Chapter 87 – Fate Between Friends & Ice Cream
Marvett's POV
"Mmm! This ice cream is super duper yummy! I could eat it forever!"
"Glad you like it, Raina. This is the best ice cream shop in town. It really…"
*TWITCH*
"…REALLY brings out the FUN from inside you, right?! Doesn't eating this ice cream make you want to have so much FUN?! To the point were you never want to stop?! To have INFINITE FUN by eating all of this ice…"
*TWITCH*
…
…
…
"You really like ice cream don't you, Marle?" I asked.
"N-Not to that extent! I-It was my other personality that said that! Honest!" Marle grew a mild red blush on her face.
"Right…" Was all I said.
The rest of our first day wasn't all that eventful…to an extent. Soon after Raina and I left the F.U.N. Club, we found out that Marle was in our class. I'm not sure how we didn't notice her before but…it's actually kinda nice that all three of us are in the same class.
It makes it easier on me when it comes to Raina's antics…
After school had ended, Marle had suggested getting ice cream at this one shop close to her home. So, that's where we are now.
"Though, I gotta admit…this ice cream really is good. Probably one of the best I've ever eaten."
"Right?! It's super-duper yummy!" Raina cheered.
"*giggle* Well, I'm glad you two like it." Marle said with a smile. "If I may tell you girls a secret…this is actually my family's store."
"Really?"
"Really?" We both asked in shock.
"Indeed, it is. The Sākuru Family's Ice Cream Island has been known as the greatest…and only…gourmet ice cream parlors in the whole region. We've been in business for nearly 30 years."
"Wow. That's really impressive, Marle." I said.
"Yeah, yeah! Having a best friend who works with ice cream is totally the best, Marly!"
"Uh…Marly?" Marle gained a confused look on her face.
"You like it? It's a cute new nickname for you."
"Nickname?"
"I think it proves that you really are Raina's friend." I said. "After all, she calls me Marvie."
"I see…" Marle went silent for a bit. "Well…Marly does sound really cute. And really…"
*TWITCH*
"…FUN, too. *creepy giggle*"
Oh, boy. Here we go again…
"…in fact…since you brought it up, Raina, why don't find a cute fun nickname for you, as well? Wouldn't that be FUN? The three of us…having such fun cute fun nicknames for each other. *creepy giggle* Oh, I can only just IMAGINE all the FUN we can all have toget…"
*TWITCH*
…
…
…
"*moan* I did it again…this personality disorder is truly the worst."
"Hey, Marle." I said. "About this personality disorder…has it been a lifetime struggle for you?"
"Well…I wouldn't say "lifetime". But it's been there for most of my life. Truly, it's been a huge struggle to deal with."
"A huge one, huh?"
"It started showing up when I was in elementary school. Though, back then, nobody knew what triggered it. So, there were times where everything was all fine and normal…and then I suddenly change personalities."
It was then that I noticed Marle's face getting sadder and sadder. With her eyes starting to form tears.
"I've lost many friends because of this disorder. And have dealt with extreme bullying from other kids. Some would say hurts names…while others would mock me to the point where I would cry. And then laugh afterward. Clearly enjoying my suffering.
Ever since the 3rd grade, I've been transferring from school to school. With each one resulting in the same bullying and torment thanks to my 2nd personality showing up at random times. This emotionally painful cycle continued for so long…that last year I resorted myself to seclusion. Isolating myself from all others in fear of the bullying to return. And despite me being so lonely…it was working. My other personality hasn't shown up since and I continued to live such a lonely life.
…
Th-That is…until I met you two."
"S-Seriously?" I asked.
"When you both walked in that door…wanting to join my club…I felt happiness for the first time in almost a year. I was so filled with joy, that…that…I-I lost control of my personality disorder. And my secret was out once more."
"W-Wow…Marle, I never would've thought you went through such hell."
"It's totally not fair!" Raina yelled. "Both of my friends are being bullied for being who they are! This world is filled with big stupid meanies!"
"Raina…"
"Both? What does she mean by that?" Marle asked.
"Uh…well…" I then went silent. I wanted to blow this over by not saying anything…but once again, Raina's puppy dog eyes got the best of me.
How is she so freaking good at that?!
"*sigh* Fine. What Raina meant is…I've recently faced some bullying of my own."
"Y-You have?"
"When you're a big-time reviewer known all across the region, you get people who really despise you based on your opinions and will do anything to make you feel bad.
…
…like spamming hate mail to you through a hate thread."
"Hate mail?"
"Yeah…and they were pretty brutal, too. Some of them were even death threats. Against me…and my family."
"N-No way…"
"It's been a secret that I've been dealing with on my own for a while now. That is until Raina was being a little too nosey and read my emails."
"Hehhehheh…sorry, Marvie." Raina said while rubbing the back of her head.
"W-Wow, Marvett. I had no idea your job could be filled with so much dread and struggle."
