Back to You // Bradley Bradshaw

Chapter Twenty-One

October came quickly, a month had already passed that the newest class at Top Gun had started. Haley felt exhausted most days. There were the training exercises, little bit of coursework, and especially keeping up with her points. She was second in the class right now, underneath her brother. She had managed to catch back up in the rankings after the crash. She was determined to have her name engraved on the Top Gun trophy.

Outside of training, things with Rooster were on fire. After clearing the air a few weeks back about Jake, things seemed much better. On that note, Haley still hadn't told him. Rooster didn't seem to mind, though. For the most part they did what they wanted. They weren't really "hiding" in public, they'd become less careful in some ways. Sometimes Haley stayed at Rooster's, and he slept over at her place occasionally. That had been more risky because of her brother next door, this was the one place they were more careful. He had never seen Rooster come over, or leaving in the morning. That would be harder to explain than hanging out at the bar, Jake knew they were friends after all. They'd known each other almost five years now.

    Haley felt like something was off with her brother. He'd been acting differently for a few weeks. There were things that were definitely the same old Jake, but something was different. It wasn't a bad different, but it felt unusual. That was the main reason she hadn't said anything yet. Rooster even admitted to noticing a little bit of a difference. It was just something about his presence, it was almost.....cheerier. Rooster figured it was just him leading their class, but Haley didn't. Jake was used to winning, something else was going on. That seemed to be a theme with people in her life lately, at least the ones closest to her. Different.

It was in the evening, Sabrina wasn't home yet. Haley was straddling Rooster in the bed. It was a Saturday, and they had spent most of the afternoon fooling around. They had plans that night, but hadn't left the bedroom yet. "We probably need to get ready." She told him, but made no efforts to move.

    "Haley is my-OH!" Sabrina had entered the bedroom without knocking. She had been gone all day with graduate school things. Or that's what Haley thought, she hadn't seen much of Sabrina lately. Another issue she hadn't made attempts to address. Haley wondered why everyone around her was acting like they'd been abducted by aliens lately.

    "Did you forget how to knock?!" Haley shouted, sliding off her boyfriend. He didn't seem embarrassed, more just amused. She pulled the sheets up to cover her.

    Sabrina definitely wasn't bothered. She had just been surprised. "I didn't realize mustache was here." She said with a shrug. She sat down on the edge of the bed. "Bradley, always a pleasure." She added, before turning back to Haley.

    "Sabrina," Rooster said back to her, shifting a little under the comforter. "Did you not lock the door?" He asked Haley.

    "I told you to lock it." Haley said back to him. At least nothing had been going on, it could have been worse. If she'd been about ten minutes earlier. "What were you looking for?" She asked Sabrina.

    "It could be worse. Remember when I walked in on you and that band guy you dated almost in the act, oh what was his name. Andrew something?" Sabrina pointed out. "Neiman. Gosh what a throwback."

    "You dated someone in a band?" Rooster inquired, clearly finding something about that amusing.

    "He was a drummer in concert band." Haley responded.

    "That doesn't make it any better." Sabrina chimed in. "Total asshat. Major upgrade with you." She pointed at Rooster, still completely unbothered by the fact they were both naked, though covered. "I mean, wow. It's almost photoshopped looking."