Jade dusted her hands of yet another bully properly taken care of. She turned to look at Tori who had been the victim of the bullying. The three stuck up girls had been teasing her about her naivety, meek personality, and conservative style of clothes, and though Jade had to agree with them, it wasn't their place to tease her. It was Jade's. And she guarded that claim. Which was why they had ran off so quick. She made that fact very apparent to them, only flashing her scissors as an extra threat.
"You okay, Vega?" she checked, crossing her arms to appear unruffled.
"Yeah. I just wish they would leave me alone," Tori replied, rubbing at her arm in an effort to console herself.
"Just do what I do," Jade suggested.
"What's that?" Tori wondered.
"Wake up every morning and tell yourself you're a badass bitch from hell and that no one can fuck with you and then don't let anyone fuck with you," Jade answered with the utmost confidence. Tori stared at her, trying to feel that confidence within herself.
"Maybe lose the glasses too," Jade added, gesturing at them. And just like that Tori lost the small spark of confidence she had gathered, a hand coming up to push at the frames sitting on her nose.
"I'm just joking, Vega. They're actually pretty cute on you," Jade assured. Tori smiled shyly.
"I don't think I could see myself that way. How did you start?" she inquired. Jade shrugged.
"You have to start somewhere. I just held to it until I knew it was true," Jade said. Tori nodded and decided to try.
"Okay, so what should I do if they go after me again and you aren't there?" she asked.
"Repeat that mantra and tell them off. They can only bully you if you let them. So, what would you say to them if they started picking on you again?" Jade answered. Tori adopted an attempt at a serious expression, one that she hoped looked tough.
"Hey! At least I'm not…stupid like you!" she stammered. Jade chuckled and patted her shoulder.
"Great," she congratulated. Tori was positively radiant with joy.
"Really?" she inquired.
"Sure. You know, maybe I should give you my number. Just in case you need back up," Jade advised. She held out her hand and Tori passed over her phone. When Jade was finished, she handed it back and Tori stared at the numbers on the screen. A link to her personal protector just a message or phone call away.
"I don't think you'll need my help. You got this," Jade told her, striding away. Tori watched her go, clenching her phone like a lifeline. It turned out that Jade was right. Tori didn't need Jade to come to her rescue. The bullies left her alone with nothing more than her best threatening scowl, taken from Jade herself. She didn't have to know that the tormentors actually stayed away because Jade made it clear to them that she was just a call away, ready to make their life hell at Tori's command. It gave Tori confidence whether she knew that piece of information or not and that was all that mattered.