Sabrina Calloway
Two weeks had passed since both the best night of her life and probably the biggest mistake. Sabrina was finishing up a shift at The Hard Deck. She had spent the morning in class, then homework, then worked the afternoon into the early evening. She was about to walk out from behind the bar when a familiar face stopped her.
"When do you get off?" Jake asked. He was standing in front of her in his flight suit. She suspected he had come straight from Top Gun. It was around the time they usually finished with class.
"Why?" Sabrina questioned, rather than answer him.
They had spoken some since then, but she wasn't really sure how to interact with him. It wasn't like they had been friends and hung out. At the same time, she knew she felt drawn to him. He had made a few attempts to see her but she usually found an excuse not to. She felt like she was fighting against feelings that she felt like she needed to push away.
"I was going to see if you'd want to go do something. I had something in mind." Jake answered. "What do you say?"
Sabrina looked around then back at Jake. "I'm not sleeping with you again if that's your 'something'." She told him.
"That's not what I'm talking about. I thought I'd see if you'd want to hang out. Just something different." Jake replied, and Sabrina believed him when he told her it wasn't about sex.
"A date?" Sabrina asked, still trying to figure out what he was asking.
"Do you want it to be?" Jake responded.
"Do you?" Sabrina fired back.
Jake leaned against the bar. "I wouldn't mind if it was." He admitted.
Sabrina glanced around again. She was partially worried about them being seen together, but they weren't doing anything. They were just talking. She also knew Haley wasn't going by there, she was going over to Rooster's after class. She had told Sabrina she was spending the night, so she knew she wouldn't be seeing her. "Maybe not label it anything but hanging out." She said, "I'll go."
Jake grinned his signature grin at her. Sabrina almost regretted agreeing since it pleased him but she was partially intrigued. She did what she needed to so her shift was closed out, then left the bar with Jake. "Do I need to go change?" She asked him, not knowing what he had in mind. She had on jeans and a cute top.
"No, you're fine. I'll drive." Jake answered. He led the way over to his Jeep and Sabrina climbed into the passenger seat. She wondered where they were going, but she didn't ask. She figured she'd just be surprised.
"What the hell?" Sabrina asked when he began to unzip his flight suit. "I told you, I am not fucking you again!"
"Relax, Calloway. I need to change." Jake told her, rolling his eyes. He left on the black t-shirt he had on under his flight suit and grabbed a pair of jeans from his backseat. He had his seat pushed back as far as it would go to change. He did it almost effortlessly, like he did everything else. "You sounded offended, but yet have clearly been watching me." He added.
"I was not." Sabrina puffed, but she had been. Not that she saw anything except his boxers, which.....well she did see something there. "You could have changed inside."
"I wasn't sure if you were going to come or not." Jake said, then grinned. "Well, come with me. Not the other kind."
Sabrina shoved him for that one. "Let's just go dick before I change my mind. You make it so hard to like you. You're fine one minute then the next you're a prick." She told him.
"As you wish." Jake said with a smirk.
He knew her favorite movie was The Princess Bride and he was quoting it. He liked to act like he didn't care about film, but Sabrina knew he was just as into it as his sister was. Haley was a hardcore film and comic buff. The entire way there, she was trying to sort through her thoughts. When they arrived at their destination, she looked over at Jake in surprise.
"Are you serious?" Sabrina asked, looking back and forth between him and the place.
"It'll be fun. Unless you're afraid." Jake replied as he shut the car off.
"Me afraid? You're going to bust your ass, Seresin." Sabrina said, opening her car door. "And I didn't realize anywhere still had a roller rink." She added.
"If I do, I have you to take care of me. So win-win." Jake told her. He also got out and they made their way inside. "I didn't either. I've explored some to see what all North Island has. Might as well, I'll be living here several more weeks."
Sabrina rolled her eyes. She didn't intend to play his nurse. They got checked in to get their skates. Jake seemed annoyed they didn't have rollerblades, she wondered if he could even use the other kind. "Do you think you're going to get orders?" She asked, noticing he referenced not being there very long.
"Possibly. I don't intend to stay here if I don't have to." Jake answered, taking his skates. They walked over to a bench together. "I don't mind the moving around. I guess if you have a family or something, it's harder. But I like the on the go."
Sabrina wasn't sure how she felt about that. She felt.....almost silly. For thinking if anything happened with them, he might be around for a bit. Orders were out of his control, but it sounded like he actively wanted to leave. "Do you think that's something you want? I'm sure it's difficult being in the military." She asked. She honestly had no idea what Jake Seresin wanted out of his life.
Jake finished putting on his skates and looked at her. "Yeah. One day." He answered. "I didn't used to think I did until.....recently." He added.
"You've grown up." Sabrina noted, "Still definitely the most immature twenty-six year old I know but you've changed over the years." She also finished tying her skates and stood up carefully. "I like the change. But don't change too much. You're a unique breed of person Jake Seresin."
Jake stood up as well. "You sound surprised." He commented. He laughed about being a unique breed of person.
"I guess I hadn't noticed until recently. But I also hadn't spent a lot of time with you until......well also recently." Sabrina replied. She glanced out at the rink and back at him. It was completely lit by black lights, flashing lights, disco balls, everything. Looked like a total 80s fest. "Ready, Hangman?" She asked.
"I've liked spending time with you. It's been only a little but, it's been nice." Jake told her. Sabrina could hear the sincerity in his voice. He laughed. "Let's go." He answered. He held out his hand to her, and Sabrina took it. They went out together and joined the flow of skaters.
