Fly High and Go Far

Chapter Three: Dogfights and Favoritism

  Sammy found herself walking into a hangar with Phoenix and Bob right at 7:45am and fistbumped her friend with a big smile before shaking Bob's hand.

"Look at what we have here," Sammy laughed. Phoenix rolled her eyes, sighing sarcastically.

"It's too early for this kind of energy level," she replied. Sammy looked over at Bob and smiled.

"Morning, Bob."

He smiled back and nodded, "Morning, Echo."

"What time did you guys leave the bar last night," Sammy asked, walking up to the rows of empty desks and chairs, picking one close to the front without being in the front row. 

"Oh I left right after you did. 'Bout twenty minutes after?" Phoenix replied looking over at Bob, taking a seat across the aisle from where Sammy found her seat. "We just had to make sure Rooster got in his rendition of "Great Balls of Fire" before we left."

"Hey kids, what seat did you guys save for me?" Hangman asked, disrupting the conversation, walking in with his swagger in full effect.

"If we had the option, you wouldn't have a seat," Sammy piped up. Hangman walked over to her desk and leaned on it, getting close to her face.

"You are lucky you're pretty. Otherwise, I'd have some choice words with you," he whispered. Sammy scoffed.

"Right, because that's what really matters," Sammy spat. "Go sit in the front like the teacher's pet you are." Hangman stood up, sporting a shit-eating grin, and walked towards the front desk, making eye contact with Rooster as he walked up to Sammy's row of seats to say good morning to his friend.

"Move it, Seresin," Rooster muttered, before looking at Sammy, pointing to the seat in front of her. "This seat taken?" Sammy shook her head and gestured to the seat.

"Be my guest, Bradshaw. Be my guest." Sammy replied. Rooster took his seat in front of her and sat sideways to talk to Sammy.

"You left last night before the party started," he whispered. Sammy smiled a bit and looked down at her desk.

"What? You playing Great Balls of Fire on the piano?" She chuckled, looking back up at a bashful Rooster. "You know I would have stayed if I could," she replied, assuring her friend that her departure wasn't because of him.  Rooster smiled and nodded.

"I know. Maybe next time you can stay. Like this Friday? Or whenever we all get free time again?" Rooster became increasingly quiet with every syllable, causing Sammy to bite her bottom lip, stifling what was going to be a laugh and a smile.

"We'll see about this Friday," Sam replied, just as quiet as Rooster was.

Without a split second pause, Rooster smiled brightly, turning around in his seat right when two Admirals walked in, calling them all to attention. Sammy stood right up with everyone else, staring straight, feet at a forty-five degree angle, and hands in soft fists with the thumb and index finger crease resting on the seam of the flight suit she wore.

"You all may be seated," Rear Admiral Bates' voice boomed throughout the hangar. Sammy, like the rest of them there, took their seats and waited for further instruction. Rear Admiral Bates, callsign Warlock, began talking about the mission as Sammy's mind started to wander before introducing their instructor.

"-- Call sign; Maverick."

Everyone turned around, but not Sammy, hearing the call sign that she heard all her life. Rooster made eye contact with her as he turned around. She smiled at him and then turned around after seeing her Uncle Pete walking down the aisle with the F/A-18 guidebook in his hand. They all watched him go up to the podium where he began to talk about everything he could to try to impress the Admirals, who were oh so very keen on watching his every move, waiting for a slip up to send him packing.