Saturday, December 31
"You're serious?"
"Well...yes." Marceline stated simply, as if the matter wasn't something to be concerned over. She looked down at the shorter girl in front of her, giving one of her famous smirks. Although Bonnie would like to say that it didn't effect her, she had a feeling that those smiles of hers would always giver her butterflies of some sort.
"Do you know how crazy that sounds?"
She shrugged at her. "It's not that crazy. We already live together." Marceline pointed out, with a cocky smile.
Bonnie couldn't help but gape at her girlfriend. "I know, but that means commitment and blah blah blah. Well, I guess I can always just get a room change if we don't work out..."
Marceline teasingly raised an eyebrow, stepping away from her girlfriend to give a hurt expression. She even put a hand on her chest to exaggerate her emotions. "Do you think we won't work out?"
"That's not what I'm saying." She rolled her eyes.
"Then why are you so worried about it?" Marceline chuckled, closing the distance again. "We get an apartment, we don't have to worry about stupid campus rules, and plus. I'm twenty one. I need to move out. It's my time, Bonnie. Time to spread my wings and soar, and-"
"Okay, okay. I get it." Bonnie waved a hand at Marceline to stop. "I was heavily considering leaving Sigma Kappa anyways. It's just too much."
Marceline smiled and took her girlfriends hand with content. "So is that a yes?"
"We can look to see if there are any available. If we would have looked for one a month ago, it would be easier to find..." Bonnie trailed off, looking at marceline who wore a mischievous smile. "What?"
"Already took care of it."
"Seriously?"
"Yup." She took out her phone to show a few pictures of the property. "There's one fifteen minutes away from campus, that's if you decide to walk. And it just so happens that it's conveniently located right beside your work. It has a two car garage and a decent sized back year. Aren't I good?" Marceline smiled widely, waiting for Bonnie to admit her brilliance.
"I think that's way out of our prince range. There's no way in hell we would be able to afford it."
The rocker pouted. Of course that's the thing you ask. Can you not give me praise for figuring this all out in one day?
"Well yeah, I'd have to get a job."
"Don't you have enough money in savings?"
Marceline laughed. "Oh trust me, I do. I'm just not wasting it on an apartment. I was thinking of getting a motorcycle in March. Plus, I would get some money back from the college to pay for living off campus."
Bonnie nodded. At least she's being smart with her money. "Well, have you applied anywhere?"
"Only places I really want to work at. I did get a call yesterday for a job interview. That's on Monday, I believe."
"You already planned all of this out, before even saying anything to me?"
Marceline shrugged. "I talked to Keila about it, then Guy hooked me up with a friend of his that owns this rental property. He gave me a great deal because the guy owed Guy a favor or something? I don't know. I figured you'd be cool with it. Ya know, since you're into me or something."
Bonnie rolled her eyes. "What company is the interview for?"
"Guitar Center, downtown."
"At least you'll be doing something you like."
"Or I'll be arguing with customers about spending a little more on a guitar that's a hundred times better. I mean, it's good marketing, but no one listens to sales people." She shook her head. "There will probably be a lot of write ups on my part."
"I can see that happening. Do you know what you'll be paid?"
"I can assume it won't be much more than you. I was thinking I'll pay for rent, if you pay for utilities."
"I think we've struck a deal, Abadeer."
"I'll talk to Guy about it then." Marceline pulled Bonnie closer, wrapping an arm around her and kissing her on the top of her head. "Our first place. How exciting."
"And we can buy a queen so we're not lying on top of each other."
"You would totally miss it. Oh, by the way, the rental property has a gas stove. Not electric. So that'll be nice."
Suddenly a wide smile exploded onto her girlfriend's face. "We can actually cook without competing with everyone else."
"Downside, we lose Rain as our cook."
"Good point. We could always invite her over."
"Most definitely.
"Okay, so 10 people?"
