; If you haven't checked out Marcibel: The Ghetto, the first of many fan fiction by yours truly, you should read that too'. If you ;haven't already noticed, this story has the same setting, but different events as The Ghetto.

'Dad's not home, as usual. I'll have to get something to eat again.'.

Marceline grabbed the five dollar bill that her dad left for her to get something with & walked out the door.

'Hmm, should I go to the Yankee Deli? Nah, I just went last night. The Sunshine Deli? Ugh, not again. I want to go somewhere new. There are plenty of places to go on Broadway.'.

With that, she walked down 46'th Street to Broadway Avenue. She found a delicatessen that she'd never been to before & went in. She noticed some snacks that she usually couldn't find.

"Yesss, Potato Stix, Lindens Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies & Orange Popcorn.', she delighted.

Just then, a girl wearing a pink dress & tiara with long, pink hair came into view toward the back, by the freezers.

'What is she, getting married or something?'.

Marceline, herself, would only wear black & preferred jeans over dresses & skirts. She put the three snacks up on the counter & took out the bill.

"That'll be five eighty.", said the cashier.
'Uh-oh, I don't have enough. I guess there's a steeper price for uncommon snacks.'.
"I'll pay for you.".

Marceline looked left to see that the girl in pink had made the generous offer. As the cashier took the money & put lt in the register, Marceline started a conversation with the girl.

"Thanks for paying for me...", intentionally pausing so that the girl would say her name.
"Bubblegum.".
"What?", Marceline said after looking around.
"No, my name is Bubblegum.".
Marceline giggled, "That's not your name. What's your real name?".
"That is my name. Well, lt's uh, Bonnibel Bubblegum. But nobody calls me that.".
"They do now, Bonnibel.".

Bonnibel smiled at someone actually saying her name. She hoped this girl had a silly name too', to even the odds.

"Now, how, "real", is your name?".
"I'm Marceline.", she said as though lt were perfectly ordinary.
"I've never heard that name before. What's your last?".
"Abadeer. But I don't like to be associated with my dad. I like to just be called Marceline.".
"Hmm.", Bonnibel thought. "People only call me by my last name & they only call you by your first name.".
"Yeah, that is interesting.".

They hadn't noticed that they already exited the store & were talking outside. In fact, they momentarily lost track of where they were supposed to be going.

"So, why the big, ultra-pink dress in New York City? Are you getting married or something?".
"No. That's how I like to dress. I'm just doing me. Do you have a problem with that?", she eyed Marceline suspiciously.
"Nah.", Marceline dismissed.
"Well, this is the street that I live on.", she said pointing down 48'th Street.
"Whoa. I've never seen this street before!", Marceline said with a level of interest that threw Bonnibel off.
"What are you, a street explorer?".
"No. It's just that I live so close & yet I've never noticed this street before. It has a really nice aura to lt. It's pretty interesting to me.", Marceline gazed at the pretty streetlights.
"I never heard that one before.", she said like Marceline was on another planet. "But the only thing interesting about this street is the gang, the 48's. I don't know why a gang would be so possessive about a street, but these guys are.".
"Oh, I wouldn't know. I live on 46'th Street.".
"Yeah, no gangs there. Anyway, lt was nice talking. I'm going to get home.".

They exchanged farewells & went home. Bonnibel oddly couldn't stop thinking about Marceline. Marceline too' was intrigued by the other person.

'I could really use a friend. Maybe I'll go see her again tomorrow.', they both thought.