CHAPTER ONE
Alpha female arrives
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It was a long flight, and the bus drive from the Jalalabad Navy Air Base to Camp Larkin was a dusty one, is all I can say. Everything looks beige and yellow. And sunny.
I look from the bus absolutely excited to finally be part of a long deployment. Even though the heat and dust make it all a lot less pleasurable. The fact that I knew that my uniform pants would itch didn't help, either. But from all the bad things that could happen in Afghanistan, at least it was a dry heat. Thank God for that. Humidity is hell on Earth.
"Are you new?" a youthful red-haired military girl asks, too excited for my taste. But she didn't annoy me yet, so I decide to answer her.
"Not really. I was assisting another special ops team for many months, then decided it was best to change teams. You know, to switch things up", I explain, lying about the last part.
"Oh my God DEVGRU? That is amazing!" she loudly screams in my ear, while changing seats to stay next to me. Unfortunately. She squeezes me against the window. "Which team will you assist?"
"Don't know yet" I answer sincerely. I'd know the next day, but I wouldn't tell her that, God forbid this girl decides to be my best friend and comes to look for me later. I'll be here for two months, no thanks. "Oh, look, we arrived" I quickly get my bag and almost run to the front of the bus, but I can still hear the girl behind me.
"I'm Amanda Johnson! Please look for me on Barracks C, and tell me which team you'll assist".
"Sure sure. B-bye" I lie again. Never lied so many times in under two minutes. Ok, I just lied again; of course I did. I worked with JAG prosecutors and lawyers. I could like through my teeth and nobody would ever know.
I barely pass the Camp Larkin entrance gate, and a flood of hot, tall and big men walks right in front of me. Definitely Seals. Bearded. So definitely special ops. I like what I've seen so far, but I'm just discreetly checking them out. I recognize the one with the longer beard from somewhere, but can't pin point exactly where. A bigger guy walks by behind them, and this one I not only check out, discreetly, but unabashedly stare. Not only because he's hot as fuck, but because I think I know who he is.
Fortunately, I'm wearing sunglasses and check him out with the corner of my eye, and he's wearing sunglasses too, aviators, which is even better somehow. Yep, I remember him well. The team leader that most JAG prosecutors hate to this day. I know him because my colleagues always pointed him to me, from a distance, telling me who he was and why I should hate him. Apparently, he's a rebel that defies authority, and meddles in the cases of his friends. Like the one with the longer beard that I recognized before too. Now I recall, he had to serve only a couple of weeks after a bar fight. But I liked the guy. The fight was necessary, those guys were pretending to be Seals, so he kicked their asses. You'd never hear that from me, when I worked with the JAG prosecutor. But now I can say whatever I want about it. Except out loud, of course.
I'm still discreetly watching the hot big guy come closer, when fucking Amanda reaches me and stands next to me, and not so discreetly, at all, taps my arm and loudly whispers.
"Oh my God, that'stheMaster Chief Jason Hayes, right? He's fiiine", and all that she needed was to ask him if he could pose for a selfie with her. And he'd gladly do it, because he immediately turned to see Amanda, and she was grinning at him like a groupie. And maybe he saw me too, couldn't tell, because of his aviators. But I keep a neutral face behind my own sunglasses, ignoring the groupie next to me. But his stern expression was very powerful.
I formally ignored the joyful Amanda next to me, and made my way to Barracks A. Far from her. Except, no, Barracks A and C are close together. Barracks B was being dismantled, because of the troops retreat.
I get inside my cabin, and since I'm a 'cake eater', I got an entire cabin for myself. I throw my bag on the floor and decide to go for a walk, to get to know the place where I'd spend my next eight weeks.
Half an hour under the hellish sun and I already need a drink, and since it's my day off, it should contain alcohol. But I walked to the food truck area and there's only… food, there. I'm an eater, not a drinker, but still. That's terrible. Really disappointing.
