𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 | A Top Gun Fanfiction

Chapter 4: 𝘏𝘦'𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘯𝘦?

 Not that I expected anything less from Charlie, but her teaching skills knocked me out of the park. Her class, something along the lines of flying theory, went over an hour, not that I minded. I enjoyed listening to Charlie's lecture. She made some good points on simple mistakes to always be aware of up in the air. She also went over some repercussions we might face should any of us pilots pull a trick mid flight. I couldn't help but notice the arrogant smirk on Maverick's face when Charlie said that. She didn't see him smile at the ground and incline his head, as if mentally challenging the warning.

For a moment I wondered, oh no who did I let sit next to me?

But then, Maverick shook his head and refocused on the lesson.

He kept a straight face the entire hour and a half. At one point, when Charlie got a little too mathematical for my liking, I peeked over my shoulder at the rest of the group and was more disappointed than shocked to see the majority of my teammates slouching in their seats. A few looked as if they could be sleeping, or on the verge of doing so. Based on the bored, complacent expressions each guy wore, it was hard to believe they were even retaining the information Charlie no doubt worked so hard to prepare. The lazy aviators made me mad. Way too mad for my own good. I set my jaw and turned back to the front.

If they were okay with ignoring lesson plans, fine.

They'd feel the consequences of not paying attention eventually.

Meanwhile Maverick and I would actually learn.

Because aside from a small handful of guys in the back, only Maverick and I sat up in our seats and engaged Charlie throughout the class.

"Alright," Charlie claps her hands together and rocks her weight back onto her heels. "That's all for today. Those of you who took notes might want to go over them. The rest of you," Charlie's eyes sweep over those who clearly didn't give a shit about what they'd just listened to for 90 minutes. "Better have good memories. You've got a lesson with Viper inside in about half an hour! We won't be flying today. Better get moving or you'll be late."

In a collective groan, the class rose from their seats and gathered what little they had with them. I sat still, certain that Charlie would venture over to me and ask me how the class was or if I thought she was a good teacher but no. She had her back turned to me while she shuffled papers and closed folders. Maverick beat her to it.

"So," He stretched his arm across the back of my chair and sat facing me, his face etched into a dazzling smile. "Learn anything?"

I narrow my eyes at him. "Learned enough."

Maverick breathes a laugh and looks over his shoulder across the cluster of now empty seats. The faintest stream of sunlight that shines just below the edge of the tent's protective ceiling catches on Maverick's figure. The warm light highlights the creases in his stainless white shirt, the brighter colors of the patches on his jacket, and the exposed areas of his skin, stretching from his neck, up to his flawless cheekbones and jawline. I feel my tension slip away, receding into a relaxed stance as I gaze on Maverick's side profile. The way his hair, recently combed out, but a mess from the random breezes sweeping across the parking lot, glistens in the sun. His smile is soft, like he's smiling to himself.

Once he faces me again, I'm sorry I snapped at him.

"Sorry," I blurt. "I...I wasn't trying to be short with you. It was just the other guys..."

Maverick frowns. "What'd they do?"

"Do? No," I shake my head. "No they...they just were being a bunch of lazy asses not paying attention to a perfectly good lesson and I feel bad. For Charlie."