Bad Luck

1 month before the bombs

Heather Lisinski walked past the windows of the shops in Ramona, California. "See anything you like?" a voice said behind her, and Heather jumped. "Kara!" she said, turning around. Kara Lisinksi dodged a playful slap from her sister, and laughed. "It's all too expensive for you, anyways. Anyways, I hear there are some hot guys at the plane show. You wanna go?" she said. Heather hesitated. "Are there other people there? Because if we get in trouble then -"
"Heather," Kara said.
"We'll get kicked out and - "
"Heather..." Kara was getting frustrated.
"Then we'll never - "
"HEATHER!!" Kara said, and then she cracked up.
"What?" Heather said. "I'm just wondering whether we're allowed to be there or not." Kara grabbed her arm and pulled. "Of course we're allowed to be there, it's a show, so other people are gonna be there. Plus you can gamble on who will stay in the air longest - " "Which neither of us is going to do," Heather interrupted, running to catch up with her arm. "Sure, but then there's the five minute speed dating with the pilots, which you're allowed to do, so..." Kara exhaled. "Here we are!"
"Welcome to the 33rd annual California Plane Show!" The announcer's voice blared over the speakers. "This year we're flying in Ramona, a very quaint town with a big heart. Our first contestant is 32, and his grandfather taught him how to fly; please welcome: Jake Green!" Screams, cheers, whistles, and clapping could be heard all around Heather and Kara. Out of a large blue tent stepped a tall, brown haired man wearing a forest green pilot suit. He held his helmet under his right arm as he waved to the crowd with his left. Heather and Kara clapped politely for him, and he stepped into his plane. He took off, and Heather gasped. He turned, swung, and turned again. His moves were so dangerous, but Heather could feel his smile radiating from the plane. When he landed, Heather was sure she clapped the loudest.
"For the last time, I'm NOT going!" Heather said as Kara pulled her towards the building. "It was just watching, no dating!" Kara snorted. "Yeah right, I bet you ten to one that you want to meet that Jake 'whatever' - " "His name is Jake Green!" Heather interrupted. "And I'm not interested!" Kara sighed. "Fine, let's go back to the hotel. But you have to admit, he is pretty..." "Kara..." Heather began. "Okay, fine..." Kara said, and they set off towards home.

8 months after the bombs

Heather woke up after a small nap, a.k.a. dropping to the floor after getting back from helping make parts with her old friend, Ted. She literally fell into Jake's arms as soon as she got out of the truck. She rubbed her head tiredly and realized that her hair hadn't been brushed in about three weeks, and taking that nap had made it worse. With a groan, she pulled out some de - tangling hair spray and her brush and comb, and began to torture her scalp. One tangle was so ferocious that when she pulled the brush out, it flew across the room and hit the corner of a picture on the wall, and the frame crashed and broke. Heather growled out in frustration, and grabbed the brush and finished with her hair. She cleaned up and got dressed, grabbed one of Bonnie's homemade granola bars and ate it, then cleaned up the mess. "Stupid...shoulda brought a hairbrush..." as she pulled the picture from the glass, she cut herself from her wrist to her knuckle. "OW!" Heather yelled, and put the picture down on the table so that it wouldn't get blood on it. She wrapped some gauze around her hand and glued it. "That'll have to do," she said, and continued sweeping up the remains. She put it in a box with a label on it that read, "Fix - it or Remake - it." It was filled with buttons, other broken picture frames, shoes and such. She picked up the picture and looked at it the first time that day; she wished she hadn't. It was of her and Kara on the day of the plane show, their faces painted with swirls and flowers and hearts. Tears formed in her eyes; there was a knock on the door, and she wiped her eyes and put the picture back down.

Heather wasn't surprised to find Jake at the door. "Hey," Jake said, slightly shivering. "Hey yourself," Heather smiled. "What's up?" "The sky," Jake said. Heather noted that his answers were short. "And I'm cold." "Oh, sorry!" She held open the door for him to go in. Heather took a good look at him while he entered. He was limping a bit, and he held his jacket tight over him. "You okay?" Heather asked. Jake turned around. "Yeah," he said, and spotted her hand. "You?" Heather looked at her poorly wrapped hand and said, "Oh yeah. I was just cleaning up a mess and cut myself." Jake nodded, cautious of believing her. Heather sniffed as she turned her back to him and walked to the kitchen. "You want a drink?" she called. "Nah, just got back from Bailey's." "Kay," Heather replied a little too brightly. She came out with what looked like smashed cherries in cow milk. Jake looked at it with disgust on his face, but Heather just giggled in response. "What is that?" Jake asked, his nose crinkled cutely. Heather smiled a genuine smile. "Jake, I have some...odd news about your best friend, Stanley." Jake tilted his head slightly, his eyebrows raised. Heather could tell he was amused. "He was secretly allowing Bonnie to plant cherries, and he got me addicted to...this." She gestured to the glass. "If your thinking cooked - within - an - inch - of - its - life cow milk and smashed cherries, you are correct. Want some?" she added. Jake shook his head, his lips glued together, his face turning very green. "I've uh - had bad run - ins with cherries." Heather laughed and sat down. "Yeah right, nothing our hero can't handle."