"Ah, come on. That's ridiculous" I grumble when I read a sign informing that alcoholic drinks now had to be bought outside of the Camp. I wasn't even caring if someone heard me, because by the looks of some soldiers nearby, they agree. Two soldiers stand beside me, providing some shadow, and read the same sign I just read, because they heard my complaint.
"Oh, what the fuck man" one of the guys grumble, and I look back at him with the same expression that he gives me. A desperate one, of complete disbelief. He has a great voice, with texan accent. It's the guy that got away with hitting the fake Seal. Love him already.
"That is truly unbelievable" the blonde bearded soldier between the texan guy and me grumbles too, and he has an amazing seductive voice. And he's hot, even though a bit younger than me. I think. Not sure, but probably. He glances at me too, because he can't believe it.
"Okay, that's it" an Afghani man complains from inside a food truck right next to the sign, "Take this goddamn sign from here. All the time someone stops to complain. I'm sick of it. Please, place it to that side" he pointed, but the guy at that place complains in advance. He was his competition.
I quickly walk to the sign and grab it, but the blonde stops me, touching my arm.
"You don't have to do this. Us military don't need to obey him. He can move the sign himself".
"He owns the only taco stand here. I like tacos. Don't want spit on mine" I explain, and the Afghani man nods, staring at the blonde. The blonde swallows, and decides to help me find a place for the sign, quickly. As if I needed help. But he felt an urge to help the Afghani.
I was hanging the sign over some closed food truck as far away as possible from the taco stand, but the blonde says it's crooked. I sigh and stand on my toes, obviously the two taller men should do this.
"Here, I'll help" finally a tall gentleman with husky voice comes from behind me and quickly touches the sign, to straighten it, but I see his hand suddenly grabbing it.
"What? What do you mean, there's no more beer? They sold us beer two days ago" he loudly and dramatically complains, and I turn to take a look at drama queen. It's Master Chief Hayes. Never thought he'd be dramatic. He always looked very put together and stern. "That's ridiculous" he whines to the other soldier and glances at me, then looks back at the soldiers. He's still with his aviators, and so am I.
"Thanks" I sarcastically say, because the sign is on his hands now. He quickly glances at me, serious, again, and places the sign back to where it was before, a little crooked, again. "Sorry" he mumbles.
I nod and make my way to the taco stand, where I buy a taco and a diet coke to try to pretend I was having a refreshing mojito. Fifteen minutes later, the soldiers are still complaining next to me about the lack of alcohol inside the Camp, and Master Chief Hayes mentions some old tiki bar that he wants to re ensemble. I frown when I hear it, it sounds tacky. I wander the Camp, to get situated and everything, then go back to my cabin, and finally take a good look around. The cabin is clean, but ugly, and there are dates written on a wall. Some woman passed by that cabin and wrote down her deployments in J-Bad. There were seven. I wouldn't write mine, because I already know they will probably destroy the cabin as soon as we leave this place.
.
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I wake up excited on the second day. I'll finally get to meet the DEVGRU team I'll work from now on, after getting the hell out of Foxtrot. Those guys were jerks.
"Hey, Blackburn" I joyfully greet the Commanding Officer Eric Blackburn. I always liked him, and he handled my transference between special teams. He's the one that pointed me to DEVGRU, actually.
"Hello, Victoria, good to see you again" he joyfully says, then corrects himself. "Faulkner".
"Oh, please, no. Keep calling me Victoria, or Vicky. Anything. I prefer it, honestly" I confess, and Eric laughs back, sincere. A woman comes close to Eric, looking timid.
"Ensign Lisa Davis, this is Ensign Victoria Faulkner. The new officer that will assist Bravo Team with you".
"Well, very nice to meet you. Heard great things about you" she formally lies. I like this woman. I shake her hand with joy, and lie too, to keep her happy.
"I heard a lot about you, too, Davis. Nice to finally meet you".
"Well, I'm just glad we're finally having another woman in our team. I know the Navy is mostly men, but I'm getting tired of it, Faulkner" Davis stated.
