❝leave it to hangman to be a dick❞



𝐈𝐓 𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐁𝐄𝐆𝐀𝐍 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐀 𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐋𝐄. The rivalry that could, and would by sheer willforce, last a lifetime. That was one of the truths that Harper Moore and Jake Seresin could both agree on, and they didn't agree on much. Through stolen answers and smug smiles, the rivalry lasted through high school and to Top Gun, where they found themselves called back to.

Fightertown USA: salty air, bars on the beach, fighter jets flying by, and the sound of waves to keep you company. Harper sat on the beach away from the Hard Deck, sipping a Shirley Temple. The song "Great Balls of Fire" leaked through the cracked doors of the bar. A crowd surrounded Rooster at the piano. Harper decided to head in soon, but for now, she'd sit here watching the waves, away from the presence of the one person she couldn't stand.

The door to the bar swung open as three aviators tossed a man on the sand. Speak of the devil and he shall appear.

"Thanks for the free beers. Come back anytime!" She knew that voice anywhere, could see that cocky smile on his face as Hangman saluted the man. His blond hair was styled, not a single hair out of place. He wore a tan fitted uniform, his signature shades tucked into it. He and Coyote closed the bar doors, muffling the crowd's singing once more.

Harper couldn't help but roll her eyes as she got up from her spot on the beach. She walked over to help the old man up. He looked surprised at her outstretched hand, but took it anyway. The man was aged, creased smile lines with brunette hair. He had a youthful gleam in his eyes.

"Thanks." He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes as he looked back at the bar. He was wearing a green bomber jacket decorated by patches. She followed his gaze to Rooster at the piano. Besides the people at the pool table and others scattered along, the crowd had gathered around the main attraction for the night. Penny was cleaning up along the outskirts.

"What got you thrown overboard?" Harper asked, forgoing to mention the sad look on the man's face. The Hard Deck was the main attraction for many naval aviators, so much that Penny had a sign dedicated to them, her three golden rules. Judging by the crowd's reaction, it wasn't disrespecting women, at least thats a plus.

"Cellphone on the bar, I've got a nice bill to go along with it." Harper couldn't help but laugh at that.

"Same old Penny." She mumbled.

"Yeah." He smiled softly. Harper was itching to ask about the slightly lovestruck look on his face. She had many questions actually, what was someone his age doing here? Why someone his age wasn't retired was the better question.

"How do you know her? I mean, I just assumed you did judging by that look on your face." Harper blurted. She couldn't help herself, she'd always been talkative with others, so much so that she earned the call sign "Sunny" for her energetic manner. Always bright and happy, everyone said. The only exception to that happiness was Hangman.

"She's just a friend from the past," He paused, still gazing in the direction of Rooster at the piano. "I should get going, thanks for the help."

"Yeah, anytime." Harper shrugged. Her eyes flickered towards the receipt. "If you wanna pay the rest of that, Penny should be here tomorrow morning." No harm doing a little meddling. She had a habit of playing matchmaker.

The man smiled appreciatively and walked towards the parking lot. Harper's turned her gaze towards the bar. She spotted Hangman amongst the crowd, leaning against the bar table and chatting with Penny.

"Leave it to Hangman to be a dick."

"I don't have any cash on me, so my options are for you to help me or for me to finally commit a felony."

It was a Friday night, minutes before a varsity football game. People dressed in neon filed into the bleachers, illuminated by the field lights. The crowd was buzzing with energy. A few stragglers wandered in past Harper. The air was warm, the signature cozy type of night that could only be felt at high school football games. Harper stood by the parking lot, pleading with a delivery guy who would only take cash, something she had none of.

It was getting darker, the bleachers more filled. She was cold in this pink neon tanktop she borrowed and was getting to the scary point of hangry when a voice rang out beside her.

"Hi, whose food is this?" Harper turned her head to see a teen in football pads, his blond hair ruffled and smeared eyeblack under his eyes. His jersey was her school colors, traitor. She would have ogled him, but he was currently being a little food thief.

"It's mine. Go back to your game and grunt in a team huddle or whatever it is you football guys do." She scoffed.

"You got 31.32, its all yours." The delivery guy said, causing a smile to form on the blond's face. Harper's jaw dropped, looking between the two. The audacity of this oddly attractive football player to swoop in and take her food.

