Sunshine (Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw x OC)

Chapter 04

My flight squad is very interesting, I guess you could say. Jennings and Anderson are so full of themselves it's stupid. I mean, did nobody teach them manners as a child? They think they own the place and that they're all that, but let me tell you, they're not. Bradshaw on the other hand, I think he'll be a good friend to have around and he seems to have what it takes to be a great pilot someday.

"Danvers, are you writing about me again?" Trace teased as she walked out of the bathroom to find me sitting cross legged on my bed writing in my little black notebook again.

"Nope" I shook my head, closing the notebook and setting it aside. She looked back in the mirror once more to make sure her hair was in place before nodding with approval and leading us out of our barracks and towards the mess hall for breakfast. The rest of our day would be full of classes and introduction lessons now that everyone had passed their fitness tests, or at least everyone from our squad.

"Were you writing about how you left all of us in the dust on that run? Or about Jennings stupid comment?" She continued to list of guesses as we moved into the hallway together, side by side. "Oh I know!" She cheered suddenly as though a lightbulb had gone off in her head, smirk forming on her face. "You were writing about Bradshaw" she pointed with amusement, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

"What?" I turned to her with the accusing tone of her voice. "Yes, I wrote about all of that, but I don't like what you were implying about Bradshaw, I mean I just met the man" I reminded her simply, holding onto my dignity while voicing my confusion at what she was implying.

"Oh come on" Trace urged with a groan. "I'd say it was love at first sight for him" she continued, "I mean, his whole face practically lit up when you introduced yourself. The man is clearly head over heels in love. And did you see how protective he got when Jennings made that comment on you being a WSO? He was ready to fight right then and there"

"You're delusional" I laughed at her as we each grabbed our trays and made our way through the line in the mess hall, grabbing some classic military food for breakfast.

"And you're clueless" she added right back. The two of us found an empty table and sat side by side, still laughing over our conversation.

"Hello, ladies" Bradshaw greeted us both, sliding into the seat across from us as though we had known each other longer than a few hours.

"Hey, Bradshaw, we were just talking about—" Trace started but was cut off as I elbowed her harshly in the side only to receive a glare from her. "We were talking about how Danvers here wants to be a WSO" she covered it up calmly, not wanting to ruin our trust and friendship over something so easily, even if she had been teasing me about it since we left the barracks.

"Cool, uh I do have a question about that" Bradshaw pointed towards me with his fork casually. "Why do you want to be a WSO? I mean most people want to be real pilots-not that WSOs aren't real pilots- but they want to be flying, not in the backseat" he rambled as I nodded along politely and Trace laughed slightly from beside me at how awkward the both of us were being.

"When I was younger my mother used to be in the Navy" I started.

"Was she a WSO?" Trace questioned with her interest peeking from beside me.

"No, but she worked with pilots and WSOs all the time and after she retired she would tell me storys about them which is what inspired me to follow this path" I explained with a fond smile at the memory of my mothers story's I had fallen in love with at a young age.

~~~

"Would you stop? Our room is spotless" Trace scolded as I checked our room one last time before the officers would be coming in for our first inspection a week after we arrived at the academy. I let out a sigh as I fell into place beside her, standing at attention as a knock came to the door and the officers stepped in to have a look around.