Chapter 5: Parents and Hero

Marshall had offered to drop Marceline at her high school before he went to his university. He owned a car and Marceline didn't feel like taking her motorbike today. Marshall had said he's also pick her up after school.

"By Marshall," Marceline breathed as she clambered out of his pitch black Subaru Legacy.

Marshall gave her a toothy grin, "Remember what I said yesterday okay?" Marceline nodded.

She walked tenderly through the school gates, wearing her long sleeved, red and black striped shirt, her dark blue skinny jeans and a grey beanie, her leather backpack resting on her lower back.

Her face relaxing as she saw Finn and Jake jumping out of an old red Chevy truck, she jogged her way up to them. Finn was wearing a well-fitting simple blue t-shirt and dark blue pants, with his signature lime green backpack slung over his shoulders. Jake was wearing a plain, tight white t-shirt with khaki pants.

"Hey guys!"

"Hey Marceline," they said simultaneously

Whoa sweet ride!" She examined, "Wasn't it expensive?" Finn chuckled.

"Nah, we combined our pocket money to get it last year, it was second-hand but the other owner only had it for two or three years. Finn couldn't drive it at that point, and he always used to get pissed off at my driving, he's a terrible backseat driver, so immediately when he turned 16 I took him to the driving licence place to get his licence and now he drives me everywhere." Jake said gruffly, with a wide grin.

Marceline let out a loud burst of laughter, clutching her stomach.

"That's funny dude." She said clapping Jake's back. Finn and Jake looked happily surprised at Marceline's show of emotions (a contrast to the previous day) but both of the boys didn't say anything.

They walked up to the school together.

"So where do you guys hang out in the morning?" Marceline asked.

"Well, if were up to the nerds, Bon Bon and Gilly, we'd all be in the library," Finn laughed

"You call them Bon Bon and Gilly?!" Marceline cackled

"Only behind their backs," Finn winked.

"Behind whose backs?" Bonnibel asked curiously, popping out of thin air. A choked on my saliva.

"Where'd you pop out of?" I said once recovered from shock

"Oh haha, Gilroy and I just arrived," She gestured to a silver car in the distance, "But behind whose back." She demanded.

"No one," Finn spluttered his face turning red, Bonnibel glared at him and then at Jake and I. She was wearing a pink hoodie with a purple undershirt and jeans looking much more casual than she did the previous day but she still managed to pull off the look and have an aura of sophistication at the same time.

"Does she do that often?' I whispered to Finn

"Luckily, no."

Marceline soon found out where they hung out in the morning, it was behind the school's main building, on a grassy patch of land. Quiet and peaceful, perfect for playing my music Marceline thought.

Everyone dumped his or her bags on the dry grass, and Marceline checked her watch it read 8:45am. Homeroom class started at 9am.

"Does Lady R and LSP always arrive this late?" Marceline wondered aloud

"LSP is almost always "fashionably late' but Lady never usually comes this late." Jake said worriedly, scratching the back of his neck.

"I'm sure she's fine Jake," Bonnibel soothed "she was texting me this morning." Jake looked relived.

Bonnibel, Finn and Marceline started to walk down the corridor to their homeroom class even though they had 10 minutes, as Bonnibel demanded that she would not be late for the first lesson of the day.

Marecline turned to Finn while they started walking, "Oh dude, I forgot to ask you yesterday, but why do you wear that hat?" She asked Finn curiously.

"This thing?" Finn asked, pulling his hat off his head, revealing soft golden hair.

"Yeah."

"Oh, when I was adopted as a baby it was the only possession I carried, Jake's parents told me when I grew older, and I've kept it ever since."

"That's cool." Marceline ruffled his hair and gasped in shock, unlike Marshall's Finn's hair was as silky as it looked.

"Finn your hair is seriously soft." I said

"Thanks Marceline." Finn retorted, both them were oblivious to Bonnibel burning holes in Finn's back with her glare. I turned to Bonnie, happy to get some time with her individually as Finn excused himself to go to the bathroom.

"So Bonnie, how log have you been living in Ooo?" That was the nick-name of the small town that they lived in, Marceline's house rested in the outskirts of the town, so far away from the main hub it could barley be considered part of the town but it was. She and her brother, appreciated the privacy and peacefulness.

"I've been living here my whole life," Bonnibel smiled her bright 100 watt smile. "I live with my brother in the centre of town."

"Isn't that the most expensive and popular part of the town?" Marceline exclaimed.

"Yeah," Bonnibel said sheepishly, "my dad was the mayor of the town."

Marceline's brow furrowed in confusion

"Was?"

