I don't normally upload things so close together. Such swift updates will not be a regular thing (much as that pains me to say). Still not going to tell you where I'm taking it though. But I will thank everyone for reading and/or enjoying that first one. Means a lot. :D


"Weren't you supposed to go visit your brother this weekend?"

Bonnibel sighed. She'd forgotten to check her phone. "Yeah," she breathed. "He'll get over it though. I visit him all the time. I think it's time he came to me for a change."

Rain lifted one eyebrow curiously. She pushed her blonde hair from her face and smiled at Bonnibel. "Come on, you know you don't mean that. You love going to visit him."

"More to that, Rain?" she asked, pursing her lips.

"You let life get too far in the way, Elle," her friend consoled. "You don't have to spend every moment working you know."

And yet she did. Bonnie had two jobs… well three and a hobby. During the school semester she worked as a tutor for a local high school. They'd needed an after-hours science teacher for some of the kids and Bonnie had been only too happy to help out; and she was a past student. She also worked at the library, every morning except Friday and Sunday. Then there was her job as a research assistant at the science facility which sort of doubled as a hobby. Rain was right, she worked herself ragged, but it was better to keep busy.

"Visit your brother," Rain insisted. "I hear he has a new roommate. Then get yourself a guy and do something other than sit up to the wee hours of the morning. Caffeine won't keep you going forever."

That was true. Eventually she'd build up a tolerance to it and imbibing too much could be dangerous. She sighed again. "I don't have time for any of that Rain. I have to–"

"Have to what, Bonnibel? Work yourself to death?" Her friend frowned. "No, take a week off. I'm sure your bosses will forgive you. It's nearly the mid-semester holidays. Take a break."

"I'll take time for a break when the holidays get here, Rain."

"You said that last year then got another part time job." It was just like Rain to be blunt, but that sounded almost cynical. "Please? For me?"

Bonnibel did some quick calculations. The holidays were three weeks away, nearly a month, maybe they could compromise. Bonnie steadfastly refused to take too much time off.

"I'll visit my brother tomorrow," she relented. "But then I'm working for two weeks. I'll take time off after that."

Rain beamed and opened her mouth. Bonnibel knew exactly what her next argument would be and she didn't want to hear it. They'd had that talk many, many times over the years.

"No guys, Rain," she interjected. "Not one."

Her friend pouted, folding arms sheathed in a rainbow sweater. "You always say that. You need more friends."

Bonnie smiled. "I have plenty of friends. Plus, you might be happy to know, I finally got a roommate. So there."

Rain's face lit up and she leaned across the table. They were sitting at a table of a restaurant near the shopping mall, waiting for some friends. Rain danced on the awnings with a soft pittr-pattr sound. "You did? A guy?"

"No Rain, I just said no guys," Bonnie said, trying to smother a smile. "A girl. She's… different. You'd probably like her." She's outside my comfort zone anyway, she added in her head. Just like you always wanted.

"Can I meet her?"

Bonnie shrugged. "Maybe. I wouldn't say I'm friends with her. But maybe."

"Hey girls!"

They both turned. Their friends had finally arrived. Jake with his shaggy brown hair, plonked himself beside Rain and kissed her cheek. Then he shook his head, spattering both of them with water. His adopted brother Finn slid onto a seat beside Bonnie and smiled his crazy bright smile, blue eyes shining with his usual over-enthusiasm.

"Good afternoon," Bonnie greeted. "You're late."

"Traffic," Finn replied, shoulders slumped. His curly blonde hair was plastered across his skull and he blew a few strands off his face. "Wet weather makes people crazy."

That was certainly true enough. Of course, now that the boys had arrived, Bonnie had to recap the conversation she'd already had with Rain about her new roommate. And, as was their wont, they insisted on meeting her.

All afternoon in fact, they pestered her about Marceline who (in Finn's words) sounded 'rad'. Once they finally managed to get out of her that she was indeed going to visit her brother for the weekend, they demanded to go with. Bonnie did not like this. Her Friday was falling apart.

"I don't even know if she'd want to," Bonnibel whined at them. "She doesn't seem like the kind of person who makes friends easily." Which was unequivocally true.