Marceline laid out all of the cooking supplies across the counter. They had to start cooking now, before any of their friends made their way to the house. Simon decided against being here, as it wouldn't look good if the people who showed up started talking about the party at the Dean's house. This was typical though, as he was usually invited to a nicer party elsewhere.
"Um...actually its 11." Bonnie shyly stated, glancing up at Marceline, who only raised an eyebrow.
"11? So we have..." Marceline started counting on her fingers. "Finn, Jake, Lady. Then Marshal, Garrison. Keila, Guy, Bongo and then you and I."
"And Braco."
Marceline stared at her in disbelief, her face begging for it not to be true. "You didn't."
Bonnie looked away and tried to play it cool, organizing the cooking material in front of her. "I did." She was already very aware of Marceline having a bad reaction to her doing this.
"Tell him he can't come."
Bonnie sighed, looking back up at Marceline who crossed her arms over her chest in protest. "He had no one to hang out with, what was I supposed to do."
The rocker shrugged and blew a strand of hair out of her line of sight. "He's a big boy. He could figure it out on his own. Literally do anything else. It's not our problem."
"He helped you with your car." She pointed out.
"He drove me a half mile to get gas. I don't owe him anything." Marceline audibly laughed at the thought. Bonnie thought it was a bit rude of her to shrug off someone like that.
"He hasn't done anything to you though."
"He doesn't have to, in order for me not to like him. He's going to make it awkward, so I don't want him here. End of story. Please for the love of God, call him and tell him he can't come. Blame it on me. I literally don't give two shits."
"The only one that will make it awkward is you, Marceline." Marceline glared at the smaller girl, who was unfazed by her intimidation tactics. She had seen it far too many time for her glares to mean anything anymore. "You're jealous of him, when you have no reason to be." Marceline rolled her eyes and Bonnie took initiative to step forward and place a hand on Marceline's face, forcing the rocker to look in her eyes. When she was angry the red in her eyes flared like it did now. "He's a good guy, and he's not going to try anything. Especially not in front of you, or our whole group of friends."
Marceline stepped back, pulling herself away from Bonnies reach. "Might as well invite Lillian too."
"Seriously, did you hear nothing I just said?"
"You're defending him."
"And?"
"And you could have asked me first." Marceline snapped. Bonnie was taken aback by her outburst, but glared at her in response.
"Well...what about the apartment? You didn't ask me about it."
"It wasn't like it was set in stone. I did ask before signing a renters contract." Marceline sighed. "You could have asked. You didn't need to go behind my back about it." Marceline held out a hand for the box of cake mix on the counter. "Let's just get this done."
"Please don't be mad." Bonnie pleaded, handing the box to her girlfriend, who almost immediately started to ignore her plea. "Marceline." She said sternly, trying to grab her attention. She stepped closer and Marceline flinched.
Marceline mouth curved downward and her fists clenched. "Don't do that." She stated softly.
Bonnie took a step back, curiously watching as she went back to cooking. Her facial expression read hurt, but not from the problem she had previously presented about Braco.
Her girlfriend looked ridiculously uncomfortable and on edge. As if anything Bonnie did would be a move to attack her. Wait...
"Hey...Did Ash ever hit you?"
"Will you hand me the vegetable oil. I accidentally grabbed the olive oil." She chuckled, covering up the pain on her face. She was acting as if Bonnie wouldn't notice what was happening. As if she hadn't just avoided the obvious answer.
"Marceline," He gently stepped closer to the rocker, careful not to startle her. She rubbed up and down Marceline's arm in comfort, not pushing Marceline to look at her. "Did he ever hit you?"
Marceline stared at the bowl in front of her, eyes unwavering from the sight of unmixed materials.
"Do we have to talk about this?" Bonnie could see tears forming in her eyes. "I really don't want to talk about it, okay?" It would be best to just drop the subject.
"Okay. We don't have to talk about it."