"Please. Call me Victoria. Or Vicky. Faulkner is too... manly".
Davis nods, understanding. "You can call me Lisa or Davis, I don't mind. The guys call me Davis for years, so. I'm used to it".
"I'll test it out. I'll probably call you Lisa" I sincerely answer, and she chuckles.
Eric intervenes, feeling like a third wheel between our impending friendship. "Well, I think you'll really love Bravo Team. I chose them especially for you" he states, and glances at Lisa. Blackburn had already told me that he would tell the officer I'd work with about what happened between me and Foxtrot Team, because she'd work directly with me as my colleague. He was right, and apparently she understood.
"Today I was thinking that you could stay here with me gathering some intel we need. And tomorrow, the guys will go on a regular op, then we can introduce you", Davis explains.
"Perfect. I'm ready to roll", and I really am. Really excited to be working again, and hopefully, this time I'll be working with the real good guys.
.
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The day goes by as usual, inside the op center room with the CIA boring people, and I meet the CIA agent that is sticking with us during this deployment. For the past three years the Agency switches agents every three to four months between the DEVGRU teams. Apparently, an agent went rogue more than once, in favor of a team, and they decided it was better this way. Team Charlie didn't like that decision, at all.
"I'm Jessica Brown" the blonde tanned woman shakes my hand, like a fish. Don't like her that much. Lisa doesnt seem to like her, either. Maybe that's why I'm not a fan, at first. "Looking forward to working with you".
"Sure" I politely say, "Look forward too. I'm Victoria Faulkner."
"Ooh. British"
"My family is Welsh, actually"
"Exotic" she says, looking at me from head to toe.
"Not really. It's right next to England" I frown.
I stop frowning, because Bravo Team operators are getting into the room. I'm dressed in a very plain way, with camouflage pants, brown belt, and white t-shirt, because after what happened with Foxtrot, God forbid if someone uses my outfit as an excuse. Even though, my outfits definitely couldn't be the reason for that guy's actions, for sure. I thought about securing my hair into a bun, but my neck could entice someone as easily as that, too, apparently. So I kept my black hair down and natural, slightly wavy, as usual.
I hate that now I think a lot more about how I'm going to dress or how I'll wear my hair. I hope this feeling fades away.
The team guys make their way inside, and I'm leaning on a table at the front of the room, but close to tech nerds, so nobody greets me, while they joyfully greet Jessica. Most of them, at least. They're in their civilian clothes, so I can't find out any names, like when soldiers wear uniforms. I know one name, though. The big guy at the front.
I'm surprised, but it's a good thing that I'm working with him. This way, I'd never have to ask myself if I have a shot, because it doesn't matter. But of course, in this case, I'd definitelynothave a shot. Or maybe yes, like for a one night stand, and if at said night the bar has fewer options of froghogs. Maybe then, yes. I wouldn't keep my hopes up, though.
"Hello guys, we're starting our third week in Afghanistan, huh" Eric joyfully greets them, clapping his hands, but he's received with grumbles.
"Fucking desert"
"Shitty hell"
"Hate this"
"Bored to death"
"Why couldn't we have another Gucci deployment, man"
Blackburn ignores their grumpy answers, he's used to them by now. "Guys, let me introduce you real quick, this is Ensign Victoria Faulkner, she's the Officer that will be assisting you guys from now on, filling the spot for Officer Mark Duwes.
"Mark was boring" the texan guy states, and I nod at the guys from my dark spot, in the shadows. Greeting them like a gangsta.
"Yeah, seen you before" the blonde with the seductive voice recognizes me, and nods back at me, smiling. Texan guy too. The others nod back, including Hayes. But he's the only one with a stern face when he nods. As if his time is too precious to get acquainted with his crew. Don't like his attitude. Rude guy.
