My Solider - Short Story

“Yes Alejandro.  I’ll come watch you at your practice today.” 

My friend since the sixth grade, Alejandro, has invited me to come watch him at his JROTC practice/meet.  I’m actually so proud that he’s actually taking something seriously for once. And I must commend him for that. So, that’s why I decided to come and watch him. On the other hand, he does look damn fine in that uniform of his. But, he has put me through so much crap to ever accept him as anything more than just a friend. And by that I mean, if he were to ask me out, you best  believe that my answer will be “no”. He’s your average player. Goes out with all the girls and leaves them after a short while.  But, maybe what bothers me the most of him is that, he thinks that after all the girls he’s had flying out of his hands, that he can me make one of them.

“Great.” He said with his flirtatious smile. That, sadly, always gets to me. Shame.

“So, are you guys going to practice in the cafe or the gym?” I ask.

“The cafe... at TC” he says looking to the side.

“At WHERE?!”

“TC”

“Alejandro, I can’t go all the way to TC. My mom is going to kill me if she finds out I’m hanging out there.” So you see, the plan was to “stay after school”. My mom thinks I staying after to do something for my Science Fair Project. But I was really staying after to watch Alejandro at his practice. “Wait… are we walking there?”

“Uh, duh. It’s like 2 blocks away. How can we not walk there.”

“Alejandro! Are you asking for my mom to kill me?! She’s going to lose it if she finds out that-”

“If she finds out. Because she won’t.” He says with a wink.

“What are you up too?”

“Walk with me and I’ll explain everything.” He grabs me by the waist and we walk out of school, heading toward TC ***********.

So we get to the TC cafeteria and all you see is his fellow cadets marching as one all around the cafe. Apparently, Alejandro is late.

“*******! Where have you been cadet?! I don’t accepted tardiness!” yells a tall guy in a loud, firm voice. He’s the Sargent Major.

“Sir, I came here walking, sir!” Alejandro replies in a firm voice. Very hot.

“Well get your ass over here, in line, NOW!” the Sargent Major yelled out as he walked toward the the cadets. I suppose he wanted Alejandro to follow. But, he’s already in trouble and why stop now. 

“What’s with him?” I ask. Even though I have a clear mind of what’s going on. I just love to watch him get in trouble and seeing someone put him in his place.

“He’s my Sargent Major. Flores. Sargent.. Major.. Flores. He’s super mean. And super tough with us cadets. Especially the Freshmen ones” He said in a scared manner.

“You can also add, super-hot to that list of yours” I say with a giggle.

“Really, him? What does he have that I -”

“Cadet! Any day now.” Sargent Major Flores yells out.

Just as Alejandro turns to get in his place, I just had to annoy the Sargent Major with him one more time.

“Alejandro, when will this practice of yours end? Because I can’t watch you the whole time. I have to do something productive. Maybe even work on my Science Fair project a bit.”

“This end at 6 o clock. And yeah, you don’t have to say that whole time. You can head up to the library and do some research or whatever.” He says nervously. Because Sargent Major Flores has walked all the way to him.

“*****, ****, *****… Do you think this is a game? Do you think I have time to waste with you?” he says really angry.

“Of course not sir. Just that-”

“It’s just that what, you think flirting with your girlfriend is a good thing to do at the moment?”

“She’s not my-”

“Whatever she is. You should tell her that-”

And that’s where I stopped him. Nobody calls me an “whatever”. Sargent Major is about to get schooled.

“Um, excuse me. I’m not a “whatever” I’m his friend who came to support him. I didn’t think that coming here would be a problem.” I say with attitude.

“Look sassy, I’m running something here. And if you could ever be so kind to not flirt with my cadet.” He says standing his ground.

I lift both my hands up marking my loss in this argument. And say “Well then, stop you’re jibber jabbering with me and get this thing on the road.” I say and walk off to the nearest table to take a seat and watch as they perform.