Marceline finally looked down at Bonnie with a sigh, surprising the smaller girl in an overwhelming embrace. Her head pressed heavily into the crook of her neck.
"He can come, just...he can't stay like everyone else." Was her muffled reply. "Don't let him drink much. If he does, call an Uber or something. He can't stay tonight."
"Deal." Bonnie whispered into the taller girl's shoulder, holding her girlfriend close and rubbing circles onto her back. "Deal."
"Is Braco coming?" Garrison asked, placing the party decorations on the table in the other room. "Not that I mind, but he just seems like a lot of trouble. Is it me, or is he in love with Bonnie?"
Marceline separated herself from her girlfriend, shooting her a look that read, 'see what I mean?'
"He is, but I'm trying to be nice." Bonnie chimed in.
"Now a days, guys think kindness is flirting." Marceline pointed out, pressing a kiss on her girlfriend's neck. Bonnie shivered in delight. Thankfully no one seemed to notice besides Marceline who chuckled in response.
"Absolutely. Especially if you're already with someone. I would know." Marshal walking into the dining room, placing down the wine bottles on the table. The same ones from Marceline's liquor adventure earlier that day. "By the way, there's no way all of this is for the party." He gestured toward the 8 bottles. "And some of these aren't cheap."
"One is Simon's. I'm replacing the two half bottles I drank with Lady, and the Don Peridnon is mine."
"Damn. That's some good wine. You're sharing." Marshal demanded. Taking Simon's wine to his liquor cabinet beside the pantry.
"We'll keep an eye on him. Right Marshal?" Garrison prodded.
"Oh, yeah. Sure." He grumbled, looking through Simon's wine, picking out some better wine to replace one of the cheaper wines that Marshal wasn't fond of.
Bonnie hugged Marceline's waist tightly, digging her chin in Marceline's shoulder. Admittedly, it hurt a lot, but the gesture was comforting. "Don't worry, baby. It'll be okay."
Marceline wished that were true, but for now she could only wait.
Jake chuckled drunkenly as Marshal started to tell another joke. Seemingly, for the first time in a long time, Marshal was one of the only people that wasn't drinking. Keila was out of it, she was lying against the couch, sprawled out against Guy, who held her close so she wouldn't fall.
Bongo sat beside Garrison, chatting about politics-mostly about minority rights. Only recently had Bongo been interested in any kind of politics. Marceline recalled him saying that he was really getting into American Government because his teacher was really inspiring. Or something along those lines.
Marceline noticed Garrison was very flirty when he was drunk, or maybe he was just excited about his new found relationship. Either way, Marshal must have found it cute. Marceline saw how he played along, and kissed him on cue. It seemed he was getting a hang of this new relationship thing.
Even Bonnie was struggling to keep a straight face when Marshal told his rancid sexual jokes. And usually she would object it. Most of the time, if the jokes here too detailed, she would leave the room and talk with Rain for a bit.
Braco gave a little laugh out of politeness, and only had one drink that he had been sipping at for the hour he had been there. Marceline was still skeptical of his presence, but tried to enjoy her time without worrying about him too much. Instead, she chose to ignore him for the time being.
"When is the countdown?" Bonnie asked, looped her arm through Marceline's, roughly jerking her into a quick kiss. Only Marceline could tell that she was obviously a little more that buzzed. In fact, this was the first time that she had seen Bonnie drink even the slightest bit.
Marceline gasped as their lips parted from each other, as if she was holding in a deep breath. "In fifteen minutes. I'll go turn on the TV, yeah?"
Bonnie nodded and kissed her girlfriend on the cheek before she got up. Braco had seen that. Good. He needed the reminder.
"Marceline," She flinched at the sudden hand that gripped her shoulder. She quickly turned and threw the hand away, knowing full well who had touched her. "Oh, sorry. I just wanted to talk to you." He smiled warmly, trying to change any bad opinion that she held for him. It didn't change damn a thing.