Blackburn then says that Davis and I will pass the details from the op for that night, and she explains half of it, and I say the other half. The part with the data that each memorized. I mean, what's the point of memorizing all the information to say it to an operator once? They can read the briefing we wrote, too.
"Good luck, guys" I casually say, while I'm turning to my table and they're leaving to gear up. I get some joyful 'thanks' back, and Davis and Jessica quickly wish them best of luck too, but they're all out. Apparently, nobody wishes good luck to the guys that are about to risk their lives. That's weird.
.
.
The week continues with the same type of routine small ops, just searching for a handful of criminals and terrorists still hidden somewhere, collect weaponry and such. I only see the team guys during briefings, because Davis and I are working long hours, and weird hours, sleeping during the day and staying up all night. Before I arrived, she found out some serious stuff about a possible new terrorist organization rapidly growing in Afghanistan, and it's easier for us to talk and collect data when there aren't a million nerds and people around us.
Lisa and I are getting along great. She's about my age, single and independent as I am, she became an Officer around the same time as I did, except I graduated one semester earlier. And we are relaxed and casual about most things. But extremely hot-headed about others.
But there's a party happening at the Camp tonight, and people brought beer, tequila and vodka, and I'm all in. Lisa too.
"This is basic" she complains, trying to find clothes to wear. "Come on, let's go to your cabin, you'll lend me something, right?"
"Ok, but there's nothing there. I mean, check out my outfit" I mock, because I'm wearing a plain jeans and olive green top with long sleeves. The top has an off-the-shoulder neckline, but no deep cleavage or details, anything of the sort.
"I amchecking it out" she states, staring at me annoyed, "and it's great. Come on, let's go there." she quickly gets out of her cabin, leaving it unlocked, and walks to mine, "I want something with cleavage" she gestures to her collarbone, looking at my top, while walking.
She almost breaks her hand trying to open the cabin door. "I lock it. Like any normal woman does" I explain, taking the key out of my pocket, and she shrugs. Her problem, then.
She advances at my closet as soon as she enters, and quickly grabs a black top with V neckline. "Can I?" she asks, ready to take her top off and try on my top. "Sure" I answer, not sure if her big boobs will fit in it. Surprisingly they do, and the top looks a million times sexier on her than in me. Now I know why.
Duly wearing a cleavage, Davis walks fast to the party, excited, and I follow, excited, but confused. The guys excitedly greet us with their beers in hand.
"You said it was a party" I say, confused. Everyone is drinking beers, half of them sitting around the fire pit, the other half talking in small groups. There's no music or anything. "This is a gathering" I conclude, out loud, and the guys nod in agreement. Sonny disagrees, offended.
"We're just warming up, girl" he playfully says, with his melodic voice. I know Sonny's name because Davis told me the names of everyone. Apparently, DEVGRU soldiers always assume that everybody knows their names around Camp. I didn't want to be the one to break the bad news to them, so I pretended to know who they were, too.
"I'm not complaining. Just saying" I tell him, and walk to the table with a sign on it that says 'all types of booze'. I prepare a coke and vodka, with some ice. I'd put many more cubes, but I don't know if there's more ice for the others.
"There's more ice in this cooler" Jason says next to me, while taking a can of beer from another cooler. I quickly glance at him. "Oh, good, thanks".
He doesn't move from the front of the cooler, so I gesture to him, with an apologizing smile. Maybe he thinks he's smaller than he is, and he quickly takes a step back, sipping his beer. He's wearing jeans and an olive green jacket, looking great. He's all looks, though. Not much more. Always grumpy and anxious.
"Blackburn says you were assisting Foxtrot before" he initiates a conversation, for the first time ever, with me. Until then I only heard him ask me for data or details of the ops, usually grumpy. I'm so surprised that I stop my hand from getting the ice from the cooler and turn to confirm if he's talking to me. He is. Turned to me, with his beer in hand and the other hand in his pocket. He chose the wrong topic of conversation, though.
