Bonnie sat in class, flipping through her midterm for the fourth time. She was becoming paranoid at this point, convinced the professor had noticed that she had long since finished her exam and any edits she may have had. This was emphasized by the fact that only she, Marceline, and two other people remained in the class.
Her roommate had begged her the night before to stay until she finished, saying her 'vibes' would help her pass, and Bonnie wasn't in the mood to argue. She wanted to glance over and see how Marceline was doing, but that would be far too obvious right now. She had to be almost done, though, right? There were only a few minutes left.
Sniffle. Cough.
Paper flipping over.
Chair scooting away from the desk.
One down, two to go.
Well, three if you counted her, but she didn't .
"Alright, time's up you three," the professor called from the front of the class. Marceline groaned beside her, letting her head fall onto the desk. Bonnie smiled sympathetically her way, not that she could see the gesture.
The professor shot Marceline a reassuring grin as he gathered their exams, and Marceline offered a more half-hearted smile in return.
As they exited the classroom, Marceline stretched, "Well, that sucked. I didn't get to write a conclusion on my last essay, never mind go over them."
"I'm sure he'll grade kindly- he seems like the type."
"I guess. I'm just in the mood to do something I'm actually good at right now- remind myself I don't totally suck." The way the comment was phrased made it seem like it was meant to be a joke, but Marceline's tone implied otherwise.
Bonnie smiled, "You don't suck, but I imagine you mean guitar?"
"I was thinking ice skating."
"Ice skating?"
"Mhm, betcha' didn't guess I'm killer on blades."
"Well, I don't generally make assumptions with regards to people's ice skating abilities, no."
"Well, I bet you're good too, wanna come with?"
Bonnie paused, "I went on a couple of field trips in grade school, I wouldn't describe myself as killer, but I mean, its basic stuff, right?"
"Not hearing a no?"
Bonnie smiled, "No, I guess you aren't. Wanna grab a bite to eat first?"
Marceline nodded eagerly, "You betcha- on me."
Marceline and Bonnie's shared lunch went by uneventfully, if not unnecessarily complicated. They didn't agree on where they should eat, and so they went their separate ways and agreed to meet up after they had food. There were two issues with that.
One, they neglected to choose a spot to meet.
Two, Marceline's phone was sitting on her desk back at her dorm.
This resulted in the two of them wandering around the two connected campus diners, probably passing each other a couple of times, until Marceline's food was lukewarm at best.
Still, they shared a laugh once they found each other, and that somehow made it worthwhile, even as they sat in the hard, uncomfortable chairs and ate their surprisingly decent food, long after they had intended to do so. Marceline wasn't one to give high praise to the chefs, though she assumed they did their best, but the tacos were never too bad, anyway, and something about eating them with company made it better.
Bonnie reminded her probably four times during the meal to fetch her phone before she left, even though they had the same dorm and she could just drag her there. Marceline found it oddly more endearing that annoying at the moment, however.
The most awkward part was the bus ride to the recreation center following their meal. Both of them were more the type to gaze out the window and listen to music. However, all the window seats were taken, and so the two ended up staring at their feet and occasionally exchanging glances. Bonnie seemed to spend more time looking at her, she imagined because she was the one who knew where they were going.
After ten grueling, exhausting, stuffy minutes on the bus, the two girls exited the vehicle just a five minute walk from their destination. One the way, Marceline began reminiscing about her childhood a bit, as she did often since moving out.
"My uncle Simon used to take me out skating a lot with his girlfriend. I visited a lot, not for any particular reason or anything. He was just chill and I liked him."
Bonnie nodded, not making eye contact, "Sounds like a cool guy. I didn't visit family much- mostly just reunions- I'm kinda detached from most of them."
Marceline was tempted to ask why that was, but it seemed invasive to do so, even though it seemed like her roommate was urging her to ask the question. She instead shoved her hands into her jacket pockets and began to hum as they walked.
