❝ i'm your knight in shining armor. ❞

―

JULIANA HELD HER HEAD UP HIGH.

Her ponytail swung at the back of her head as she strode toward down the hallway. All eyes were on her. She spotted Demetri and Eli next to Demetri's locker. Wben they saw her approaching, Juliana flashed them a bright smile as she waved.

Demetri and Eli stared at her as she practically skipped down the hallway. Demetri could have sworn that there was a sudden gust of wind blowing her hair as she walked towards them in slow motion. It was like something out of a cheesy romance movie. All he needed was for the song "There She Goes" to start playing.

As if the universe had somehow tapped into his brain and her his thoughts, a girl who was standing across the hall's phone started to ring. Her ringtone was There She Goes.

Eli's eyes widened, completely entranced by Juliana as she continued to approach them. Eli gulped when she called out his name.

"Eli! Demetri!" Juliana called out before she stood in front of them. "Hey, how are you?"

"I-I-I—uh, we..." Demetri stammered.

Juliana giggled. "I've been meaning to ask you guys something, but I didn't catch you this morning before school."

"What is it?" Eli asked softly.

"My parents told me I could invite some friends over," Juliana told them. "And you're my best friends. My mom said I could invite more friends over, but who needs a bunch of other friends when I have the two most amazing friends right here?"

Eli's entire face lit up. "Y-you consider us your friends?"

"Of course, silly," Juliana playfully punched him in the arm. "Why wouldn't I?"

Demetri shrugged. "Because we're two of the biggest nerds in school?"

Juliana rolled her eyes. "Who cares?"

Demetri glanced down at her shirt. He couldn't help but smile. A pink D-20 dice from Dungeons and Dragons surrounded by a frame of pink and purple flowers adorned her shirt.

"Do you play D&D?" Demetri asked in disbelief.

Juliana nodded her head. "My parents and I have campaigns all the time. That's actually another thing I wanted to ask...would you like to do a campaign with us sometime?"

Demetri and Eli shared a glance with each other before turning back to Juliana, nodding their heads wildly.

Juliana smiled. "Perfect! I've been working really hard on this new campaign. Trust me, you'll love it!"

"You DM?" Demetri asked her as they started to walk down the hallway.

Juliana gave him a confused look. "Why are you so surprised? I'm the greatest Dungeon Master who's ever lived!"

Demetri and Eli shared another look. They didn't have to speak to know what the other was thinking. With just one look, they knew they were on the same page. How did she somehow manage to become even more perfect?

Juliana stood on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around their shoulders. As they walked down the hall, every pair of eyes turned to look at them. It was as if they were wondering how Demetri and Eli had gotten a girl like Juliana to hang out with them.

If only they knew.

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Demetri and Eli sat at their lunch table with Miguel. Their conversation instantly came to a stop when Juliana began to walk towards the table. Demetri was the first one to notice her. Eli was second. They could hear the song There She Goes start to play again in their heads as she walked up to them, the biggest smile on her face.

She placed her lunchbox on the table and took her seat. "Hi!"

Eli waved at her as he smiled.

"Hey," Demetri responded.

Miguel nodded his head and her and smiled as he greeted her. "Hi, Juliana. Nice shirt."

"Thanks!" Juliana replied as she opened her lunchbox.

Her lunch was always the same. Sandwiches cut into the shape of hearts, pink lemonade, sour watermelon Sour Patch Kids, and ruffled potato chips. She had the occasional cookie which she always baked herself.

The first time Demetri, Eli, and Miguel learned that she could bake was when she brought cookies that she had main especially for them. She made cookies that she said consisted of flavors that made her think of them.

For Demetri, chocolate chip with vanilla flavored frosting and light blue sprinkles. It was cut into the shape of a lightbulb, decorated to resemble one. Juliana told him that it was because he was the smartest person she knew.

For Eli, a snickerdoodle—gluten free, extra cinnamon sugar—with blue frosting and white and gold sprinkles. A decoration of a bird spreading its wings, symbolizing the growing confidence that Juliana was helping him with.

And for Miguel, a sugar cookie with yellow frosting and black and gold sprinkles. It was iced with a black and yellow cobra bearing its fangs. Miguel had told her he had joined Cobra Kai, a new karate dojo.