"I was. Ten months" I answer, blunt, to stop the subject. "When did Blackburn tell you that?" I ask, suspicious. He agreed to keep that information a little more hidden, so he wasn't supposed to just tell things about me. Of course, he couldn't omit or lie, if others asked. But I'm sure this wasn't the case.
"I asked him" Jason casually says, looking at me and then glancing to the side. "I was curious because you didn't seem to have much experience to be in DEVGRU, to be honest".
My face turned very grumpy, very fast. The ice cubes felt it when I threw them in my plastic cup. "Well... I do. I can give you my resume, if you want" I say, a little annoyed, because Bravo One didn't think I was good enough to work with his team.
Jason looks down and softly chuckles. "It's not that. You look younger, that's all".
"Hum. Sure, thanks" I respond, bored. "Convinced now?" I ask, defiant.
"Yes" he says, smirking, and leaning to my direction and providing me with shade from the horrible lights around Camp. "Your first long deployment though, right?"
"It is" I admit, "It's different. Slower" I explain, and he nods. "Don't like that" I confess. "Of course, I'm not the one going out on ops and risking my life every night" I say, apologizing.
"Nah. I hate it too. It's too damn slow" he confesses, looking melancholic and pensive. Then he smirks, while shaking his head.
"But the last time I was here, two years ago, there were a lot of things happening. We replaced Echo Team" he says, with a stern look. I know the story about what happened to them, so I swallow.
"I'm sorry. That must've been weird. And sad" I say, tenderly. The entire Echo Team was blown up at once.
"It was. But we managed to take down all the network and the terrorists responsible for their deaths were killed. By us" he states, stern.
I grin, vindictive, "Well done".
He apparently wasn't expecting my joyful reaction, because he blinks and leans on the table. "Well. Thank you" he says, cocky.
I take a sip of my drink, and we keep quiet for a few seconds. But I'm dying for the gossip, and I have that thought in my mind ever since. "Funny how that huge company related to the Navy, Xeon, was brought down just a couple of days later, huh" I casually say, not facing him.
Jason swallows. I see it with the corner of my eye. "Yeah. Many things were discovered and brought to light at that time, involving the Navy".
"The journalist who wrote the article that brought Xeon down, Paul..." I mention, casually.
"Huh. What's up with him" Jason tries to disguise it, not facing me.
"You know him, right? I mean, he's the one who interviewed you during that same deployment". I turn to him, casually asking.
Jason squirms. "Yes, coincidence" he terribly lies.
I'm about to mention, casually, how I always thought that Echo was blown up because of something involving the mines in Afghanistan, that Xeon had access to, but I shut up. I can squeeze that information some other time, we are at a 'party', after all.
"Well, you know what, this is not a topic of conversation for such a wild party" I declare, gesturing around us, playful. 90% of the people there were sitting down and talking quietly.
Jason suddenly and sincerely laughs, looking down then back up at me, with a charming smile. I immediately squirm, because his smile and laughter are amazing. I finally understand why soldier girls are always drooling for him. They probably saw him smile or laugh before.
"True" he points at me with the finger holding his beer, when he recovers from his own laughter. I'm slightly smiling at him, unconsciously. I mean, how could I not? Just in case, I turn to face the fire pit, with him by my side.
I sip my drink in silence, and so does he, can't be sure because I can't see him, but Jessica walks right between us to get her drink, kind of pushing me to the side.
"Excuse me" she politely tells me, and I take a huge step to the side. "Hi" she instantly turns to Jason, and he instantly greets her and slightly turns to her, so I instantly get out of there, because probably there will be flirting involved and I don't want to meddle.
"So, how's the top doing? Got any results?" I point with my finger at Lisa's chest, boobs, more specifically, and she laughs.
"Many" she naughtily says, then she points at a CIA guy nearby. He's cute, with dark hair and beard. Very fuckable, if I was into one night stands. I wish I was, sometimes.
Some other soldier also wishes that, because he suddenly appears in front of me. "Hi. You're Faulkner, right?"
