CHAPTER 4

Gumball was in class, seated and bored. He looked at Miss Simian while she wrote some problems at the board. He had his head turned clockwise in his direction. He almost stuck his tongue out, with him barely having his open. He had his arms tucked in through his sweater. He was trying to stay awake to learn about -

(I'm not learning anything)

what he was assigned to do.

He looked over at Carmen, who was sitting besides the window. She rested her head, while writing down the problems Miss Simian assigned for them to do.

Gumball watched closely, but imagined how Alan and Carmen's relationship would even work. He was a balloon and she was a cactus. He couldn't imagine them having sex. He would probably pop before they even touched. With her and Gumball...there's a slight better chance. He imagined him and her in the library, with him getting tutored by her since he needed some help.

"So if you don't add a negative to b than the equation could differ from the quadratic equation to set up for the graph?" Gumball asked.

Carmen smiled, seeing the improvement in Math. "Yeah, you got it now!" she said, cheerfully.

Gumball went along and did the equation. It took a little while longer than usual, but when he showed the work and his answer, she felt it was worth it. He got it right. Gumball actually learned how to do the problem.

Back a couple of weeks, it would be frustrating for them to keep on getting together and try to help Gumball achieve better grades. But, when she saw Gumball in a different light, she felt something else. She almost felt like she wasn't just helping someone out for credits, but rather something else. She was learning to cope with her own struggle with Alan. Carmen and Alan loved each other, but was it even love anymore? They started fighting about certain things, like why they can't kiss or get close or anything. She took that anger out on Gumball because, inside, he was like Alan. They tried so hard to make it work, but it couldn't happen. She broke up with Alan, but felt hurt by it. She felt she made a wrong decision, but there was no one she could talk to. Not Penny or any of her friends. They had never been in a relationship as hers. One day, when she was trying to help him out with History, something happened. "So The Articles of Confederation was basically a mistake and should have never happened?" Gumball asked.

Carmen thought about it. "It wasn't a mistake. It had to happen so...so...so they can learn from their mistakes." Carmen started to lose her voice on the last word. She started to get watery eyes when she took it as a different question: "So you and Alan were just a mistake, and probably shouldn't have ever happened?"

She responded back though, but no words started to come out, only tears from the heartbreak she had taken. Gumball noticed this when she started to cry on his paper. She put her head on the table and cried (just the exact spot where his paper was at). Gumball would have said something, but felt he shouldn't. All he did was slowly reached for the paper and slightly pulled it from Carmen's head and looked at what was left of his paper. He may have waited about 30 seconds, but the paper was dripping wet like it was in a flood accident. (He would thought of massive, but thought it was too inappropriate in this situation.)

"Uh, may I ask why you're crying?" Gumball asked, knowing for a fact that he doesn't keep up with his or anyone else's social life.

"You wouldn't understand," Carmen mopped, softly and reasonably.

"Well, I could try. You know, the I-help-you-you-help-me thing kind of stands since I haven't done anything to help you."

"But how can you understand?" Carmen raised her head up to Gumball. Her eyes were dripping down her green skin, not even following the spikes. "I just broke up in a relationship that just wouldn't work. I gave up on him on as he did on me! I don't know how you could understand." She went back and rested her head on the table.

Gumball thought for a while, and realized something. "Yes, I can." Carmen rose her head up, once again. "You and I don't work."

"Gumball, we're working - what do you mean - "

"No! We don't connect. I mean, I'm personally a troublemaker and don't get good grades. You're a girl that is smart and doesn't do something bad or out there unless everyone does it."

"But that doesn't -"

"How does that match with Alan and me? I think it's because we're opposites."

That hit her. He was right. They were opposites. Whether she wanted to agree or not, it's the truth. He did understand.

"I guess you're right, Gumball. But this is a relationship, not a tutor and a student."

"I can understand relationships...like Penny." Carmen thought for a bit. She knew Penny had a crush on her, but she didn't know if he felt the same way (but, then again, he made it so noticeable, unless he was shy to talking to girls or something. Then again, it destroys her theory since he's able to talk to her. I guess she needed to hear it to make sure.). "I think that it somewhat relates to that. You guys can't be together, while we can't either, by our own obstacle.

"You have the simple black-and-white thing, while I'm in somewhat of denial and can't bring myself to the words. If things keep going the same way, I won't be able to even talk to her, and you won't even get to see him anymore. How does that make us different?"

Carmen didn't know how to respond to that. She just looked away and covered her eyes to the side. She did a state of deep thinking. Gumball just thought she didn't want to talk about it anymore.

"If you don't want to talk, that's al - "

"Alan and I are done," Carmen said, immediately. She didn't hesitated. She just felt that she had to let it all out. "We stopped seeing each other when we got into a big fight about just holding hands and kiss, about how we can't be a normal couple, how our love for each other is doomed - that's what's bugging me. Even worse, I think it's all just a mistake."

Gumball was a bit speechless. Gumball got up from his seat and left.

Carmen felt a bit betrayed. She felt that this was it. Even if she tried to talk to someone, it wouldn't. She closed her eyes and rested her head, crying a little, knowing there was no one there to help.

Suddenly, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She looked to her and saw a blue hand with a couple of tissues sticking out to her.

"I felt you needed to clean up a bit," the voice said. She looked up and saw that it was Gumball. She cleaned up and looked at Gumball. "Maybe nothing is every a mistake. Maybe everything happens for a reason. Without Alan to feel love, you probably wouldn't have know the power of it, and cherish every second of it. You feel this pain now, but in the end it will be worth it." Carmen didn't know he had it in him to stay. "Take every bad thing in life, and see it as a silver lining."

