Chapter Text
Marina hoped this day would end soon.
Marina Ida, perfect student, kind, quiet, and pretty. Or so that’s what she’s been told she is.
This Marina Ida was being put in detention.
She walked as slowly as possible dreading the moment she’d step through the detention room door. The events that caused her to be in this situation replaying in her head.
She had been waiting by the door of her history classroom for the bell to ring and she could hear some inklings talking in the hallway.
“Can you believe that girl is a senior..? she’s like as short as my 10 year old little brother.” Said one.
“I cant believe she stood up for that quiet girl..” said another.
The first one chimed in again, “if she wasn’t so annoying I’d totally be her friend.. her parents are like filthy rich.”
Marina knew at this point the inklings were talking about her and Pearl.
“You know..” said another, “I heard that the shorty is gay. She probably was just sticking up for that loser cuz she has a little crush on her. I cant think of any other reason someone would pick a fight for her!”
The ink rose to Marina’s face as she heard the inklings laughing.
From how close they sounded she could tell the inklings were right outside her class door. She hoped she could walk out quickly enough to avoid them.
The bell rang and she rushed out the classroom but just as she had entered the hallway she felt a firm grip on her shoulder.
“Marina can we talk to you for a moment..?” Marina escaped his grip and tried to walk away.
“uhm no sorry..”
she couldn’t walk far because one of the inklings grabbed her tentacles and pulled her back.
The group of boys waited for her class to exit before turning their attention back to her. The inkling who was holding her tentacle spoke up.
“when I tried to talk to you a few days ago I was interrupted.”
He glanced around, “seems like your little friend isn’t here to save you today huh?”
Marina stared the inkling in the eyes, she was both scared and angry at him yet she couldn’t move.
The inkling tightened his grip on her front tentacle not letting her walk away.
“You see you’re really quiet.. and quiet people piss me off. On top of that you’re a straight A student and all of the teachers like you.”
The ink rose to Marina’a face once more as the inkling stepped closer.
“You piss me off so much I’d punch you in the face right now if you weren’t so pretty.”
Marina hardly knew this inkling aside from the fact that he was in her grade. She had no clue what she ever did to make this dude so mad. Nonetheless, whatever she did, he was totally overreacting about it.
The inkling had yet again moved closer to Marina, close enough where their faces could touch.
She realized what was happening right now and there was no way she was going to let these dudes get what they wanted.
She let the built up anger she had take over and the next thing she knew the inkling was standing in front of her wide-eyed with ink dripping from his nose.
Marina looked over to notice one of the inklings friends had been filming it all.
“No way! She punched him!” He shouted as he started to walk away.
Marina looked back at the inkling once more, what did she just do?!
She snapped back to reality when she realized she was outside the door of the detention room. She sighed before ultimately accepting her fate and heading inside.
Upon entering the room she noticed there was no teacher present. There were quite a few inklings and octolings inside of the room too. That’s when she remembered, Pearl was also in detention.
She scanned the room for the upperclassman, once she spotted her she quietly walked over to the table Pearl was at and sat in the seat next to her.
Pearl who seemed to be asleep was completely unaware of who was next to her.
Marina hesitated for a moment then tapped Pearl’s shoulder. In return the half asleep inkling gave her a not so welcoming hello.
“Oh my cod… I could care less if you give me more detention for sleeping its not like I want to go back to class anyway..”
Marina shifted in her seat,
“O-oh.. I’m sorry Pearl.”
At the sound of Marina’s voice Pearl shot her head up.
“Ahaaaa…. Marina! what are you doing here?”
She pushed her tentacles back into place and straightened up her clothes. Marina didn’t seem to notice how caught off guard Pearl was though.
“It’s um… really embarrassing honestly.. I did something totally unlike me.”
Pearl shot her a curious grin. Marina began to twirl her tentacle between her fingers, trying to get her words out.
“The inklings from before… they were being gross to me again.. kinda.. got a bit mad…. May or may not have.. punched one of them in the nose.”
Pearls eyes went wide.
“No way!! You of all people?!”
Marina played with her tentacle some more,
“his nose even started inking… ugh I cant believe I did that..”
she covered her face in her hands.
“I cant believe it either!!” Pearl exclaimed, “damn girl! I didn’t know you had it in ya! If I would’ve known the other day you could stick up for yourself like that.. I wouldn’t have kicked that guy where it hurts most!”
Marina winced remembering the look on the inklings face when pearl stood up for her a few days before. The pain he got was well deserved but man, that must’ve hurt.
There was a moment of awkward silence between the two as they suddenly weren’t sure of what to say. Pearl was the first to speak up again.
“Um.. Marina.. would you want to come over to my place after school today?”
Marina could feel the ink rising to her face once more, she hoped Pearl couldn’t see the teal color.
“W-w-what?? We.. we hardly know each other.. I-I mean we just became friends.. friends? Are we friends? Uhh.. I-“
Pearl cut her off before she could continue rambling.
“I know we kinda just became friends and you probably planned on going home and studying all night or doing whatever you straight A students do but.. I’ve been failing our octarian language class and I know for a fact you could help me.”
Marina stopped and thought for a moment,
“hm.. well.. I will accept the offer but, I will have you know I don’t just study after school. I have hobbies just like everyone else!”
Pearl smirked at her.
“oh reallly..? Like what?”
Marina got nervous again.
“oh um well… I like.. singing sometimes… I-I can also play piano.. um.. I also draw sometimes.. and I build things..”
Pearls eyes lit up upon hearing this.
“Oh no way! I’m into music too! I can play a few different types of guitars and.. don’t mean to brag but I’ve been getting into rap a bit lately and the things I’ve come up with have been preeeeetty good.”
Marina giggled, “I’d love to hear some of your music then!”
Pearl smiled back at her “Oh I’d love to show you.. but only if I get to hear yours first!”