Two updates within a week? I'm on a roll. I was going to wait another few days before posting this chapter, but I was too excited that I finished another chapter. I actually finished writing it a few days ago, oddly enough. (I'm almost done with 19, too. So that may be coming soon!)
Also, your reviews really help me keep the gears in motion with this, they help me so much with writing because I usually lack the confidence to just do it. I appreciate every single one you guys leave, really.
Anyway, here is chapter 18, enjoy!
"Hey Peebs, you okay?" Finn glared at his dazed friend with his head tilted to the side. Bonnibel had an empty gaze, as if stuck in deep thought. She never once looked up from her warm cup of coffee that was rested between her pale hands. She'd been like this ever since her shift ended ten minutes ago. She decided to join Finn at the booth he was settled in at the coffee shop she worked at. "Hello?" Finn waved his hand in front of his friends face.
"Huh?" Bonnibel looked up at the blue eyed teenager who finally caught her attention. "Sorry, Finn. What were you saying?" She took a sip of the coffee.
"I asked if you think we should throw Jake a surprise birthday party." Finn lowered his eyebrows at his once again distracted friend.
"Yeah that sounds fine." She took another sip of her drink.
"Peebs, are you okay?"
"Yeah I'm fine, why do you ask?" Bonnibel lied.
"I don't believe you. C'mon, what's up?"
"Marceline, she uh…" Bonnibel hesitated at first, thinking if she should even be talking to Finn about this. "She asked if we could move in together." She confessed.
"Really? Wow, that's intense! Are you not happy about it?" Finn rested on his elbows, leaning closer to his friend so he could talk lower.
"Actually I am ecstatic about it. I mean, I love Marceline. It's just… this is a big step, you know? I've been living on my own since I was sixteen. It has always been just me, I've never even been this intimate with someone since… ever actually." Bonnibel sighed, slumping down into the seat.
"Ah, I see. Well I think this could be a great experience for you! You two are great together, and you practically already live together, right? When was the last time you spent a night without her?" Finn asked, taking a sip of his own drink.
"I..uh… two months ago?" Bonnibel thought back to the last time she actually didn't have Marceline with her. Marceline had a gig with her band at some bar, and Bonnibel had a huge exam to study for. She needed complete isolation, absolutely no distractions. She really needed to pass the class, so a somewhat drunk Marceline stumbling into her apartment at three in the morning would be a slight issue. Marceline did understand, however, and ended up crashing at Keila's place. She remembers missing the tall punk, and even though she tried her best to focus on studying, that girl still took up most of her thoughts. They hadn't spent a night separate from each other since.
"Two months? Yeah, you practically live together already, I wouldn't worry. But hey if you need a pal to help move some stuff, Jake and I would be more than welcome to help out!" Finn stuck his thumb to his chest, giving that bright, warming smile to Bonnibel. She had to admit, it did make her feel a bit better about the situation.
"Thanks, Finn." Bonnibel straightened herself out, smiling a bit as she sipped at her coffee once more. "So about this party?" Finn hadn't had the chance to reply as Marceline sunk into the seat next to Bonnibel. She leaned in to kiss the pink girls cheek with an arm around her shoulder.
"Hey cutie." Marceline smiled, leaving another kiss but on her girlfriends lips this time around. Bonnibels heart warmed up, her stomach never failed to flip around at the sight of Marceline. It seemed to brighten up her mood even more now that she was here. Oh, but that didn't last long. Nope, because when that familiar red head slid into the seat next to Finn, she just got a sour taste in her mouth. She tried her best to hide that, though. "I was hanging out with Flare and realized your shift ended a bit ago, so we decided to stop by."
"Hey Marce." Bonnibel smiled at her girlfriend as she shifted into Marceline's shoulder. Bonnibel glared at Flare, who was staring at her girlfriend. She really did not like that. Flare however noticed Bonnibel staring, and they made awkward eye contact for a few moments before they both looked away. Bonnibel averted her eyes over to Finn, who was as red as a tomato. That… wasn't because of Flare, was it? Oh, of course it was. "I was just telling Finn about this morning." Yes, Bonnibel had to mention this in front of Flare. She needed to prove a point. What was the point she was proving? Who knows, she just needed to make it obvious that Marceline and her were happily together.
"You told him about the hickies?" Marceline questioned, slightly confused on why she would mention that to Finn.
"Is that what those are on your neck? Dude!" Finn went wide eyed, blushing a bit more than he already was from the red head.
