**Chapter 2: The Incident**

The next day, Jordan and Spencer were walking home from school, enjoying the warm sunshine and gentle breeze. They were chatting about their day, laughing and joking, when they stumbled upon a group of kids hanging out by the school's entrance. Jordan's friends, Alex and Mike, were among them, and they called out to Jordan, teasing him about his new haircut. Jordan's face fell as he looked down at his feet, trying to brush off their comments. But one of the kids, a tall and lanky boy named Jake, took it a step further. "Hey, Jordan, I heard you're so bad at sports that you can't even make the school team!" Jake sneered, his voice dripping with malice. Jordan's eyes stung, and he felt a knot form in his stomach. He tried to ignore Jake, but his words cut deep. Spencer noticed Jordan's sudden change in demeanor and followed his gaze to Jake. "Hey, what's going on here?" Spencer asked, his tone neutral but with a hint of warning. Jake, sensing Spencer's unease, took a step back, but his expression remained smug. "Just giving Jordan here some well-deserved criticism, Spencer. He's not exactly the most athletic guy, is he?" Spencer's eyes narrowed, but he kept his cool. "Leave him alone, Jake. He's not bothering you." Jordan shook his head, trying to deflect attention. "It's fine, Spencer. Don't worry about it." But Spencer wasn't having it. He knew that Jordan was trying to brush off the hurt, but he could see the pain in his eyes. Spencer made a mental note to talk to Jordan about this later, to make sure he was okay. As they walked away from the group, Jordan quickened his pace, trying to put the incident behind him. Spencer fell into step beside him, his eyes scanning Jordan's face for any sign of lingering hurt. "Hey, you okay?" Spencer asked, his voice low and gentle. Jordan shrugged, trying to play it off. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just ignore them, right?" Spencer nodded, but he knew that Jordan wasn't fine. He could see the faintest glimmer of tears in Jordan's eyes, and it made his heart ache. He wanted to protect Jordan from ever feeling like that again. The rest of the walk home was spent in silence, with Spencer occasionally glancing at Jordan to make sure he was doing okay. When they arrived at Spencer's house, Jordan headed straight for the living room, flopping down on the couch. Spencer sat down beside him, sensing that Jordan needed some space. But as they sat there in silence, Spencer couldn't shake off the feeling that he needed to do something to make it right. He was already planning how he could confront Jake and make him apologize for hurting Jordan's feelings. As the sun began to set, casting a warm orange glow over the room, Spencer reached out and gently put a hand on Jordan's shoulder. Jordan looked up at him, his eyes still shining with unshed tears. "I'm here for you, Jordan," Spencer said softly. "You're not alone." Jordan smiled weakly, and Spencer could see the trust and affection in his eyes. In that moment, Spencer knew that he would do anything to protect Jordan and make him feel safe. Little did he know, this was just the beginning of his journey to become Jordan's rock, his safe haven, and his forever friend.