Blue Sapphire | Bob Floyd

Chapter two

Four years ago

I hate men. Ok, I hate most of them. Especially the toxic and arrogant ones. Unfortunately for me, my Top Gun class is full of them. If they would all mysteriously be shot down by accident during one of our exercises, none of them would be missed. Actually, it would probably be a blessing for humanity.

The only man in the class who, in my humble opinion, deserves to live is Bob. After all, he is the only one that treats me like an actual person. To the others, I am two things:

An unworthy pilot, only in the Navy because of my father, Vice Admiral SimpsonThe most exquisite piece of meat served at a free buffet.

In other words, they either deny my incredible flying abilities, or they try to bring me into their bed. Or both. I guess I can be flattered by the second one, but I don't really want to take their inappropriate remarks as compliments.

It's because of those pigs (I refuse to call them men) that I find myself, once again, alone in my room on a Friday night. No matter how much I want to go to the Hard Deck and celebrate my first position in the ranking, I don't want to see any of them in my free time. They already haunt my days; I don't need them to haunt my nights too.

Top Gun started almost five weeks ago. And I seriously think I would have dropped out if it wasn't for Bob.

Of course, I knew right away when I met him that I would appreciate him, but I didn't expect him to become my lifeline. Anytime another pilot comes too close, Bob is always near, ready to scope me away and clear my head. In a fraction of a second, he can go from shy to protective. And not in an overprotective way.

I need to meet his parents one day and thank them for raising him the way they did.

He is honestly the best friend I could have asked for. But just because I am thankful for his presence in my life, doesn't mean I won't kill him for interrupting my Harry Potter Marathon.

"Maddie. I know you are in there. I can hear your TV" I hear Bob yell from the other side of my door.

If I stay silent and don't move, maybe he will disappear...

"Don't ignore me. It hurts my feelings"

It's the one thing he had to say to make me move. I can be lazy, but I can't hurt his feelings. Getting off the couch, I walk toward my door, dragging my feet along the way. I open it slowly, revealing Bob on the other side, dressed in civil clothes, his right arm pressed against the door frame.

"What do you want?"

"You look depressed and that makes me depressed. So, we are going out. Get dressed, we'll pass the night at the Hard Deck, and we will have fun." I look at him like he was some sort of alien.

"Are you crazy? Did you hit your head on your way here? You know why I don't want to go there. Why not stay here with me? Watch Harry Potter and eat popcorn. We can even try to order pizza!" I joke

"Pretty sure that no delivery man could ever cross the main entrance of the base" Bob quickly replies. "And yes, I know why you don't want to go. I also know that you are stronger and better than these assholes. Their miserable existence shouldn't stop you from living your life the way you want it. Do you want to go to the Hard Deck?" he continues

"Yes" I grumble, but he doesn't hear me. "Sorry, what was that?"

"YES" I repeat. He then gives me the bigger smile I've ever seen. "So what are we waiting for?"

_____

"I don't like this already" I can feel all the looks on me as I approach the bar. I barely feel safe in uniform with my classmates around. So, wearing a summer dress in a bar increases my level of stress like never. I need alcohol for this.