Watching the Yearlings come in from Camp Buckner, ready to start their second year at the Academy, I have to admit that I'm looking for one in particular, the long red ponytail that Ash wears when she's in her PT gear. Instead of marching in this year, the Superintendent decided that the Yearlings would run in from Buckner.

I'm chilling out in my room, looking out towards Central Area, most of my stuff put away after getting in two days ago. It's the start of my last year at the Academy, and I'm feeling good.

“Hey Simon, she's not going to be back any time soon,” Cara King says, sticking her head in my room. She's the Company Commander this semester, and I'm the Executive Officer, so my room is right next to hers, very convenient.

“Hey C-K, what're you talking about?” I ask innocently. “Besides, you're looking for a friend to come in, too.”

Cara laughs and sits down in the other chair, my roommate isn't in yet, he's out at Beast and won't be in for two days. “Come off it, Simon. You and Carlyle were practically joined at the hip for two months last year, and from what I hear from a friend who was her CO out at Buckner, you two were swapping phone calls on the regular.”

I shrug, admitting it. “Okay, okay, we're a confirmed couple. The player isn't playing any more. What about you?”

Cara's eyebrows knit, then relax. She's kept herself under wraps for a very long time, and I wonder if she's letting me in to see something nobody else knows. “Yeah, I guess so.”

I nod, not pushing it. I don't know what it's like being a woman at the Academy, but I do know that it's stressful. “You know Cara, Tammy looks up to you as well as likes you.”

“I know. And I'll let you in on a secret, I kinda like the attention. She doesn't overlook me like most people do around here,” Cara says, smiling wistfully. “Half of the Corps dismisses me because I have a vagina, while the other half and the TAC department wants me to be some sort of transsexual MacArthur. With Tammy, I get to be Cara.”

I hum, nodding. “And Ring Weekend? You have plans for that?”

“Why? I thought you had a date?” Cara teases, and I know she isn't going to let me in any more. That's okay, I don't need to pry. “Unless you think you can finagle some sort of three way with me and Carlyle.”

I shake my head, laughing. “No plans there, Cara. Actually, Ash and I... well....”

Cara stops, and gives me a surprised look. “Simon Lancaster, you are one hundred percent in love with this girl, aren't you? Admit it.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I knew your rep even when I was in G-2 and you were in H-3 as Plebes and Yuks. We girls talk, you know. If you had an itch that needed scratched, and you didn't mind not having your emotions mixed up, talk to Simon Lancaster. You even tagged my squad leader, if you didn't know. Ronnie Mitchell.”

I nod, humming. “Actually, Ronnie was my last fun time before I just... well, I started seeing Ashley for who she is. I didn't know you knew Ronnie.”

“She and I weren't buddies, probably why. I respected her, she did it her way, and she let me do it mine as one of the Yuks in her squad. Still, point stands... the player ain't playing any more.” Cara looks past me, and a smile comes to her face. “Well, they let the Yuks outta formation early. Look who I see.”

I turn around in my chair and my heart jumps, I admit it, to see Ashley crossing Central Area, and I'm sticking my head out the window of my room. “Ashley!”

She waves, and while she looks tired, she's smiling when she comes up the steps to me. We stop, a foot apart, and I feel the frustration of being part of a cadet relationship. Inside cadet area, I can't even hold my girlfriend's hand. “Hi.”

“Hi,” she replies, the sweat glistening off her skin like droplets of diamond. Her PT shirt is dark and clinging to her skin, and her hair is nearly blackish red, it's been a warm day today. She’s absolutely beautiful. We finish our walk up the stairs, and head down the hallway towards my room. “How're you doing?”

“Good,” I tell her lamely, feeling shy until Cara laughs from behind us. I glance over, and she just shakes her head before pulling her head back and disappearing back into her room. “How about you have a seat and we can chill a little, then we'll start to get your stuff unpacked?”

Ashley smiles and lets me lead her over to my footlocker, the cool metal feeling good on her legs I’m sure. “So you enjoyed CTLT?”