It took Sabrina a moment to gain her balance. She hadn't done any type of skating in years, but it was coming back to her. She looked over and noticed Jake clinging to the wall. "Good God man, can you not skate?" She asked, "You can fly a fucking fighter jet. This is a piece of cake."
"I only learned on roller skates. This is entirely different." Jake argued. He was still holding Sabrina's hand, and she felt his death grip on it. She laughed, it was almost sort of pitiful but cute at the same time.
"You can do it! You have the biggest ego I know. Which I can't believe I just gave as a compliment." Sabrina said, "Come on." She added. She reached for his hand he had on the wall and held both of his hands. She looked up at him and his green eyes were entirely focused on her. Sabrina wasn't sure he had ever seen him look at anyone like that before.
"Your neck is flushing, Calloway." Jake commented, "I suppose I have that effect on you."
Sabrina narrowed her eyes. "Shut up before I roll your ass down to the ground." She warned him. "I can go get you one of the kiddie walkers if you want and leave you to fend for yourself-"
"No! I'll shut up. Teach me your ways, witch." Jake replied. He did not look amused by the kiddie walker offer. It was a tool to help kids learn to skate.
Sabrina was facing him and skating backwards. She was pulling Jake with her as she moved gracefully. "Just one leg at a time. Give yourself a push." She told him. Jake began to pick up speed and was moving on his own. His balance was totally fine, and he seemed to be doing okay.
"I'm going to drop your hands," Sabrina said, before releasing him into the wild. She continued to skate backwards, watching him. He was moving and pushing along just fine. She glanced over her shoulder, noticing they were coming to a wall, they were going to need to turn.
Sabrina didn't even have time to think before Jake came crashing into her. She was pressed up against the wall and he was flattened against her chest. "What the hell!" She exclaimed.
"You didn't tell me how to break!" Jake shot back, as he pulled himself off her.
Sabrina realized that she hadn't and the breaks were different than on roller skates. "Oh," She said, "My bad." She added, shrugging. She did think it was a little funny and began to laugh. At least they hadn't gone to the ground.
"You think it's funny?" Jake asked, looking like he wondered what the hell was so funny about it. Sabrina couldn't stop laughing.
"You're so athletic and good at pretty much everything and can't break skates!" Sabrina said, in between fits of laughter. Jake didn't look as amused and that only made her laugh harder. She looked up and before she overthought it, she kissed him.
Jake seemed surprised but immediately returned the kiss. She felt his hands drop down to her waist, holding her in place.
Someone cleared their throat loudly, and it was a woman with her kid next to her.
"Sorry. I was congratulating my friend on learning to skate at the ripe age of 26." Sabrina told the woman and Jake leaned into Sabrina, trying to cover his laugh.
"That's how we congratulate people?!" The kid asked his mom, which caused Jake to laugh more into Sabrina's shoulder.
The woman scowled before skating off with her son. Sabrina looked back at Jake again, and they both burst into laughter. Sabrina grew serious after a moment though, deciding to be brave. "Jake, I like you. I've been avoiding it, trying to make excuses. But for some insane reason my brain can't comprehend, I like you. I like kissing you. I," She rolled her eyes. "I liked having sex with you and hanging out with you. I don't know if you feel the same way, and I don't know what we are to each other, but you know I don't hold back. So I'm getting it off my chest."
Jake studied Sabrina for a moment as she spoke. She saw his mouth flicker into a grin a few times. "I like you as well. In that way, just to be clear." He said, cracking a small joke. "Which is a very middle school way to put it but I feel the same way." He added. He put his hand on her waist, pulling her toward him again. "What do you think about.....just spending time together and see where it goes?"
Sabrina looked up at Jake. "I'd like that." She answered. "I don't really want to label anything. This is still...strange. Given our history and who we are to each other. But I know I would regret it if I didn't explore it."
"I would too." Jake agreed softly.
"And we have to agree, if it doesn't work out........" Sabrina said, "We can't make things weird for Haley. We both love her and I don't want her to ever feel like she has to pick sides."
"Already assuming the worst? Ouch." Jake replied, but nodded in agreement. "Are we telling her?"
Sabrina shook her head. "No. Just obviously that is a possibility with anyone seeing someone. I just want that agreement in place. For Haley." She replied. That wasn't her intention. She wasn't going into it assuming they'd end things, but just in case. So it was talked about. "I don't like the idea of lying to her but I think we need to figure out what we want before we drop the bomb on her. I don't want to tell her then we don't even end up......being exclusive." She answered. "Though while I don't want to label it, I also don't really want us to see other people either. If that's okay and fair."
Jake nodded in agreement about Haley and how to handle it. "I don't want to see anyone else." Jake said automatically. "I want you. See where this goes." He used one hand to brush her hair out of her face. "I'm crazy about you and have been for a while. Before I was really ready to admit it. I honestly didn't think you'd ever be into me again."
"I didn't think I would be either, but I am. And I don't regret it happening." Sabrina told him. She meant every word too. She never expected it, but she had strong feelings for him. It felt good to finally admit it to herself. The last two weeks she had been trying to avoid admitting it.
"I told you one day you'd see that I was the guy for you." Jake said with a grin.
Sabrina nodded. "You did." She agreed as he leaned down to kiss her again.
She had no idea where this was going to go, how Haley would handle it or anything. But she knew in that moment, this was absolutely what she wanted. Jake -not so much a dickhead now- Seresin.