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"𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐮𝐩 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧." -𝐍𝐨𝐚𝐡 𝐊𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐧
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After Brandi's little maneuver, Bradley felt that he had to prove himself more than ever. So when Maverick challenged him, he didn't hesitate to accept. Now, they were barreling towards the ground, much like how his ex had moments ago.
"All right, you put us here," said Maverick. "How you gonna get yourself out?"
"You can bail out anytime."
"How low you wanna go, Rooster?"
"I can go as low as you, sir. And that's saying something."
"What's past is past. For both of us."
Bradley's blood was boiling now. "You'd like to believe that, wouldn't you?"
Hangman's voice intercepted their bickering. "Hard deck is 5000 feet, fellas. You are running out of room."
"Your strategy is about to run us into the ground. What's your move?" Mav taunted.
Rooster knew he was blinded by hurt and rage, that he should back out now before it was too late. But his stubbornness and pride got the best of him and he ignored his plane's shouts of low altitude. Until a different female voice cut through the radio.
"Pull up you dumbasses! Pull up before Cyclone has you both written up." It was Brandi, her voice full of desperation. "We don't need two casualties before the mission. Mav, you're better than this. Rooster, stop being a bull. I can't lose either of you right now, so pull up!"
The fear and pain in her voice pierced his chest. And for a moment, her words brought him back to that fateful day . . .
"I can't lose you, Bradley!" Brandi shouted, running after him through her family's estate. He had come to say his goodbyes, despite how abrupt they may be.
"I can't do this anymore, Brandi!" he snapped back.
She stopped, standing in the entryway, eyes wide. "What?" Her voice trembled, barely above a whisper.
"Naverick pulled my papers from the academy, there's nothing left for me here."
Brandi crossed her arms and looked at the polished floor. "Nothing left, huh?"
"Bre-"
She shook her head furiously. "If that's how you feel, you can get the hell out."
His anger got the best of him, he was no longer thinking before speaking. "I was already doing that."
"Good."
"Good." He turned the door handle and slipped outside, the door slamming behind him. Flinching, he pulled his keys out and started the engine of his Ford. He cursed and hit his steering wheel with a fist a couple of times before his head came down to rest on it. But he was too rough, for the horn honked obnoxiously. "Shit. Shit. Fuck . . . Shit!"
He kept repeating those swears like some odd mantra until the front door swung open and Brandi reappeared. She marched down the stone steps, never looking as angry as she did then.
"Brandi-"
She held up a hand and paused at the driver's side door. "Dont. You forgot something." She reached a hand up and pulled off the diamond ring on her left finger. His heart shattered, it hadn't even been a month since his proposal and she was already calling it off. "Since you seem to not be able to commit to anything. . ." She grabbed his wrist and stuffed the ring into the palm of his hand. "Goodbye, Rooster. I hope you find something worth staying for one day." She turned on her heel and walked back inside, the door slamming again . . .
Hangman said he had broken her heart, and it was true. But what he didn't know was that she had crushed his in return.
"Rooster! Bradshaw, pull up! Bradley!"
Brandi's cries forced him back into the present and the blurring alarm from his plane filled his ears. He was hurtling towards the ground with only a hundred feet left, and in the next moment, he was back facing the vast blue expanse of the sky, chasing Maverick once again.
"Come on, Rooster," cheered Hangman. "You got him. Drop down and take the shot!"
But he hesitated. "It's too low."
"Too late. You had your chance," said Maverick. He shot up and backward, locking on Rooster. "That's a kill. Knock it off."
"Damn it!" He had let the worst parts of himself get the better of him.
"Same old Rooster," sighed Hangman. "Never could shoot your shot, whether it's with a plane or the ladies."
"Seresin," voiced Brandi. "Can it. You did good, Rooster. See you back at HQ."
Bradley huffed and his shoulders slumped. That was the first thing she had said to him, and it was more than civilized, much more than he deserved. Brandi still knew how to make him feel like a jerk.
~~~~~
As the sun set, Rooster completed his set of 200, but he forced himself to keep going, wanting to feel something other than guilt and rage. Sweat beaded along his forehead and it dripped into his eyes. His arms shook and he finally gave in, sitting on the harsh tarmac with his arms resting on his knees. A pair of small booted feet stepped into his line of vision and he almost scoffed when they started talking.
"Breaking the Hard Deck. Insubordination. Are you trying to get kicked out?"
"Don't worry about it," he snapped, gaze still cast downwards.
"It's kind of hard not to when everyone around me is going after each other's throats. Look, what you did today was terrifying, I hated every minute of it. But I hate you arguing with Mav even more. And I know he pulled your papers, but look at how far you've come, Rooster. We may have ended on bad terms, but that doesn't mean I don't want you on this mission. You're more capable than most here, you just need to get your head out of your ass, Bradshaw."
Bradley peered up at her, partially blinded by the sun shining behind her. It outlined the blonde in a golden glow and it appeared as if she were an angel. His breath hitched, she was as beautiful as always even with her messy hair and tired face. He hated the way she looked at him, unchanging even after all these years. "Why do you care?" he grumbled, sounding harsher than he meant.
Her face hardened and she wrapped her arms around herself. "Because either we all come back from this or none of us do. And despite all the shit between us, I trust my life to be kept safe in your hands the most." Shoving her fists into her pockets, she turned on her heels, walking away to leave Bradley pondering on the revelation he was just given.
