Project: High School

Chapter 2 - "CAN YOU BELIEVE THE ADAUCITY OF SOME PEOPLE!?!"

The blonde speaks up, his voice cracking. "I'll tell you. I was the one who heard everything they said," He pauses for a moment and gulps. "As long as we don't get punished."

Maze looks at him, her steady gaze meeting his determined one, seeing the fear that he feels but also seeing his dedication to his friend. A small, weak smile makes an appearance on her face. "I was never going to punish you."

Both of the men start at this, their eyes filled with disbelief. "W-what? You weren't?"

"I don't believe in punishing the recruits in my platoon. Never have, probably never will."

Parker looks up at her answer, surprise written on his face. He opens his mouth to make a comment, but stops short when he sees her expression. An expression of sadness and a little fear. He leans back farther into the chair he's sitting in and continues watching.

"Okay..." Blondie takes a deep, shaky breath. "They were talking about how no one knows who your father is, and that they thought that she had just slept her way into her rank."

Maze interrupts him, abruptly shooting to her feet and begins pacing. There's a moment of quiet as everyone watches her pace before she glances up. "Continue."

"U-um." He clears his throat and continues. "They also said that she died because she wasn't careful with keeping all her 'lovers' in the dark about the other men she was seeing."

Maze snorts, shaking her head, with a terrifyingly calm expression on her face. Blondie freezes in place when he sees her expression, his mouth open, his voice no longer working. His buddy notices, and, rolling his eyes, continues the narrative.

"Then they said that the story of the things you went through seven years ago," He stops to take a breath, watching her face carefully. "Was just that. A story. Something that you made up so that you wouldn't have to admit to being stuck in a home filled with your mothers angry 'lovers' for a year."

Parker jumps to his feet. "That's all we needed to know, soldier. You two are free for the rest of the day."

He makes his way over to Maze, places his hands on her shoulders and begins to guide her toward the door.

"Wait." Maze's voice cracks a little as she turns to look at the two men on the couch. She points at Blondie. "Your nickname is Snapper."

She shifts her hand so that she's pointing at Snappers buddy. "And your nickname will be Brownie."

Parker turns her back toward the door and pushes her forward. Snapper and Brownie look at each other for a second and then Brownie grumbles. "Damn it. Now I want brownies. Gee thanks, Sir."

Once outside, Parker turns Maze around and crouches down so that he can look her dead in the eyes. They stay like that for a moment before Maze speaks up. "To the ring?"

"Sigh, I wish we could but," He stands up and runs a hand though his hair. "I came all the way out here cause I needed to bring you into the office."

Mazes head snaps up, her eyes widening as his words race though her head. "You kidding."

Parker looks away from Maze, his hand running across his face. "I really wish that I could tell you that I was, Katy."

The girls eyes widen with shock, "Shit. What did I do?"

Parker realizes that calling her by her first name was a mistake and that she was starting to panic. "Whoa, whoa, whoa." He holds up his hands, effectively grabbing her attention. "Take a deep breath and don't panic. I didn't mean to alarm you, I just find your nickname a mouth-full."

"How is it a mouth-full? It's literally one word that people use to describe me. It's not like the nickname you've been given."

Parkers expression changes to one of surprise. "I have a nickname?"

Katy grins, a teasing look filling her eyes. "Parker that damned asshole the fifteenth."

Parker turns away with a huff and starts walking toward the office. "Why me?" He grumbles under his breath.

"Or," Katy begins to follow him, her steps full of spring. "PDA15 for short."

"What kind of nickname is that?"

"Yours."

This playful bantering continued as the pair made their way toward the office that Katy seemed to dread.

--Later that Evening--

The only noises in the quiet office are the keys on the keyboard clacking. The chair creaks as the elderly man leans back in his chair, letting out a sigh. "What should I do, Tyler?"

The silence is interrupted by the adrupt slamming open of the door.

"CAN YOU BELIEVE THE AUDACITY OF SOME PEOPLE!?!"

The man looks up to the ceiling muttering under his breath. "Dear lord, here we go."

"All I did was get lectured by the damn men of the office about how I need to keep a closer eye on my recruits," Her tone changes to one of mocking. "You should make sure they don't act up in the mess, do you have any idea how hard it is to protect the General's reputation with you running around? "

She storms in a circle before plopping into one of the chairs in front of the man's desk. He shifts to look her in the eye and opens his mouth to say something, but his voice dies in his thoat as she continues.

"I'm over here going, Oh, I'm sorry that I can't keep a closer eye on my recruits when their in the mess 'cause it's your rule that says that, and I quote, The Instructors, Drill Sergeants, and other Enlisted members must eat in their dedicated Mess Hall, unquote . And yet they declare that I don't keep a close enough eye on my men!"

Katy stops, panting, as she picks up the name tile off his desk and fiddles with it. There is a minute or two of quiet as she waits for the man to respond.

The man sits back, looking at her and starts to laugh. It starts out as a light chuckle, but it quickly turns into a deep, rolling belly laugh.

"Good Lord, you are every bit my granddaughter."