"You have a lovely voice, you know," Bonnie's compliment stopped Marceline in her tracks.
"Huh?"
"Your voice. You were humming, but I've heard you sing. You're really good."
"Oh, uh, thanks," Marceline said as she continued walking. She wasn't really sure what to say beyond that. She's partaken in a few amateur musicals when she was younger, sure, but she was a bit more self-conscious about it now. Not because she was unsure of her ability- frankly, she knew she kicked ass- but she wasn't interested into being prodded about why she didn't perform professionally, or anything of the sort. The thoughts flying around in her mind caused her chest to tighten with worry, and so she directed her focus instead to listening to the satisfying crunch of frosted earth under her feet.
Thankfully, they arrived at the recreation center before Bonnie could pry, though she didn't think she would. Marceline grabbed Bonnie by the hand and tugged her along behind her, a wide grin spreading across her face.
They arrived in the skating rink quickly- there wasn't a line to rent skates, and only a young boy and who she assumed was his mother were on the rink itself. She moved onto the ice confidently, twirling lightly- admittedly to show off- and faced Bonnie as she turned back around.
Bonnie hadn't yet stepped onto the ice.
"C'mon, Bon," Marceline said, skating to the edge of the ice again so she was nose-to-nose with her roommate. She took the taller girls hands in her own and tugged her towards the ice.
She got pulled back with surprising force, propelling her against her roommate's chest. The two wobbled, but both managed to get a grip on the railing. No awkward falling on each other, and no accidental ice skate related injuries, thank God.
"Dude, Bon, what's the 'troub?"
Bonnie frowned, "Nothing, it's just that, well, it's cold here."
Marceline raised an eyebrow, "It's an ice rink."
"My point still stands."
"But I bet you can't stand."
Bonnie narrowed her eyes, "I'm standing."
"Uh-uh-uh," Marceline said, lifting up a finger, "can't stand- on ice."
"Oh, please," Bonnie scoffed, "it's not that hard. You just have to learn how to," she reached a hand forward to grab onto the railing, her food slipping immediately forward. She regained her footing, both hands clinging desperately to the rail, "keep your balance," she finished.
Marceline laughed, "Bon, just admit you can't skate and I'll help you out."
"I'm not going to do that and I don't need help. This is basic."
"Alright, if you say so. I'm gonna go skate a few laps to warm up. I'll meet you in a few, or you can meet me, since it's so basic and all."
Bonnie looked like she might be preparing some sort of biting remark, but Marceline wasn't going to stand around to hear it. She started off in the opposite direction of the entrance, towards the parent-child duo. Even after almost a year, being on the ice still felt natural to her, a lot like flying in a way. It honestly felt a lot nicer with short hair, too. Her longer hair had always ended up in her mouth.
The child, as was often the case, wasn't watching where he was going, and was almost sent flying by an incoming Marceline. Luckily for both of them, she was well-practiced at stopping, and halted just a couple inches from the boy. If she was being honest, she could have stopped about a foot sooner, but she figured this would teach a lesson better.
Judging by the startled look on the kid's face, she was correct. His mother apologized profusely which Marceline responded to with a smile and nod, before continuing on.
Marceline had fully intended to go a couple more laps before stopping, but when she saw Bonnie, still in the exact same spot, she stopped.
"Bonnie."
"Marceline."
"You're in the same spot."
"And you've done a lap and almost smashed into a kid. Thank you for the update."
Marceline felt a bizarre surge of affection rush through her. In spite of unsure beginnings, she really did find Bonnie funny, in her strange, usually unwarranted stubbornness. She supposed it was safe to call them friends at some point. Sure, two friends was fine and good, but, hell, she could use three. She sighed, "You have no idea what you're doing."
"I know exactly what I'm doing."
Marceline scooted closer, resting one hand on her roommate's, "Then why don't you let go of the railing?" she whispered.
Bonnie took a deep breath. Marceline skated back a few feet. Another deep breath.
Bonnie let go of the railing, balanced a bit awkwardly.
