A/N:

A different version of how Penny and Gumball met in my imagination.

Gumball's POV

"Here."

I drag along the branch on the sand. I created a circle and the line will keep me safe from everything else around me. Here is where I belong.

I am here because whatever I do, it makes everyone else around me disappointed. They're never proud of me or appreciate my attempts. I always get in trouble, scolded or bullied for everything.

So with this circle, no one can get through to me and I'll be safe. But.. Now what do I do? Oh well, it is better to just do nothing than to do something and get scolded.

However, a girl runs up to me. Oh no. I'm relieved when she stops as she notices the line I traced. She shrugs it off, but stays in her spot. "Hey, you wanna play?!" I flinch. She's loud... "No." Her smile turns to a frown, but then smiles wider again. "Okay! Can I ask you some questions then?" I shrug. I really couldn't care less. She nods, but before she asks anything, I say, "Can I pass if I want to?" She has a confused expression. "That's up to you, I guess.. But sure. Okay, here goes.." I wait for her question. "What's your name?" she says.

"I pass."

She frowns. "But that was an easy one. Why wouldn't you answer that?" I repeat, "Pass." Her frown grows larger and grabs my stick. She starts to drag it on the sand. Two lines. I guess that represents how many times I've said 'pass'.

"Okay.. Well, here's another question."

.;.

An hour passed. This girl kept asking me useless questions. Each one, I passed. With every 'pass' i said, she drew a tally mark on the sand with the stick. Then here was another question.

"Why is it that you pass on each question?!" I could tell she was angry. I didn't care, honestly. "I pass," I said once again. The girl looked as if she had given up. She chucked the stick to me and said, "You're horrible! You can't answer at least one question! Are you that dumb?" Again, I didn't care wat she said to or about me. She scoffed and ran away.

Once she was completely out of sight, I grabbed the stick and dragged it on the sand to make another tally mark. "Forty-two times I've passed..." I started to cry. "I ruined a chance at making a friend.. Why couldn't I answer the question?!" I hid my face on my knees as I sat down on the sand and wrapped my arms around myself. "I'm just a kid.."

"I know that!"

I lifted my head as I heard another voice. It wasn't the girl from before. Who was it? I see a girl with orange sneakers, long golden hair and antlers stand confidently beside me, but out of my circle. I wiped my tears. She smiled brightly and said, "Hellooo." I got scared. She seemed so cheerful. I can't handle being around people like that...

She takes a step forward.. Over my line..

"No!" She pauses as I yelled. "Please, stay on the other side?" She looked confused while tilting her head to the side. "Huh? Why? And other side of what?" She looks around and finally notices the circle I drew. "Oh. A line, huh?"

I nod and explain, "It's to keep me away from others. I can't be around people without feeling nervous or getting into trouble! No one is able to get through my line." The girl looked as if she understood, but then smiled. "But look, it's so easy to erase!"

Oh no. She started to kick the sand over he line to cover it up. I tried to stop her by yelling or waving my hands. However, she succeeded and wiped the sand off her yellow dress. She smiled and crossed her arms over her chest. I only stared at where once was a line.

'She... broke through the line to get to me..' I thought.

"Wanna be friends?" I look up in shock at the request. Friends? With me? For the first time in forever, I actually smiled.

"Yeah!"