"Do I have to go?" I grumbled in complaint to my mom as she styled my hair and did my makeup.

"Yes, your father put in the effort to set up this date, the least you can do is give the guy a chance" she said, her kind nature shining through.

Once she was content with my look she gave me a hug and sent me on my way. I had driven myself to the restaurant where I sighed before getting out and walking in. The waitress ushered me to the table where my date had already ordered for himself.

Daniel talked about himself the entire time, not even letting me get a word in as he believed women shouldn't have an opinion. The heels were killing my feet and my hair kept falling into my face. Daniel scolded my every action just like my father and it took all of my strength not to snap at him and cause a scene, but my mother said I only had to give him a chance.

I walked out of the restaurant with Daniel, him letting the door fall on me as I walked behind him into the cool night air.

"I really like you, you know, though you could work on keeping your mouth shut" he commented as he turned to face me. "I'll see you again sometime, next week" he decided on a date without asking me.

"I have a work thing that day" I told him simply.

"Cancel it" he said as if it was the obvious solution.

"I can't, it's a training exercise that I need to do to keep my job"

"So? You don't need to worry about having a job, I can support you"

"What?"

"I have to go now, bye" he waved as I watched him walk away without a second glance at me.

"What the hell?" I asked myself as he just left me standing outside of the restaurant. I pulled my phone out of my purse and made a call while walking over to my car. "Hey, you still open for a movie night?" I asked.

"Always, you on your way?" Rooster asked back, smiling on the other end.

"Yeah, I should be there in 30 minutes"

"Good, I'll run to the store down the street and pick us up some snacks. You want the usual?"

"You know it" I smiled into my phone as I started up my car. "Alright, I'm on my way, see you soon" and with that I hung up and drove off towards his house.

~~~

I pulled up in front of his house, grabbing my bag from the backseat that I always kept there. Making my way to the front door I have it three solid knocks before pulling my hand back to my side and waiting for Rooster to appear.

"Hey, Sunshine—wow" his eyes went wide as he took in my appearance. He stepped aside, speechless as I stood awkwardly at the door. "Oh, sorry, come in" he shook away the thought as he realized why I didn't make a move to enter. I walked past him and went straight to the washroom as he closed the door. "You alright in there, Sunshine?" He asked nervously.

"Yep, just changing out of this stupid dress" I grumbled from the other side of the door.

"Okay" he laughed slightly and moved back to the couch, sitting down and waiting for me to return. I walked out wearing sweatpants and an old academy tee shirt after changing out of the silk dress that made me deeply uncomfortable. He smiled up at me as I plopped down beside him, picking up the bag of gummy bears that were sitting on the coffee table. He clicked play on the movie and we started chatting while watching the movie.

"He argued over paying for the meal and ended up paying for it all in the end" I explained in complaint.

"That's called chivalry" Rooster tried to defend with some slight hope.

"No, that's call being a rich asshole" I countered and he listened confused. "I work hard for my goals while he gets everything handed to him on a silver platter. He doesn't understand me like you do" I sighed, leaning back into the visions of the couch.

"Yeah" he nodded, starting to understand my point.

"And then he let the door fall closed on me as we walked out" I added to my rant to Rooster about the worst date I had ever experienced.

"Really? He didn't hold it open for you?" Rooster asked in complete shock.

"Not everyone is as well mannered as you" I reminded him with a slight smile.

"Please tell me that's all he did that was bad?" Rooster asked, tired of hearing how badly I had been treated all night.

"Oh no, he told me to cancel our training exercise next week for another date" I said, completely baffled by what had happened mere hours ago.

"Wow, no way" he shook his head in disbelief.

"Oh yeah" I nodded along.

~~~

"Ready to nail this training exercise?" I asked Rooster as we met up at the base for the day of work.

"You know me sunshine, I'm always ready" he smirked back with confidence.

"See you in pre flight" I waved, splitting off towards the women locker room on base to get ready.

"See you out there" he sent me a wave back.

Once our jet was prepared for flight we were taxied onto the runway and began our training exercise.

Rooster and I spent the entire exercise communicating with each other with ease. As per usual he kept us in the air and out of the way of possible bogeys while I worked the weapons systems and warned him of any dangers.

Upon landing we were told to report back to the base tomorrow for our feedback, leaving us the rest of the evening to relax.