"Victoria", I correct him, but he thinks that I'm introducing myself. Big mistake.
"Nice to meet you, Victoria. I'm Kent Sommers" he formally gives me his hand and hovers over me, and I shyly but politely shake his hand, slightly. I glance to the side and Lisa left me alone with the guy. Crap.
"Yes, nice to meet you" I say awkwardly, and glance around. The guy is hot, very tall with his dark hair and beard, but his hovering is quite suffocating, and he's been there for less than a minute.
"Saw you these days walking around Camp, but was too shy to approach you. You looked focused" he states, pointing a finger at me, then at the place where he saw me. Close to the cafeteria, of course.
"Well. I probably was. I mean, I was working, so" I explain, for him to understand that I don't like to be hit on while I'm working. I really don't.
He suddenly laughs, and his laughter is great, too. These soldiers are on fire this night. I smirk at him in response.
"Yeah. I know the feeling. I mean, I work a lot too. I'm on Charlie" he explains. Obviously he's special op, his beard immediately tells me that.
"That's nice. I'm with Bravo".
He glances to the place where Jason is standing, still talking to Jessica at the same spot where I was, and I glance there too. She's leaning her butt on the table, relaxed but obviously flirting. He's still standing straight, with a beer in one hand and the other in his pocket.
"How do you like it there?" he asks, with an expression that shows me that he's not that into Bravo Team, or at least, Jason.
"I like it a lot. I mean, I barely see them. Just during briefings for now. But they're really nice and fun to be around. I'm always talking to Davis" I point to where she was, because I can't find her anywhere, "and she's great".
"She is" Kent says, joyful, "I like her. She commands ops with our teams sometimes, when we're not deployed" he explains.
"That's nice" I say, then we continue to talk, friendly, for a few more minutes, but I try to stop the conversation when his flirting is too hard.
"I'll go get another drink, be right back" I quickly say, and lie, to escape him, but he follows me to the 'bar', annoyingly, and continues to flirt even when I ask Jessica to excuse me so I can get ice cubes, and even when I stand next to her, not too close so I don't meddle into her flirting with Jason, but I desperately glance at her, silently asking for help, and she understands and acts on it. I like her a lot more now.
"Victoria, I forgot to ask you something about that op. Sommers, could you excuse us for a second?"
He awkwardly stops hovering over me. "Sure. I'll wait over there" he points at a place not too far away.
"Thanks. Sorry" I mumble to her.
"No problem. He's annoying. But hot" she casually says.
"Yes" I agree with her on both cases, nodding.
"Good for one night stands, though. I was told, of course"
I chuckle, looking at her. "Sure"
"He's annoying" Jason casually meddles, pouting.
Jessica and I turn to Jason, amused. "Jealous?" Jessica asks, seductive and playful.
"He's only Charlie Three, you don't have to be" I playfully add, chuckling.
"Nah" he says, smiling, "Just think he's annoying, that's all".
"We think he's hot" Jessica teases, and I smile.
Jason and Jessica get quiet, and that's my cue to leave them alone. And Sommers is looking at the other side.
"Ok, I'm just going to quickly escape back here, ok, I'll try to reappear on the other side, if I can" I explain, walking behind the table, Jessica and Jason, after pointing with my head to where Brock and Sonny are. Nice guys. And Brock is hot. I was assigned to work with the team with the hottest guys, combined. None of them is ugly. That's just so sad.
Jason helps, turning his frame to hide me better, because he saw Kent coming back. I quickly hunch behind the table, and him, when I hear him asking where I went, and Jason lies through his teeth.
"I still think you should ride that horse, just in case" Jessica casually says to me, not turning, as soon as Sommers leaves.
"Yeah, sure, just not today, okay?" I sarcastically answer, before continuing my journey in the shadows until I reappear beside Sonny.
"What you doing,Dimples?" Sonny asks, amused by my tactical skills.
"Escaping from Sommers" I explain, raising an eyebrow at him and dusting off nonexistent dust from my bare shoulders.