"What, no not that. Wait, you can see them?" Bonnibel quickly pulled out her phone and checked her reflection in the dark screen. She let out a groan as she noticed the make up slightly smudging away to reveal a faint bruise around her neck. It wasn't that noticeable, but it was still there.
"That wasn't what you meant? Oh. Oops." Marceline laughed. "Aw look at Finn, he's lit up like a stop light."
"What? I'm not blushing! I was blushing before that. Wait, no I wasn't!" Finn stuttered his words, flustered. Flare let out a soft chuckle, covering her mouth with her hand. She quickly shook it off when she realized someone may notice.
"Uh-huh. Sure Finn." Marceline laughed. She paused for a moment, realizing what Bonnibel was talking about with Finn beforehand. "Oh! You mean that."
"Of course, you punk." Bonnibel rolled her eyes. "Why would I mention the… other stuff to Finn? He doesn't need to know about that." Marceline had that one of a kind smirk slapped across her face once again. She just shrugged it off as she lifted up Bonnibels now cool cup of coffee up to her lips to take a sip. Bonnibel was used to this by now, Marceline always stealing sips of her coffee. She didn't mind it, really.
"What… were you two talking about?" Flare spoke up to ask. Her voice was a bit quiet, almost as if she would regret asking.
"Oh about how Marceline asked to move in with Peebs! She was totally zoned out about it earlier." Finn decided to answer in place of the couple in question.
"Ah. Congrats guys. That's a pretty big step." Bonnibel was eyeing Flare down as she talked. She liked to think she was good at reading people, and from what she saw, Flare looked upset. There was some sorrow in those facial expressions, and Bonnibel assumed the worst. Maybe she was jealous. Maybe she was worried Flare would try something on Marceline. No, she trusted Marceline enough to not let that happen. Besides, she wasn't jealous, not one bit.
"I was just talking to Finn about it. He offered to help move stuff if we needed the extra hand. But I was thinking," Bonnibel ignored Flare as she spoke to Marceline directly. "Would I move into your place, or would you move into mine? Or are we just going to find a place for ourselves? I mean financially we could probably do it but I don't think that'd be the best option."
"I say I move into yours." Marceline took another sip of her girlfriend's coffee. "I mean if that's okay with you. I just have a lot of bad memories at mine. It'd be nice to go somewhere where I only have good ones." Marceline smiled, leaning in to kiss Bonnibel.
"That is perfectly okay with me."
"I uh- I'm sorry I need to go." Flare quickly stood up from the seat she was placed in. "I just remembered I have uh... I have a thing."
"Aw man, we were gonna talk about Jakes party! We'd love it if you could come!" Finn stood up with Flare, hoping she wouldn't leave just yet.
"Uh yeah I'll think about it. I just- I really have to go." With that, Flare turned around and left the café before Finn could say anything else. He was a bit disappointed, he really wanted to get to know Flare more. Obviously he thought she was cute.
"Someone's got a crush." Marceline teased.
"What? No!" Finn became flustered, sitting back in his original seat with his arms crossed.
"Maybe if she dated Finn she'd stop making googly eyes at Marceline." Bonnibel scoffed. She was happy the red head left. She really did not like her, and her reasons were completely valid… right?
"What? Dude, no way." Marceline shot back, finishing what was left of her now claimed coffee.
"Oh come on, how could you not see that?" Bonnibel sat up from leaning against her girlfriend. "She was staring at you this entire time."
"No she wasn't. I'm sure I would have noticed that."
"Marceline you are oblivious to literally everything. Did you not notice that as soon as we talked about this morning she had this look of sorrow on her face? She even left in a hurry." Bonnibel gestured towards the door, where she noticed Flare still standing outside, but now she was on the phone. "She isn't even going anywhere, she's on the phone!"
"Maybe she had to get a ride?" Marceline sighed, removing her arm from Bonnibel. "Look, Bonnie. I'm sure you're over thinking this. Look, she's walking away now, see?" Marceline pointed over to the windows in the front of the café, where Flare was indeed walking away. "You're making this a bigger deal than it actually is." Bonnibel lowered her eyebrows at Marceline before looking away.
"I can't believe you think I'm overreacting." Bonnibel crossed her arms over her chest.
"I don't think that." Marcleine sighed. "Look, I'll talk to her about it later, okay?" Bonnibel just scoffed in response, still refusing to look in the rockers direction. "Bonnie," Marceline attempted to put her hand on the other girls shoulder, but Bonnibel tensed and shifted her shoulder away from the girl's hand. "Look at me, please?" Bonnibel gave in, turning her head to face her girlfriend. She gave Bonnibel a heartwarming smile, one that made Bonnibel regret looking. She relaxed her body, now looking less mad at her beautiful girlfriend.