"I have cash. I have so much cash." The football player pulled out his wallet from his pocket, beginning to rummage through it. Harper's eyes widened.

"No, no, that's my food. If I don't have it, I'm not going to survive tonight without murdering someone." Harper cut the exchange off. She needed this food.

She hesitated and dropped her gaze to the player's wallet. "Can I have some money?" She asked innocently. Her jaw almost dropped when he turned his head towards her.

Jake Seresin, always managing to be a smug and annoying prick. Instead of stealing her answers this time, it was escalating to stealing her food. The horror of finding him attractive quickly hit her.

"Nope. If I don't have this food before a game, it'll be a disaster towards my playing time." He remarked.

"No, it won't. Just look at you, you'll just have some epic movie moment, power through it and swoop in with your athleticism. Next thing you know, you'll be starting the next game and get some scholarship. I need that food." She glared at him.

Jake, the little traitor, turned towards the delivery man and handed him the money, taking the food from his hands. "Thirty two dollars, keep the change."

"I won't forget this." Harper stood there as the delivery man walked towards his car, earning a "whatever" from the delivery man. She watched him get in his car and drive off. Her stomach grumbled as she stood there in the cold by the parking lot, making her frown.

Harper was never one prone to violence, but this might be the day she proved that wrong. Seresin was always there to gain from her mistakes, like swooping in to give the teacher the correct answer and giving her a smug smile. Besides, she needed that food if she was going to survive the night without punching her ex-best friend, who cheated with Harper's boyfriend and now was sending looks toward her. Harper couldn't fight the urge to murder her ex if she was hangry.

Harper turned on her heels and stormed towards Jake, who was walking towards the entrance. "Wait, wait, theres enough food for two dinners. One for me and one for you, we could split it."

Jake stopped, turning to look at her."What are the meals?" He sighed.

"I'm gonna take the truffle Mac and cheese, you can have the burger."

"A burger, are you insane? I have taste." Jake scoffed, earning a glare from Harper.

"Fine." Harper snatched the bag from him and opened the meals, using a fork to scoop some Mac and cheese onto the burger and placing kale on it. "It's now a truffle cheeseburger with kale, is that up to your preppy taste?"

"And I'll take the Mac and cheese and pickle." Harper goes to take the pickle but Jake stops her.

"Woah woah, I get the pickle," At Harper's confused look, he elaborated. "My coach wanted a snack too."

The glare he gets from her said enough but Harper reluctantly handed him the pickle. They both took their food, heading towards the path that veers off towards their spots. From afar, she can hear the chatter and cheering of the crowd on the bleachers, decorated with neon.

"I'm expecting to be paid back, eight percent liquidity interest." Jake says, and she knew if she looked at him, she'd see a smug smile on his face.

"Do I look like someone who can afford to pay interest?" Harper scoffed, eyeing him.

"You should really learn to keep cash on you." Jake remarked. The clock had a few minutes left, counting down to the game.

"Well, you should learn to order dinner before everything closes." Harper shot back.

Silence filled the Friday night again. The two veered towards their spots, Jake to the field and Harper to the bleachers. Harper stopped and looked when Jake's voice rang out.

"You know that pickle, that aforementioned pickle?" Harper's eyes widened in outrage. "That wasn't for my coach, that was for me!" Jake took a huge bite of the pickle, making sure Harper can see him eating all smug while her stomach was grumbling. It's Harpers final straw.

"You're a monster!" Harper yelled out. She shot him one last glare as she made her way to the bleachers, stuck with Mac and cheese and robbed of her pickle. Her footsteps were heavy against the metal bleachers as she made her way over to her group of friends. They were decorated in cropped neon tank tops, standing in the middle of the bleachers and cheering. She shuffled through the row, taking her place besides one of her friends Nina.

"Why were you talking to Jake Seresin of all people?" Her friend's voice rose over the student section cheering as the players ran onto the field. Harper's eyes landed on the quarterback.

"He stole my pickle." Harper grumbled. The bleachers shook as the chants starting, the student section jumping up and down.

After many touchdowns and cheering from the crowd, the time ran out. The crowd flooded out to the field to congratulate the players. Harper reluctantly followed her friend, who was congratulating her brother on the field. As she looked around, she looked eyes with him. The smug smile from Jake and the fuming from Harper said it all.

An envelope was taped to Jake's locker the next day, money inside of it.

Written on it was "fuck you pickle thief."