Just in case you forgot, Lord Monichromicorn is Manny Chromicorn.
Like yesterday, Marshall followed me through the back of the school instead of the entrance closest to his locker. I savored every glorious moment he chose to spend with me before I handed him over to Bonnibel.
I pushed him to the side, laughing. "Ha! It's my brownie!" Some of the freshmen stared at us in confusion and ran out of our way. I ran down the hall as fast as I could. I could hear Marshall's loud footsteps behind me, which triggered something in me to erupt into an intense fit of giggles.
"Fionna!" Marshall growled. I stopped running and spun around, dodging Marshall's tackle. He fell to the ground with a thud.
"I win," I said with a smug look. I walked up next to him and squatted down to sit next to him on the ground.
"Can I have a piece?" Marshall gave me pitiful puppy eyes and outstretched a sad hand. Oh, I can't resist this boy. If I told him who baked them, though, he would surely barf before putting it in his mouth. He was absolutely repulsed by even Gumball's name.
I reached into the plastic back and tore off a piece. "What's the magic word?" I teased.
"Please?" Marshall tried. I smirked and shook my head. "Wrong!" I popped the piece of brownie into my mouth and stood up, heading to Cake's locker. I almost ran right into Bonnibel as I turned the corner. "Whoa! Didn't see ya' there!" I cried automatically.
She smiled pleasantly and stepped around me, I wanted to rip her perfect nose off. I saw Marshall smile at her flustered, as he quickly got off the floor. He ran over to me and grabbed my arm, dragging me to Cake's locker where she was still snickering at my loud outburst. "Hey! Ouch, Marshall!" I cried, clawing at his strong grip.
"Dude, that was so embarrassing..." Marshall groaned as he pushed me against the locker next to Cake's. I looked up at him surprised he was being so rough.
"Hey, mind letting me go?" I asked sarcastically.
Marshall looked down to realize he was still tightly gripping my bicep. "Oh, sorry, Fi."
"Who cares if it was embarrassing anyways? I thought you and Bonnibel were cool," I said, confused and rubbing my arms.
"We are..."
"Well?"
"Well, what?"
"Well why is it embarrassing? If, like you said, you guys were so 'cool' with each other, she shouldn't even care." I furrowed my brows and crossed my arms. Cake closed her locker and leaned against her locker to stare at Marshall as well. He looked down at me for a second before pressing his lips into a tight line and giving me an angry look.
"I wouldn't expect you to understand, Fionna. You're so ignorant. You're always just wrapped up in your own little world, I bet you can't even see-"
"Whoa, Marshall. You better shut the fuck up before you get your ass kicked!" Cake practically hissed. She slid in between Marshall and I pushed him a couple steps back. I heard Marshall breathing heavy in front of Cake. I was stunned in place. I didn't know what to do with myself. I just watched Marshall as he gave Cake a disgusted look and turned back to me. His face softened so quickly I thought I imagined it before he turned and stormed off into the direction of his locker. I swallowed back my fear and looked down to the weird rattling. Oh. It was me. I was shaking so hard my paper lunch bag was crunching at my tight, trembling fists. I let it go and it fell to the ground.
"Are you okay, Fi?" I heard Cake ask. She rubbed one of my shoulders comfortingly and I looked towards her. I shrugged and regained focus. "What the hell is wrong with him? What did I do?" I asked quietly.
Cake just gave me a concerned look. She picked up my lunch and helped me start moving again. Cry? Confront him? Whine? I didn't even know what to do. I just can't believe he did that. He always seemed so cool and collected around Bonnibel, why is he flipping out on me? I pushed the thoughts out of my head decided to just ignore the whole situation. I grabbed my lunch from Cake's hands and shook off her hands from my elbow.
"Do I have permission to whoop his ass?" Cake asked, placing her hands sternly on her hips as I turned to open my locker.
"Cake! No! He probably just has something going on in his life. Don't get mad..." I said.
"Don't get mad? Don't get mad! Fionna! He just hurt you and yelled in your face! You were so scared! How can I not be mad!" I flinched at her harsh tone.
"You don't know him, Cake. He only acts that way when there's something going on with him. Please, Cake. Just don't..." I pleaded. Cake gave me a confused look.
"But Fi. You should have seen your face! If you saw how you looked..."
"Well, how did I look then?"
"You looked like you were about to cry you were so scared, Fi."
"I was scared..."
