NIXON // Tom Kazansky

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SIX: CODY COLLINS

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At about 8:30, I heard banging on my door. "What the fuck?" I got up and walked over to the door, not even looking through the peephole. It's my dad's habit, dont fucking blame me. I opened the door, finding Kazansky there with a brown paper bag in his hand and a bottle of pop. How sweet.

"Have you eaten yet?" He asked me. I had a confused look on my face. "No." I said coldly. His face softened and he gave me a pleading look. "I bought you dinner, if that's okay. Sorry for being an asshole." He mumbled the last part. "You better be sorry, I would have whooped your ass in the parking lot." I took the food and walked in, hoping he would close the door behind him.

"You have a bruise on your face, did you know that?" I asked as I slipped on a sweatshirt over the white tank top. I had basketball shorts on, I didn't really feel like showing off my boobs to him right now. "I wonder why." he looked at me, eyeing every inch of skin he could. I didn't answer him, I just sat down at the table, offering him a seat. "Thank you." he said as he sat down.

"Kennedy, i'm really sorry for what I did in the hallway." He told me as I started to eat. "You should be." I replied, whipping my mouth. "I know, I feel really bad about it." He said, messing with his thumbs a bit. "Its whatever. Ive been through worse." I mumbled, bringing a knee up to my chest. I dont know why, thats just how I sit when I eat. I made him a plate and and the rest myself.

"Do you actually care about who graduates at the top of the class?" I asked him, he shrugged. "I've done it all my life, it would be the first time I wasn't number one." He said, finally eating some of his food. "Im sure you're the same way, hell, you got into the Air Force Academy. Do you know how hard that it?" he smiled. "The Naval Academy wanted me first, but ya know, I didn't really feel like paying for flight school. Or school in general." he just smiled at that, so did i.

"Ya know, if we weren't both pilots i'd say be my RIO." I told him. He scoffed. "Why don't you be mine?" he asked, I raised my eyebrows. "Because I shot down Viper, you didn't." I said. His lips curled up a bit and it made me giggle. "Shut up." He waded up a napkin and threw it at me, which made me laugh more. I guess it was his smile that was so great.

"What are you laughing at?" he asked, having a genuine smile on his face. "You." I replied, red faced. "Your smile makes me laugh." I told him, his cheeks became red in a hurry. "Yeah whatever, freckleface." he looked down at his lap, then his watch. "Shit, its 10 o'clock," he got up and straightened out his pants. I got up also.

"Ill see you tomorrow." He told me, I nodded. "Ill beat you tomorrow," I told him, which made him roll his eyes. "Yeah, whatever, Kennedy." he walked towards my door and opened it. "Goodnight, sweet dreams Freckleface." he told me. "Goodnight asshole." I pushed him out the door and locked it behind him. Oh god, what the fuck had gotten into me.

—--

"So you've got the hots for Iceman, who knew?" Goose said as I sat across from him. "Yeah, and Mav doesn't?" I joked around a bit. "Oh shut the hell up Nixon." Mav told me, I smiled. "I Dont have the hots for him." I sideyed goose. He did not believe me at all. "Sureeee..." He said. I kicked him under the table and he gasped. Maverick just laughed.

"Ms. Collins," An officer handed me a letter, I looked confused. "From lover boys?" Mav asked me. "Sit down short ass." I flipped the letter around, seeing it was from my brother Cody. He was the youngest in our family, he should be getting out of highschool now. I'm 26, he's 17, that's usually when you get out of highschool.

"It's from my brother," I opened it. "Surprisingly." I mumbled. The note was long, but its from my baby brother, what can I expect?

Dear Kennedy,

    I know we haven't spoken since you left for the Academy, mostly because of mom and dad. I heard you made it to TopGun, i'm really proud of you. I want you to know I got nominated for West Point and the Air Force Academy, and i'm sticking with the airforce just like you did. Im not gonna be like Lance and go to westpoing. Mom hates me for it, its annoying. I'm on break right now, so I just wanted to write to you and say I'm coming to California to see you.

    I hope I haven't upset you or anything, I just really miss you. Nicky, Roy and Lance really miss you too. They said they might meet me up here and visit you. They said that Mom is driving them absolutely insane, that her drinking has gone through the roof recently. Just like old times right?

    If this somehow does get to you, if I got the base right, I want you to know that the four of us are always wondering what you're doing and want to see you. Ill be arriving on June 19 on the 18:00 flight. I hope you'll meet me there. If the other three go with me, you'll meet the four of us.

                                Love Cody

I swear tears were almost in my eyes reading the letter. "What? Did somebody die?" Goose asked. "What? No, nobody died." I folded the paper up and put it back in the envelope. "My brothers are finally coming back into my life after five years," I told them. "That's great! I didn't even know you had brothers!" Goose said with that smile of his. "I got four of them, can you believe it?" I said sarcastically. "Oh yeah, I can definitely believe it." Maverick eyed me.

Its Saturday, so I obviously just got food and left. Kazansky attempted to talk to me for a bit, but I wasn't really in the talking mood.

–

I waited in the crappy bar for about four hours, holding about two beers in my hand the entire time, just sipping on them. My parents were big on alcohol, I dont really want to fall into their footsteps. I dont even like the taste of alcohol, the stupid ass bar keep made me get one so I wouldn't look like a goddamn hooker.

Finally, the plane came and I walked out, looking for the black curly headed boy. I saw him coming out of the plane with a backpack, walking towards the building. I walked out there with a toothy smile on my face and hugged the boy. Yes he was a little short fucker still, but he's my baby brother and I love him to death.

"How's my little brother doin'?" I asked as I looked him in the eye, he just smiled at me. "Not too bad. How's my big sister doin?" he asked the same way I did. "Not too bad," I smiled. "Lets get outta here, the food ain't worth a shit." I pulled him along and we went to some fast food restaurant.

"Nixon! I thought you had the hots for Iceman!" I looked up and smiled as Goose made the stupid remark about Kazansky. "Oh shut the hell up, this is my brother, Cody." I introduced him to Maverick and Goose. "Cody this is Pete Mitchel, you know that and his RIO, Nick Bradshaw. Or Goose." I said as the two sat down.

"You two do look alike." Maverick said. "No, really Mav?" I said a little sarcastically, Goose just laughed like he always does. "So how long are you staying in town?" I asked Cody. "I was actually planning on going home, since its the weekend and I can actually leave base this week. I have a twelve hour layover here and I wanted to grab things from home." He said. I nodded. Not what I expected, but okay!

"I also really wanted to see you, the other three and I are gonna come up this Winter. Hopefully." He added on the last part. "Well thats good, real good." Goose said. "Nixon here has a little crush on Mav's rival, its hilarious." Goose said, making me go red faced. "Shut up. I dont and you know it." I told them, Goose just raised his eyebrows and looked at me funny. He's so cute.

"Well, I gotta get back. Nice meeting you all," Cody said while getting up. I got up also and shook hands with them both. "See ya Monday, Nixy!" Goose gave me a little side hug then left with Maverick. I smiled at them both, they're like family to me. Only better.

"Ill see you in December?" Cody said as we were parting ways. "Yep! It was nice seeing you, really. Its been too long." I told him, he nodded and smiled. "It really has." he looked at me. I gave him a hug and he hugged me back. "What's your callsign? Cologne?" I asked, almost coughing at his scent. "Oh shut the hell up Kennedy." he pushed me away slightly. "See ya," I told him. "Yep!"

I guess that was a waste of an afternoon.