The Pact // Bradley Bradshaw

Prologue

United States Naval Academy
Annapolis, Maryland
Four Years Earlier

    Orientation day at the United States Naval Academy wasn't that different from a regular college. Haley would know, she had already done that once. She felt insane for doing it again, but this was a quickest way to go into the Navy already as an officer and she wanted to enter as a Lieutenant. Maybe she should have gone right after high school, but she hadn't been sure at the time. So that was how she wound up going in at twenty-two years old. Which wasn't old by any means, you could go at any age. It just felt like starting over.

    "Did you get your schedule?" Haley asked Jake.

    Her twin brother looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Obviously. That's what we just waited in a ridiculous long line for." He answered. Jake showed her his schedule, which wasn't too different from hers. They were both going after the same type of bachelor degree. They were living off campus together for the first year, sharing an apartment. Which Haley hoped was going to be fine, but neither had really wanted to live alone. And definitely not on campus at twenty-two years old.

    "I was just checking, geez." Haley said, rolling her eyes.

    Jake just smirked at her and turned around, talking to someone else he had met a little earlier. Jake made friends really easily so that wasn't much of a surprise. Haley knew by next year he'd have found friends to live with and make his way there really easily. Life seemed to come easy to Jake Seresin.

    Haley looked over her schedule, sitting down on a bench. She noticed someone on another bench next to hers out of the corner of her eye who kept glancing at her after he sat down. She finally looked up, wondering what the hell there problem was. He looked maybe a year or so older than her. It was hard to judge, she wasn't good at guessing ages. Brown hair and eyes, tall. What stood out the most was a fucking porn stash. Haley knew she'd see them eventually, you couldn't have facial hair in the Navy except that style of mustache. It was just weird seeing it on someone around her age, and staring at her directly.

    "What the hell are you looking at Magnum P.I.?" Haley asked finally.

    "The sign behind you." The guy answered, pointing.

    Haley turned her head and saw there was a sign indicating some orientation information next to her bench. She felt a little embarrassed, but she had been sure he was looking right at her. Haley wasn't really one to make assumptions about guys checking her out but she didn't quite believe him. She just nodded and looked back at her schedule in her hands.

    "I'm Bradley, by the way." He said, "Bradley Bradshaw."

    Haley looked back up. "What, did your parents hate you or something by giving you two almost identical names?" She asked, thinking that sounded ridiculous.

    "They were interesting people." Bradley answered.

    "Were?" Haley repeated and Bradley nodded.

    "They've both passed away." Bradley answered.

    Haley frowned a little. "I'm sorry." She said, sympathetically. She turned back to her schedule. She still felt his gaze on her and she stood up. She saw Jake coming over toward her anyway.

    "I didn't get your name." Bradley pointed out.

    Haley wasn't about to give it but her idiot brother came blurting it out. "Haley!" Jake said, "Come on. I found a party." He told her.

    Bradley looked amused seeing Haley's expression about having her name blurted out. "Nice to meet you, Haley. I'm sure I'll see you around." He told her.

    Haley bit her lip. "I doubt that, Bradley Bradshaw." She said, and turned to walk away. Something about him aggravated her and she wasn't sure what. At the same time, admittedly, a part of her found him fascinating. She couldn't explain either, but figured she wouldn't see him again anyway. It was a big school.

    "What was that?" Jake asked as they walked.

    "Just some guy." Haley answered, shrugging.

    "Probably thought you were cute." Jake teased with a laugh.

    "I doubt that. And he isn't my type." Haley replied, shaking her head. She walked off with Jake, but glanced back once at the benches. She saw Bradley Bradshaw watching her walk away with an expression she couldn't quite read, but she was dying to know what it was.