"What?" Bonnibel still frowned, trying to keep her stance on the situation.
"You're really cute when you're jealous, you know that?" Marceline smirked at her girlfriend, hoping that she will ease up.
"Be serious." Bonnibel couldn't help but chuckle a bit. Marceline never failed to cheer her up. She was also never serious about a situation, which oddly Bonnibel loved that about her.
"Aw, there's that smile." Marceline kissed her girlfriends blushing cheek. "But really Bon, you have nothing to be jealous of okay?"
"It's not that I'm jealous, Marceline. I just have a feeling she's up to no good."
"Yeah, that's called jealousy, babe." Marceline kissed her on the lips this time.
Was it true though? Was Bonnibel just being a jealous girlfriend? It's not like she's ever been in a relationship before, so she doesn't know what jealousy feels like. It was all new to her. Everything is new to her. Maybe she was just being jealous.
"Bonnibel, sweetie. I know you're off the clock now but could you help me with something?" Tree Trunks came up the table with a cloth in her hands, whipping away whatever it was on her hands. Bonnibel nodded, asking Marceline to get up so she could get out of her seat. Marceline slid back into the booth, now alone with Finn, who was staring at her with squinted eyes.
"What?"
"I'm not expert in relationships but… did you two just have an argument?"
"What? No, of course not. That wasn't… oh my god I think we did." Marceline frowned, rubbing her forehead with one hand. "Oh my god. We've never fought before." Thoughts were racing through her head. Her body was filling up with so many emotions right now. Worry, mostly worry. "It wasn't that bad, right? I mean fighting can be healthy, I think. I mean it's weird if a couple doesn't argue from time to time, right?"
"I'm probably the worst person to ask that, Marce." Finn let out a soft chuckle. "Besides, it wasn't that bad. Really!" Finn smiled at Marceline before reaching across the table to pull her in for an awkward hug.
"Alright, dude." Marceline awkwardly patted his back before pulling away from his reach.
"So anyways! I don't mean to bring her up again, but do you think Flare would ever be into me?" Finn gave Marceline a goofy smile as he fidgeted in his seat.
"I knew you liked her." Marceline looked over at Bonnibel, who was carrying some what looked like heavy boxes into the back of the café. She leaned in closer to Finn, just in case. "She's got a boyfriend, but things aren't going very well with them from what I hear." Just that comment alone made Finns face light up like a candle.
xXxXxXxXx
Flare waited until the door behind her shut completely before pulling out her phone. She allowed her fingers to swipe the screen until she found the name she was looking for – Ash. She stared at the name for a moment, debating whether or not she could dial the number. Without thinking much further she pressed her finger against the phone icon and put the device up to her ear. It rang a a number amount of times before an answer.
"Hey babe, whats up?"
"Hey Ash." She paused for a moment, thinking of how to word her thoughts.
"Hello? Babe, come on I'm in the middle of a game what do you want?" Flares mood soured as her boyfriend spoke down to her.
"I don't feel comfortable doing this for you anymore." Flare sighed, crossing one of her arms under the one holding up the phone.
"Oh come on! Why not? We had an agreement, remember? It's like you don't want that internship."
"No it's not that. I mean, I do want that internship but-"
"But nothing. You're doing this for me and that's that, or no internship." Flare didn't respond. She was getting angry now. She clenched her fist tightly around her phone. "What can you tell me about them now? Are you making any progress?" Ash decided to speak up through the silence between them.
"I, uh…" Flare hesitated to speak up at first. She looked through the windows of the café to see the couple. A storm of guilt swept over her. They seem so happy together… she thought.
"Babe, come on! You got something for me or not!" Flare quickly turned away as she saw Bonnibel look and point in her direction with an angry look on her face. She decided to not stick around and started walking down the sidewalk. Flare realized Bonnibel was already getting bad feelings about her. She had every right too, honestly. She was doing a dirty thing. But there's no turning back now, they're already fighting. Just as Ash wanted.
"Yeah. They're moving in together, but they are having a fight right now, probably about me. Look, I've gotta go." Flare removed the phone from her ear and hung up on her boyfriend. She angrily shoved the phone into her pocket and walked home. She kept thinking they don't deserve this, and all she felt was guilt taking over her. She thought this would be easy, because she didn't know the two, but after seeing them together, it got difficult. Flare doesn't know how much longer she can keep this up without the guilt killing her, because there is one thing she realized after meeting Marceline. She didn't deserve this.
