The park wasn't any busier than usual, but, unfortunately it was usually close to crowded. Dogs chased Frisbees and balls, tails wagging, tongues lolling. Couples strolled the paths, lost in each other's attention. Joggers navigated the path as well, sometimes having to dodge and bob around any obstacles in their way. The more studious park-goers found the quieter spots in the park to read. Nonetheless, Marceline was still able to find a spot near the edge of the park with seemingly very little foot traffic. She sat down cross-legged, and buried her face in her hands.
She stayed like that for a few minutes, even after her friend, Keila, sat down across from her. Keila sighed eventually, impatient, and suspiciously eyed the young boy and his large dog that played nearby. They were in the midst a game of fetch, but the game seemed to be getting closer. Before she could speak, Marceline finally found her words in the form of a whining groan that was muffled by her palms, "I'm dooooooone."
"With what?" Keila asked, tugging at Marceline's wrist, hoping to hear her a little better without the palm restriction.
"All of it," Marceline sighed dramatically, throwing her hands in the air suddenly. Pressed with Keila's expectant, edged stare, she went on, "Ash, men, women, people-"
A ball whizzed past her nose, merely inches from it, and was followed closely by a large, yellow dog. Marceline threw herself backwards and caught her elbows on the grass, just in time to miss the dog's tail from whipping at her cheek. Keila threw herself to the side and covered her head. The boy was hot on the dog's heels, yelling, "Jake! No!" He leapt over them too, clutching his odd, little, white hat to his head, but he and the dog scampered off into the distance before either of the women could yell after them.
Marceline chuckled a bit and shook her head, letting her irritation go. She didn't sit up fully, but instead stayed lounged back on her elbows. She continued her trail of thought as Keila sat up and brushed the loose grass from her sleeves. "I'm done dating for a while," she went on, balancing on one elbow to thrust her other arm in the air, fingers splayed, "I just need someone to fall from the sky… Preferably into my lap. 'Hey, Marcy, this one is for you!' Because, Glob, I'm sooo done looking." She dropped her arm back down to lean on both elbows again.
Keila laughed and attempted to respond, but a cute, young woman with bright, pink hair approached them looking somewhat worried. Her hair was in a tight bun, although a few tendrils hung loose, and she carried a book in one hand. "I'm very sorry to disrupt you," she said, taking the opportunity to look each woman in the eye, "But it looked as though you may have been toppled by that rambunctious boy and his pet. Are you alright?" Her gaze paused on Marceline and she smiled.
Because Marceline was gazing right back without a reply, Keila nudged her with a foot and said to the stranger, "Yeah, thanks. We're fine." 'Soooo done,' Keila thought sarcastically, yeah, sure. Quite suddenly, a familiar ball flew past the newcomer's head. Marceline reached out to give warning of the impending dog, but the golden blur, apparently known as Jake, was too quick and slammed into the woman's back on his way by. Thrown forward by the force of the blow...
She landed right in Marceline's lap. On all fours, one hand was in the circle between Marceline's crossed legs, the other beside Marceline's hip, and her book had slid away, just out of reach. Lifting her head with a groan of discomfort, she stopped suddenly, her eyes widening at the realization of her position. "Oh," she said, their noses almost touching, "My apologies." Marceline was speechless, frozen, her own eyes wide, her pulse racing. The woman attempted to move, to get up, but each shift in position brought them to a new awkward one. In her attempts to not touch Marceline, she had trouble finding a balancing point. Finally, while both women flushed bright red, Marceline regained control of herself and helped the beautiful woman by grasping her shoulder and pushing them both into upright positions with her other hand.
"Don't apologize," Marceline finally said, finding the woman's book and handing it back to her as the woman was finally able to stand on her own. She shot a quick glare at Keila as her friend failed to stifle giggles. "You alright?" she asked as the woman brushed the wrinkles and grass from her clothes. "No good deed goes unpunished, eh? But- uh… thanks for trying… uh…?" she trailed off and tilted her head in question, hoping the woman might fill in the blank with her name.
"Bonnibel," the woman answered, picking up on the hint quickly. "I'm fine, thank you…" she mimicked the same trail-off as Marceline with a coy smile.
"Marceline, it's Marceline," she replied too quickly. The embarrassed flush that had been receding crept back up to her ears.
Keila meant to break the uncomfortable moment that ensued with her name, as both women seemed too caught up in each other, but she was interrupted, yet again. The young boy with the odd, white hat came rushing up to them, breathless. "Oh man, oh man, oh man!" he gasped hurriedly, red-faced with shame, "I'm so sorry and junk. Are you hurt? Can I do something?" He grasped Bonnibel's hand and twisted her about, checking for damage. He stopped suddenly, dropping her hand, realization dawning on his face. "Oh lumps!" he practically yelled, glancing around for his dog, "I gotta go, but I'll make this up to you!" He dashed off, but not without a shout over his shoulder of, "I sweaaaaaaaar!"
Bonnibel stood very still, looking shell-shocked and a bit disheveled for a few moments. Then all three women began to laugh. "I should go," she said between giggles hidden behind a hand. Her eyes glittered with amusement as they held Marceline's. "Excuse me, Marceline," she said, giving the name a little emphasis, as though she enjoyed the feel of it against her tongue. She looked to Keila then, as if she'd just noticed her presence again. "And-?" she added, her brows knitting together in question.
"Keila," said the girl flatly, knowing full well she'd been forgotten.
Seeming only somewhat sheepish, she nodded at Keila in something of an apology. "And Keila." Marceline smirked as they regarded each other one more time before Bonnibel turned and walked away.
When she was well out of earshot, Keila swatted Marceline's foot. "She totally didn't know I existed! She was into you from the moment she came over!" she exclaimed. Marceline pulled her eyes from the retreating Bonnibel to look at her friend as her satisfied smirk slid into a confused frown.
"What? No…" she answered, shaking her head. All the same, she couldn't help the smirk that tugged back at her lips for the thought.
Keila stared at her blankly, wondering if her friend was just in denial or completely dense. "Seriously?" she asked, incredulous. When Marceline didn't answer, Keila flung her hands at the sky, much like Marceline had done earlier. "I'm done too!" she yelled, "I'd like a soulmate to fall in my lap right now!" She waited like that, her hands reaching for the clouds, but nothing happened; no strangers approached, no dog ran by to knock them over again. She dropped her hands with a theatrical sigh, but kept her chin up. "Ah, well," she said, eyes drifting down to look at her friend. "Guess it's just you."
Marceline smirked and looked in the direction Bonnibel had gone. "Whatever," she scoffed, leaning forward and bringing up her knees. Placing folded arms over her knees, she put her head down and her smirk turned into a grin. "Coincidence."
A/N: Spawned from an actual conversation with a friend. I told her almost verbatim what Marceline said. So I Bubblined it!
I had about the same luck as Keila, though.
Thanks for reading! Your comments and reviews are always very appreciated! Some days it's what keeps me going!