"Hopefully that's the last time you pull a stunt like that, young man," warned the teacher to Pearl who was standing in the corner for punishment. "You can go now."

It was lunch time, but as per usual, Pearl didn't go eat or socialize; or rather, didn't plan to.

"Heeyyy!~ Give me that baaack~" said a somewhat lethargic voice coming from somewhere.

"What the...?" Pearl looked for the source and spotted a crowd of a few boys near a picnic bench. He scoffed, shook his head and continued his way to his usual spot and not get involved.

"Hey, Pipsqueak! "

The blonde boy flinched; that voice was almost too familiar. He turned back around to look at the crowd and saw him, the big, fat bully that got him in trouble earlier. Pearl clenched his fist and walked over, "hey! Why don't you back off you big, stupid head!"

"Gross, it's you. Get lost, will ya? We'll come beat you up later," said the bully, looming over Pearl.

"You in what army?" the boy retorted into the bully's face. This caused the bigger boy to shove and then pick up Pearl by his collar, about to punch him, but the other boys that were with the bully held him back, "wait, there's a teacher over there!" they exclaimed and looked up at their leader, "let's go man, we can get 'im later!"

The bully snorted and dropped Pearl, "you're lucky," and walked off.

"Hmph." Pearl dusted himself up once he stood up then turned to look back at the chubby boy that was being heckled. "Are you okay?" he asked and walked over to help him up to which the teary-eyed boy only nodded and sniffled. "Don't let people just push you around like that...they're being mean!" explained Pearl.

"They are?"

"Yeah! They were calling you mean names and taking your things, right?"

"Mhmm..."

"That's not right..." Pearl turned to leave, "you should go back to your friends." Even though they probably abandoned you or something.

"...but I don't—" he paused, "have any friends."

"Huh? You...don't?"

"Nope. What's your name?~"

"..." Pearl silently groaned at the question.

"...?"

"You don't need to know," said the blonde boy and tried to walk off before this kid asked anymore questions.

"You don't have friends either, do you?"

This made Pearl stop in his tracks. How did he know that? Was he messing with him?

"...I'll be your friend..." added Diamond, his tone sounding sincere.

What? Pearl couldn't believe his ears, did he really just ask that? No way. The blonde took a risk and glanced over his shoulder at him; Diamond was smiling expectantly. But why? "Pearl," he finally said and looked away.

"Ehh?"

"Pearl. My name is Pearl..."

"Nice to meet you!"

"You're...not gonna laugh?" He asked and turned back to face Diamond again.

"Why would I laugh?"

That was surprising. "It's just...A lot of people made fun of me for it...they told me it's... 'girly'..." Pearl sneered at the thought of it.

"Ehhh? Names can be girly?~ I think it suits you! Pearls are shiny and smooth, right?"

"I...Guess." Pearl blinked and looked at him confused, "what do you mean? I'm shiny and smooth?" He looked at his hands.

"Noo! Well.. I guess if you think so, You don't have pimples like the principle!" The chubby boy laughed, "But, I mean when you...Stood up to the meanies earlier... you seemed to stand out! Like you were shining!" he expanded his arms over his head for emphasis.

"Ohhh. Never thought about it that way before..." Pearl tapped his finger to his chin, "I guess you're right! Hehe!" he grinned and looked at him. "Hey...You're not pulling my leg are you? This isn't some sort of set-up for your friends to come and beat me up, right?" the boy walked over and stared at him suspiciously.

"H-Huh? No! I already said I don't have any friends." he looked a bit spaced out while saying that, but a hint of concern at the same time, "I guess I'm sort of the class joke. I... don't get why, though! They just... find new things to make fun of me for! Yesterday it was my pants, then it was my eyes and my hair, and, and..." he sighed, "I've gotten used to it, but I think everyone avoids me or joins in so they don't get picked on, too..."

Instant guilt. "I'm...sorry. I didn't mean to accuse you I just...I don't want to..." The blonde shook his head. "Never mind. But you really need to stand up for yourself, Diamond...You shouldn't let people do that to you, you know..." Pearl crossed his arms and gave him a stern pout of toughness. "Don't let anyone make fun of you! If they don't like you then they can go to HECK!" the blonde boy practically spat, he had recently picked him this bad habit of cursing, or so he thought, that made him feel a lot tougher than he normally would; although he didn't think it through whether or not it would offend his new friend.

"I don't think they should go there, though!~ It's okay if they want to insult me. Mommy just says it's because they're sadder than the people they're insulting~" Diamond dug in his pants pocket and took out a chocolate bar, snapping it in half, offering one of them to Pearl, "She also told me that sharing is a way to say thank you! Which... is what I'm doing! Thank you for scaring the meanies away."

"U-uh...No, thanks." He said and waved his hands, trying to reject the candy, "Daddy said never to take things from strangers..."

"Oh? I'm sorry! My name's Diamond!" He smiled big, still offering the chocolate.

Pearl silently looked at it then back up at Diamond

"There, now we're not strangers anymore, right?"

This caused him to smile and take his half, "...Yeah."

.0.0.0.

After school was over, the duo sat patiently on the swings, waiting for Diamond's mother to arrive and pick him up; she and Pearl's father were late and it had been an hour or two since school was over and evening was rapidly approaching. While whatever was left of any classmates running and playing around them they sat in silence, Pearl in particular watching as the sky reddened.

"Hey Pearl..." suddenly piped up Diamond

"Hmm?"

He waited a while, trying to put serious thought into his question, "do you think...We'll be friends forever?"

"..." The blonde kept his gaze ahead of him, continuing to watch the scenery in front of him.

The dark-haired boy curiously looked over at his new companion. 'He looks so...serious,' he thought to himself, nevertheless, he waited patiently for a response.

"Maybe." he simply said, unblinking.

This caused Dia to smile wide, "I sure hope so...I like hanging out with you."

Pearl glanced over at him and raised a brow. He sure was optimistic. "I change my mind, I'm sure we will, Diamond, no...Dia."