Rob couldn't believe how much he was enjoying himself. To be with like-minded people who had the same goals in life was a whole new experience for him. He'd thought the hockey guys were the perfect fit but, now he realised it was the game that had brought them altogether.

His squadron seemed to live with the same heartbeat. All were ambitious, health conscious, and intelligent. Conversation was open slather on any subject you felt like talking about.

They debated everything from end of the world scenarios, conflicts overseas, politics, the state of humanity, climate change and pollution, to who the best kick boxer was, which music sent the right messages with the coolest beat, the future of technology, AFL and of course cute girls or hot guys, depending on who was doing the talking. The only topics he'd ever covered with his hockey mates were the next game, parties or girls. Rob mused on why he'd never talked of more in-depth things with Becky. What had they talked about? Linc, school subjects, friends, work at Bunnings, hockey and their future but, never world issues or hypotheses on more bizarre subjects.

"Okay! Who's up for a trip to the metropolis of Melbourne for the Easter weekend?" Brett Swanky said with a grin as he took a seat at the dining hall table. He dumped his tray in front of him and picked up what looked like a burnt saggy piece of zucchini. Brett screwed up his face as he studied the vegetable. "What the fuck is this supposed to be?"

"Eggplant, idiot," said one of the girls sitting at the table. "It's actually really nice." She forked one of her own slices. "Fried in real butter with pepper. Try it."

"Nope." Brett tossed it onto her plate and said, "I bet Melbourne cafe's don't serve up shit that looks like that." He grinned at the people seated around him. "So... Who's in?"

"Me?" Calvin Drum lifted his finger, and then looked over at Rob. "What about it? Are you in Jarvis?

"Ah..." Rob twisted up his mouth as he focused on his new group of friends. Brett was definitely the player with his vivid green eyes and dark hair. Calvin took the joker role. In Rob's mind red hair and freckles seemed to be a part of that course. It was Calvin who he considered his best friend.

Sherry Cole, a tough as nails brunette with piercing black eyes sat next to Calvin. Jacinta Peron sat across from her eating Brett's piece of eggplant. Jacinta reminded Rob of Trin with her red hair and freedom of sex outlook on the world. He wondered if she and Calvin had a baby would the child have any chance of being brunette with olive skin? Not that they were a couple but Rob thought Cal had hinted that he liked her more than friends.

He shifted his eyes to the next girl. Tiny blonde Genevieve Connelly looked over at him with a curious expression on her face. She had cried that first day on parade and had always remained the quiet and reserved one. There was no denying she was smart. They all were but, there was something more to Genevieve. Rob just couldn't put his finger on it. She intrigued him. He thought about another blonde he'd known. She had turned out to be a bit weird. Rob focused on Genevieve as he shrugged and said, "I had plans to go to Adelaide."

"Ah... the girlfriend." Sherry chuckled as she shook her head. "Why the fuck do you have a girlfriend at this age and, in this chosen profession." She lifted her finger and jabbed it through the air at him. "You're wasting your youth. Dump the bitch. That's what I say and live a little."

"I live!" Rob objected.

"Yeah... right..." Sherry wasn't one to hold back. "Every time we're socializing you're the first to high tail it when anyone from the opposite sex comes anywhere near you."

"Not true." Rob shook his head. He pointed at each of the girls as he said, "Unless I'm mistaken you three are the opposite sex and you don't see me running for the hills."

Sherry threw her head back and laughed. "That's because we haven't hit on you. Yet." She winked and glanced at Genevieve who quickly hung her head and pretended not to have noticed Sherry's inference.

Rob didn't know what to say. He looked at the guys hoping Calvin would jump in with a joke but Sherry took the lead again.

"You know she's more than likely fucking someone else, right at this moment."

"Becky wouldn't do that!" A ball of anger caught in Rob's gut.

Sherry shrugged. "I'm sorry, Rob. It's the nature of the beast. In every institution where there is a mix of men and women, ah...let me rephrase that. Where there are hormone driven beings, male or female, there is fucking." She grinned and nudged her head at Jacinta. "Look at Cinny here. She has a boyfriend but she's fucked at least three guys and one girl that I know of already and, she's only been away from her... boyfriend." Sherry inverted the word boyfriend with her fingers as she said it. "For three months."

"Not true!" Jacinta beamed and held up two fingers. "Two guys. The third couldn't rise to the occasion."

"What..?" Rob stared at her wide-eyed. "You played up on your boyfriend."

"Ah... no..." Jacinta flicked her head at him and rolled her eyes. "Ronny and I have an understanding. We aren't together unless we're together." She shrugged and scooped up a fork full of eggplant. "I think Sherry is right. You're wasting your youth having a girlfriend who lives in another state. You'd be doing her and yourself a favour if you cut ties."

"Becky and I have been through a lot together. She's amazing and I love her."

"You know what they say." Jacinta shrugged again. "If you love something set it free, bla, bla, bla."

*****

Rob lay on his bunk with his hands behind his head staring at the dark ceiling. Was he being selfish? Should he break it off with Becky and set her free? As he thought, he wondered if she was having sex with someone else. Rob immediately brushed the notion aside. Not Becky. She wouldn't do that to him. Would she?

He rolled on his side. The image of Genevieve's face, as she blushed when Sherry mentioned them not having hit on him yet, came to mind. He grinned. There was something about tiny blondes that had always attracted him. A warm feeling flooded his stomach and crept to his limp appendage. Rob gasped and clamped his hand to his groin. No way. That did not just happen. A red flag went up. It wasn't Becky playing up on him that he was worried about. It was him playing up on her. As Becky's face replaced Genevieve's, Rob's body glowed with sensation. He chuckled to himself. There was no way he'd play up on Becky. He loved her with all his heart.

Photo copyright AF Mil