Marshall and Fionna were no longer in the living room by the time Marceline and I entered, though they had left the light on. I thought about asking Marceline where they had went but of course she wouldn't know. She was with me the entire time; like I could forget. I also felt it might be intrusive of me, so I stayed quiet instead.
Marceline gestured for me to take a seat before walking towards the television set opposite the sofa. I took a moment to look around the room since I hadn't gotten much time when I was in there before with Marshall and Fionna. I had been too busy fighting off my nerves or laughing at Fionna's odd antics.
The living room was nice, small but pleasant all the same. The walls were a light salmon and the floor was covered with a blue carpet. That combination shouldn't have worked but it did. All in all it was comforting. I couldn't say the same for the red sofa, though.
"You wanna watch a film or something?" Marceline asked, though it didn't seem like I had much of a choice; she was already pulling out and examining DVD cases.
"Sure." I said anyway.
"Which one do you fancy?" She held up four cases. They all looked like horror films to me, blood and pictures of apparently terrified women plastered on the front. I bent forward from my place on the couch and spotted one that looked less scary.
"That one." I pointed at a case with a picture of a couple as a cover.
Marceline flipped it around so she could see and her almost wicked grin made me regret my decision right away.
"A Marriage With Heart."She read aloud."Awesome pick, Bonnie. That's the best one." She winked, succeeding in making my stomach flutter. Damn butterflies. It was probably because I was worried about the plot of the film I had chosen.
Yeah, that's what it was.
Marceline turned on the T.V, popped the dvd into the player, and moved to turn the lights off. Which didn't ease my nerves. But if I had accidentally pick a horror film, Marceline wouldn't be able to spot my disappointment in the dark.
It's not that I was afraid of scary films, to me they were dumb. The storylines and plot twists could be figured out easily once it was thought about, and the foreshadowing was usually so obvious. It was the jump scares that I didn't care for. I'd always get a small shock when the bad guy jumped out of nowhere. And when the music blurted during a tense scene? That always made me jump.
I was braced through the film's introduction, waiting for a monster or murderer to pop up and scare the spit out of me, but was relieved when nothing happened. The beginning was about a couple; the average brown haired guy and the equally average skinny blonde living out an average marriage.
The title faded into view proving it was called A Marriage With Heart. It was then that I noticed Marceline flicking her eyes from the television to me repeatedly. I was going to ask her what was wrong when a terrible scream tore from the speakers as a hand punched through the blonde's chest, ripping out her heart.
A scream almost tore through me too, but it caught in my throat. And thank the heavens for that because Marceline had already dissolved into hysterics over me jumping out of my skin.
"With heart, get it?" She slapped a hand to her forehead, I had no idea how she found it so funny.
"Yeah, hilarious." I tried to sound sarcastic but my voice shook too much to get the point across.
"Aww." She cooed. "You wanna snuggle up to keep all the baddies away?" Marceline puckered her lips at me, patting the space between us.
Oh, she wanted to mess with me, huh?
Well, two could play that game, Miss Abadeer.
"I thought you'd never ask." I pouted, fluttering my eyelashes and making kissy sounds at her.
I expected her to laugh or say that's pretty weird, but she didn't. She didn't do anything. She froze, and time came to halt along with her.
I was staring at her and she was staring right back, holding each others gaze. Neither of us wanting to be the first to look away.
Her face looked red, a really vivid red, but that could have just been caused by the colors from the TV. Or, more than likely, I had just made things rather embarrassing for both of us.
It was probably that.
By this time I was planning an escape strategy. Faking a phone call or text message would be too obvious, she'd know I was lying. I was ready to 'accidentally' spill something on my clothes to excuse myself, but then I remembered I wasn't even holding a drink. Maybe -
"You're fun, Bonnie." Marceline was chuckling. I could have passed out from the overwhelming sense of relief. I had thought I'd really messed everything up. Whatever 'everything' was. "Half expected you to freak or somethin' like that."
"Me? No way." I waved my hand in front of my face, banishing the thought of me freaking out.
Okay, so I'd almost started talking myself into jumping out of a window, but it wasn't that huge of a freak out. I felt stupid. My face was burning over something as small as an awkward moment between us. How silly of me.
I threw Marceline a weak grin and turned back to the TV. Another woman, the next victim I assumed, was wandering around a dark office building. Of course it was night time and she was alone. That's totally safe, right? Nothing would ever pop out and attack her while her guard was down. A large person wearing a plain white mask, plain for the blood splatters anyway, launched out from a cubicle to tear out her heart.