"Aw, Elle," said Finn, bouncing a little too energetically for someone who didn't drink caffeine. "You're just saying that. I'm sure she's pure awesome."

Bonnie sighed. There really was no point in arguing. "Fine," she allowed. "I will ask her. But if she says she'd rather sit around doing… whatever she does, then I'm not going to press the issue. Got it?" She felt like their mother, and from the look on Finn's face, he thought the same thing. Besides, Bonnibel didn't really care to be friends with this girl. Her parents would not approve.


Before she even opened the door to her apartment she knew something was up. It was unlocked for starters and there was a low throb coming from inside. Still holding her unnecessary keys in one hand and the plastic take-out bag in the other, Bonnie hipped the door open and her mouth dropped.

Everything had been rearranged.

Her old school television had been replaced with a wide screen of some kind, her sofa was accompanied by bean bags and a stand full of CDs now sat in one corner. There were even wall mounted speakers. Other than that, it was clean. Every single surface had been dusted, swept and polished. She could actually see the top of her dining table, a feat she hadn't been able to manage in months.

The throbbing wasn't coming from the television, however. It emanated from down the hall and, with a soft jangle as she dropped the keys on the table, Bonnie went to investigate. Her study was still a mess, thankfully and her bedroom was in a similar state of disarray, the bathroom had an extra towel on one rack and a waterproof bag under the sink, but it too remained relatively untouched.

Which left just one room: Marceline's.

Still holding the food bag, Bonnie pushed open the door and was stunned for a second time. The bed had sheets on it, including a black and white quilt and pillows. There were pillows now. Another beanbag sat in one corner, a desk with two computer monitors had been set up accompanied by a rather comfortable looking swivel chair. A small bookshelf leaned on the wall by the door and it was full of more albums, movies and even a few books, some quite large.

Sitting on the swivel chair with bulky headphones wrapped around her head was the room's owner. She had a large guitar in her lap and was singing softly into the microphone attached to her headphones. It was… a lot to take in.

She must have made a sound of some kind (in which case Marceline had super human hearing to have picked it up over her music) or she'd seen the door open with her peripherals. Bonnibel assumed it was the latter. Marceline, already equipped with her cheeky smile, spun on the chair.

"Sup, Bonnie? Have a good day?" Her eyes glittered with mischief. Or maybe she was just naturally happy all the time.

Bonnibel, mouth still open, eyes still staring, nodded. "Yeah it was great," she murmured. "I see you had a productive day."

Marceline laughed. "You like it? I haven't decorated a room in years. It was fun." She spun back to her computer, clicked a few things with her mouse and then dropped her headphones around her neck.

"I'm just… stunned," she whispered. "Did you go shopping or did your suitcase belong to Mary Poppins?"

"I am Mary Poppins," said Marceline, smiling. "Nah, I went shopping. And my computers were in storage. My brother brought them with him when he moved; I just had to pick them up."

Fair enough, she supposed. There was really no reason to enquire about money, Bonnie wasn't that nosey. Instead she concentrated on thinking up a way to ask about tomorrow without coming across as weird. They didn't know each other in the slightest, so would it seem presumptuous to ask such a thing? It was only a trip to the other side of town. She probably wouldn't stay the night… although sometimes she did.

"Something on your mind, Bon?" Marceline asked. "You look lost in your brain."

"Oh, no," she breathed. "I'm fine I guess. It's just… never mind." It felt awkward. Bonnie hated awkward things.

"Spit it out, Glasses, would you?" Her fingers flicked and a low blannng came from the strings of her guitar.

"Well." She took a deep breath. "My friends have been bugging me about getting a roommate for ages. Now that I finally have one they're being very stubborn about meeting you. I have to go across town tomorrow anyway to meet my brother and they generally tag along. Any chance you'd come with?"

Marceline's grin practically split her face in two. "My, you're friendly for someone I just met, Bonnibel." Her fingers kept fiddling with the strings. "Sure, I'll come meet your geeky friends. And your brother." She wiggled her eyebrows again and Bonnie huffed.

"Hmph." She crossed her arms, already regretting her decision to let this woman stay. "Fine. Be up in the morning, it's an hour drive with traffic."

Marceline raised a hand in mock salute. "Yes, ma'am."