“It was awesome. A Blackhawk unit, so not what I'd like, but it was still awesome. And I got to do quite a few ride alongs, the warrant officers were cool that way,” I admit. “But....”

“But what?” Ashley asks, and I look over, embarrassed.

“I missed you. I mean, I know you were at Buckner, and we talked a lot, but...”

Ashley shuts me up by putting her hand on top of mine, and giving my fingers a squeeze. “I missed you too, Simon. You would have enjoyed watching me do the Recondo course. I kicked some ass.”

“Really?” I ask, impressed again.

“Best female time in my battalion,” Ashley says with a little excitement. “So thanks, Sandhurst boss.”

I laugh. “I hope I'm more than that. Say, Cara reminded me... I haven't formally asked you to go to Ring Weekend with me. So... Ashley Carlyle, would you be my date for Ring Weekend?”

Ashley hums happily, nodding. “I'd love to. First though, lets get my stuff unpacked from downstairs, and see where I'm staying.”

“Oh, that's easy. I'm the XO you know, I got to assign rooms. You and Tammy are rooming together again, you can pick the room you want.”

* * *

“Oh my God, sir! What a beautiful ring! What a crass mass of brass and glass! What a bold mold of rolled gold! What a cool jewel you got from your school! See how it sparkles and shines? It must have cost you a fortune! May I touch it, may I touch it please, sir!”

The new Plebes mob us, reciting the traditional “Ring Poop” that they all do after we've gotten our class rings, another of the little petty games that lets us get through life at West Point. There's no way in hell I can avoid the Plebes, who get to harass us and make the Firsties all run around like idiots in order to avoid the next Plebe who's going to orgasmically expound over our rings. It lets everyone get a little steam out.

I play along with the tradition, knowing that in a half hour all of the Plebes will be back at doing their Plebe stuff, while I'll be getting ready for the Ring Weekend Dinner. I'm already in my white uniform, prep won't be too damn hard, but still, I want to look good for tonight.

“Okay, okay, enough!” I laugh as a fourth group of Plebes finishes. “I've got a dinner to get ready for!”

In my room, Reggie Stroud, my roommate this semester, is already brushing his hair. “They let you off easy, man. They're still chasing Cara around Central Area last I saw, some of them are pretty fired up today.”

“She'll outrun them,” I reply, wiping my forehead. “When's your date getting here?”

“I'm meeting her in forty five,” Reggie says, glancing down at the clock we put next to our shared sink. “Is Ashley getting ready?”

“She went to the ceremony, but stood in the sallyport so she could get a better view,” I said. “We walked back to the barracks together, but she peeled off, said she was going to let me run the smack gauntlet by myself. Besides, she's got her stuff ready, I'm sure. A lot less complicated than what your date has to choose from.”

“True,” Reggie replies, taking out some hair spray and spritzing. I have no idea why a man with a cadet haircut feels the need for hairspray, his hair's an inch long on top. “Hey, anyone given you shit about taking her to the dinner and dance?”

“You mean have I heard any comments about Firstie Brass, Yearling Ass?” I ask, and Reggie nods. He's a good guy, and it'll be a fun semester rooming with him. He's already been cool with Ashley hanging out in the room all the time when we're not studying. “Of course. Same joker in G-1 who called Ash 'JR' last year, actually. Had to really get on his ass. Thankfully, Captain Franklin was there and backed me up. I've talked with Ash about it, we don't really care. Besides, everyone in the Ironside knows they talk shit about Ash, and they'll have me and Cara on their ass. Cadet power might be play power, but still, XO and CO on your ass? Nobody wants that.”

Reggie finally gets his hair the way he wants, and puts his brush down, turning to me. “Want my opinion man? You won't hear a damn thing from any Ironside, not because of you or Cara, but because Ashley's got a lot of respect around here. The Firsties and Yuks know she held her own last year. Well, Lawton's hatin' on her, but that's because she got showed up. The Cows are cool, and the smacks... well, the smacks are smacks. But tonight, we'll just have some fun.”

