𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗸 [𝗯. 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗱] ✔

Chapter 3

"What the fuck? How did you-" Jake stopped himself as he cried in utter disbelief. 

Turns out, Bob is a fucking starplayer at pool. He managed to hit almost every single ball, even doing some cool tricks in the process, absolutely destroying my brother. I let out a cheer, giving Bob a big high-five. 

"In your face, brother. You just got absolutely smashed" I laughed, now smiling at Bob who couldn't help but laugh as well. 

"That was impressive as hell, Bob" I said. 

"I can teach you some day, if you'd like?" he asked, looking a bit surprised at his own question, but none the less smiled. 

"Oh please do. I'd love to keep winning over Jake in the future" I grinned. 

"Alright alright, enough with the ganging up on me" Jake scoffed, but neither Bob or myself could stop the smiles, still evident on our faces. 

"Thank God, please save me from my evil twin sister" Jake suddenly spoke to someone behind us. 

I turned around to be met with a confused Coyote, as Jake instantly scooted closer to his best friend (Coyote is stuck with the both of us, and he ain't getting out of it again). 

Coyote just looked at my brother and then me before laughing. 

"I've told you since the day I met you guys that she's the evil twin" he joked, making me act offended. 

"How could you, Javy? I thought, we were friends" I fake cried, walking closer to him before I broke the act, giving my best friend a wide smile as he pulled me into a hug. 

"It's good to see you again, Supernova" he whispered into my hair before we eventually broke apart. 

I playfully rolled my eyes at him, "It's good to see you too, Coyote" I chuckled. 

"Oh God, she has you under her control as well" Jake fake gasped besides us, only making me punch his arm. 

"Ouch, see?! She's evil!" Jake glared at me. Coyote looked at the both of us, shaking his head like a disappointed father. 

"Kids" he whispered to himself, dragging my brother to the bar, leaving me alone again. 

I turned around to see Bob sitting back in his bar stool, the cup of peanuts back in his hands as well. I looked at him, only to find him already looking at me, flashing me a small smile. He really was the introvert type, but for some reason I found him so interesting. 

"I promise you, I'm not the evil twin" I joked, taking a seat in an empty bar stool next to him. 

"I can see that" he chuckled shyly, eating another peanut.

Why did my heart just skip a beat?

It didn't take long for Coyote and my brother to return from the bar with their drinks. And just about the minute the two of them came back, a new handful of pilots entered the bar. 

"Well well well, if it isn't Phoenix" my brother says in a cocky voice. I swear, he needs an ego check. 

I turn my attention towards Phoenix and the two pilots behind her. I didn't recognize them, but they looked nice from what I could see. 

"Hello Bagman" Phoenix says confidently, making the two guys behind her snicker. I, myself, have a smile on my face as well. I love Phoenix. 

"It's Hangman" my brother shot back, his eyes not leaving Nat. 

If I was an outsider, and Jake wasn't my brother and Phoenix wasn't my friend, I'd say, I could smell the sexual tension from miles away. But since I do know them, I quickly throw that thought away before I visually gag. 

"Whatever" she fires back. Seriously, I love her. She's such a badass.

"Hey Nat" I grin, as her eyes finally meet mine and she flashes me a bright smile. 

"Hey Nova, finally some female company" she says which I can only agree to. 

"Who are your friends?" I asked, pointing at the two pilots behind her that I still hadn't leant the names of. 

"I'm Payback and this is my WSO, Fanboy" one of them says, introducing themselves. 

"Nice to meet you guys, I'm Nova" I reply, both guys giving me a friendly smile.

Then Phoenix moves closer to my brother. "Fellas, this here is Bagman. You're looking at the only naval aviator on active duty with confirmed air to air craft" she explains, my brothers smirk only growing bigger, if that was even possible. 

"Aw stop, Natasha" Hangman says, full of cockiness. 

"Please don't feed his ego, Nat" I sigh, being the only one registering the small snicker coming from the shy pilot next to me. 

"Don't worry, Nova. The other guy was in a museum piece from the Korean War" Payback claps. 

"Cold War, actually" Coyote says, standing next to Jake. 

"Different war, same century" Payback fires back. 

The amount of testosterones in the room right now is insane...

"Not this one" Jake adds. 

Suddenly it's like all eyes fall to the cute pilot next to me as everyone seems to realize that Bob hasn't said a word, and no one seems to know him. Well, except me a Jake, I guess. Though we've met him about an hour ago. 

"Wait, who are you?" Fanboy asks to which Bob looks around. 

"Uh I'm Bob" he carefully answers, a lot more shy now than when we played pool together. 

"No, I mean your callsign" Fanboy continues. 

"Uh... Bob" he replies, making me giggle a bit. 

"Wait, are you my new back seater... from Lemoore?" Phoenix suddenly asks, making Bob nod and give her a small smile. 

So he was a WSO? That actually makes a lot of sense. Why was I kind of jealous at Nat right now?

"Yeah that's me" he said. 

A small talk broke out, but I mainly just focused on finishing my beer. A few other pilots had joined us in the meantime. Halo, Omaha, Fritz, Yale, Harvard were amongst those and the bar seemed even more crowded now that a shit ton of loud talking pilots had joined it. 

"Bradshaw, as I live a breathe" My brother scoffs. 

Of course we couldn't get this party (or mission) started, before the arrival of Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw. He was a fine pilot and a good friend, though my brother seemed to have some sort of weird rivalry with him, but I liked him. He was kind and not at all as cocky and arrogant as many of the other pilots I have met in my life. Much like Bob, actually. Expect Bob is way less arrogant and cocky. Maybe that's why I instantly felt like I needed to get to know him (Bob) better. 

Rooster and Hangman were already going at it with each other, though Bradley seemed to stay somewhat calm until he left. Seconds later the jukebox was turned off and we all followed Rooster who sat down at the piano. 

"What's going on?" Bob asked besides me. 

I turned around with a smile grabbing his hand, "Follow me, you don't wanna miss this gem" I explained and without any protest, Bob followed me through the crowd and towards the piano, his hand still in mine until the whole bar began dancing and singing. 

"You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain. Too much love drives a man insane. You broke my will, but what a thrill... Goodness gracious, great balls of fire!"  Every sang along to the familiar tune while Rooster shred the piano. Even Bob seemed to get a bit out of his introvert shell as he stood next to Coyote and me, singing along. 

The Hard Deck never fails to bring good times...