"Yeah…it's a tough one. I sometimes wonder if I should just quit and go into hiding. Change my name and appearance so that no one could recognize me."
I then went silent again as I gained a small smile on my face.
"But…But then I moved to Primp and met Raina over here. I don't know how or why, but she's changed my way of thinking for the better. And now, I'm much more determined to continue reviewing and not let those bullies bring me down. It's…truly something."
"I see…" Marle then went silent. "…I guess what made us better somehow is Raina. Don't you think?"
"Yeah…I guess you can say that."
We both then looked over at Raina, who was stuffing her mouth with more ice cream to the point where a lot of it was all over her face. It took her a while to finally notice us. Which meant that she had stopped listening a while ago.
"What?"
"*giggle* Nothing, Raina." We both said.
"Marle. Can you come help me with this?"
"Coming, Mom. Sorry, but I'll be right back."
"It's fine. We'll be here." I said.
As Marle left to go help out her mother, I continued looking at Raina snarfing down her ice cream. And eventually, I wiped off the stuff from all over her face.
She's dense even while eating ice cream…
"Hey, Raina…what do you think of Marle?"
"What do I think of Marly? I think she's a really great friend. Just like you, Marvie."
"Really now?"
"Yep!"
"Her personality disorder doesn't bother you at all?"
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…
…
"Well…" Raina thought for a moment. "…Her other personality does scare me sometimes. But I can look past that. Marly's too good of a friend to let her creepy side get to me. Especially with what she went through when she was younger. She's a lot like you, Marvie."
"A-A lot like me? Really?"
"Sure. Both you and Marly have been bullied for most of your lives. You two meeting together is like…like…uh…*moan* what's that word that Feli keeps using a lot? It starts with an F, I know it! F…F…Fa…"
"Is it "Fate"?"
"Yeah! That's it! Fate! It was totally fate that brought you two together! And I'm just the lucky one! *giggle*"
"Uh…lucky from what?" I gained a sweatdrop.
"I'm back." Marle said as she walked up to us.
"Oh, hey. What were you doing back there?"
"Um, well…it's normally supposed to be a secret, but…we're in the middle of creating a brand-new ice cream flavor."
"Really? You guys can just create ice cream flavors out of the blue?"
"Well, the process of doing it is rather difficult. You have to make sure the flavor mixes right with the milk and cream and all of that. You really can't just throw a flavor in there and expect it to work. It involves a lot of trial and error."
"Wowie…that sounds really really hard." Raina said.
"It really can be. Even for ice cream pros like us, it can be quite the challenge. Which is why we normally don't do this often."
"Huh?" I was confused. "So, if you normally don't…why are you doing it now all of a sudden?"
"Well…"
"Marle, honey. Are you aware of what time it is?" Marle's mom asked as she walked up to us.
"Huh? Time?" Marle then looked at her phone. And her eyes lit up in shock. "O-Oh, no! It's already this late?! The last train to Primp has already passed."
"What? Already?" I asked.
"Because it's the school season, the trains are on an earlier schedule than normal. Mainly to get all the students home before dark."
"Aw, man. I had no idea. And I promised that I'll get Raina home before then."
"I'm so sorry. I really am sorry."
"Don't feel too bad about it, Marle." Her mom said. "Your friends can just spend the night here."
"H-Huh? Spend the night?" I asked.
"Yay! A sleepover!" Raina cheered.
"Is that really okay, Mom?" Marle asked.
"It's fine. We're close to the school. Plus, it'll give you more time to spend with your friends."
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…
"Y-Yeah…i-it will, won't it?" Marle gained a small blush on her face.
It really has been a long time since Marle's had any friends, huh?
…
She really is a lot like me…
"Well, since Raina's already okay with it, I guess I can stay, too." I said. "Thank you for the offer, Mrs. Sākuru."
"Don't worry about it. And please…just call me Nelony."
"Nelony?"
"Nelony?" Both Raina and I asked.
"Nelony Sākuru. Originally Nelony Rose. I originally lived in France before giving birth to this little angel right here." Nelony then started rubbing her daughter's head with pride.
"Mom…" Much to Marle's dismay.
"Huh." Was all the two of us said.
Rose, huh? That name sounds oddly familiar…
"Well, then." Marle said. "Shall we get started with our sleepover, girls?"
"Yeah! Sleepover time! This is going to be super fun, Marvie!" Raina cheered.
"I…gotta admit. I'm excited for this, too." I added.
"Well, that's great to hear! Now, I, Marle Sākuru…"
*TWITCH*
"…will make this sleepover the most FUN you've EVER had! It'll be so much fun you'll be in an ENDLESS FEVER!*creepy giggle*"
*TWITCH*
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…
"Can I get more ice cream?"
"Raina…at least acknowledge what just happened." I said to her with a sweatdrop.
Author's Note: Eh…really nothing much to say here. I stayed off this story for a month because I had trouble writing this chapter (and also I just didn't feel like it). Probably going to put this story on a break for a while.
Thanks for reading. Later.