Three years before TOPGUN: Maverick.

  I sit across the table from Bob, drumming my fingers.

  "Why so stiff, Robert?" I ask, smiling. He visibly loosens his shoulders, adjusts his glasses, before grinning.

  "Did you just call me 'Robert'?" He asks, playing with the edge of his sweatshirt.

  "I did." I say, nodding. The waitress, an older woman with greying hair, places drinks on our table. We are at a little dinner in the heart of Cave Creek, a little over thirty minutes from the base.

  "Thank you." I say politely, taking a straw from her outstretched hand.

"So, Robert, I don't know that much about you." I say, grinning. "Besides that your last name is Floyd, your favorite color is Purple, and you don't like spicy Cheetos."

He glances up at me, surprised.
"You remembered all that?" He asks. I frown, nodding.

"Of course. I'm smarter than you give me credit for." I say. "I like you a lot, Bob. I notice things."

He flushes, placing his hand on the table.
"Okay. What do you want to know?"

I open my mouth, pausing when our waitress returns, placing a basket of rolls on the table.
  "Enjoy, loves." She says, striding away from our table.

  "What I want to know is why do you want to date me?" I ask, leaning forward and resting my elbows on the table. "I am crazy."

Bob smiles at me shyly.
  "I like crazy." He grabs a roll, tearing it in half. "Next question."

  "Childhood pets?" I ask, mimicking his motions and grabbing myself a roll.

  "I had a goldfish named Carol." He says, shrugging. "How about you?"

  "I had a parakeet named Sunny." I say, speaking with my mouth full. "Your turn."

He frowns, looking down at the table. He is silent for a second, before looking up.
  "Any siblings?" He asks.

  I nod quickly, my eyes widening in excitement.
  "I have a younger brother and two older sisters. My younger brother's name is Benjamin, and he is hilarious. He wants to be a magician... You know, cards and rabbits and stuff. My oldest sister has two kids, one girl and one boy. And my other sister is getting married soon. I'm so excited, I get to be a bridesmaid..." I trail off, blushing.  "I'm ranting again."

"I like your ranting." He says. "I wish I had siblings. I'm an only child."

"Aww." I say, frowning. "I'm sorry."

He smiles adorably. "It's okay. These boys are like my brothers." He pauses, adjusting his glasses. "And, I have you."

  I blush, looking at my hands again.
  "Look at us, a couple of flustered kids." I say quietly, before looking up. "Why did you become a WSO?" I ask.

  "It's so cool." He says. "I'm kind of a nerd, and being able to play with all the machinery is so fun."

Our waitress returns, taking our orders, before departing again.

"What about you?" He asks. "Have you always wanted to be a mechanic?"

  "Oh no," I say, taking a sip on my drink. "I dreamed of being a pilot, but I kept blacking out in the simulators. But I had already committed to eight years of mandatory survive, so I became a mechanic with Gustav, who was also a flunk." I frown. "I miss it. Flying, I mean, not blacking out."

  "You could still become a private pilot." He says, thinking out loud. "You probably just couldn't handle the G's."

I smile sadly.
  "Yeah, maybe."

He looks at me with sympathy, and I shrug.
  "It's okay." I say. "Enough about my sob story. Do you like to read?"

***

I plop on my bed, smiling like a dork. Butterflies flutter around in my stomach, and I roll over, pressing my face into a pillow to silence my excited yells. My first date. It went well.

I like him a lot.

I roll back onto my stomach, grabbing my phone off the side table. I dial my sister, Katelin's number, chewing on my nail as it rings.

  She might not answer— I know she is really busy, with a job and kids and a husband. But I hope she answers, even though it's late. I need to geek out with someone over Bob Floyd.

"Hey, sis." Her voice comes through, a whisper. "The kids are sleeping. Can you hear me?"

"Yeah, I can hear you." I whisper back, even though there is no need. I hear her sigh, and the sound of a door closing, and then footsteps.

  "Okay, I'm ready." She says, her voice raised to normal volume. "What's up?"

  I take a deep breath, before laughing.
  "I just went out on a date!" I exclaim, and I hear her happy squealing on the other end of the phone.

  "Go on, tell me everything!" She says excitedly. "Is he cute? Is he nice? Do I have to have Dan come and beat his ass?" She asks, referring to her husband.

  "I think I'm in love with him." I whisper. "He's the sweetest guy ever, hold on, I might have a picture, I'll send it to you—"

  I scroll through my pictures, finding a selfie of Bob, Gustav, and I.

  "He's the guy on the right." I say, sending the picture to her.

She gasps.
  "He's adorable. I love his glasses."

  "Yeah." I say, smiling. "Me too."

  "Is he a pilot?" She asks.

  "No, actually, he's a Weapons Systems Officer—"

***

  -Kaleigh Kelly Playlist- —The good, The bad, and the Ugly—

- You belong with me- Taylor Swift

-High Hopes- Panic! At the disco

-The Nights- Avicii

-Maps- Maroon 5

-Good Grief- Bastille

-Guy.exe— Superfruit

- Dandelions— Ruth. B

-Welcome to Wonderland- Anson Seabra

—Kaleigh Kelly aesthetic—

"I'm a little bit crazy."

"Hugs are the best. Here, let me show you."

  "My hands are always dirty."

"Who's a pretty bird?"

"PUT THAT IN YOUR PIPE AND SMOKE IT!"

"See? Crazy."

Thanks for reading! Votes comments, and feedback is greatly appreciated!!

We need Top Gun Lego sets right now.

Ahhhhhhh

Love you all!!!

-❤️Kena