Chapter 25:

Chapter 25

The Boy Who Fell From the Sky

"This is the class with those three," Ariel told Jade before they entered the classroom. So far, he'd been successful in talking people out of their seat beside hers, but the last class was a bit different.

"It had to be one of them sitting right behind you, didn't it?" Jade asked as he stared at Cherry in her seat behind where Ariel's was.

"Yeah... This isn't going to be easy."

Jade's eyes met with Janice's in the back across from Cherry, and she perked up. "Ugh. Even looking at her is revolting."

Ariel's eyes widened. "Objectively, she is pretty."

"The smug air around her makes it hard to tell. Add in a nasty personality, and I wonder if we'd be better off trying to change classes."

"I'd say we can't now, but you have your ways."

"Indeed, I do."

"But that would still be its own mess of trying to catch up to that class."

"There isn't another math class at this time?"

"Not the same one, no." I did look into changing it.

Jade sighed. "I guess we'll have to deal with this. Where would be the best place to sit? Maybe I can talk someone else into changing seats with you at the same time."

"That'd take too long; the teacher is going to be here soon." Ariel set her bag on her desk.

Jade approached Cherry. "Can I have this seat?" he asked, not bothering to use his powers.

Cherry glanced back at Janice, who nodded. "But then, where will I sit?"

"I don't care," Janice hissed. "Just go." She nudged her head to the side, not caring where Cherry ended up.

Cherry picked up her things and looked around for an open seat. The only one was in the front row. "Ugh..." She trudged to the front of the class, to the furthest seat from her friends.

"Thank you." Jade sat down in Cherry's seat, and he could instantly feel Janice's lewd gaze on him.

"Hello, students." Mr. Lux entered, tossing his coat down and dropping his papers on the desk. "Sorry I'm a little late. And a welcome to our new student, Jade."

A couple of the students clapped and gave him their greetings.

"Let's get started, shall we? And Jade, if you need any help, feel free to ask. I can also help you after school if you need to catch up."

Jade nodded to him. "Thank you." If he needed help, he'd ask Ariel. It shouldn't matter if he did well in the class, but he wouldn't accept failing, even in a different world.

Jade made sure he paid attention to the teacher and made sure the girls stayed away from Ariel. He couldn't help but hope his presence would be enough, even if that was optimistic of him.

Class ended and instead of bolting out the door, Ariel gathered her things, and waited for Jade, before even thinking of leaving. To her surprise, Janice and her goons left without a huff.

"Does that mean they're not going to bother me today?" Ariel asked, as she stared at the door.

"I hope so. Either way, I'm here." He took her hand.

"Jade, it's a good thing you stayed back. I brought some things to help you catch up..." Mr. Lux trailed off when he saw him holding Ariel's hand. "Are you two...?"

Jade brought Ariel's hand up and kissed the back of it.

"Oh! What are you doing?" Ariel whispered. He's going to get the wrong idea!

"I'll take that as a yes." Mr. Lux chuckled. "Good for you, Ariel." He kept a slight distance from her and held the papers out to Jade.

"Thank you." Jade bowed slightly.

"Ariel here is our top student, so I guess you can ask her for help."

Ariel nodded. "Yes; I'll help him if he needs it."

"Okay, then. You should be fine, but I'm here if you need me." He shook Jade's hand and leaned in close. "Take care of her, would you? I think something's been going on, but I don't have the evidence to back it. Unless other people speak up or have a video, it's hard to do anything."

"Of course, I will protect her no matter what," Jade spoke through gritted teeth.

Mr. Lux took a step away, his head tilted to the side in wonder. "I'll see you two tomorrow." He waved them off.

"He seems like a good fellow," Jade said once they were out of the classroom.

"What were you two whispering about?" Ariel asked.

"An agreement between men. Nothing more, nothing less."

"O-okay..." What does that even mean?

They headed to their lockers to find the girls waiting for them.

"Jade! How cool is it that we're in the same class?" Janice bounded up to him. "It's totally fate."

"No, it isn't." Jade sighed.

Janice's cheek twitched. "Well... It's still great that I got to see you again. How about I treat you to a movie to make up for interrupting your lunch?" Janice inched closer to him.

"No."

"Dinner? A snack? Anything? Since you're new, how about I show you around town?"

"No. If there's anything I need, I'll ask Ariel."

Janice's eyes went down to their hands, even as Ariel hid a bit behind Jade. "I can do way better than an outsider like her. You're only asking for trouble if you hang around her. She's a slut that hits on people's boyfriends." She held out her phone, showing Andy sitting across from Ariel, and scrolled over to show him eating her food.

"Does your mind not work? Are you able to process situations properly?"

Her expression dropped.

"I know what happened there already. You can't divide us with your lies. Your pictures show them eating at a table; that has nothing to do with anything more than food." Jade leaned in closer, a dark glint in his eyes. "And I know who you are, and what you've done to my precious Ariel." He snatched Ariel's necklace off of her neck. "I know you're a thief and a bully. This is your one warning to back off."

"She's just spreading lies. I haven't done anything to her. Ask anyone; I'm a good person and would never bully others or steal."

Jade held up the necklace. "Then where did you get this?"

"Er... My father gave it to me as a gift last year."

"What store?"

"I don't know; my father bought it."

Jade shook his head and pulled out a receipt for the necklace. "I bought this for her the other day."

"It... It just looks the same. More than one person can have the same necklace. It's not my fault if she lost it."

"You're insufferable." Jade gritted his teeth. "Not willing to admit when you're wrong. Not willing to admit when you've done something wrong. Both signs of being an immature, toxic, narcissist." Jade flipped the necklace over to show the initials he had engraved before he brought Ariel to the jewellery store. "A.M. for Ariel Morgan. Admit it, thief."

Janice clammed up, her lip quivering as she struggled to refute him.

Whispers around them exploded in wonder and disgust.

"How could she do that?"

"I thought I saw Ariel with the same necklace before."

"I wonder how often she steals."

"I bet stealing isn't even the worst thing she's done."

"I've heard horrible stories about her, but I never thought any of it was real until now."

Janice stumbled back a step, the chatter intensifying as she struggled to breathe. "It's a lie... They're lies..."

Cherry and Pat stared at each other, neither knowing what to do.

Jade turned to them. "You should get her to the nurse's office for now."

They nodded, scrambled around, and reached out to Janice.

"And this belongs to you." Jade held the necklace up to Ariel. "May I?"