Red Bull

one

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HUMMING ALONG TO THE RADIO playing Cruel Summer by Taylor Swift, I begin tapping my thumb to my steering wheel. My other arm is slung over the side of my open window. I continued to cruise down the winding roads of coastal California, making my way to San Diego.

As a young kid, I'd get carsick going down these very same roads, sitting in the backseat, while my parents argued in the front, which route was the best to take.

They argued about a lot of things. It didn't phase me, I've grown up and moved on in life.

I was a pilot. Not just any pilot, but I was a naval aviator. Best of the best. Cream of the crop. Top Gun graduate. Valedictorian. Whatever you want to call it, and that was the reason why I was heading to San Diego, I was heading back to Miramar for a mission. Or as they called it, a special detachment.

What kind of mission, I didn't know. But a mission's a mission, and I couldn't wait to see who else had been called back to Top Gun after all this time.

I'm Lt. Scarlett 'Red Bull' Clark, at your service.

Once again, another thing my parents disagreed about: my career.

My mother, supported my job, although, she was always nervous that I wouldn't come back home one day.

My father, didn't believe in me. He didn't think that I would be the type enlist in the navy, let alone fly a fighter plane.

They disagreed about everything. It's why they divorced right after I graduated high school.

At graduation, they sat on opposite sides of the football stadium so they wouldn't have to see or speak to each other.

Although they thought that I would grow up better if I lived in a stable household, with two parents. Looking back, I think I would've turned out just the same if they had split.

All I know is that I don't talk to my father anymore.

Maybe it would've been better for all of our sakes if they didn't pretend to be okay for my sake, and they just separated when I was young.

It didn't matter now, the past was the past.

And my future was bright.

I smiled as I entered the city limits for Sam Diego, knowing I was minutes away from home.

Any beach or airbase was home for me. It was my favorite place to be.

My sun bleached blonde hair whipped behind me because of the wind, already braided and ready to go. I sip energy drink, remembering not to spill on my tan dress uniform.

Yes, that's how I got my call sign.

Red Bull.

Anytime I wasn't working, I had an energy drink in my hand. I know they're bad for you, but it's what got me through high school and the naval academy.

I couldn't survive without them.

I did stop drinking them for a couple of years, because a close friend of mine told me to stop. But I haven't seen him in years, so I figured it wouldn't be the worst thing to pick back up again.