror with my face scrunched up.
"Ali! Come on, we'll be late!" Bucky spoke through the door.
"You guys go on without me. I am not wearing this!" I frowned.
"Come on Ali, it can't be that bad."

Oh but it was. Bucky and Steve convinced me to wear a dress. I hated the things. I only ever wore them when I had to but Buck refused to be seen with me tonight without one on. It was simple. It had a nice floral print on it and the colours complimented my eyes. But it wasn't what I was used to. I didn't like being the centre of attention.
"Come on Ali let us see. For me?" With that from Bucky I sighed. I was being selfish, this was his night.

I slowly made my way to the door and opened it stepping out the bathroom. Bucky was leaning against the door and Steve was laying on my bed staring at the ceiling.
When they heard the door open and the soft click of my white kitten heels they turned to see me. Their mouths opened in shock. I don't think they've seen me in a dress since my dad's funeral fifteen years ago and even then they were too young to remember.

My hair was down and in soft curls and my mum even gave me a red lipstick to put on.
Taking in their open mouths I sighed.
"Is it that bad?" I asked cringing.
"What? No! Ali you look beautiful." Bucky gasped.

I gave him a glare.
"What I don't look pretty the rest of the time?"
"No! No! Ali, that's not what I meant!"
"I'm messing with you." I lightly laughed.
Bucky smiled cheekily at me and I turned to Steve who was now sat up and still staring at me.
"Steve? How do I look?" I say quietly.
"You look...breath taking." He said letting out a breath.

I could feel my cheeks burn and I looked to the ground. I never blush either. Bucky noticed and chuckled before placing a hand on the small of my back and pushing me towards the door.
"Let's go musketeers. The future awaits."

We walked up to the event and I listened to Bucky ramble on.
"I don't see what the problem is. You're about to be the last eligible man in New York. You know, there's three and a half million women here."
Unnoticeable to me at the time and to Bucky who was too busy rambling on, Steve's gaze lingered on me as he spoke. "Well, I'd settle for just one."
"Good thing I took care of that." Bucky spoke with a cheeky smile.
"What are you talking about?" I ask but before he can reply I hear a few girls shout Bucky.

Two of them stand there. One blonde the other brunette. They both look stunning. Their hair curled to perfection and their dresses don't have a crimp in them. They were slim and fairly tall. Everything I wasn't.

My gaze of anxiousness went unnoticed by the boys as they walked over to the girls. Bucky waving to the dates.
"What did you tell her about me?" Steve mumbled.
"Only the good stuff. You don't mind do you Ali?" Bucky looked over to me. I quickly changed my expression and smiled over to him.
"No not at all!" I said hiding the feeling in my stomach.

We walked with the girls who I had now learnt were called Connie and Bonnie. We continued our movement until we came across a stage where music started playing. We squeezed through the crowd and I stood next to Steve and Bonnie.
"Welcome to the Modern Marvels Paviliion and the World of Tomorrow. A greater world. A better world." The announcement spoke.
"Oh, my God! It's starting!" Connie squealed making me cringe at her high pitched voice.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Howard Stark!"

Howard Stark entered onto the stage and kisses the announcer, making me roll my eyes and look away. I was going to be physically sick at all the romance looming over this place.

"Ladies and gentlemen, what if I told you that in just a few short years, your automobile won't even have to touch the ground at all." He spoke loudly into his microphone. His eyes wandered the crowd as the female helpers take the wheels of the car on stage. I could have sworn the eyes of the millionaire on stage lingered on me and tried to catch my gaze but I ignored it.

"Yes. Thanks, Mandy. With Stark robotic reversion technology, you'll be able to do just that." He turns on the switch of his machine and the car starts to hover off the ground. I have to admit I am impressed at the physics but I have seen similar projects like this at my college. I hadn't thought about mine yet. I needed to do that actually...

"Holy cow." Bucky yells pulling me out of my head.
The robots making the car hover suddenly malfunction and the car falls back on stage. I cringe a little and work out in my head he needed a bigger surge of elemental electricity to manage to lift the car off the ground, at the sustainable weight it needed. I pushed those thoughts aside however, Howard Stark didn't need input from a freshman college student.

"I did say a few years, didn't I?" He smiled.
Everyone laughs and claps apart from myself. He meets my gaze in the crowd again and winks at me, to which I suppress a gag and roll my eyes for what seemed like the hundredth time tonight.
As I've said before, I hated being the centre of attention. I turn to ask Steve if he wanted to get out of here but I notice he is already gone. I nudge Bucky and he notices too.
"Where do you think he's gone?" Bucky asked me.
I gaze around until I find an enlistment centre. I sigh deeply.
"Your not going to like what I say." Bucky sighs along with me and we head over there the girls in toe.