"Say no more" Sonny tells me, and Brock nods. They would have my six. I like that.
The guys didn't know it, but Bravo was handpicked by Blackburn because he said they were the most respectful and reliable guys in DEVGRU, he told me on my second day there. I really appreciated it, and they really were. I felt very respected while working with them.
I finish my drink, a little faster than I wanted to, just in case, but still, Sommers finds me across the 'party'. I knew he eventually would, but I thought he'd take the hint. Apparently not. He stares at me from the other side exactly when I'm alone, trying to find Lisa. She is nowhere to be found, so when Sommers sees me and makes his way to me, smirking, I quickly get out of the 'party' and make my way to the barracks, on the other side of the Camp.
"Leaving so soon?" he quickly reaches me, hovering over me while I walk. I know he wouldn't try anything there, but he is truly suffocating me.
"Yes. I'm tired".
"Let me escort you, then"
"No thanks, stay at the party" I walk faster, but he follows.
"You're more interesting to me than that party" he says, placing his hand on my bare shoulder. I quickly deviate from his touch, can't stand when guys touch me without permission.
"Faulkner" Jason calls me, with Clay next to him. They were walking behind us. Probably they were going to their barracks and saw me there. I immediately stop and turn to them, and Kent too.
"Yeah. What's up". I quickly answer, relieved.
Jason and Clay have a grumpy stare, none of them loves Kent, apparently.
"That op" Jason says, then hesitates. He didn't think this through.
Clay decides to help. "You said you'd tell us about it tonight. We were just going to the Command Center now" he lies.
"Oh yes. I was going to my cabin to get a jacket, but then I'll go there. I'll have to stay there for the rest of the night" I loudly say, so Kent can take a hint.
"I'll walk you to your cabin" Kent offers, not taking the hint, again.
"No that's ok, man, we'll go with her" Clay quickly says.
Kent doesn't give up, and squirms, puffing his chest. "I was already going, there's no reason-"
"We'll take her. Sommers" Jason dangerously interrupts, staring at him. Clay too.
Kent sarcastically snorts, he obviously detests Jason. Then he looks at me again. "Well then. I'll see you around. Tomorrow or some other time" he says to me, smiling, and I just nod and turn to the guys.
"Thanks for that. He's really clueless" I say as soon as he's a few steps away.
Clay chuckles. "We thought you were ok with him going with you, but then we saw you deviate. Sorry, we would have meddled earlier, if not".
I blush, because they thought that I was willingly taking Kent to my cabin to have sex with him. "No, never. I mean. No" I awkwardly explain, then nod at them. "Well. Good night then".
"Wow, wow, we're really going with you there" Jason says, and they walk next to me. I'm not a naive idiot from a feminist rom-com movie, so I gladly and silently accept their offer. Kent could come back and follow me otherwise.
"You guys left the party early" I casually say, because it was. If I wasn't trying to escape Kent, I'd stay there longer. And Jessica was hitting so hard on Jason, that even if he didn't want to sleep with her - which was hard, considering she's beautiful, I admit - he could just continue at the gathering, getting his ass kissed by her.
"I'll call Stella" Clay explains. "My girlfriend" he says, smiling, and I smile back at him.
There's a silence while I wait for Jason's explanation, but he keeps quiet, walking next to me.
We pass by the entrance to the women's barracks, and they continue to escort me, with Clay joyfully talking about one of the ops, and Jason silently walking by my side with his hands in the pockets, looking down. He looks melancholic. I arrive at my cabin and thank them, sincerely.
"No problem, ma'am" Clay says, smiling.
"Anytime" Jason adds, serious. He has a real bad boy expression.
I nod, smiling at them, and walk inside my cabin. "See ya".
"See you tomorrow" Jason huskily mumbles to me, and I glance at him. He's looking back at me, and I quickly shut the door.
That was an intense stare. But maybe I'm just imagining things.
.