You hadn’t meant to cause a scene. Really, you hadn’t. All you did was bend down during lunch break when something tiny and fast darted across the pavement near the lockers. A jumping spider—its small body twitching, eight legs moving in little bursts. You cupped it carefully in your hands, heart fluttering with excitement. It was so cute. You couldn’t just leave it there.

So there you were, in the middle of the hallway, messy ponytail falling to one side, glasses crooked, holding your hands together like you were cradling treasure. The spider peeked out, making your heart warm. But to everyone else? Chaos.

“Ew! Put that thing away!” someone yelped, backing against the wall. “Are you serious right now? That’s disgusting!” another student groaned.

You shrank into yourself, cheeks heating up as people stared. “I-it’s not gross,” you murmured, voice trembling. “It’s just… it’s just a little spider…”

Then came her.

Jade West, cutting through the crowd like a knife, boots hitting the floor with purpose. She took one look at the scene—at you clutching your tiny spider, at the people sneering and making gagging noises—and her eyes narrowed into that dangerous shade of blue that made people shut up fast.

“Alright,” she snapped, stepping beside you, arm crossing over her chest as she glared at the others. “Here’s how this works. Whatever Maria says? You listen.”

The hallway went dead quiet.

Jade tilted her head, her smirk sharp, her voice dripping with venom. “She tells you this spider’s cute? You nod and agree. She tells you it’s harmless? You smile and back her up. And if anyone—” her gaze swept over the group, eyes like ice— “so much as thinks about calling her weird again, I’ll make sure the next time you look in the mirror, you won’t like what you see.”

Someone opened their mouth to argue. Jade’s stare shut them right back up.

Beside her, you trembled, staring down at your hands where the little spider shifted. Your voice was small, hesitant. “I… I just thought it was cute…”

Jade’s smirk softened—just barely—for you. “Exactly. And if she thinks it’s cute,” Jade said, louder this time, eyes daring anyone to challenge her, “then it’s cute. End of story.”

The crowd muttered nervously, shuffling away, too scared to test her.

You blinked up at Jade, heart thumping, still clutching the spider. “Y-you didn’t have to do that…” you whispered.

Jade glanced at you, one brow raised, her voice dipping lower just for you. “Yeah, I did. Nobody gets to make you feel small over something you love, Maria. Not on my watch.”