Page 34 of My All American Girl

15

SARAH

The next morning, before classes started, I met up with Kylee and two of the other pilots from my UPT program, Clay and Rolley. We headed to a café on base for breakfast. I was still fuming about the day before.

Ryker and my father were conspiring against me. How dare they treat me like someone who needed to be monitored? I wasn’t a child. I hated that they had talked about me like I was a problem to be solved. But that was the general. He had to keep a watchful eye on everything and I was sick of it.

The four of us settled into a booth, eager to catch up after the events of the previous day. I was still smarting from the embarrassment. Everyone else had gotten to pilot the aircraft. I was the only one that got put in the backseat like a loser.

“So, what the hell happened yesterday?” Clay asked.

Rolley nodded. “Seriously, we were half expecting to witness a crash and burn scenario.”

“That would have been better than finding out my father had assigned Ryker to be my—” I hesitated, seething at the thought.

“Assigned Ryker to be your what?” Rolley asked.

“Babysitter,” I muttered.

Kylee blinked in surprise. “You didn’t tell me that!” she exclaimed, her eyes widening in shock. “What do you mean, babysitter? How old are you?”

“My father seems to think I’m three years old.” I sighed. “Or just useless.”

Kylee looked at the guys. “Her father is General Thomas.”

The guys both look shocked.

“You’re General Thomas’s daughter?” Rolley asked.

“Don’t be impressed,” I said. “It totally sucks. But yes.”

“Holy shit,” Clay said. “I guess you got your looks from your mother.”

Rolley punched him in the shoulder. “Hey, show some respect.”

“Don’t get squirrely,” I told them. “I’m still Thomas. I don’t report to my father. I’m not a spy. I don’t get special favors. I’m just me, okay?”

“What’s this about a babysitter?” Kylee asked.

I sighed. “My dad. He thinks I’m a little too much.”

“Too much what?” Kylee asked with confusion.

“Too much everything,” I said. “Too cocky. Too confrontational. Too reckless. You name it, I’m too much of that.”

“So, Ryker is your babysitter?” Kylee clarified. “Is that why he was at the bar?”

“The bar?” Rolley asked. “You guys went drinking and you didn’t invite us?”

“Long story,” Kylee said, waving her hand. “At the bar, Sarah got into a fight. Well, almost got into a fight with some dude that was being a real douchebag.”

Both guys looked shocked. I simply shrugged my shoulder. “Shit happens.”

“Damn, remind me not to mess with you,” Rolley teased.

Kylee nodded. “Especially since Ryker is watching her every move.”

Rolley winced sympathetically. “That’s rough. For how long?”