Neighbors Chapter 10

Finn and Jake had left that night after I convinced them I would be fine and keep my charged phone nearby. I didn't have the energy, but I forced myself to work through the rest of the week. My manager let my absence slip, buying my claim of having a twenty four hour stomach virus. I heard co workers whisper about how they would notice changes in my behavior. They said I was different, less talkative, and less cheerful. I pretended to never hear any of them, but I knew they were right. I tried, I really did, but I just couldn't put on a proper mask to hide anything.

I was relieved, though, when Friday came. I was off on weekends. Thankfully I had already fixed my car, so driving home was a thing again. I felt much safer driving, rather than walking.

When I got to the apartment building, I held my new capsule of pepper spray in my pocket until I made it safely near my apartment, where I could relax. I took a few deep breaths, knowing I was safe, now, and prepared to unlock my door. As I turned the knob and pushed the door open, a hand rested itself on my shoulder and I instantly froze up. I could feel all the color drain from my face. I had that same feeling again, like I needed to run, but my body wouldn't react.

"Whoa, Bonnie, are you okay," Marceline asked. It was obvious that she was concerned. I was an open book, of course. "You're not watching scary movies with someone else, are you," she joked.

I turned to face her, finding the smirk that I found comfort in. My body instantly relaxed.

"Of course not," I said, sticking out my tongue. I tried to smile, too, but it wasn't genuine.

"Are you still sick? You don't look so good," My girlfriend asked.

"Just tired," I lied. I yawned to try and make it more convincing.

"You're not too tired for a movie marathon, are you? I just got the entire Harry Potter set today and some pizza waiting at my place."

Her eye brows furrowed, as if I would decline the offer. I was happy to accept. It would be much better than staying alone in my room, burdened by my own thoughts. A distraction in the form of my kind, loving, and amazing girl friend was much needed and much appreciated. I didn't mind the choice of movies, either. I had stuck to the books mostly. The movies didn't do them all the justice they should have. They weren't bad, though, and I hadn't watched all of them.

I followed Marceline into her apartment and sat on her couch as she sat up her DVD player and popped in a disc. She left to retrieve paper plates with two slices each on them. Resting an arm behind me on the back of the couch, she pressed a few buttons on the remote, starting the Sorcerer's Stone.

After Marceline finished her slices she eyed mine, which I had only nibbled at.

"Not hungry, huh?"

I shook my head. I hadn't been able to eat much of anything lately. I hoped she wouldn't notice. Its not like I had an eating disorder, though. I just couldn't stomach much.

Marceline shrugged and wrapped her arms around my waist, her head resting on my shoulder. My body tensed at the contact. I tried to relax, but I couldn't before she noticed.

"You okay," she said, looking up at me.

"Yeah, of course," I said, forcing myself to finally relax. I closed my eyes and tried to swallow, but now my throat was dry and it stung a little. I sat in her arms, reminding myself that the touch was kind, not forceful. Its fine. Its different, not like back then. This is okay.

We watched the entire first movie. By the time the credits rolled around I was already yawning and struggling to keep my eyes opened. I really hadn't slept much, lately. I was relaxed, now, and felt oddly safer. I missed the warmth when Marceline got up to put in the second movie, and was happy to shrug into her arms when she returned.

At some point during the movie, Marceline's phone beeped. When she looked at it, she sighed and rolled her eyes.

"He could have let me know sooner instead of telling me when he's already almost here."

"Who," I asked.

"Marshall," she breathed with a heavy sigh. "He'll be here tomorrow morning. He's staying in a motel tonight."

"You're cousin?"

"Yep."

We continued to watch the movie. I wasn't sure when, but I fell asleep as the movie played. When I woke up the room was dim and birds were chirping outside. There were arms around me and I was in a bed, but I don't remember waking up. Had she carried me to bed? Even more surprisingly, had I slept through the whole night without waking up from any nightmares? It seemed so. I yawned and smiled, snuggling closer to Marceline. I wasn't tired enough to go back to sleep, but I was so warm and cozy that I didn't want to ever get up. But then there was a knock at the door.

"Marcy," I whispered.

"No," she whined. "Put it back in the bucket."

I chuckled quietly. I didn't know she talked in her sleep. I rose up on my elbow and tapped her shoulder.

"Marcy, someone is at your door," I said.

She groaned, burying her face into my side. I felt her stretch her legs, then she rose up.

"What," she asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

Her hair was a mess and a thin line of drool was at the corner of her mouth. I tried not to smile, but it was adorable.

"Someone's knocking," I said again.

Marceline got out of bed, grumbling as she walked to her door. I decided to stay in bed and listened as the door opened.

"You look like shit," a male voice said.

"Shut up, Marshall, I just woke up," Marceline mumbled grouchily. "Hi, Ronnie," she said as three sets of feet walked into the apartment.

I went to the bathroom and made sure I was presentable enough before I came to meet them. When I entered the kitchen to join them, coffee was brewing as Marshall was throwing playful insults at his cousin as another guy was sitting at her small table looking off into the distance with little interest.

Marshall did look a lot like Marceline, I noticed. His skin and hair were the same shade, all though he kept his short and one side of his bangs long enough to cover half of his face, but he kept it to the side. He wore a black and red plaid shirt, ripped jeans, and sun glasses, even though we were inside.

I joined the other guy at the table, and noticed his hair, which was dyed a lot like mine, but cut in a more masculine style. Both of his ears were pierced, like mine, and it seemed like pink was his favorite color, too, considering his bracelets and his pink and white T shirt. I guessed this was Ronnie.

"Wait, when did she sneak in here," Marshall asked, and I jumped.

"That's Bonnie," Marceline said, walking over to me. "Bonnie, this is Marshall," she sneered in his direction, "and Ronnie."

Marshall removed his sun glasses and looked me in the eye, making me feel self conscious and uncomfortable. But his eyes were just like Marceline's, so I wasn't too intimidated.

"She your girlfriend," Marshall asked.

"Yeah," Marceline replied defensively.

Marshall pushed out his lips and eyed me up and down. His lingering eyes made me a little angry, but mostly uneasy. I glanced over at Marceline, who was gritting her teeth.

"Dude, stop creeping out my girl friend," she said with a whack to the back of his head.

He flinched from the pain with his hand on the lump and hissed through his teeth.

"Dammit, I was just observing her face! You can tell a lot about people by the way they hold themselves, Marcie. You didn't have to hit me!"

"You were giving her the creeps," Marceline spat at him.

"He's not a weirdo, I promise," Ronnie whispered to me as the cousins continued their bickering. "Well, he's weird, but not in a bad way." He grinned as he snickered, and I nervously smiled back.

"Did you come here just to scare off my girl friend, you, you stupid ass hat," Marceline yelled, clearly running out of good insults.

"Can't a cousin just hang out with his cousin," Marshall huffed.

"Yeah, whatever, I guess," Marceline said, crossing her arms, tired of arguing so early in the morning. She leaned against the table just beside me. "Butt hole," she said under her breath.

"Anyways I was gonna be nice and buy you food and junk," Marshall said.

"Yeah, okay, sorry I hit you," Marceline said, still slightly annoyed. She crossed her arms and gave me an apologetic look. "Wanna come?"

"Sure," I said.