True to my word, I did see Rooster the next day. As well as the rest of the squad. This time it was Fanboy who texted everyone, inviting us all over to his place to hang out for the day.

    Since it wasn't anything fancy, I decided to wear some jeans and a cropped t-shirt, and it just so happened it was from a concert I went to with Baywatch back before we even thought of having a shot at TOPGUN.

    I stood and stared at myself in the bathroom mirror, holding the hem of my shirt between my thumb and index finger. A nagging thought tugged in my head, begging to be heard so I decided to let it.

    "What if people ask about the shirt? What do you say? Just pretend he never existed and he didn't matter?"

    I shook my head and got rid of the thought. But of course, the hesitancy still came and I wondered briefly if I should change the shirt, avoid any and all possible talk about when I saw the concert, did I go with anyone, etc.

    A knock at the door at my door halted my thinking. "Be right there!" I called out, fully knowing it was Natasha out there right now.

    Now, I had to be happy with my choice. I snatched my phone from the bathroom counter and shoved it in my back pocket, then slipped on some tennis shoes I grabbed from my closet, then jogged to the front door.

    I opened it and wasn't surprised to see Nat. "Hey, how's this?" I asked, letting her judge me for a second. I did a little spin and she looked me up and down.

    "Looks good! Hope the jeans are good enough that you won't overheat," she said as I stepped out of my place and closed the door. "Heard Fanboy's got some good card games, you better be ready to lose."

    After locking the door, I turned and looked at Nat with a raised eyebrow. "Oh really? Last time I played cards with you, I believe I won," I countered. We started walking over to where Fanboy was assigned to live.

    Phoenix scoffed and put a hand on her chest. "Actually, it was a fake win. A pity win. I'm nice like that, to let my opponents win every now and then so they can keep their egos in tact."

    I laughed. "Not what it seemed like... I seem to remember a thrown beer bottle? You were aiming for my head- it was attempted murder and everything."

    She just rolled her eyes in response and nudged my shoulder with hers. "So, you need to tell me and Halo about your date with Rooster yesterday," she said, completely shifting the subject away from her crimes.

    It worked well, and I put a hand to my face to try and hide the growing blush dusting my nose and cheeks. "Yeah yeah, just not around anyone else. Don't exactly want a certain jerk getting hold of the information."

    Nat sighed. "I wish you'd just call him an asshole, douchebag, or even a dickhead! Your grade school insults don't capture all of his... well, him," she said.

    Now I rolled my eyes. "While that may be true, I don't know, I just don't feel the need to say that. I have you to do it for me," I remarked with a smile.

    She smiled back. "And you know I won't hesitate to say it right in his face."

    We laughed as we knocked on Fanboy's door. "Come in!" he yelled from inside, so we did just that.

    I quickly observed who was already there, spotting Rooster chatting with Bob. Hangman was with Coyote and Fritz, near the beers, so I figured I'd wait a bit before retrieving one. No, I wasn't exactly thrilled to be around Hangman again.

    He glanced over at Nat and I's entrance but I moved on and started walking towards the big group. "Hey guys!" I greeted, ready to find a spot and sit.

    Halo, sitting on a couch with Omaha, made eye contact with Phoenix behind me. She immediately got up and grabbed my right arm. Nat grabbed my left and they were quickly taking me away. Everyone else, very confused, watched as they basically dragged me away.

    "Wait- what are you doing-"

    They led me to the outside and we sat in some chairs away from the door and windows. "Okay, what the hell?" I asked, letting one slip.

    I was sat down in a chair and the other two sat across from me in their own chairs. "Spill all the details about your date last night and then you can go in and socialize," Halo said quickly. Natasha nodded in agreement.

    My jaw was dropped and I scoffed. "You kidnapped me... for girl talk?" They both nodded eagerly. "Okay, then, I guess girl talk can commence... just keep your reactions down so they boys don't hear you."

    After they agreed, I told them about my sweet night with Rooster, however I'm beginning to feel more inclined to call him Bradley, especially when referring to our date.

    They reacted as I expected, throwing a couple noises in when I talk about the beach walk and watching the sunset with him. When I got to him dropping me off at my assigned housing, their expressions dropped only slightly.

    "Wait, you guys didn't do anything? Not even kiss? Is... has Rooster lost all of his game?" Nat asked, turning and asking Halo the last question.

    I sighed, and said, "Okay, no. He hasn't lost his game or whatever. This was just a different kind of night. Definitely nothing like that but we also just had our first alone moment, our first date. Give me a chance to get settled into it."