Bonnibel squeezed her eyes shut, and to Marceline's shock and horror multiple, tears started welling up at her eyes. She regained control after a minute.

"It's okay if you don't want to tell me." Marceline said hurriedly

"No no," Bonnie wore a small, sad, smile.

"My parents, they died when I was 5 and Gilroy was 6, when they went on a trip to Singapore. The plane, it crashed." Marceline could see through the strong facade Bonnibel had put up while talking about her parents, it was the same one Marceline wore whenever she talked about her dad, to hide how upset she really felt.

Marceline looked right into Bonnibel's captivating sea eyes and said comfortingly, "Hey, it'll be okay."

"Thanks Marceline. I would appreciate if you didn't talk to the others about this, none of them know." Marceline felt honoured to be trusted with one of Bonnibel's deepest secrets so soon after meeting her.

"I would never dream of it." She swore solemnly. When Finn trotted back, he took a look at the situation.

"Hey why ya'll look so serious? Wanna here a joke?"

"Okay Finn." Marceline said, feeling that Bonnibel needed to be cheered up.

"Did you here about the guy that lost his left arm and left leg?" Finn said eagerly "it's okay he's all-right now!" Finn seemed so excited to finish the joke, Bonnibel and Marceline could barley contain their laughter. But Marceline hadn't forgotten about Bonnibel's parents. She wondered why had Bonnibel told her and not her closest, childhood friends?

Lessons were such a bore, Marceline thought. She was immensely glad it was lunch-time. On the way to the canteen she talked to Bonnibel as they both had geography together.

"Hey, do you have a CCA today, princess. I have basketball try-outs until 5pm?" Marceline asked as they strolled out of the classroom. As soon as Marceline had seen the sign on the notice board for the basketball team try-outs she had put her name down immediately. Bonnibel narrowed her eyes at the nick-name, Marceline thought she long given up on stopping Marceline from calling her princess but she couldn't be more wrong.

"Yes vampire," Bonnibel smiled, looking proud of herself, "I have swim training immediately after school until 5pm, like you." Marceline gasped in shock and then grinned from ear to ear, so widely it looked like it hurt.

"What did you call me?" She questioned

"Vampire," Bonnibel said nonchalantly, trying to hide a broad smile, and failing terribly, "It suits you, cause your dark, mysterious, and people are often scared of you."

Marceline snorted unattractively.

"Are you scared of me?" She said quietly.

"No." Bonnibel replied immediately, "I just think you're just misunderstood."

"Thanks Bonnie. I like the nick-name, vampires are sexy aren't they." She grinnned

"No." She grew red, and Marceline laughed, a loud bellowing laugh.

The two reached the canteen soon after their conversation, and sat with their friends.

While the others were talking, Marceline zoned out and looked at the canteen in detail. Everything seemed to be going smoothly except…

Marceline saw a vast boy, if he could even be called a boy, he looked more like an oversized gorilla to be exact, was leering over at a younger spectacled boy. She, although faraway, could hear a faint conversation.

"Give me your money," the gorilla-boy asked, clenching his muscles threateningly

"But…but, I need this money. I need it to take the bus home and buy my sick grandma a present."

"You think I give a fuck? Give it NOW!" The older boy snarled, spit flying from his mouth.

Finn lifted his head up, looking away from Gumball who he was talking to earlier and made his way to the boys swiftly. He stood by the younger boy, looking heroic, with his signature hat, and ready stance.

"Is something wrong?" He said smoothly, but there was a furious glint in his eyes

"Step aside Finn, this isn't your problem." The older boy barked, but he looked more unsure than he did seconds ago.

"I'm afraid I can't have you picking on Samuel here who is innocent." Finn said. The older boy took a swipe to Finn and Finn calmly dodged and punched the bully in the face.

"I mean what I say Vernon." Finn looked at Vernon and his bloody nose with contempt and everyone surrounding cheered, it seemed Vernon picked on more than just Samuel.

"What the bloody hell was that all about?" Marceline said turning to Bonnibel, she sighed at the swear

"Marceline-language. Finn can't stand bullies, he was a target when he was a kid, because he was an orphan and now I guess he's the 'hero' of the school, always standing up for the weaker and defenceless people."

Marceline nodded.

Hi guys! I'm going to make all chapters starting from now slightly longer (1.5k+ words) because I noticed they are quite short. Thanks for reading and don't forget to review and give suggestions for scenes, constructive advice or questions. Next chapter either be another day at school or Marshall and Marceline visiting Simon, please tell me which you would prefer. Thank.