Page 103 of Daddy, Sir

“India!”

“Juliet!”

It wasn’t fair. Having to think about the next letter while her body strained to manage the push-ups made everything harder. And every time she was slow to snap off the next letter, Ollie would say it didn’t count and tell her to do it again.

Fuck. Double Fuck. All the fucks.

She still had no idea how many he was going to make her do, but she doubted he’d stop before she reached Zulu. Her armswere already shaking, and despite the fact that the range was cool, bordering on cold, all year round, her face was flushed and sweaty.

“You know, Corporal Allard, I’m not sure where this attitude is coming from, but I don’t like it. In fact, I’m starting to take it personally.”

She paused with her face an inch from the ground. “I?—”

“I didn’t tell you to stop. Keep going, or we start over.”

She swallowed hard and resumed the push-ups.

“I’ve noticed I’m the only one who gets this bratty bullshit, and I want to know why.” It was obviously a question.

But trying to answer in the midst of everything else was ridiculous, so she ignored it. “Sierra!”

“Did you think you’d get special treatment from me? Is that it? You thought since your old friend was the Major, you could act up, and I’d let it go?”

That stung. She’d never expected that. Her vision blurred as tears sprang to her eyes. She bit her bottom lip and pushed up without a word.

“Well? Are you going to answer, or are we going to go through the whole alphabet again?”

“I can’t think and count and do push-ups at the same time,Sir.” And then a second later she added, “Victor,” because she’d forgotten.

“Take a break and answer then, but watch your tone. I can do this all day.”

She couldn’t. Her arms felt like they were going to fall off and when she lowered herself to the cold floor she stayed there. She didn’t speak immediately, but it was no longer out of stubbornness. Jamie just wasn’t sure what to say.

There were so many conflicting emotions and some of them she certainly wouldn’t be sharing with him. She went with the most obvious, the easiest explanation. “We were supposed to befriends, but I never see you anymore, except in school. Even here you usually ignore me.”

Oliver sighed. “Jamie…”

“I know what you’re going to say. You’re three years older than me.”

“Well, it’s true.”

“It never mattered before!” Her chest hurt.

He moved closer and squatted down next to her, so she had a good view of his shoes. “It didn’t matter when we were ten and seven building castles with Legos, but it matters now. Jamie, we’ll always be friends, but things are different. And pretty soon I’m going to graduate, and you know what I’ll be doing after that.”

The army. He’d always wanted to join the army. ROTC was just the first step. “I know.”

“I’m getting ready to face the adult world, and you’re not even old enough to drive yet. If you were a few years older…” He trailed off and sighed. “Well, maybe things would be different, but you’re not.”

“That doesn’t mean you have to be a jerk.”

“How am I being a jerk? Do you really think I wouldn’t discipline any other cadet who gave me attitude? Not that any of them would act up as much as you have been.”

When she said nothing, he added, “I’ve been going easy on you, and you know it. Well, that stops today.”

Maybe she’d gotten used to him letting it slide when she sassed him. And maybe… maybe she didn’t want him to let things slide anymore. “Sorry.”

He was silent for a few seconds and then he straightened. “Sorry is a good start. You’ve had enough of a break, get back to work.”

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