I'm yours to keep and I'm yours to loose.

POWDER WALKED through the empty school hallways, her hands stuffed into the pockets of her oversized jacket, her pace slow and indifferent. English class was in session, but she had no intention of attending. It wasn't anything new; Powder regularly skipped the lessons she found boring, and English was at the top of that list.

Wandering without a clear destination, she found herself in the school garden. The air was fresh, and the leaves rustled lightly above her. For a moment, she stood under a tree, letting the calm wash over her. However, the silence was soon interrupted by chatter coming from the back of the school.

Curious, Powder tilted her head. It wasn't uncommon for the rowdier students to gather there to smoke or chat away from the teachers. Bored, she stepped closer, following the voices. When she turned the corner, she saw them: a group of boys and girls leaning against the school wall, a cigarette in hand or a backpack tossed on the ground.

It took her only a second to recognize them. They were the same ones who had hit Stella during the dodgeball game, the ones who had laughed while she fell to the ground. A wave of anger surged inside her, but she held back, staying hidden behind the corner to listen.

«Did you see how that pathetic nerd Stella curled up like a little mouse?» said one of the boys, who seemed to be the leader of the group. He was tall, with an arrogant air and the tone of someone who thought he was untouchable.

«Yeah.» one of the girls laughed, blowing out a puff of smoke. «And then Powder shows up with that hero act to save her. Pathetic.»

Powder clenched her fists. Her anger was rising, but she remained silent.

Another boy added with a sarcastic laugh, «That weirdo Stella is totally crushing on Powder. It's so obvious. They're perfect for each other—two losers.»

Laughter erupted from the group, and then came the final blow:

«But seriously, how disgusting. Two girls liking each other? God, that's ridiculous.»

The laughter that followed was the last straw. Powder stepped out from her hiding place, walking toward them with determined steps, her jaw clenched, and her eyes burning with fury.

«What the hell did you just say?» she said, her voice as sharp as a knife.

The group turned, startled to see her there. For a moment, no one spoke. Then the leader—the boy who had hit Stella—stepped forward with a mocking smile.

«Oh, look who it is.» he said, crossing his arms. «The girl savior. Are you here to defend your little girlfriend?»

Powder stared at him with icy eyes, ignoring the furious pounding of her heart.

«This is the second time you've gone after Stella.» she said with a calmness that barely concealed the fury inside her, stepping closer until she was face-to-face with him.«The first time, you acted like a coward, and now you're even worse. Do you think you're funny?»

The boy laughed, shaking his head. «Oh, are you here to lecture me? And what are you gonna do, Powder? Hit me?»

The group burst into laughter, but Powder didn't move a muscle. She stepped even closer, her gaze sharp.
«I'm telling you to stop, right now.» she said slowly, emphasizing each word.

The boy stepped forward, towering over her, his smile full of disdain. «And if I don't? What are you gonna do?»

Powder didn't respond with words. She responded with a punch.

The blow was fast and precise, hitting him right in the chin. The boy stumbled back, shocked. His group shouted, and for a moment, there was confusion. Then he recovered, his face twisting with rage.

«You're so dead.» he snarled, lunging at her.

Powder dodged effortlessly, her reflexes honed by years of games and chaos. She struck again, this time hitting his side, and he groaned, collapsing to the ground.

One of his friends moved to stop her, but Powder was faster. She hit him in the chest, making him stumble back. She was a storm, a whirlwind of energy and fury, and she didn't stop until she felt her hands throbbing from the blows.

One of them managed to land two punches on her face, but she barely flinched, staying firmly on her feet.

«Enough!» one of the girls screamed, trying to intervene, but the blue haired girl managed to push them away.

Powder stopped, her chest rising and falling from heavy breaths. She looked down at the leader, now lying on the ground, his face twisted in pain.

«If you ever go near Stella again,» she growled, her voice low and filled with warning, roughly grabbing his face, forcing him to look at her angry face. «I swear next time I won't stop—I'll kill you.»

The group stood in stunned silence, shaken by her intensity.

Powder turned away, her fists still clenched, and walked off without another word. Only when she was far enough, hidden again among the trees in the garden, did she finally let out a long breath.

Her hands ached, her heart pounded wildly in her chest, and her face stung—but she didn't care.

She had done what needed to be done. No one would dare mess with Stella again, not as long as she was around.

Stella looked around the empty hallway, biting her lower lip. Jinx hadn't returned to class after the break, and that gave her a bad feeling. The girl was never a constant presence in lessons, often preferring to wander around the school rather than sit at her desk, but something felt different that morning.

With her heart beating faster, Stella decided to go look for her. She walked past the music room, peeked into the library, even checked the gym, but there was no sign of Jinx. Finally, she decided to head toward the back of the school, a spot where the more rebellious students often gathered to smoke or chat away from the teachers.

When she turned the corner, her heart clenched.

Sitting on the ground, her back against the wall, was Jinx. Her blue hair was messy, and her face was marked with scratches and faint bruises. Her hands rested on her bent knees, and her gaze was cast downward, dark and sullen.

