Was it the hug? How come the hug made me blush? I was so confused.

Darwin and Gumball finally calmed down after a while and Gumball finally wiped the tears from his eyes from laughing so much.

"Aw man, that was hilarious," he said with a last chuckle.

"Yeah, it was," Darwin agreed, trying to steady his breathing.

"It wasn't that funny. I didn't mean to," I insisted with an indignant little pout, muttering the last part more-so to myself.

Gumball chuckled once more. "We know. But you should've seen your face, though," he said, and then goofily impersonated my aghast expression, which got Darwin giggling behind his fins all over again. Gumball couldn't help but to laugh with him, too.

They both fell to the ground laughing. I glared at the two goofballs, but I came to realize that maybe it was kinda funny. I actually found myself beginning to laugh along with them.

Gradually, all that misery and sorrow that was inside of me started fading away at that moment as I laughed with Gumball Watterson and his friend Darwin.

A few seconds later, I only heard Darwin and me laughing and I glanced over at Gumball, slightly taken aback. My laughter had ceased. He was looking at me with an awestruck expression on his face that read, I can't believe it. I heard Darwin stop laughing, too.

I hovered towards him and flipped my bang. "What?" I asked, my voice monotone with misery again. I still loved the feeling of being miserable, but I'd be lying to myself I said that laughing didn't feel great.

"You laughed…" the blue cat breathed after a moment, still in awe. I rolled my eyes. He blinked, tilting his head innocently. "Miserable people don't laugh."

I arched an eyebrow in doubt. "Where'd you hear that from?"

"From a magazine," Gumball replied with a big proud smile.

"You read magazines?"

"Yes, but not all the time…"

"Why would a guy—"

"Guys read magazines, too, okay!"

I wanted to laugh again, but I composed myself this time.

"Say, Carrie. How about you come over to our house since we're your new friends?" Darwin offered in a lighthearted tone as he stood up.

Staring into space, I thought about the friendly proposal, but only for a brief moment. I had nothing to look forward to or anything else better to do after school ended. I shrugged my shoulders. Eh, why not?

"Sure. Okay."

"Great!" the orange fish beamed. "What time will you be able to come over?"

"Uh… I guess at six, or something," I answered unsurely, rubbing the side of my arm.

"Could you please stay for dinner, too?" asked Gumball, a hopeful gleam in his eyes. "Mom, Dad and Anais would love to meet you," he added with an affirmative nod.

Again, it didn't take me long to think it over. "Okay. I'll stay for dinner, then."

Gumball lightly gasped. "You will?!"

I nodded with a hint of a smile, and then I was being enveloped into a soft hug yet again. This boy sure is affectionate, I thought to myself whilst my heart and cheeks began to betray me all over again. I tried my best to suppress the heating of my face, but I couldn't suppress that annoying fluttery feeling in my chest.

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you so much!" he exclaimed adorably.

Darn you, Gumball…

Rrrrriiiing!

As soon as the bell ringed, Gumball let go of me with a big happy grin and merrily walked away, leaving me dumbfounded.

"See ya at 'six or something,' Carrie!" Darwin called and waved as he walked away with Gumball in the sea other students out the cafeteria.

I remained hovering at the table, letting everything that just happened all sink in. On my first day of school, I made two new friends that had already invited me over to their house. And best of all, they actually liked me, and were willing to be my friends. Happiness was starting to overtake my accustomed misery as I could feel my spirit vibrate in elation.

As I floated to my next class for the day, my mind kept drifting to Gumball hugging me twice in a span of fifteen minutes, making my cheeks turn a light crimson. I quickly shook my head from those thoughts.

What was going on with me?

What's gonna happen when Carrie comes over? I'm having so much fun writing this!

~NickiMinajandRihannaFan