Catching Up

Bubbles touched down gently on the school's front walkway as the first bell blared. She jogged to her first classroom, but she wasn't too concerned about being late. Other students in the hallways were just now making their way to class, and they weren't even rushing like she was.

What worried her more was Buttercup. She'd really opened up these last months, and Bubbles was glad her sister had warmed up to someone. She wasn't sure she bought the "worried about our future" story this morning, though. Buttercup wasn't usually any more concerned about the future than Bubbles.

Buttercup had, however, seemed distracted. She'd even apologized for holding up Bubbles this morning. A quick, sincere apology from Buttercup was a rare event.

Bubbles thought that maybe there was something else Buttercup wanted to say. She'd been doing a lot of topic jumping lately, and she sometimes started to say one thing and then change her mind. Bubbles wondered if, after everything else they'd shared, Buttercup was on the verge of saying that she was too ashamed to tell anyone else. Even Blossom and Professor had noticed Buttercup seemed a little distracted, but nothing like Bubbles had noticed.

She made a mental note to remind Buttercup that she was always there for her if she needed someone to listen. Maybe Blossom would lecture her if she'd done something wrong, but Bubbles certainly wouldn't.

When Bubbles reached the classroom she briefly bit her lower lip in embarrassment and smiled shyly at the teacher before taking a window-side desk next to Mike.

"Hi," she mouthed silently at him. Mike Believe, her longtime friend and once-upon-a-time boyfriend responded in kind. She hadn't seen much of her friends this summer, but since that time had been spent with her sister she considered it an acceptable trade off. She just hoped going back to school wouldn't split them up again.

Mike was, like Buttercup, a bit of a loner and an outsider. Bubbles knew a lot of people had been surprised when she and Mike had started going out, even though they had already been and now remained good friends. Bubbles learned years ago that the other smiling, pretty, "normal" people were usually insincere. Even when they weren't, they didn't need Bubbles like her friends did. "You don't need more sunshine in the desert," as Bubbles had written in a poem for English last year. She'd gotten a B.

Mike often wore the same clothes for days and showered as infrequently. His long, greasy hair, dyed black, often fell over his face, a flimsy shield against the world around him. He was a decent student, though. While he had no problems with speaking up in class, sometimes what he chose to say created problems for him. It was easy to mistake him for a problem child, but his few close friends all knew better.

When class ended, Mike hopped his desk into Bubbles's aisle. They hugged briefly and started walking out. Bubbles asked Mike how his summer had been.

"Same old, same old. Worse without you around. Wrote more crappy poems I ended up trashing. I got more into my art, though. I actually did a painting based on one of my sketches. You should come over today and check it out."

"That sounds great! I'll catch you by your car after school."

"Cool. How was your summer? Other than the stuff on the news, of course."

Bubbles giggled. There had been a few incidents of super-villainy this summer, but it was quiet overall. There were no monster attacks which, as it turns out, was related to another villain causing mischief at Monster Isle. Of course, the girls had put a stop to that, too.

"Well, it was pretty quiet. Relaxing. I spent a lot of time with my family. Especially Buttercup."

"Oh, really? Doing what?"

"Not much. Talking mostly. You know, sister stuff."

"Ah, say no more."

They stopped by Mike's locker. Bubbles frowned ever so briefly at the carton of cigarettes she saw in there, but she'd given up on breaking Mike of the habit. At least he was eighteen now, as he had been for the last five months.

"I know better than to ask, but I will anyway," Mike said.

"Of course," Bubbles responded.

"I think I know the answer, but how big a crock was that stuff Mitch was spreading around last year?"

Bubbles lost her smile immediately. She was bright and cheery most of the time, but when she choose to dislike someone her attitude could be just as bad as Buttercup's. In some ways, the contrast mast it worse. "Not a word of truth," she replied. "And, yes, frankly, you should know better."

Mike shrugged. "Like I said, I figured as much. I did wonder, though. Your sister doesn't seem the type to let lies like that slide."

Bubbles smiled again, though wryly. "You're probably right, but she's seventeen, now. They might try her as an adult." She elbowed Mike playfully. As they continued down the hall that turned into a mock shoving match as they randomly shouldered into each other.

"So, if you missed me this summer why didn't you call, huh?" Bubbles asked in mock interrogation, eyes widened for comedic effect.

"You know I don't call people. Why didn't you call me?"

"'Cause I was having fun without you."

"Ah, so, in other words, you have no need of me?"

"Aw, Mike, don't say that. You know we were straight off to Africa to beat Mojo to some magical artifact. Then I just kind of hung around, you know?"

"Yeah, yeah. World first, Mike second. I see how it is."

"Actually, it's world first, family second, Mike third, but whatever helps you sleep at night." Bubbles winked and whirled around to head to her next class, skirt billowing.

Mike's breath caught as he watched her skitter away. Bubbles had broken off their relationship. It was gentle enough, and the fact they remained best friends showed that. For Mike, however, who had loved Bubbles long before he asked her out and loved her even now, there really was no "gentle."

He was resigned to it, though. Bubbles was Bubbles, as free spirited and friendly as anyone. Personally, so long as she remained happy, he could live with it.

Mike sauntered off to his next class, ignoring the looks people always shot his way. He was happy enough, and they weren't going to take that from him.