I hear the Plebes outside, Cara's decided that instead of them calling minutes, the minute callers will go around to the Firstie rooms and just give us a quick ten minute normal voice announcement. When Justino, Ashley's Plebe, knocks on our door, I'm ready. “We got it, Justino. Thanks.”

“Huah sir,” he says, stepping back quickly and knocking on Cara's door. I grab my hat and glance in the mirror, nodding. “Okay Reg, how do I look?”

“I'd kiss you,” Reggie jokes. “I'll see you at dinner.”

I feel a little nervous going over to Ashley's room, but she meets me at the door, and I feel my heart stop. The 'dress mess' uniform that female cadets are issued is certainly old fashioned, but there's a certain classiness to it, and Ashley looks beautiful in it, her body not highlighted but still evident underneath the jacket, and the full skirt looks nice. “Wow.”

“Wow yourself, Mr. India Whites,” she says, smiling. “You ready?”

Since this is a 'social' occasion, I'm allowed to actually escort Ashley down the steps and across Central Area, with her slipping her hand through the crook of my left elbow as we walk towards the Mess Hall. I hear a few whistles, but I ignore them, I know it's just part of the Plebes letting off tension. Most of them haven't seen a dressed up woman in two months, and they're sort of half tamed monkeys right now. Besides, let them. I’ve got a beautiful girlfriend on my arm, regardless of if she’s uniform or a civilian dress.

“The natives are restless,” Ashley jokes as we mount the steps to the mess hall. “Guess it's my perfume?”

I laugh and pat her hand. “No, it's that you're so beautiful that you make my head spin.”

“Flatterer. So I was thinking....” she says, then shakes her head. “Never mind. This is your weekend.”

I stop, we're just inside the doors of the mess hall, and turn, taking both of her hands. “What, Ash?”

She steps closer, and we're on the limits of what's allowed even if we're in the relaxed rules of a social setting, and whispers in my ear. “After this dinner... instead of the hop, I want to sign out on leave immediately. Forget dancing, I want to spend as much of the weekend with you I can.”

I smile and nod, and look around at the mess hall. “For sure. I can skip one Ike Hall dance. Come on, let's have dinner, and get out of here.”

We’re sharing our table with Cara, whose date tonight is her brother. I give Ashley a glance to measure her expression, and she leans over. “We'll talk about it later.”

“Okay,” I whisper back, then offer my hand across the table. “Hi, Simon Lancaster. Cara's never told me your name, sorry.”

“Nate,” Cara's brother says, shaking. He shakes hands with Ashley as well, then looks around. “This is my first time in here. I'm glad Cara agreed when I begged to be her date.”

“You begged to be her date?” Ashley asks, a little surprised. “No offense... why?”

“I got in, and Nate....” Cara says, then shuts up. Nate though smiles and pats Cara on the back.

“What my sister is too shy to say is that I wanted to come, but I couldn't pass the physical. Nothing major, but I've got a liver issue. So Cara gets to do the cool stuff, while I go to Julliard.”

“Still, Juliard... damn Cara, are you that musically talented too?” I ask, and for the first time in the time I've known her, Cara King blushes.

“I'm not in the music program,” Nate says, “I'm in the drama program, with some cross training with dance. And yes, don't let her fool you, she's a tremendous dancer. Did ballet up until her senior year of high school.”

I look at Cara with newfound respect as she turns pink, but then laughs under her breath. “You two let that out and I'm taking you out Simon with an arm bar, and Tammy's going to put Ashley in a Twister.”

“Your secret's safe with us,” I reassure her. Pretty soon the rest of the table fills up, and we sit down. Dinner's good, the Academy really splurged for Ring Weekend this year, the Alumni must have ponied up money or something. Conversation is fun, and as we wrap up, I notice that Cara's checking her watch when she stands up, grabbing her hat. “You okay?”

“Kinda want to sign out on leave,” she whispers, leaning over. “Nate's going back to NYC, and I'm.... I'm going off with someone else.”

“Enjoy it,” I reassure her. “We're doing the same thing.”

“I promised Nate one dance at the hop, then I'll be out after that. You two have a good weekend, okay?”