    Halo smiled, as did Nat. "Aw, we know Sunset. It's just... god the way he looks at you I swear he should've tried to get at least a goodnight kiss in."

    "But," Natasha interrupted, "he's got plenty more opportunities that's for sure. Just don't shy away, okay? You deserve to be a little happy again."

    I looked down at the floor at her comment, knowing she was right. But it felt wrong to experience happiness with someone other than Baywatch. Even though it's been nearly a year, it's not enough time.

    But really, will it ever be enough time? I'll have to push myself at some point, so why not start now?

    "Hey, don't mean to interrupt." I looked up as Nat and Halo turned to look behind them. Rooster stood there with three beers in hand. "Figured you guys might want drinks," he said with a shrug.

    We three ladies shared a quick look and started getting up. "Thanks Rooster," Nat said, walking up and by him first while grabbing a beer. Halo was next and and nodded at Rooster as she grabbed her, then followed Nat inside.

    I was last and shyly took the bottle from his hand. He smiled down at me so I smiled back up at him, then we followed the other two inside. His hand ghosted the small of my back, so close to touching but not quite there yet.

    We walked in and found a couple seats, him on one side of me and Nat on the other side. She had joined in on a conversation with Payback and so I listened in with them. I only offered an opinion every now and then, simply content with observing and listening.

    When my beer ran out, I got up to grab some more. Rooster started to stand instead, but I waved him off. "I got it, need to stretch my legs anyway," I said quietly to him and left with my empty bottle.

    In the kitchen, I added my bottle to the group at the back of the counter (Penny likes to recycle the bottles) and grabbed another from the fridge.

    "Hey," a voice said, and I turned my head to see Hangman.

    Immediately I wanted to be hostile, but instead figured he may have something important to say. So, I kept my mouth shut, opting to grab the bottle and stand by the fridge after closing it.

    He took my silence the right way and kept going. "Look, uh, I'm... I'm sorry about the other day. That definitely wasn't my place to bring up and..." He sighed to himself and I could tell this was genuinely hard for him, not just his pride blocking him from being apologetic.

    "You short-circuiting over there?" I asked quietly, a light smile on my face.

    He let out a puff of air through his nose and rubbed the back his neck. "A bit, yeah," he said with a breathy laugh. "I am sorry though, it was a douche move. Which is what I intended at first, but then I did it and realized it was kinda stupid."

    I raised an eyebrow. "Kinda?"

    "Okay, super stupid. I'm sorry."

    I nodded and opened up beer. After taking a long sip, I sighed. "Look, I can forgive you, but I still don't like you very much. That will take time."

    He nodded and his cocky behavior came back. "Would make you feel even better if I let you punch me?" he asked.

    I sputtered for a second. "Punch you? Really?" I asked, but less excited and more confused.

    "Hitting me might make you feel better? Come on, lay one on me," he said. He leaned down to put his hands on his bent knees and get his face in prime punching position.

    While the offer was extremely tempting, I didn't want to explain to the others or the superiors where the bruises on his face and my knuckles came from. So, instead, I walked up to him and then past, patting his shoulder on the way.

    "Tempting, but I'll pass this time," I said and went to rejoin the others. I plopped back down on the couch beside Rooster and re-engaged into the conversation.

    For another twenty minutes we sat and talked, telling stories from home and from TOPGUN days when Fritz decided we should play Uno at the table outside on the back deck.

    We all agreed and I was going to get up, but my legs were out. I must not've felt the tingle, being so distracted by the conversation. "Be right there guys, I'm gonna finish up my beer and then be right out," I said, waving them away.

    Rooster stopped and turned towards me. "No, come on, we're not gonna start without you- that's just no fun," he said, ready to come back over.

    Phoenix came to my rescue and walked back over. "She'll be right out, go on, I got her," she said, nearly shoving Rooster out the door before he started walking on his own. She then sat next to me and sighed. "Can't feel 'em?"

    "Not one bit." She nodded in response. "Thanks for sitting with me, though. I'll... tell him at some point, okay? Just not yet. I feel like I can hold it off until we really go out and stuff..."

    Nat nodded along with my words. "Makes sense, but I know he won't tell anyone if you're scared of that," she said.

    My turn to nod. "I know... I just want to take my time is all. And it looks like my legs are all good so lets go play some games, yeah?"

    Natasha and I got up from the couch and walked outside. Rooster looked over and smile. "Got you a seat, Sunset," he said and pulled the chair beside him out.

    I got a little shoulder shove and chose to ignore it, instead going and sitting down next to him with a small 'thanks' as the cards got dealt. There were multiple times our knees brushed under the table.

    I just couldn't wait for our next date at this point.