Red & White & Pink

Chapter 2

LILLIAN- Wednesday 10:15 AM

      Wedensdays were always uniform days. And the class b uniform with its boxy navy pants and unflattering gray blouse always made heads turn in the hallways. And snickers as soon as they looked. It was always such a pain to put on, keeping all the pins lined up and such. Such was the burden of being decorated.

      While sitting in my JROTC period waiting for it to start, Charlotte walks in. My mind flashes to our conversation on Monday. We haven't talked much since then. Envy has blistered my insides everytime I think about what is to transpire this Saturday. I was bitter I hadn't thought to ask her to go as friends, as Fred had done with me. I was frustrated that she sat next me and yet she felt much more out of my reach. But alas she was not mine to be jealous of.

      So when the bell rang uniform inspection began. Being the highest ranking officer in that class period I had the privilege of conducting said inspections. I didn't mind though, out of most of the kids in the program, I was one of the only ones who actually wanted to join the military. My grades suck as much as my home life, where else could I go?

      I finally got to Charlotte's inspection and she's perfect as always. I barely give a glance at the correctness of her uniform just to savor the moment of the two of us, face to face, only inches apart. Only when I go to make a right face does a crooked pin catch my eye. I would hate to embarrass her, but I know she would be more upset if she knew I graded her easy.

      "You have a crooked pin cadet, left side," I say quickly, marking it down on my paper. I see her try and look at said pin, trying not to get out of the attention stance too much. Her cheeks are bright red.

      "Are you sure?" She says, defense in her tone. She didn't address me correctly either which gets sergeant majors attention.

      "Yes this pin-" I go to point to it without realizing its right on her bosom. My hand falters as I flush on where I almost put my hand.

      "Lilly what pin?" Lottie whispered through gritted teeth. I couldn't understand why she was getting so frustrated, I just wanted to help her. So soon enough my hands started moving before my mind.

      I reach up and straighten the pin so it was uniform with the rest. It was such an easy fix, and yet with how my hand had to gently brush her chest to reach said pin, my heart was beating out of my rib cage. I slowly lower my hand back down to my side and whisper, "There."

      I look back up from the pin to Charlotte to see her entire face is beet red. Realization dawns on me that maybe this one time she would have rather I did go easy on her. How could I not realize how stupid it was to adjust a small pin? Stupid!

      "Permission to go to the restroom lieutenant colonel Batt?" She said through gritted teeth. While her tone was angry her eyes were pleading. I wish I could know what she was thinking.

     "Fall out Moore," I simply said and moved out of her way. She pushes past me and out the door.

      The air in the room is uncomfortable. No one exactly knew what just happened, least of all me. I droned through the rest of the inspections, deciding not to nitpick the small things.

      Unfortunately we didn't have another class together that day so I never got the chance to ask her what happened during the uniform inspection. So, I got to track practice early to try and intercept her there. I saw her jeep pull up and park and my palms began to sweat. I wasn't exactly nervous until this moment. I want to just apologize for assuming but I don't even know if that's the reason she's upset with me. We've never had a problem like this before, and I don't like the way it feels.