Making cookies for the three boys had become a routine that Juliana loved doing. Seeing the smiles on their faces was worth it what single time.

"Here you go," Juliana handed them each a cookie.

They thanked her and started to eat them as a faint rapping sound was heard. Juliana turned her head, seeing the school counselor tapping on a microphone. She started talking about the school's policy on bullying and the harmful effects it has on the self-esteem of the young mind.

Juliana just continued to eat her lunch, not paying any attention to her.

"Now, onto cyberbullying. I'm sure as you all know, cyberbullying is when you send a bully someone online. Cyberbullying is no laughing matter. Sending a cruel message to someone online can be just as hurtful as saying it to their face," Counselor Blatt spoke. "Now, I'm not gonna name names, but the other day a mother called me up because her son was crying after some kids online made fun of his facial deformity."

Juliana's head perked up and she turned Eli. He was covering his mouth with his hand, glancing around the room as their peers whispered about him.

Juliana stood up, raising her hand. "Excuse me, Counselor Blatt? That is your name, right?"

Counselor Blatt nodded.

"Anyway," Juliana continued, placing her hands on her hips. "How can you stand here and discuss a private conversation that you had with a concerned parent? Is that not unethical? Isn't it a breach of confidentiality?"

Counselor Blatt stared at her, baffled. "Miss Morales, please sit down."

Juliana ignored her request and remained standing, having far more to say on the matter. "Simply saying that a parent reached out to you was enough. There was no need for you to mention specifically what the concerned parent entailed in their conversation with you. Do you really think it's ethical? You might as well have called the student out by name."

"Miss Morales, sit down. I won't ask you again."

Juliana crossed her arms, looking around the cafeteria. All eyes were focused on her. Demetri started to pull on the sleeve of her cardigan. Juliana glanced down at him and huffed before she sat down.

Eli smiled at her. His perfect girl was someone who stood up for him. She had done that not once, but twice now. First with Yasmine and now with Counselor Blatt.

Juliana stared at her with an intense stare, missing Eli's smile. Counselor Blatt acted as if nothing happened as she continued on with her speech.

Juliana turned her head, and looked directly at Eli for the first time since she had sat back down. He mouthed a quick "Thank you" to her. Juliana smiled back as she shrugged. Juliana's smile grew as she saw Eli's cheeks turn a shade of light pink.

Counselor Blatt cleared her throat. "As I was saying, our goal here is to make this school a safe space for all students."

Juliana spaced out once again.

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Juliana finished applying her makeup and stared at her reflection in her vanity. She smiled to herself, pleased with how she looked. Her lips were painted with a pink lipstick and her eyelids lightly dusted with a smoky eyeshadow. The front pieces of her hair were braided, pinned to together at the back of her head while the rest hung down her shoulders in curls.

Juliana stood up and walked over to her bed, getting into her costume for the Halloween dance. She looked at herself in the mirror one last time before exiting her room and making her way downstairs, where her parents insisted on taking pictures.

"It's just a Halloween dance," Juliana told her mother as she snapped pictures with her phone. "It's not like it's prom or something."

"But you look so beautiful!" her mother replied.

Juliana sighed before she started to smile for the picture to appease her mother. Juliana wasn't the biggest fan of having her picture taken, but she wanted to make her mom happy and if plastering a smile on her face and posing for a few photos would do that, then Juliana was willing to deal.

"Okay, okay. That's enough," Juliana said, walking toward the door. "I have to go. Demetri and Eli are waiting for me at school. I'll see you later tonight."

Her mom snapped one last picture before Juliana walked out the door, shutting it behind her. She got in her car and drove to the school.

When she walked in the gymnasium, she looked around for Demetri and Eli. She found them standing in the corner of the gym. Demetri turned his head at the exact moment Juliana started to walk up to them. He nudged Eli in the arm with his elbow and pointed in Juliana's direction. There she goes. There she goes again...

The two boys continued to stare as she stood in front of them and waved. "Sorry I'm a little late."

Demetri started shaking his head wildly. "No, no, it's fine. You look...wow."

Juliana grinned. "You think so? I'm your knight in shining armor." Juliana bowed. "You don't think it's too much?"

