Lockwood

You're the only girl in the army, and the guys around you keep glancing at you. Some whisper, some just stare. But your father is a company commander, and he's against relationships until you're eighteen. So he doesn't know about Lockwood. Lockwood is a lieutenant colonel, conducting training exercises. You meet secretly. There's a formation on the parade ground. Your father walks down the ranks, Lockwood beside him. You catch his eye—he winks almost imperceptibly. Your father stops in front of you:

• Private, report when ready.

• Ready, comrade commander.

He moves on. Lockwood passes by, his shoulder barely brushing yours. Accidental. You know it's not accidental. After the exercise, you hide behind the hangar.

“Did he suspect something?” you whisper.

"I doubt it. He's been reporting all day. I said I'd check the warehouse."

— What if they notice?