Carmen looked at his eyes. He was deep serious about this, about everything. Gumball went back to his seat and reach his arms out. Carmen thought he was offering a hug. "You need a friend. I'm here for you, no matter what." Carmen went in slowly, mainly because she was still filled with spikes. She hugged him, but Gumball felt some pain coming on. Carmen was a bit better by it,. and Gumball knew it hurt, but it was worth it to make her feel better.

"Does it hurt?" Carmen asked, still hugging him.

"It doesn't matter. As long as you're okay, then I'm okay."

Carmen remembered that day, though. It was one of the first breakthroughs they had in that session. Most of all, it stuck by them the longest. Carmen is able to cope with the fact that she and Alan can't be together, but Gumball is there for her. Gumball knows from personal experience how a block can affect you. Sure, Gumball can still talk to Penny, but he hasn't got the courage for it. Maybe his love isn't strong enough. Maybe.

"You're getting better at this, Gumball," said Carmen, packing their stuff to go.

"Well, I had a great friend to tutor me," Gumball said, fixing up his papers.

"Hey, Gumball."

"Yeah?"

"I think I have to say that you're really great."

"Well, I'm not great - Romeo's better than me."

Carmen laughed a bit. "No. That you're really a great person. You're someone that really gets it. You helped me, when I was suppose to help you. You're a person who deserve the best."

"Thanks, but life doesn't always give people what they deserve."

"Well, hopefully they will for you," Carmen said, smiling. He smiled back. She went up close to him, which made him a little nervous. "No matter what, I'll be here for you, as you're here for me."

Gumball saw and felt Carmen's hand reach out and grab his cheek. It felt cold, but his heart went faster by the second (and, in a way, he became warm by it).

"Carmen?"

"Yeah."

"Are you tippy-toeing for me, since you and I aren't the same height?"

"Yeah," she said, looking down. "I guess I am."

They smiled. Carmen leaned over to Gumball, locked onto his eyes, as he did with hers and -

"AAAAHHHH!" Gumball screamed. Everyone looked at him, while he was breathing heavily. It looked like he had seen a ghost. Miss Simian looked at him, seeing sweat drip down his skin.

"Had a panic attack?" Miss Simian asked, with no sympathy.

"No," Gumball said, looking at Carmen, who just took a quick glance, but went back to her work. "Just a bad dream."

"Normally, I would say you're not suppose to dream, but if it was that bad, I'm gonna make an exception since it tortured you more than just detention. Plus, you embarrassed yourself in front of the entire class."

Gumball looked back and saw that everyone's reaction (with the exception of Carmen, who just wanted to finish up her work). Darwin and Penny looked worried at him, but Tobias, Joe, Jamie, Tina, and Clayton were snickering at him. Everyone else just noticed him.

He turned to Miss Simian, "I'm sorry for all of that. I...I just didn't have a good night of sleep."

"Well, I'm not your mom, so I don't need to know what's going in your life. At school, you sit there, listen, observe, write, and be told by your teacher what to do. You're expected to do so."

"Sorry, Miss Simian," he said, unenthusiastic, almost forgetting the incident, since all he wanted her to do is just shut up. Doesn't every student want that when they feel their teacher is very annoying (even though they're the annoying one)?

Miss Simian went back to her desk. She sat their, picking up a gossip magazine and began reading. Gumball had realized that she didn't even suspect that he didn't even do any of the work. In fact, he doesn't even remember what class or subject this is.

Darwin reached over and tapped Gumball's shoulder, "What happened, dude?" he said, in a silent tone.

Gumball turned over and said, "I think I was about to have a wet dream."

Darwin was confused, "What's a wet dream?"

Gumball smiled, knowing Darwin being all too innocent and naïve (even though he is aware of the violence, but still has some innocence). "Don't worry about it, you're too young to understand. And that's a good thing."

Penny was just working on some papers in class, even though Gumball's somewhat panic attack may have lost her concentration, along with her even being worried about Gumball caused her to space out a bit. She was just glad Gumball was alright, but she wished she knew what was going on in his head.

Penny decided to raise her hand and ask to go to the bathroom. Miss Simian gave her the pass, but hesitated since it was about 10 minutes to end. But, on the other hand, it will just hurt Penny more with chances of getting to her next period more than her really being affected by it. She gave her the pass and Penny walked out the door.

She strolled down the hallway, noticing everything to be quiet and so soothed by people just working, instead of interrupting.

She walked into the girls' bathroom and went into the stall. She did her business and went out to the stall and washed her hands. She noticed something on the sink. There was some white stuff there. She touched it, assuming it was just some wash soap and rubbed her hands with it. She felt that it wasn't enough, so she decided to use more - not from the same place - from the soap dispenser.

She stopped when she pushed the button, and when it squirted out the soap (hand wash and such, but Penny liked calling it soap, as much as she like to call any new or old version of brands what they are: computers, cell phones, etc.).

The soap was purple.

Penny looked over the same spot where she picked up the white stuff was. She noticed that it was on a soft edge, but she saw something under the second sink. She bend down and picked up a small piece of paper. It was blank from where she was looking at.

She turned it around and revealed to be a naked dog, with her all lubricated up (and under the photo it said The Hottest Month: July). She knew what she had grabbed, and was horrified. More horrified for the fact that it was in a girls' bathroom.

She dropped the picture and slowly stepped out of the washroom. She didn't touch any of the walls, nor the doors, or even to dry off her hands with the air dryer. Penny walked away, looking at the bathroom's area, even when she was father away.

Penny turned around and saw that she had made it back to the classroom.

The class heard the door open, but didn't acknowledge it, nor gave a damn to care. Penny didn't want them to. She went back to her seat and just stood there, silent as a dead body, almost as if she was one.

Her innocence was dead.