«Jinx!» Stella called her name, rushing toward her, her face full of worry and fear.

Jinx looked up, momentarily surprised, then a cocky smirk appeared on her lips. «Hey, Star.» she said casually, as if nothing had happened.

Stella immediately crouched down, kneeling in front of her. «What happened to you?» she asked, her voice trembling, her eyes darting worriedly from one scratch to another.

Jinx shrugged, trying to seem indifferent. «Nothing much. Just had to deal with some idiot who wanted to bother me, that's all.»

Stella didn't look convinced, her face tightening in concern. «Some idiot? Jinx, they hurt you.»

Jinx chuckled, though the sound didn't reach her eyes. «You should see how they look.» she muttered, trying to make it sound amusing, but she couldn't fully hide the exhaustion weighing her down.

Stella sighed and began rummaging through her bag with determination. She pulled out a water bottle and a tissue, quickly dampening it with precise movements. Jinx watched her curiously, raising an eyebrow.

«What are you doing?» she asked.

«I'm cleaning you up.» Stella replied without looking up, moving closer with the tissue to dab at a scratch on Jinx's cheek.

«It's not necessary, I'm fine.» Jinx protested, trying to push the tissue away with her hand.

«Stop it.» Stella cut her off, her voice firmer than usual. «You need to be treated, Jinx. You can't just walk around like this. Please.»

Jinx looked at her, surprised by the determination in her eyes. Stella was usually shy, hesitant, but in that moment, she was an unshakable force. Jinx held her gaze for a second, taking in the pleading look in her eyes, the worried furrow of her brows. With a sigh, she relented, leaning back against the wall as Stella carefully tended to her face.

The damp tissue brushed against her skin with a lightness that made her face tingle. Stella was so gentle, so attentive, occasionally biting her lower lip in concentration as if she were performing a task of utmost importance.

Jinx watched her in silence, her heartbeat quickening with each small, careful touch. She wasn't used to this kind of attention. Sure, Vi had always been protective, but there was something different about Stella. Something that made her feel safe, yet incredibly vulnerable at the same time.

«You should be more careful.» Stella murmured, breaking the silence.

Jinx smirked, trying to lighten the mood. «Are you scolding me?»

Stella blushed slightly but didn't stop. «I'm not scolding anyone. It's just that... I don't like seeing you like this.»

Jinx felt her face grow warm. She didn't know how to respond, so she just lowered her gaze, watching Stella's hands move quickly and skillfully. When Stella finished cleaning the scratches, she shifted slightly, examining Jinx's face with careful attention.

«Do you have any other injuries?» she asked, her voice sweet but full of concern.

Jinx shook her head, smiling. «No, doc. You've patched me up just fine.»

Stella let out a small sigh, relaxing slightly. «Good.»

A quiet moment settled between them, broken only by the rustling of leaves in the wind. Then, without thinking too much, Jinx leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Stella, pulling her close in a sudden embrace.

Stella gasped softly as her knees hit the grass beside Jinx, her hands instinctively gripping the wall behind her to keep from falling onto her. It was a warm, desperate hug, full of unspoken words and hidden feelings.

For a moment, Stella remained frozen, surprised, but then she relaxed, gently wrapping her arms around Jinx's neck. Her heart pounded wildly, and she prayed Jinx couldn't hear it. She felt her bury her face against her neck, warm breath ghosting over her skin, sending shivers down her spine.

«Jinx?» she murmured, confused but also worried.

«Just stay like this for a minute.» Jinx whispered, her voice slightly trembling, her hands clutching the fabric of Stella's shirt in a tight grip.

Stella didn't say anything. She closed her eyes, letting her be, and slowly began to stroke Jinx's back in slow, comforting motions. She could feel Jinx's heartbeat against her own chest, and for a moment, everything else disappeared—the school, their classmates, even her own insecurities.

Jinx clung to Stella as if trying to hold onto something solid in the middle of an earthquake. She couldn't quite explain what she was feeling, what strange emotion was pulling at her, but one thing was certain: Stella had become her safe harbor, and she would do anything to protect her.

When she finally pulled away, Jinx's face was flushed, but a small smile played on her lips. «Thanks.» she murmured, avoiding her eyes, resting her forehead on her shoulder. «I promise I won't make you worry again.»

Stella shook her head, smiling softly. «You don't have to thank me. I like taking care of you.»

Jinx looked at her, and for a moment, she got lost in her eyes. Then she stood up, offering her hand to Stella to help her up.

«Come on, before someone comes to check the back and finds us here.»

Stella nodded, taking her hand, and together they walked back toward the school, their shoulders almost brushing as they walked side by side.

They're so cute I'm gonna kms

I never got in a relationship so tell me if I write something wrong, bc I don't really know what people who crush each others do🙃

Anyway thank you so much for the 1,85 reads, I'm so grateful yall🫶🏻🫶🏻🩷