Hey, everyone! I know it's been like, forever since I've last updated, but I'm not gonna leave you hangin' for too long. I'm back, and here's a new chapter!
!
To say that Marceline was nervous was an understatement.
Her hands were cold and clammy as she put the combination of her locker in. She had gotten Bubblegum's number from her that night, and now, three days later, she had yet to actually text her.
It wasn't for lack of trying, per se, but everytime she typed out a response, she immediately deleted it.
How 'bout, Hey, Bonni, you free this Friday? Marceline thought to herself, no, that seems to desperate.
She began to walk down the hall.
What about, you, me, movies, Friday? No, that's douchey.
"Marcy? MARCEEEEEEEEY!" Marshall Lee called from the other end of the hall, noticing how lost Marceline looked.
Marceline took no notice.
How about, hey, I just met you, and this is crazy, but I think you're really cute, so Friday, maybe?
...Oh God no.
"Marcy! Wake up, girl!" Marshall Lee caught her by the waist, stopping her from wandering into the boys' bathroom.
"What's gotten in to you, girl?" He asked, taking his hands off of her and giving her a worried look.
"Oh, noth-" Marceline stopped, and thought to herself.
Marshall Lee's pretty good with the ladies. Maybe he can give me a bit of advice.
"-Well, there's this... girl." She started, and Marshall's eyes lit up.
"Does the big bad Vampire Queen have a crush?" He asked, pinching Marceline's cheeks.
She swatted his hands away. "I'm serious. I need...I need your advice."
Immediately, his expression became serious. Marceline was never one to ask for help.
"Okay. What's up?" He asked as they entered their classroom.
"Well, I need your help asking out this girl." She said, sitting in her usual chair.
"Hmm. Which 'girl' are we talkin' about?" He asked.
This was the part Marceline was dreading. She herself was out and proud, completely unashamed of being a lesbian. Bonni, on the other hand, had never, to her knowledge, dated a girl, and was rather reluctant of the whole thing.
But, she knew she could trust Marshall not to tell anyone.
Marceline took a deep breath.
"Bonnibel Bubblegum."
Marshall Lee's jaw hit the desk.
!
Lunch came fast for Marceline, and before she knew it, she was being stared at uncomfortably Between classes, Marshall must have told the rest of the gang what had happened.
Marceline mentally facepalmed.
"So, Marcy", Fiona began, being the first of the group to break the silence "I heard you liked... a girl."
Marceline groaned, putting her head on the lunch table.
"Yeah, Marcy. I heard that, too." Fiona's brother piped up from beside her.
"And who did you hear that from?" Marceline hissed, giving a pointed look at her cousin, who shrank in his seat.
"We, uhhh, have no idea what you're talking about." Finn tried.
"It's okay, Finn. Yeah. I told them. I figured they could help you get the crazy out." Marshall Lee said.
"I'm not crazy."
"You are if you like that bitch."
"Don't call her that."
"Why not? That's what she is."
"No she's not!"
"Marcy, you've known her for a couple of weeks. We've all grown up with her. She hides behind her 'responsible' persona, but I don't think she's even capable of caring for another person. She's had plenty of boyfriends, but none for longer than about six months. She's bad news, Marcy, and none of us wanna see you get hurt."
"You sound bitter, Marshall. Simon always said that bitterness was a terrible trait, Marshall."
"That's not fair, Marceline."
"What's 'not fair' is liking a girl that one of your friends liked."
Marceline fell silent, looking around the table. All of her friends stared back, with the exception of one.
"You're telling me that Finn had a crush on her?"
"I'm right here!" The bright red Freshman said indignantly, only to be shushed by her girlfriend.
"Yeah. A really bad one. Lasted all through his middle school career. Totally embarassing." Marshall stated nonchalantly, sipping his fruit punch.
"Hey, Marshall?" Marceline started, her tone switched from defensive to curious.
"Yeah, Marcy?"
"When are you going to tell me the real reason you don't like Bonni?"
The table was silent once again, everyone now staring at Marshall, who had frozen, the straw of his beverage still in his mouth. He calmly set the drink down, and looked at Marceline.
The look in his eyes was a mixture of hurt, anger, and betrayal, and he calmly got up and left the table, then the room.
!
Marceline was having a hard time tracking down her cousin.
She had checked the bathrooms on each hall, then the Janitor's closets, then any classrooms that were unoccupied, with no luck.
Just as she was close to giving up, she heard a soft, broken voice carrying from...somewhere.
I am the Waiting One, it seems.
She followed it, getting close enough to hear the next verse.
Days grow somber quickly.
She rounded the corner of a hallway, hoping to see Marshall, but met with a wall.
Now how the quiet is release.
And I feel so lonely.
Retracing her steps, Marceline came to the beginning of the fine arts hallway.
How did you think I would feel?
Marceline reached the end of the hallway, to the band room, where the sound was the loudest.
Throw me aside again.
How did you think I would feel?
She peeped in through the window, and saw Billy strumming his guitar, and Marshall singing, a hurt expression on his face.
I won't let you hurt me again, now.
Marceline was torn between opening the door and hugging her cousin, and simply sitting back and watching.
I'm nothing to you I can see.
Just walk away from me.
Her question was answered when Billy made eye contact with her and shook his head.
I'm torn up but I can't believe
You sat and watched me bleed.
The song went on for a while, then the bell rang.
Marshall gathereed his things, and Billy motioned for Marceline to enter. She walked up to her cousin, and the stood awkwardly for a few moments, before Marshall spoke.
"I'm sorry."
"It's cool, man." Marceline instantly replied.
"I wanted to tell you, but Fiona was right there."
"I can understand that. You don't wanna talk about your ex-girlfriend right in front of her."
"Boyfriend. Ex-boyfriend."
Marceline was confused. Who was Marshall talking about?
"What? You're bisexual? Who? What even?"
"I wasn't talking about Bonni in the song."
He put his hands on her shoulders.
"I was talking about Bubba."
!
AAAAAAAaaaaaaand end. Right there. No more for you.
Kidding.
I hope you enjoyed the story! the song is 'The Waiting One' by All That Remains. I literally listened to that song for the first time as I was writing it in. So.
Aaaanyways, if you liked it, let me know in the comments, and I'll see you later!
-Z