Daniel’s piercing blue eyes locked with hers, grounding her circuit almost. “Yeah, she’s awesome. I love her too,” he replied with genuine warmth.

Of course you do. Something small and petty twisted in Juniper’s chest at how quickly he agreed. She kept her expression neutral, though she rolled her shoulders back, releasing the pent-up tension in her upper back.

Ms. Rivera leaned back in her chair, her spine curving in a relaxed arc. “It’s been such a challenge lately,” she confessed. “I’ve been trying to teach the kids about the sky survey, but they all just want to play Dragon Nation… the cutest little rascals. The malignant influence of those games…”