Out of Reach - B. Bradshaw

Part 5 | Mixed Feelings

So much information was just dumped on me all at once. Seems like Dad hasn't changed after all these years.

Gotta quit thinking about that though. I have this... date thing.
All I feel is tense. What if the last 'date' with Bagman repeats itself? I don't wanna wake up next to him again wearing nothing, too hungover to even stand. But I can't just stand him up, he really wants this shot at redemption. Because apparently 'Flight school Hangman' and the Hangman as of now are two different people.

I choose a simpler outfit, praying that he's not going to take me somewhere super fancy. Last time, I overdressed for the occasion. It wasn't fun.

I decide to head out at around 7. I grab my black cowboy hat, and head downstairs. I head out the door,  but of course, not before my sister stops me.
"My My, don't you look like a picture. Where you headed?" she asks, her mouth full of food, southern accent still very present.
"Uh, I'm not sure actually, I'm meeting someone at the Hard Deck, and then he's taking me somewh-"
"He? Ohhhh I see now." she interrupts me, slowly smirking as she looks away.
I roll my eyes at her and grab my keys, waving goodbye to my nieces, who're outside with my dad. I set off for the Hard Deck, still tense. But some part of me is also excited for (what I hope) is a free dinner.
.
.
.
I get there at about 7:30 and head in. I say hello to Penny and talk to her for a bit. At about 7:50, I hear him call to me from the door.
"Thought I said 8, Jolene."
"Better to be early rather than late, ain't it?" I reply.
He smiles and walks over to me, "So, are you gonna keep flirtin' with Penny or can we go now?" I look back to her and she lets out a soft laugh. "Fine, later Pen." I knock on the wood countertop of the bar and get up to leave with Jake.

He takes me to an Italian restaurant, which, to my own surprise, is actually pretty pricey. We order, and he starts conversating with me. Somewhere along the lines, he says, "Oh, and you don't have to feel pressured to drink this time around, I myself am only  having a small glass." Wow. Quite the gentleman he is. Does this mean I let him in? Too early to tell.

We finish dinner, and when I reach for my purse, he stops me.
"Nope. I've got this one. I'm the one who insisted on this date to begin with."
"Well, you made it worth it, considering how cold I was to you about it." I reach for my purse again, but by the time I take my card out, the waiter is already at the cash register with Seresin's.
He looks to me, smiling again. I used to hate it, but somehow, it seems a little more pleasant now. But maybe I'm only saying that because he's being nice to me all of a sudden.

He walks with me to my car, talking all about how skeptical he is about this new mission. "What if it's like, France or like, Germany, or something, y'know?"
I smile and look up at him as we approach the car, thumbs resting in my belt loops. "They'll have to send me in, I guess."
"Shit, you're right! I almost forgot!" he laughs as he says that.
On one of our first missions, I got shot down and crashed in enemy territory, and then infiltrated one of their aircrafts.
What can I say? I speak French fluently.
Plus, they made it so easy, I just gaslit them into thinking I was some sort of undercover spy. That's one of the reasons as to why I'm called Uproar. I caused total chaos among my higher-ups, especially when they had a hard debate over whether or not they'd dishonorably discharge me.
I think that's why Seresin might be as interested as he is, apparently I'm the 'golden chariot' of Top Gun graduates.
"Jolene?" I snap back into reality, and I see Hangman waving a hand in front of my face.
"Yeah, my bad, I'm back." I reply, nervous laughing.
"It's alright. I enjoyed tonight, I hope you did too. Good night Jo."
I lean up onto my tiptoes and kiss him on the cheek. "'Night Jake."
He stands in shock for a moment, smirks, and then walks away to his own car.
Does he not know I did that to be polite? Fuck, is that why he thought I wanted sex the last time??
Whatever, I'll wait for him to text. I drive home leaving any tenseness behind me, Harry Styles is now blaring on my speakers.
As I roll up to my place, Aurora is sitting on the couch, like an overprotective parent who's been waiting for hours. She tries to act casual about how she stayed up later just to interrogate me, but I can obviously see right through it.
"Care to explain why you were gone for-" she quickly checks her phone for the time, "two and a half hours??"
"Well, mother." I retort sarcastically, "I had a date, before you ask, no, it wasn't super duper great. I also don't really think he's a keeper."
"Who-"
"-Bagman."
Her face contorts from a smile to confusion.
I tell her about any guy I'm seeing because she loves the gossip at her age. Plus, to her, it makes me seem even cooler.
She already knows Jake and why I didn't continue dating him.
・
"Long story. Lost a bet. Can I go now?"
"Can I sleep in your room? My sisters are bedhogs." She frowns at me. I tap on the back of the couch and nod in the direction of my room. She smiles again and follows me upstairs.
I flop down onto my bed and she waits for me to move over before settling in. I put on the Powerpuff Girls, 'our show'.
"'Night kid."
"Good night Aunt Jo."
And then, sleep hits. First day of mission briefing is tomorrow, and I have no clue how I feel about it at this point. I'll just 'sleep on it' I guess.

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Ayoooo!!
hope you enjoyed! i wasn't entirely sure what would come of a date with Hangman, but i challenged myself and wrote it in, so--
i know the last couple of chapters were kinda short, but i plan to be writing a lot more when they're actually flying and shit

Love ya! -SP