"How unpredictable." I mumbled, hoping Marceline would pick up on my sarcasm.
The scariest thing about it was how the actress actually got the role in the first place. She was dreadful at acting.
"Man, it looks like she couldn't give a damn!" Marceline laughed. "Think she'd notice she's missing her heart. She's just kinda stood there looking at him, oh man!"
"I'd notice if someone was dangling it in front of my face like that. How is she still standing?"
We fell into more laughter then and it carried on through the rest of the film. It was nice, comfortable even, and surprisingly fun.
"Hey," Marceline said beside me, she kept her eyes ahead. "You alright?"
I followed suit and stayed facing the television screen. "Yeah, the film's not that scary."
"That's not why I was asking." Smiling and shaking her head, she turned to face me and then crossed her legs. I did the same so we were parallel to each other. "I mean, y'know, the Guy stuff."
In truth, I'd almost forgotten about it. All the fun with Marceline had pushed the arguments from my mind. Laughter is the best medicine, after all.
"I'm fine, I think." I sighed as she nodded, urging me to go on. "I feel better than I did anyway." Thanks to you, I wanted to add but didn't.
Marceline was staring at me, if the look in her eyes meant anything, I couldn't tell. "Gonna forgive him?" She had focused on my entirely, that strange something still alight in her eyes. Trying to figure out what that something was did nothing, I was more interested in watching the lights from the TV dance across her face.
In that light her face looked sharp, but beautiful. Her cheekbones were more pronounced, eyes glinting, her small mouth settled on a perfect jawline. Marceline really was beautiful, though perhaps that wasn't the best time to notice.
"I think I can forgive him." I'd never been one to hold a grudge. That was like burning yourself and expecting the other person to feel pain, or drinking poison and expecting them to die. I would only be hurting myself, and I wasn't one for self-torture. "Dating him is out of the question. And being polite towards him is... something I have to think about."
After a little pause, Marceline smiled and nodded. "I get it. Pretty mature of you. You want a drink or something?"
The quick change in conversation spun me a little. "Huh?"
"Non alcoholic, jeez Bonnibel." She stood. "Is coke okay?"
While nodding, I stood too. I felt the need to explain I never thought she meant an alcoholic drink, but Marceline didn't seem bothered either way.
We spent longer in the kitchen than I thought we would. Instead of grabbing our drinks and watching the end of that terrible movie, we stayed there and talked instead. Marceline sat on the worktop, swinging her legs, while I sat at the dining table opposite her.
We talked about Simon, Mr. Petikrov, and how she'd came to know him. Apparently her dad, Hunson Abadeer, and Simon were friends before Marceline and Marshall were born. They ended up growing close when Simon hit a rocky patch with his work and home life and Hunsen offered him a place on the couch for a week. But that week turned into a few years, and the couch turned into a room of his own. So he helped raise the children to return the favor. I didn't ask where their mother was, or what had happened to her.
Simon moved out of the house a few years ago and married a woman called Betty, it was obvious that Marceline liked her. Her eyes softened and she talked about how well Betty took care of her uncle. It was cute.
"Where is your dad?" It was getting later and I wondered if he was even due home that day.
"Work." Marceline jumped from the workplace and took my empty glass from the table. "He works for the law firm on the upper-side of town. Wants me to work there when I leave school, not interested though. I'm more the music type, not the 'wearing a suit and sitting behind a desk' type. Figured if I failed my classes I can't even apply for that work."
"Well that's stupid, you shouldn't fail on purpose Marceline." Joining her at the sink I gave her a frown, just like my mother would whenever I was doing something silly.
"I know, I'm trying with 'em again now, though. Especially since I'm in Simon's class this year."
"Well, I think you're right. About being the music type, I mean. You're good from the bits I heard earlier, you were playing bass right?" I almost dropped the glass I was drying but Marceline's hand snapped out and steadied mine before it fell. Her fingers were cool as they wrapped around mine. She pulled back quickly, though, and I had to ignore the small swell of disappointment that arose in me.
"Thanks, Bonnie. You can come hang out with us next practise if you want. I'll tell Guy to deal with it, though I think he'd love a chance to show off in front of you." Marceline wiggled her eyebrows while I rolled my eyes.
She looked out of the kitchen towards the front door, and I was about to ask if something was wrong when I heard the door open and a man's voice shout "I'm home kids!".
