Chapter 7: Betrayal
"Too busy to answer a call from me?" Marshall laughed, feeling a little hurt by Bubblegum's uncaring tone. Bubblegum resisted the urge to sigh, not wanting to have to explain herself to him right now.
"Well everyone oversleeps sometimes" Gumball cut in, giving Bubblegum a knowing smile. "And what happens when someone oversleeps on a school day? They spend their morning rushing around, too busy to answer a phone call. Especially when they can just talk to that person later" Bubblegum smiled a little at Gumball, thankful for his save.
"Pssh" Marshal frowned, closing his eyes and leaning back in his chair with his arms resting behind his head. "The grade-A student that's always on time, even when she's ill? Seems a little odd."
"First time for everything" Bubblegum replied, trying to smooth it over. "I don't really know how it happened."
"Must've been the fun you had with me last night, huh?" Marshall winked, a cheeky grin on his face. The pinkette rolled her eyes at him, a small smile on her face.
"I doubt that" She retorted. While the two were having fun flirting, Marceline turned her glance away, not wanting to see the smile Marshall had put on Bubblegum's face. She curled her hand into a fist, tucked close to her chest on the table. Why was she feeling like this? She still didn't know. Maybe it was because Bubblegum was her best friend and Marshall didn't deserve her. He treated her wrong, right? That's what she kept telling herself.
"Bubblegum, you're in!" Finn's voice brought Marceline out of her thoughts and pulled the other two out of their flirt. He joined them, a usual, cheery smile on his face. "It's good to see you."
"Thanks, Finn." Bubblegum smiled. It was refreshing hearing that instead of the usual "that's not like you" or "Did something happen?". She was sick of hearing people tell her what's like her and what's not.
"Well, since the gangs all together now, I have a proposition." Gumball spoke, getting everyone's attention. "That after school, we should hang"
"Where do you have in mind, Gummy-boy?" Marshall asked.
"Well, karaoke" Gumball replied. Everyone exchanged looks for a moment before nodding.
"Well, you've convinced me" Marshall smirked. "You could all do with some of my talent"
"Pfft, please. I could beat you in a singing contest any day" Marceline scoffed. "Count me in" She glared towards Marshall, who glared back at her, both competetive towards each other. They had always been like that, after all. In fact, it's how they became friends.
"Me too!" Finn explaimed.
"Alright, I'm in too" Bubblegum smiled.
"Great!" Gumball clapped his hands with happiness. The group of friends talked for a while longer before their break was finally over and everyone had to go to their next class.
Gumball flipped open his text book with a heavy sigh, the guilt weighing him down from the bad deed he had done. Not only had he lied, he had betrayed his two best friends. He knew that Bubblegum had taken the text he sent to heart and that Marceline had no idea. What was he thinking?
"Tsk.." He muttered, clenching his fists on his desk in frustration. But how could he put things right now? Was he that jealous of Bubblegum for constantly getting Marceline? Or deep down, did he hate her for making Marceline hurt so much?
"Woah, easy there, tiger." Marshall chuckled, sat beside his frustrated friend. "What's got you all tense all of a sudden? Forget the homework?" Marshall's smug grin only made Gumball's eyes narrow on him.
"As a matter of fact, I have my homework with me." He informed. His eyes quickly turned back as he slumped back in his chair with a sigh. "But anyway, it's nothing"
"Oh, really?" Marshall asked, raising an eyebrow. "I don't believe you." Marshall looked around, as if searching for the source of his friends anger when it suddenly hit him. With his cheeky grin forming again, he began his attack. "Did Marceline turn you down?"
"What? No!" Gumball frowned, trying to hide his blushed cheeks.
"Oh, wait! I know...she said the classic "You're like a brother to me" didn't she?" Marshall teased, enjoying his friends reactions too much.
"Marshall, stop with these absurd implications!" Gumball dismissed in a hurry, his temper all over the place.
"Alright, alright." Marshall laughed, seeing his friend couldn't take it anymore. He closed his eyes, sat back casually with his hands in his pocket. "But if something was really bothering you, you'd tell me, right?" Gumball calmed down suddenly from Marshall's words, looking at him steadily.
"...yeah, of course." Gumball finally replied.
"Good. They I guess I have nothing to worry about." Marshall smiled. Gumball turned his gaze out the window, losing himself in thought again. It's not like he was surprised by Marshall's concern. The two were childhood friends, going way back. Gumball used to get bullied really bad for his hair colour, especially among the boys. But Marshall was always there for him, fighting the bullies off and helping Gumball stand tall and proud. He couldn't help his hair colour, so he should embrace it. No matter what those losers think...that's what Marshall told him, at least.
When the two went into highschool, Marshall became quite the player. His personality changed a bit too. He became more arrogant and forward, always joking with his friends and making fun of them. He had dated several girls, but never had a girlfriend, despite the several amount of girls that confessed to him. Still, Marshall had a caring side that would always show when his friends really needed him.
It was Marshall who introduced Gumball to Bubblegum and Marceline, too. Marshall had joined a band club to pursue his dreams of playing in a band and so did Marceline. The two both played bass and sang amazingly, so they were very competetive. In the end, their competetive fights got them kicked out from the club and thrown into detention. But somehow, they managed to really get to know each other and form a friendship. Their competetive hate for each other has never ended, but the two are still good friends. It's that competition that's kept them so close. In the end, it's all down to those two meeting.
But sometimes, Gumball wished they had never met. He wished he had never pushed Marshall to join the band club. He wished he had never met Marceline and became her friend. Then Marshall wouldn't have brought her to meet Gumball and he would've never fallen in love with her. That's right. Gumball was in love with Marceline. He always had been...and it was killing him to see her hurting so bad. It killed him that she didn't feel the same..that she as busy loving someone else without knowing it..and he couldn't take this hurt anymore.
And to make it all the more worse, he betrayed her.
AN: Hey, guys. I just wanted to say thanks for being patient with me in updating. I've been crazy busy with college and never really found the time to really do it. I know it's not much of a chapter (like you guys have been waiting so long and I give you this crappy chap) but I'll hopefully have more time to update now and move the story along to completion.