"About what?" She practically snarled.
Braco took a step back, distancing himself from her reach. "We started off on the wrong foot."
"You don't say."
"I'm not going to do anything, if that's what you're thinking-"
"I didn't know you could read minds."
Braco sighed, letting a hand stroke the short stubbly hairs on his shaved head. "I don't mean harm. I really don't. I want you to know that."
"And?"
"And I'm trying to make amends." He shook his head and chuckled, as if making an inward joke to himself. "You don't make it easy. But, I appreciate you letting me come over and hang out with you and your friends. Even if you have been staring me down half the time."
"You're welcome, I guess." Marceline felt for the buttons on the side of her TV to find the power button, because of course she had lost the remote.
"I'll leave after the countdown. I don't want you to have a bad night because of me." Is he trying to guilt trip me? That manipulative son of a-
She finally pressed the correct button, the TV illuminating with life. "Mm, I agree. That'd be a good idea."
He nodded, downing the last of whatever he had in his drink, looking shyly at the floor in thought. "Sorry. For uh...whatever I did to make you mad." Oh my fucking God. He's still doing it.
"Just leave us alone, alright?" Marceline snapped quietly, not to draw too much attention to their conversation.
"She's my lab partner." He tried to object, but it only seemingly made her more upset. She knew that already. She knew that there was nothing she could do about being lab partners. He knew that she hated him for that, that there was no way out of this hole that he dug himself into.
"You flirt with her constantly." She shook her head, her lips pursing in anger. "She tells me every damn time you do it. Did you know that? Every time you say anything remotely flirtatious...whatever you're trying to pull, you need to stop. It's pretty damn obvious that we'll never get along. So just stop, okay?" Marceline tried to walk away, get away from him so she could calmly return to the party. She headed toward the empty kitchen, but he followed.
"I've been better." Marceline glared at him, knowing well that he can't lie to her. She saw through every terribly executed manipulative trick he had up his sleeve. "I have. Sometimes it just comes out...and I realize it. I'm sorry."
"You should be sorry. You know that she's not interested. Also, she's in a fucking relationship."
"Can I be honest?"
"For your sake, I hope you have been." Marceline muttered, pouring more wine into her glass, not making the gesture to fill his.
"I'm not trying to take her away from you. I'm not. But I do like her, and I can't hide those feelings. We both know that feelings are something you just can't hide. So I won't try to hide it. Is that fair? And if she hates it so much, why doesn't she stop it?" To Marceline, it felt like her blood was starting to boil in her veins. "Have you ever thought that maybe she enjoys my attention?"
Marceline swiftly grabbed him by the collar and slammed his back against the fridge with a loud Bang. He didn't know the meaning of stop. That was obvious to her now. This was the second time she had to resort to violence with him. This time would her point get across to him? Of course not. It didn't the first time.
She needed him out. Needed him away. He was ruining such a good night and instigating a fight that she would obviously win physically. But he knew if she hurt him any more than this that it would cause a rift, or at the very least, a fight between her and Bonnie.
"You better watch what comes out of your sly little mouth next, snake, or I swear you will regret ever speaking to Bonnie."
Braco glared at her, his eyebrows knit together in frustration. He was shaking, but it wasn't out of fear. "I can't hide my feelings. She's amazing. And she deserves better than a no good punk who only knows how to resort to fighting instead of letting things go. You're a bad person. You're bad for her. I'm not afraid to tell you that to your face, Marceline."
It took her a second to process what he dared to say to her. "It's time for you to leave." She let go of him and shoved him toward the door. But he stood there as if he even had a chance of taking her on in a fight.
"This won't work out for you." He blurted out, his fists tightening into a fist, ready to do something he'd regret.
"I said leave." She warned one last time, taking a step closer.