"Good work up there today, Sunshine" Rooster commented as we walked back towards the base and he threw his arm over my shoulders.

"Ew, you're all sweaty" I grumbled pushing him away as he laughed out. We split off once again in the building, him entering the mens locker room and me entering the women's locker room.

I had made sure to get showered and cleaned up before going home as to avoid my fathers complaining. Bradshaw had waited in the hallway for me, walking with me out to the parking lot like normal.

Pulling into my driveway I got out of my car and entered the house to find my parents and Daniel and Daniels parents waiting at the kitchen table for me. I stood in awkward shock, dressed in sweat pants and a navy tee shirt compared to their collared shirts and ties and my mothers floral dress.

"Go change and hurry up so we can begin eating" my father snapped impatiently, my mother making him wait for me before they started to eat.

My jaw was set tight as I glanced at all of them, easing once my mother smiled warmly at me. With a small sigh I moved up the stairs, turning left into my bedroom and putting on the pink dress my mother had laid out on my bed for me earlier in the day while I was at work.

Going back downstairs I took the empty seat beside Daniel and started eating in silence, not giving them any attention. My hand laid on the table, clenched up in a fist when Daniel grabbed it and held it in his hand.

"Don't touch me" I snapped, pulling away from him harshly.

"Woah, calm down" he told me as if I was overreacting.

"No!" I yelled back at him.

"Nicole, sit down and show your boyfriend some respect" my fathers booming voice scolded my actions.

"Respect? Why should I show him respect when he has none for me?" I demanded answers, pointing out how unfair this was.

"Nicole" my father started again but I was pushing away from the table, not giving him a chance to stop me. "Where are you going now?"

"I'm going for a run" I stated, putting on my running shoes quickly by the door.

"But it's pouring out, you'll get all wet and when I eventually have to pick you up because you gave up on your run you'll ruin my car" Daniel complained with his snobby voice.

"Then it's a good thing I never give up" I shot back before walking out before they could get another word in, slamming the door behind me.

I had started running down the street, taking my usual route when I stopped to catch my breath about a block away from the terror that resided in my house presently. My hands were on my hips as I breathed in heavily, head tilted up letting the rain bring me a cold comfort.

"Isn't it a bit wet out for a run darlin?" Roosters voice teased. I looked in front of me to find Roosters truck had pulled over to the side of the road and his passenger side window was rolled down.

"Nope" I shook my head, wet hair flopping about in my ponytail.

"Get in I'll give you a drive home" he offered but I crossed my arms stubbornly.

"I ran away from my home" I said. "Id rather stand here in the rain then put up with my father and boyfriend and boyfriends family" I ranted in annoyance.

"Alright then I'll drive you back to my place where you can at least dry off and not risk catching a cold before our next deployment" Rooster offered and I smiled back getting into the car with him as he leaned over to open it from the inside for me.

When we got to his house he unlocked the door, opening it and allowing me to go inside first. I nodded to him in thanks as I walked in and waited for him to come inside behind me.

"I'll grab you some dry clothes" Rooster said, rushing off into the house. I had changed into the dry clothes and dried my hair slightly with a towel so that it wasn't dripping water everywhere. Rooster looked up from the TV remote when I sat beside him on the couch, damp hair out of its ponytail and his clothes keeping my warm and dry.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" He offered, not really wanting to hear about my boyfriend but wanting to be helpful.

"I mean, I don't even like Daniel" I started with a huff of annoyance. "He's annoying, and clingy, and thinks he rules me even though I don't even want to be dating him but my father is forcing me to. Like, what is love even supposed to look like? Because I can tell you that what my parents has is not what the movies portray love to be" I ranted to my pilot who listened closely.

"I never knew my father that well, he died when I was young, but my mother and everyone who knew my parents always told me that they had the truest love anyone had ever seen" Rooster started, looking away from me as he thought back on his own life.

"How? I mean a love like that just doesn't seem real"

"My father would have done anything for my mother, and she always said he was such a gentleman." Rooster smiled at the thought. "The would always make each other laugh and smile and whenever they were together they were inseparable"

"That's really sweet" I commented with a soft smile as I watched Rooster recall his parents love.

"I think everyone deserves to have a love like that" he added his own opinion on the topic.

——————————————————
Question of the day: when do you think Sunshine will realize Roosters crush on her?