Julienne was one of the few girls who made it into Battle School. She was very brilliant, but she didn't always feel like using her talent, so she ended up not being in a good army. She was slender from the required constant exercise, and she had brown curly hair that tumbled down her shoulders. Her skin was peach colored and her lips were naturally glossy. Belonging to an unusually named army (Jerboa (Not to be confused with the kangaroo rat)), she was teased often, especially since Jerboa Army was so low in the standings (This is because Jerboa Army is used most often as a stepping stone for launchies or a place to put the kids ready to be iced, with few kids that had actual talent). But this was not a problem to her. She did have a problem, though: She loved Bonzo Madrid, and he was totally oblivious.

Every day she would try to find Bonzo in the hallway, and follow him far enough behind that he wouldn't think she was stalking him. When he arrived at his destination, she would pass the entrance he had gone through, as if she was simply going that way and not following Bonzo. She never wanted to stop this habit, she loved his dark elegance too much.

Eventually Bonzo noticed Julienne following him, and asked a few of his comrades about why Julienne was following him in the hallway. They snickered because they had all caught on. One got the courage to pipe up and say:

"Bonzo, she likes you!"

Bonzo was taken back by this. The possibility of a girl liking him never even occurred to him. He had thought it impossible, especially since there were so few girls in Battle School, and they all weren't interested in boys, believing most often that guys were inferior to them.

He dismissed his army, pondering over the thought of a pretty girl like Julienne liking him, a somewhat cruel commander. He thought everyone outside his army would think he was psychotic and hate him.

The next day as Bonzo was walking to practice, he motioned for his army to go on ahead of him. He turned around and walked over to Julienne, who pretended to not notice him turn around so that she wouldn't look like she was watching Bonzo (Which she had been doing).

"Hey, I noticed you following me around recently. Why?" asked Bonzo.

Julienne blushed and replied, "I…umm… simply was going in the same direction… Why would you notice me?"

"Oh, well, my army said something about you possibly stalking me for some reason… and I just was wondering why you would stalk me…. Especially since it's weird to stalk people…"

"Bye, I guess. I think you have somewhere to be?"

"Bye!" said Bonzo as he quickly hurried back to his army.

Later, a little before lights out, some kids of Salamander Army went over to Bonzo.

"Did you ask her out?" wondered one imbecile.

"Dude, you can't go anywhere but Battle School. Where would he take her?" replied a more sensible person.

"Did you kiss her?"

"Does she really like you?"

"Do you like her back?"

Salamanders pestered Bonzo until he said, "Enough! LEAVE ME ALONE. Stay out of my business."

Salamanders begrudgingly went back to their bunks. As they arrived, the lights went out.

In the meantime, Julienne returned to her bunk with the happy thought that Bonzo had not figured out her secret. She dwelt on the memory of his intelligent eyes, dark as coal as he spoke to her…SPOKE to her…and the way his hair swished over his tan forehead. Then her mind turned to the sound of his smooth, elegant accent. She really loved him, but she didn't believe he liked her back while in truth Bonzo was thinking the same thoughts about her, but better fitting her description, in his bed. He had fallen in love with her, as she was in love with him, but neither of them knew it yet.

TBC!

(Please no one like Bonzo, too. Yes, I am crazy, but I don't want anyone else liking him!)