She promptly fell flat on her face.
"Holy shit, Bonnie!"
No response.
Marceline carefully crouched down next to her roommate, fear bubbling inside of her.
Bonnie groaned and rose to her knees.
Marceline's stomach lurched.
"Uh, your face, is, uh."
Bonnie blinked down at the ice, then her eyes widened, "Blood!"
Marceline tried not to laugh, she really did, but it just creeped out of her, "Not so easy, huh?"
Bonnie glared at her, "If I die, it's on you."
"Good thing you're not gonna die then, drama queen, c'mon, let's get you cleaned up."
A half hour after Bonnie's incident, the two ended up walking through a nearby park together. Marceline glanced nervously at her, her nose plugged up with tissues, "Are you sure you don't wanna go back to campus?"
Bonnie shook her head, speaking it a nasally voice, "I'd rather walk a bit."
Marceline nodded, scanning the park. It wasn't the most extravagant place. It was mostly untrimmed, dry grass, with a few maple trees dotting the area- enough to be good for picnics in the summer. On the far side there was a playground, unoccupied at the moment, as it probably usually was around this time of year.
Wait, no, there was someone.
Bonnie reacted first, "Not Braco."
"He's staring at you," Marceline whispered.
Bonnie made a low growling noise, "He's always staring at me. I think that he thinks I don't notice in my Politics class. I notice. Everyone notices."
Marceline laughed, "What, you're telling me he's not the master of subtly?"
Bonnie sighed, flopping down suddenly under a tree. Marceline joined her, flipping her bag in front of them and offering her companion a granola bar, which she took gratefully.
The brightly-dressed girl fiddled with her wrapper for a moment, "He reminds me of this kid from my home town, Finn. He's Jake's brother, actually- goes to a trade school back home. Anyway, he had a crush on me for like, three years, and it was totally weird. He took every vague motion of kindness or friendliness as a possibility of returning feelings. He was young and eventually got over it- I'm glad he didn't turn out like this creep."
"I had a guy kinda like that, too. His name was Bubba, which I thought was a weird name, but whatever. Dude asked me out like four times, acted all princely about it, getting on one knee, flowers, the whole shebang. Anyway, I agreed to go on a date with him, just once, and he started crying five minutes in."
Bonnie choked on her granola bar, "Crying?"
Marceline nodded, "The poor dude was obviously Gay and had some serious internalized homophobia junk going on. I was real nice, though, helped him figure stuff out. Maybe Braco's like that."
"Honestly, I doubt it. I had a lot of weird guys chasing after me in high school, even after I got a girlfriend. Some of them I think had it in their heads that I'd eventually get over it."
"Straight boys are garbage," Marceline agreed."
Bonnie raised an eyebrow, "Aren't you dating one?"
Marceline laughed, "Yeah, true, he can be a bit trash, sometimes."
Bonnie tapped her fingers against her thigh, "What do you see in him, Marcy? You seem a fair bit unhappy."
Marceline felt as if her blood had frozen. She hated this question. She loathed it. She detested it.
She didn't know how to answer it.
Ash had definitely made her happy before. Sure, he sometimes made her uncomfortable or anxious, but hell, no one was perfect.
Then, why did she not want to defend him sometimes?
Maybe she was just a bad girlfriend.
Marceline rose to her feet, abruptly judging by Bonnie's reaction, "I wanna go home," she said.
Bonnie nodded, following a foot or so behind her.
She didn't apologize.
Marceline supposed she didn't have to.
Regardless, the bus ride home was spent in uncomfortable silence as Marceline sorted through her messy thoughts.
Notes:
Sorry for skipping a week, everyone! I was moving and underestimated just how hectic it would be. Hope y'all like the chapter.
I feel like its only fair that I promo lovely fan art I receive, so here's art drawn by lovely tumblr user deadcaptainwatson : post/144875487582/dreadcaptainwatson-scribbled-some-of-my-fav
Thanks again pal!
