Three years before TOPGUN: Maverick.

"I can't help," I strum my guitar. "Falling in love.. with.. you." I pause, listening to the crickets chirping in the summer night. Heat is rising off the street, but a cool night breeze is blowing, playing with my hair.

  I sigh, leaning into the deck of the bunk house. Everyone else is in bed: we have to get up early tomorrow, but I couldn't sleep.

  "You're really good." A voice speaks up, and I jump. I'm surprised to see a boy sitting not far from me, his glasses flashing in the moonlight. He is sitting at the other end of the deck, wearing a tan uniform: A pilot.

  Shadows are cast across his face, but I can see a round face and nose.

  "Thanks." I say quietly, pulling my guitar to my chest. "How long have you been there?"

  "Oh," he says, scratching the back of his neck. "I've been here the whole time. I was sitting here before you came out..." he trails off. I look down, embarrassed.

"I'm just unobservant." I say, but he remains silent.

"What's your name?" I ask, looking at him. He seems embarrassed, too, and I realize we are both extremely uncomfortable with this whole thing.

"Bob." He says, looking down. I frown.

"Aren't you a pilot?" I ask, turning towards him. He looks up at me, and I am met with big brown eyes.

  "I'm actually a weapons systems officer." He says. I nod.

"Okay, but shouldn't you still have a callsign?" I ask, confused.

"That is my callsign. I mean, my callsign is 'Bob'." He speaks quickly, stumbling over his words, and I smile.

"I love that." I say. "Very original."

In the moonlight, I see his ears flush red, and I can't help but laugh.

  "Well, see you around, Bob." I say, grinning. I hold out my hand, the other one gripping my guitar. "I'm Kaleigh."

He shakes my hand hesitantly.

  "It was nice to meet you." He says politely. "I should be headed in as well."

***

  "Hey, I know you!" I exclaim as I fall into step next to Bob in the hallway.
  It's been a week since the night on the deck, and his surprised face makes me think he might have forgotten.
  In the bright light of the corridor, I study his reaction. He gives me an adorable smile, and I wipe my bangs away from my eyes.

  "Hello Kaleigh," he says, smiling. "Are you flying today?"

  I raise my hands, laughing at his question.
  "Oh, no, I'm not a pilot." I say. "Or a WSO." I add, smiling at him. He frowns.

  "So, you're a mechanic?" He says, gesturing to the badge on my shoulder. I grin.

  "Yep. You are smart!" I exclaim, making him blush.

  "Hey, Kale, will you move it?" My pal, Gustav, calls from the open door, leading out to the hangar. Bob raises his eyebrows at me.

  "Kale?" He asks.

  "Yeah," I say, looking at the floor, embarrassed. "It's a nickname."

  "I like it." He says, smiling. "Very original."

  I flush, and he does too, a blush creeping up the back of his neck.

  "Have fun, Bob!" I say, speeding up. "See you around!"

  "Bye, Kale!" Bob says.

***

I scrub grease off my hands with a rag, glancing up at the jet with a sigh. It was just a routine check, but this plane was a mess, and I spent most of the time cleaning.

"You done yet?" Gustav asks, throwing a rag at me. I catch it with one hand, glaring at him.

"You are annoying, you know that?" I ask, crossing my arms.

He grins at me, pointing towards the large clock on the wall.

"It's past noon. Everyone else has headed in, I was waiting for you." He says. I sigh.

"Sorry, you didn't deserve that." I say, tossing the rag at him.

"I did. I'm just annoying and an amazing friend." He says, moving towards the door.

Gustav is a small man, shorter than my five feet, seven inches. He claims he is five six, but we all know he is smaller than that. He has bright green eyes, military style blonde hair, and a sense of humor that well- out weights his lack of height.

In theory, he would be an amazing fighter pilot, but he gets motion sick.

  As we walk through the hallways towards the cafeteria, Gustav glances at me out of the corner of his eye.

  "So, who's the guy?" He asks.

  "Oh, from earlier?" I say, nodding. "That's Bob."

  "Eh, you could do better." Gustav says, shoving his hands into his pockets.

  "Woah, slow down." I say quickly, my eyes widening. "I've known him for what, a week?"

  "Still," he says, shrugging. "He seems nice, though. A little bit of a dweeb, maybe, but nice."

I roll my eyes.
  "Bob is adorable, leave him alone." 

  Gustav grins at me, looking behind us. I glance over my shoulder, turning bright red when I see a familiar pair of glasses. A dark haired pilot stands next to him, elbowing him and grinning at me.

How embarrassing.

Kaleigh 'Kale' Kelly
Mechanic

"I wanted more than anything to become a pilot. But my body just couldn't handle it."

Robert 'Bob' Floyd
WSO

"And maybe someday I will be brave enough
to tell you."

Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw.
Pilot

"Just tell her, Bob. It ain't gonna kill you."

Natasha 'Phoenix' Trace
Pilot

"And this here's Bagman."

Hello! Sorry for the short first chapter, I'm trying to get a feel for this new plot!

I think Bob is my spirit animal.

This book is dedicated to the amazing SuperCatgirl2
She has been supporting and an absolutely wonderful reader! She also has an Iceman fanfic you all should definitely check out.

 
Thanks!

  -❤️Kena