The Altruistic Pilot: A Jake Seresin TopGun fan fiction

Chapter 4

"Alright, I've given you enough time. You want to tell me who that man was at the bar the other night?"

It's noon on Monday, which means I usually get to the bar early to help Penny deep clean for the week. Currently her and I are out on the back deck sweeping off the sand. A pointless effort if you ask me, since it'll all be back by nightfall.

With the sun beating down on us, and the bar not opening for a few more hours, Penny and I are dressed similarly in a pair of old shorts and some bleach stained "The Hard Deck" t-shirts. Somehow, despite all the sea breeze, her hair falls perfectly down her back. Man I wish I knew how she kept it perfect all the time. Meanwhile, mine was once a nice French braid, but it has now been whipped around so many times that it's hardly recognizable.

 
"Surprised you didn't ask sooner," she jokes. There's no hiding the smile that crosses her face at the mention of the mystery man.

"Look at you! Your face is getting all red! Oh please tell me who this man is, I have to know!" I shout at her. Penny isn't one to date around. Come to think of it, in the few years I've know her, I don't think she's been on a single date. Her life consists of the bar and Amelia, her daughter.

She laughs nervously at my excitement.

"He's just a old friend," she says.

"He definitely looked like more than an old friend to me. Come on give me some details!" I sweep the small pile of sand I've formed off the deck, only for a breeze to come and throw half of it back onto the old wood. I groan.

"I'll admit, we briefly saw each other for a while, but that feels like centuries ago now."

"So what's he doing back here after all this time?"

"I'm not real sure, he has a nasty habit of pissing people off and getting sent places as punishment. My guess is that's exactly what happened that landed him back here."

"So is there anything there between y'all? Because you guys were definitely flirting last night." I joke. She stops sweeping to give me that stern mom look that only makes me laugh. "I'm serious. Plus it's totally obvious he's into you. What's his name?"

"Pete," she answers without hesitation. "Like I told him last night though. Nothing can ever happen between us anyway."

"And why is that?"

"Because things always end the same with us. We meet back up, get caught up in each other, have one very good night," that last part she mutters quietly," and then he gets shipped off somewhere else. So it'll just never happen."

"Well, never say never!" I shout back. She gives a fake groan and motions for me to continue sweeping. I can't help but laugh at her discomfort.

________

Penny and I managed to finish after a few hours. I had gone home for my break to shower and get cleaned up before the bar opened later. After getting into some clean clothes, I grab a towel and start wringing my wet hair into it. My phone dings from the counter and I notice it's Nat.

Nat:
First day is going good. We just broke for lunch. Our instructor is intense. I'll tell you more later

Me:
Good, y'all be safe.

Well, at least everything was going good on Nat's end. Hopefully that means it's going well for the others. Jake's words had worried me about this mission potentially being dangerous. Even Mickey had hinted at the fact that he didn't think this was your average mission. I worried for the group. The last thing I'd want is something happening to any of them. I just have to keep reminding myself that they are amongst the top pilots in the Navy for a reason. They've earned the title and the right to show off their skills.