Vanessa was sat on her bed typing up a paper for one of her classes. After retying a messy bun on the top of her head she took a sip of coffee. Her face twisted into a look of disgust. She sighed, "What I do to be able to type up this damn paper."

She was almost done with her last paragraph when she happened to glance up at the time on her computer screen. 11:45. She looked over to her room-mate's side of the room, Marina wasn't there. Vanessa felt a pang of worry in her chest. Marina wasn't one to party and stay out late. Vanessa wasn't very close the quiet multi-colored haired girl, but she still worried about her. Marina was extremely short and wasn't one for confrontation, someone could easily take advantage of her. Right when Vanessa was about to call her room-mate Marina walked into the dorm. Her head was down and arms crossed. Vanessa took notice to her disheveled hair.

"Oh good, your back. I was beginning to get worried." Vanessa said, closing her laptop.

Marina didn't answer, she just sat herself on the edge of her bed. She bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut. She tried everything in her power to not break down. Just be strong for once in your life, dammit.

Vanessa didn't say anything for a moment, she just sat on her bed playing with her nails. It was quiet, too quiet. However, that silence was broken by soft sobs. Vanessa's head shot up to see Marina slightly shaking as she cried.

Vanessa remained on her bead, unsure how to act upon this situation. Marina's crying became slightly louder and that is when Vanessa decided she had to do something. She walked over to Marina's bed and placed a hand on Marina's shoulder.

"Hey, what happened? Are you hurt?" Vanessa asked.

Marina took a deep shaky breath. "N-not too bad."

"What? What do you mean by 'Not too bad' ?" Vanessa asked, beginning to grow angry.

Marina slightly lifted her shirt to show some bruises on her pudgy belly. Then she showed a bruise on her arm and a few cuts on the side of her face. "E-earlier this week...Some guy asked me to go see a movie with him. App-apparently it was j-just a bet. Him and all his friends surrounded me by the alley next to the theatre. One of them punched me in a stomach and I fell on my side. That's why my arm is all bruised. A couple of them kicked me and called me a 'fat bitch' and that I should 'go kill myself'. I don't know I just thought all of the bullying in middle school and high school would stop once I entered the real world. I guess it doesn't matter where I go." Marina explained, her fists clenched from anger, fear, and anxiety. Her whole body shook from the tears and sadness. "I'm sorry Vanessa...I am just so weak."

Vanessa looked at Marina wide eyed. "Marina, tell me who these guys are. So help me, they will regret what they did to you."

Marina's head shot up and she shook her head aggressively. "Vanessa, I don't want you to beat up a bunch of assholes for my sake and you get in trouble."

Vanessa sighed as she sat next to Marina on the bed. Wrapping an arm around her she allowed Marina to rest her head on her shoulder. "Fine, but for now on. I'm gonna protect you."

Marina smiled. "I will protect you too. I may not look intimidating, but I can pack a punch when someone hurts someone I care for."

"So does that make us friends?"

Marina smiled. "Best friends."

(hey everyone! Just that you know this is a flash back to Vanessa's and Marina's college days. So this is a couple years in the past.)