Eli shook his head. "It's perfect."

"Let me guess," Juliana looked at their costumes. She pointed to Demetri. "You're a necromancer."

Demetri nodded his head.

Juliana pointed to Eli. "And you're a surgeon..." She thought for a moment wanting to guess what kind. "Do you fix lips?"

Eli nodded his head. Juliana didn't even have to see his mouth to know that he was smiling. She could tell by the way his eyes lit up.

Juliana flashed him a smile as she saw a figure appear next to her. She turned her head, having to look slightly upward. Miguel stood next to her, dressed in a skeleton costume, his face painted to look as such.

Miguel looked down at Juliana. "Are you a knight? You struck me as more of a princess."

Demetri and Eli glared at him. Was that a subtle attempt at flirting? Or were they just being jealous because she was their perfect girl, not his?

"Gender roles are a social construct," Juliana told him. "Besides, Brienne of Tarth from Game of Thrones is a knight—a badass one at that."

Miguel nodded. "Right. Sorry. It's cool, actually. I like that you're a knight."

Juliana shrugged. "It's no big deal. I like your skeleton costume."

"Thanks," Miguel replied before turning his attention to Demetri. "I like your sorcerer costume."

"Sorcerer?" Demetri scoffed, pointing to the paint on his face. "Please. I'm a necromancer."

"What?" Miguel asked in confusion.

"Didn't you see the amulet?" Demetri questioned him, pointing to his chest.

Miguel just turned to Eli. "So, are you a regular doctor or..."

"Plastic surgeon," Eli told him. "I fix lips."

"Nice," Miguel responded, nodded his head.

"Hey, I'm going to go catch out the snack table," Juliana told the boys. "Do you guys want anything?"

The three boys shook their heads. Juliana nodded her head, walking always from them and towards the snack table where girl wearing antennae a black shirt with the periodic symbol for sodium stood.

Juliana looked down at the table. The girl turned to look at her.

Juliana gave her a smile as she held out her hand. "Hi. I'm Juliana. I like your sodium costume."

The girl shook her head. "Aisha, and thanks. My friend, Sam, was supposed to go as chloride, but she wanted to be a Laker girl instead."

Juliana laughed. "Table salt? That's funny."

"Really?" Aisha smiled.

"Yeah," Juliana replied. "I'd rather be chloride over a Laker girl any day."

Aisha just smiled, before furrowing her eyebrows together. "Aren't you the girl that stood up to Counselor Blatt today?"

Juliana nodded her head. "Yeah, that's me. That was just so unprofessional of her to do. I mean, discussing a private conversation and outing Eli like that?"

"I agree," Aisha responded. "She shouldn't have done that. Eli's lucky to have a friend like you."

"If you want, we could be friends," Juliana offered.

Aisha smiled. "Really? You wanna be my friend?"

"Of course," Juliana said with a nod, taking a bow. "It'd be my honor."

Aisha laughed. "Cool."

Juliana smiled at her one last time. "It was wonderful meeting you, Aisha. I should get back to the boys. They look awfully lost over there."

"Okay," Aisha responded.

When Juliana stood in front of the boys again, they told her that they were going to the bathroom. She nodded her head and waited for them to return. All around her, she heard the chimes of phones. The other students in the gym started to pull their phones out, laughing at something as they stared down at them.

Before Juliana could ask someone what was happening, she saw Aisha running from the snack table. She didn't have the chance to follow her before Demetri and Eli came running into the gym. They didn't stop until they stood in front of Juliana, both out of breath.

"Are you guys okay?" Juliana asked. "What were you running from? Where's Miguel?"

"Bathroom...Kyler...Miguel...Trouble..." Demetri managed to breathe out.

Juliana's eyebrows furrowed together. Demetri and Eli had told her all about Kyler. She clenched her fist and breathed deeply through her nose. It looked like Counselor Blatt wasn't the only one who was going to get a piece of her mind.

— EMILIA'S NOTES

this fic is moving a bit fast, but that's okay. we'll be slowing it down once we get more into the story. the chapters are also a bit shorter than my usual ones.

once again, juliana absolutely devoured. counselor blatt deserved to be told off. live, laugh, love, juliana.

anyway, thanks for reading. hope you enjoyed.  <3