I've been thinking about Juniper recently, and yes I should be updated my other stories, but this begged to be written, and you can't deny inspiration. That, and I wanted to write a non-continous short story to prepare myself for competition on Saturday. With a lot of luck, I just might have something to add to my writing accomplishments. Wish me luck! (And critique this to let me know what you think) :)

I peered around a friend of mine (I knew she wouldn't mind) spy- no. Not spying, observing the sight before me. A nymph who lived in a grove near mine was standing in blue jeans running down her small legs. Her ivory hair, with the slightest wave, fell down and ran into her shoulders covered with the deep green fabric of her long-sleeved shirt. Her full name was Bleubari, but most simply called her Bari. I didn't know that much about her and, awful as it sounds, I never really cared.

No, then and now she didn't interest me. It was the satyr next to her. I'd always thought he was cute, but I never knew him all that well besides a "Hello!" in passing. Still, I liked the way his cocoa brown hair curled wildly on his head around his horns and I admired how he went on that quest to the underworld last summer to help his friend. I mean, underground is terrible! Spooky, scary, and he went as far as you can go without breaching Tartarus all for his friend and his searchers license. Wow. He's always seemed very brave to me, even though my friends would tell me he wasn't worth it. I suppose they have a point about how it could never happen. Him and I, I mean. He's practically famous, and I'm… well, I'm Juniper. Simple as that.

Anyhow, so I watched as he talked with Bari and her dark blue eyes focused on his, and I listened (not eavesdropped) to their conversation.

"So, uh, I was, uh, wondering, if you weren't busy, we could maybe go look at, uh, the strawberries for Mr. D?" Gods, he was fumbling, and if I could see his face I bet it was red as a rose. He really was sweet, if a little dorky.

Bari, though, must have disagreed, "What? No! Absolutely not! I can't believe you! I thought you liked me, or was yesterday just a stupid dare, saying all those things to me. Clearly you think this is a joke you're asking me to not only help you with your chores, but also associate with my enemy! I'm a blueberry bush, Grover! And you want to go gawk at some strawberries? Gods, the nerve!" She immediately evaporated into green mist, probably going back to her bush.

I peered out slightly more to see Grover's shoulders slumped and turning dejectedly towards- wait, turning?

I whipped around, hiding behind my friend's thick trunk. She was out right now, so there was no reason for Grover to be coming this way… right?

"Go ahead and laugh, whoever you are!" Grover called and, oh, he sounded so miserable. "Come and see the Great Grover Underwood make the stupidest mistake you can make with a blueberry bush!"

"Actually," I poked my head out slightly, "I wasn't going to laugh."

"Juniper?"

I nodded slightly, nervous, "Yes. I'm sorry, I-I'll just go. But you should know that it was an honest mistake, and…" I swallowed and stepped out completely, feeling suddenly bold, "And if it were me, I would've been delighted to accompany you, Grover. You ought to give yourself more credit." And with that, I disappeared myself, far too bashful to stick around. But maybe if I'd known how, a year and a half later, I'd be telling him just how great he was every day, I'd have stayed and saved us both a lot of trouble.

I hope you liked the ending, I wanted something... dramatically foreshadowing thier future relationship. So, yeah. Also, a note for anyone who knows me or Bari: No, I don't mean anything by this, Bari is super nice and would never act like this, I simply used the name cause it's pronouced "Berry" So yeah. It's occurred to me that I made a character who is a berry be disliked. It's okay, I'm more of a strawberry girl, and Strawberry (I don't know what her name might be, suggestions?) will be awesome! If I ever write her... ENOUGH RAMBLING!

Peace, Love, & Life

PLKBerry