"'Sup dad!" I heard Marshall's voice float from upstairs. "Fionna's staying over, is that cool?"
"It's never cool, Marshall. It'll be cool when you get your own place, then you can do whatever you want!" The man yelled. "But it's too late to send her home now."
He came through into the kitchen and swooped Marceline up in his arms quicker than I could register. "There's daddies little girl!"
'Daddies little girl'popped her head out from his grip, her frowning face was red. Adorable.
"Bonnie." She gasped out, apparently that grip was pretty tight. "This is my dad, Hunson Abadeer. Daddy," She pushed him away by forcing a hand into his chest. "This is Bonnibel Bubblegum."
Damn. Why did she have to use my second name.
The man, Hunson, backed off from his daughter with a pout and let his eyes fall on me. I awaited the puns and jokes about my second name, but none came. "Bonnibel? Very nice, suits you." He shook my hand with a wide grin I couldn't help but mimic.
"Thank you, Mr Abadeer."
"Oh, please. Call me Hunson. Are you staying over too, Bonnibel?"
Marceline gave me a shrug when my eyes found her, I guess that meant I was free to do whatever I wanted.
Declining Hunson's kind offer seemed like a bad idea. It was much darker now and getting on pretty late. My mind flashed back to the intoxicated man in the street. I was lucky that time, he didn't seem angry. Though I might not be as lucky again. Suppressing a shudder at the possibilities, I nodded at Hunson.
"If it's no problem I'll check with my parents."
Marceline's father threw an arm around my shoulder and assured me that no, it wasn't a problem and went to make a pot of coffee for himself.
The phone call wasn't fun. I tried calling home first but no one was there yet, so I called the office. It took a little while for the receptionist to put me through and when she finally did it was my Uncle Pepperwood that answered.
"Pepperwood." His short hello was clipped and harsh, it must be busy.
"Hey, it's me." I said. "Is it okay if I stay over at a friends house tonight?"
"Oh, Bonnibel, It's you." His voice softened which made me smile, there was the uncle I loved. "You do remember it's a school night?"
I sighed, this might not be easy. "I do, but I'm over at Marceline's and her dad said I could stay. Saves me heading home in the dark."
"Who's Marceline?"
"My friend." Could I even call her a friend? We'd been hanging out and now I was staying over. So it was fine, right?
"I've never heard you talk about her."
"Please, Peps?" I begged.
There was a pause.
"Will there be any boys there?"
"Yeah, her brother."
That was always my uncle's go-to question. I don't know why he worried so much, he knew I was responsible. A lot more than most people at least.
At my uncle's next question, a rough sigh tore through me as I dragged a hand down my face.
"Yes, Marshall has to stay here. He lives here."
"Alright." Uncle Pepperwood said. "But be home early tomorrow for school, and make sure you're safe. Oh, and Bon?"
"Yeah?"
"Love you."
I smiled. "Love you too, bye."
That was one of the things I adored about my Uncle. He never ended a conversation without saying he loved me. It was nice to hear it everyday. I snapped my phone shut and put it bag in my bag, then noticed Marceline leaning against the door frame at the end of the hall.
I thought she would make fun of the little conversation I had. Her smile, the kind that made her cheeks look super chubby, told me she wasn't going to laugh at me. Maybe she thought it was cute? Not that I cared what Marceline found cute.
I didn't care at all.
I mean, whatever, maybe I cared a little.
"Hey, Marcy!" Hunson bellowed from another room in the house. I jumped when he burst from the cupboard under the stairs, clutching at some blankets. "Where do you want these?"
Marceline didn't seem phased by his random appearance, it was probably commonplace in this household. "Upstairs, but I can do that."
"Your old man can handle a few blankets, Marceline."
Though, I didn't think he could. He was teetering on the stairs, and I wasn't sure he could see where he was going.
"My room's the other way!" Marceline joined me at the bottom of the stairs, both of us watching him take a left at the top.
"I know!" Was her father's reply.
Marceline didn't need to see my raised eyebrow to know I was confused.
"Just wait for it." She said.
I did wait, for what, I didn't know. It wasn't long until I heard a girl, probably Fionna, scream. I burst out laughing right away, guessing that Hunson had just disturbed Marshall and Fionna in the middle of... Well, that was private.
"Dad, what the fu-" A thump came from upstairs. "Stop throwing pillows at me!"