"Or what? You'll hurt me? Is that really all you can do? You just hurt people, Marceline. That's all you do. And soon Bonnie will be over the whole 'badass' thing you're going for. One day she'll see right through you. And she'll find someone better. She'll run into my arms and forget all about you." He spat, finally walking toward the door. She followed quickly after him, ready to take him down, beat the shit out of him if necessary. She didn't care about the consequences. At least not right now.
He slammed the door in her face as he left, blocking her from whatever she would have done to him.
"Marceline?" Bonnie asked, jogging up to her, laying a hand on her own. "What happened? Are you okay?"
"I told you he would make things awkward. He doesn't know how to keep his trap shut." She ran a hand through her hair and walked to Keila, leaving Bonnie to walk after her. "Hey, I need a smoke. Where's your purse?"
Guy pointed toward the kitchen for the intoxicated Keila, who grumbled something about Marceline always taking her smokes.
"Are you going to tell me what happened?" Bonnie tried to block her girlfriend from continuing on her path of destruction.
"Later, Bon. I just need a moment." Again, she ran a hand through her ebony locks. "Please." She practically begged.
Bonnie pulled herself away from her tall girlfriend, handing her one of Keila's cigarets. "Go smoke. The countdown is soon. I want that midnight kiss. Even though you'll taste like tobacco."
"I can smoke after-"
"No." Bonnie stopped her, knotting her girlfriend shirt in her hands, leaning close to her ear. "I will never tell you this again, but I kinda like it." She whispered.
Marceline raised an eyebrow. "You're a bit odd, Bonnibel."
The smaller girl laugh, closing the gap between them. "Maybe. But at least I can show you that side of me."
Marceline allowed herself to kiss her girlfriend gently. More than a few simple kisses grazed their lips before Marceline headed outside for a quick smoke.
Bonnie smiled in the silence of the kitchen, staring at the two empty wine glasses that sat in the sink, ready to be washed out.
"She really likes you."
Bonnie jumped at the sudden voice. She clenched her hand to her heart, laughing, realizing who it was. "Finn," She laughed. "I almost forgot you were still here. You've been really quiet."
"Oh," he rubbed the back of his neck, smiling. "Don't tell Jake, but Keila gave me some of her 'special smokes' and uh..." He suddenly spaced out, Bonnie could tell by the blank expression on his face. "I've just been keeping my thoughts to myself. Been trying not to drink with it. Heard that could be bad." He looked up and smiled. "But you and Marceline are really good together."
"Well thanks, Finn."
"When she would hang out with Rain and Jake last year, she smiled and stuff. I mean, it took a while for her to get to where she is now since Ash like...broke her heart or something, but she just seems happier now. By a long shot."
Bonnie's stomach suddenly felt hot. "I'm glad to hear that." She smiled, trying to hide her excitement.
"It's time guys!" Jake yelled from the living room.
"I'll get Marceline." Bonnie told Finn, who only nodded in response.
She walked out to see Marceline inches from her. She was just on her way inside. Marceline smirked and Bonnie stepped aside to let her through. "Why thank you."
"Ten!" Finn yelled, jumping up and down in front of the TV screen.
"9," they continued in unison. "8, 7, 6," Marceline glanced down at Bonnie, placing an arm around her waist. "5, 4..."
"3, 2," Bonnie continued, leaning closer to Marceline, their lips connected before the countdown was over. Marceline pulling the girl close in desperation. This was real, there was more than infatuation in their relation like Braco had implied. There was something special here.
They disconnected from each other, staring into each other's eyes. You're the one, there's no way you're not. Marceline admitted to herself. I'm sure of it.
Review Time!
Bibss: Ego boost is what I look for in a writer. I actually love feedback. Like when people criticize my work in a non douche-y way. I like to see if what I write is actually tangible. You know? Sorry, blabbing. But, really, thank you.
D3nsei: I'm definitely more of a Bubbline fan. It's kinda odd writing it, in all honesty, but I actually do it because my girlfriend likes that pairing a lot too. I think even more so.
