Reminder: I do not own Bubble Guppies or the characters in Bubble Guppies.

The Story:

Chapter 1 (From School to Gil's House)

It is after school and I am walking home with my friend Gil, who, despite being a fish-tailed sea creature, a young merman if you will, can walk on land. Gil and I are ten-year-olds and in 5th grade. Our teacher did not give us homework tonight even though she usually does except on most weekends. I of course, being human, am walking with my feet but Gil, he has two ways he can function on land: he can drag his tail on the ground without getting hurt, provided he's careful or he can bounce as he walks. For now he's dragging himself but doesn't have a problem doing so. Gil and his family moved from the sea to live on the land and they've made it so that they could still be mermaids and mermen but can function on land.

As I was saying, Gil and I are walking home from school wearing our backpacks.

"So," I say to Gil, "would you like to come over to my house?"

Gil replies, "Sorry, William, can't. I have to clean up my room today and have a lot of cleaning to do, you wouldn't believe.

"Oh," I say.

"It's my fault though," Gil says, "I don't clean my room as often as I should and my parents tell me time and again to clean my room but I don't always listen to them. Plus I mess my room up more and more instead of cleaning it. And sometimes my homework keeps me from cleaning my room."

"Must be a lot of work you got," I say.

"Believe you me," says Gil, "I sure do."

"Hey, maybe I can help you," I offer.

"Thanks," Gil says, "but you don't have to."

I say, "But I want to."

"You really do?" Gil asks me. "Because my room is really messy."

"Well," I say, "truth be told, I just want to hang out with you, but I don't mind helping. Besides I'm a slob myself and do not always clean my room like I should."

"Really?" Gil asks me. "But doesn't your mom get mad at you for that?"

"As a matter of factual," I say, "she does. She doesn't get me every time but it does make her mad to see my room dirty and I have to clean it right when she tells me, which I always do. Thankfully there are occasions I do clean my room without my mother telling me to do so."

"Same here," says Gil. "Is your room clean now?"

"It is for now," I answer, "besides you come to my house more often than I come to yours and you have really nice parents."

"Oh thanks," says Gil, "although they warned me if I don't clean my room by tonight I'll be grounded for two weeks!"

"Eeee!" I say. "Well, may I please come over anyway, I would like to see your parents again."

"My dad's at work right now," says Gil. "But my mom should be home right now. Come with me and we'll see if it's all right with her."

"Okay," I say.