"We don't use that language in this house. And we don't do that either, not under my roof." Marceline was cracking up with terribly loud snorts of laughter by this time, and I wasn't far behind. I could imagine the look on Marshall's face. Oh, and poor Fionna's. Marceline had thrown a hand around her waist and was panting, I couldn't hold back my laughter any more than she could.
"Marceline, shut the hell up!" We heard Marshall cry, the embarrassment dripping off his words, that only made her worse.
"C'mon." Marceline grabbed my hand and we began to ascend the stairs. "If I listen to anymore of that stuff I'm gonna laugh myself to death."
We didn't look in the direction of Marshall's room as we passed, Marceline probably didn't want to see whatever her dad was yelling about. I'm not sure I did either.
Marceline's room wasn't like I thought it'd be. I assumed it would be a little messy, or unorganised. But it was neat. Her walls were a light purple, and she had a red couch lining one of her walls. There was also a walk in wardrobe and a door which lead to a personal bathroom. I didn't expect her to have that much room in a house that small.
"You needing something to change into?" Marceline dropped onto her bed to unlace her boots.
"Oh, yes please."
"My wardrobe's over there." Not that I could miss it, it was huge. "Help yourself."
Nodding I made my way over to it and pushed the door aside. The inside was as neat as the rest of her room, and packed with all kinds of clothes. I was pulling out t-shirts when I heard Marceline's voice float through the room.
"Hey, what d'ya think they were doing in there?"
"Marshall and Fionna?"
"Yeah." I heard her boots fall on the floor.
"Uh..."
Marceline started laughing again. "Yeah, I think they were doing that too."
I have no idea what to say. I was an only child, I didn't know what I'd think about my brother or sister fooling around with someone just down the hall.
"I'm happy for him." That made me pause.
"What?"
"I'm happy for him." Marceline came to the door to lean on it, but she didn't look at me. She rested back against the door frame and examined the ceiling. "I like Fionna, she's fun. She's real sweet too, just the kinda girl Marsh needs. I hope it works out."
Fionna and Marshall did seem like they'd make a great couple. I already knew they cared about each other, anyone could see that. "I hope it works out too."
"Well I'll leave you to get changed." She left and shut the door behind her, flicking the light on from outside.
The shirt in my grasp was black, with a weird picture on the front, probably a band shirt. I removed my hoodie and jeans, then folded them before putting on the new garment. I spied some black shorts and threw them on too.
"Hey, could I leave my stuff..." I stopped in my tracks.
Marceline stood with her back to me; I'd walked in on her changing. And I couldn't help but notice, well, everything.
She was in her underwear, a matching purple set, her hair was tied up in a loose bun to show off the curve of her neck. Her back was flawless, shoulder blades visibly moving underneath liquid marble skin. Her back sloped down to a small, perfect, behind sitting at the top of two long legs.
I tried to swallow, compose myself, but it was difficult.
Really difficult.
"Enjoying the view?" Oh crumbs. Marceline had caught me staring.
Somehow I brought my eyes up to meet hers. Her arms were still above her head, fixing the bun in her hair. Her face was flushed, and surprisingly she seemed shy. Well, I'd be shy too if someone was ogling me like that. I wanted to tell her she had nothing to be shy about, but that would have seemed so strange.
"Oh god, s-sorry." I stammered, spinning on my heel so quickly I almost lost balance.
"It's uh, it's fine. I'll just go... put my clothes on."
That was the most embarrassing thing that had happened all day. Not the argument with Guy, or even Keila. No, it was definitely walking in on a half naked Marceline. It felt like my face was actually on fire and I wished her floor would just swallow me up. That would have been easier than having to look at Marceline again.
"Hey." I felt a cool hand on my shoulder and automatically tensed up. She wouldn't throw me out, no way. "Don't worry about it, it happens."
I peeked over my shoulder, mainly to make sure this time my friend was clothed but also because I was having real trouble making eye contact with her. "So you're not mad at me?"
"Mad at you?" Her hand was still lingering on my shoulder so she used it to spin me around. "Nah, no way. Don't worry about it."
Marceline glanced at her hand she was still holding to me then withdrew it to scratch at the back of her neck.
"Oh, I uh. I am really sorry though." I mumbled.
"C'mon, forget about it." Man, if only it was that easy. "You ready for bed?"
"What?" I almost yelled.
"I mean like, sleeping!" Her hands were comically waving about in front of her face, she was almost as flushed as me. "I'll go grab the extra bedding from my dad." And with that she ran out of the room.
I collapsed onto the edge of her bed, letting my head fall into my hands.
"Man, I'm so dumb."