It started at the café across from the dance studio.
They'd just wrapped rehearsal — a sticky, exhausting, glitter-stained mess — and decided to treat themselves to smoothies and fries. Jasmine had wandered ahead of the group to order first.
By the time the others arrived, she was already awkwardly shifting in place, eyes on the counter, clearly avoiding eye contact with the guy next to her.
He was leaning in just a bit too close. Talking too loud. Laughing at his own jokes like they were invitations instead of red flags.
"C'mon," he was saying, "you're cute and cool? You skate, right? You should give me your number. I bet we'd click."
Jasmine tensed, but kept her voice neutral. "I'm not interested."
"Oh come on, don't be like that—just one hangout—"
Kayla moved to intercept first, but Jasmine stepped back, quickly placing their full order and slipping past the guy to rejoin the table.
Ten minutes later, drinks in hand, she finally spoke up.
"I hate this," she muttered, poking at the whipped cream on her drink. "He just won't leave me alone. He's tried this, like, three times now. And it's always when I'm alone."
The others quieted. Even Robin put down her phone.
Jasmine continued, voice low:"This is… why I don't dress too flashy. Or cutesy. I know it's dumb, but when I was twelve, there was this guy—he was a neighbor. Kept cornering me after school, giving me gifts, saying we were 'meant to be.' I dressed a little more... girly back then. And after that, I just... I stopped."
Minnie reached across the table and gently tapped her pinky to Jasmine's. "That's not dumb. That's scary."
Mona nodded. "You're allowed to set boundaries. And he's not respecting them."
Kayla cracked her knuckles. "I could kick him in the shin."
"Tempting," Jasmine smirked faintly. "But probably illegal."
Robin tapped her fingers against her smoothie lid. "Alright. What if we just make you unapproachable?"
Jasmine blinked. "Unapproachable?"
"I'll pose as your boyfriend," Robin said casually. "He backs off, you get space, and I get to relive my handsome androgynous era. Win-win."
There was a pause.
"…That could work," Minnie said slowly. "You did rock the short hair look back in the day."
Kayla grinned wide. "You looked like a stylish host club reject. It was iconic."
"I still have the jacket," Robin declared proudly.
Jasmine hesitated. "Wouldn't that be… weird?"
Robin shrugged. "Only if you make it weird. You don't have to hold my hand or anything. We just stand close, I do the brooding boyfriend lean, maybe glare a little. Instant 'don't touch' aura."
Luna, who had been silently munching her fries, nodded. "I vote yes."
Jasmine gave it a moment. Then quietly said, "...Okay. Let's try it."
---
Later that week, outside the café.
The same guy was back. Same smirk. Same "hey, didn't we meet last week?" energy.
Jasmine stood her ground. Calm. Until—
Robin slid in beside her, one arm casually over her shoulder, the other jammed into the pocket of a crisp, black varsity jacket. Her hair was slicked back, sunglasses on, expression neutral.
"She's with me," Robin said smoothly. "Sorry."
The guy blinked. Took a full second to process.
Then muttered, "Oh. Uh… sorry, man. My bad."
And walked off.
Just like that.
Robin turned to Jasmine. "See? I have many talents."
Jasmine, barely hiding a smile, replied, "Thank you, 'babe.'"
"Oh, please let me keep that nickname."
"No."
---
Back at the studio:
Kayla: "So… are we gonna talk about how Robin totally looked like a dating sim love interest just now?"
Minnie: "Jasmine's got taste."
Mona: "Robin may have peaked."
Luna handed Robin a juice box without a word. Robin winked.
Jasmine just sat back, sipping her drink in peace for the first time in a while.