Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken

Chapter 2: Prom-posal

A phone vibrated, and a Quacking ringtone rang through the room on a bedside chair as a picture of a girl with pink hair appeared on the screen.

A blue hand with four fingers reached out to grab the device as the person stretched

"Ruben!" A female voice spoke enthusiastically, on the phone

The boy who was resting on his bed, pulled out his retainers before replying to the girl

"Hey, Margot."

He placed the retainer into a green glass, which was on the table beside him

"I am dying of suspense. What did your mom say?"

The young boy yawned, "Well, I chickened out last night, but I am going to ask her now, right now, this second."

He pulled the covers off and placed his feet on the ground; each foot having four (incredibly long) toes

"Did you do the confidence-building exercise I taught you?" The girl on the phone questioned.

"I did something even better."

...

The male looked at himself in the mirror and quickly fixed his hair

He then pulled up his turtleneck sweater in order to cover up his gills, which were showing

He tied his shoelaces and spun around on his chair, packing his school bag whilst being upside down due to his heightened flexibility

His arm extended to reach a book that was on the table before grabbing his schoolbook from his pet's mouth

...

"Oh, hey." He cleared his throat

Bright letters that spelt 'PROM', lit up behind the boy that was speaking

"Junior prom is the sacred rite of every human teenager. As a Kraken who is barely pulling off this whole human thing..."

An animation of a disco played, with images of different people's faces plastered on the top of dancing figurines

"I need to be there so that I can blend in. And, as a proud mathlete, I know that to find a potential solution, I have to evaluate the problem."

The background was of a graph with numbers floating all around

"Now, I know the rules." A family portrait was shown

"Our family is not allowed in the ocean, ever. For any reason. And I love rules."

A very long list of rules played out

"I do, I really, really do." He was really close to the screen and he held his hands out in a pleading manner

"But the prom boat is on the water, not in the water." Thunder crashed

"What if there's a storm? You might ask. Well, I've analysed weather trend data, and my trusty friend, the Internet, has assured me that it will be smooth sailing on prom night." He stated

"And lastly, this is the captain of said prom boat." A picture of the said man showed up

"He looks like he knows what he's doing. I trust him with my life, and so should you." The boy put some sunglasses on

"And that is why I, Ruben Gillman, should go to prom. Thank you." The video stopped playing, and the phone was pulled away

"Please, please, please, please, please!" He begged