"And you don't want to fight? You would fight with anyone else-"
"What if it were Manny, Cake? What if Manny just did that to you? Would you want to fucking fight?" I shouted. People stared as they walked by and I took a step back from Cake as I realized I was yelling in her face. She frowned at me and remained silent for a moment, taken aback.
"Look Fionna. You're my best friend, so I won't do anything... Just be careful around him, okay?" I nodded, not looking at her. Cake took a step back like she was about to leave but I stopped her.
"Wait, Cake. I'm sorry I yelled at you..." I apologized. I sighed and leaned against my locker door, "I-I just... I don't know..." I looked down in shame and felt my hair cover my face. I saw Cake's feet take a step closer to me, and she pulled me into a hug.
"It's okay, I understand. Boys can go suck a truck," she said quietly as she patted my back. I chuckled a little and hugged her back. She released me and smiled. "I've got to go to class. But seriously. Be careful what you say to him. I may not know him that well, but I can tell he's a ticking time bomb. Okay?"
I nod. "Okay."
"Good girl." Cake released my shoulders, gave me one last reassuring smile, and turned around to get to her class. She disappeared into the cluster of rushing students behind me and I turned back to my locker.
After I've unloaded the contents of my backpack into my locker and hang the bag on the hook inside, I shut the locker door to find Marshall standing behind it and I jump. I'm almost too stunned to see him to say anything.
"Fionna..." Marshall said quietly.
"M-Marshall." I give him a polite smile, but try to keep things casual. I force myself to relax in his presence and lean against the lockers like I'm preparing to have a long conversation with him. I look into his eyes, and I can tell he wants to say something. "What's up?"
"I wanted to apologize... I shouldn't have said those things. It was way out of line..."
"Really, Marshall, it's okay," I say, trying to be convincing.
"How can you just brush it off like that? Fionna, I hurt you."
"Marshall, I'm fine. I'm a big girl now, see? I'm taller than you," I joke, putting my hand on my head and pretending like it swipes over his. "Bam, right over your head."
He chuckled at my joke. He looked down, examining me with his dark eyes. I didn't know whether to crack another joke or excuse myself. He always did this, cut off our joking to just look at me. Sometimes I don't know how to act around him. I fumbled with my hair to avoid eye contact and just let him look. Finally he spoke up.
"Why don't we hang out after school today? You can get off at my bus stop. You're parents don't get home 'til five right?" Marshall asked, already making plans. I was supposed to ride home with Gumball to study for my exams.
"Oh, actually I can't, hehe..." He'll hate me if I say I have to get with Gumball for awhile.
"Why not?" Marshall asked.
"III have... to... go... to... the... dentist?"
"Why did you say it like that?"
"Because! Because... I'm... I'm not sure if it's the dentist, or the orthodontist. Maybe I have a doctor's appointment? I don't know! Hehehe..." Glob, I'm such a bad liar...
"Oh."
"Yeah, pfft, it's like, straight after school!"
"Okay, well, maybe we can hang out Friday then?
"Yeah! Friday's perfect!"
"Great... Now about that brownie-" Marshall was cut off by the late bell.
"Fuck!" I whispered. I didn't even think to check what time it was. "I have to go!" I said, turning around to rush to class.
"Yeah. See yah Friday, Dopey!" Marshall chuckled. I laughed as I turned the corner.
"Ms. Humane, it's nice to see you'll be joining us today," my wood shop teacher addressed with a raised eyebrow, stopping me in my tracks when I opened the door. I gave him a weak smile and a little wave. A little blush crept up from my cheeks as I looked over the rest of the class. The light was turned off and the projector was on. I'm assuming I just interrupted a lecture.
Gumball face-palmed as I walked over to sit by him. I slid into the seat next to him, and he peaked at me through his fingers. I could see the wrinkles in his cheeks that showed he was smiling behind his hands. "That's embarrassing," he whispered to me.
"Shut up!" I hiss at him, causing him to chuckle. We watched halfway through the hour long boring informative video about cooking wood in water to be able to bend it before the teacher paused it and turned the lights back on.
"Today we're going to finish our drawers before the last week of school. The unfinished drawers should be on the table. Go," the teacher said before returning to his desk.
Since Gumball and I finished our drawer the day the project was assigned, we had time to talk.
"So, about the study date tonight..." I started.
"Yes! Don't worry, Fionna. I've actually kept flashcards from last year's curriculum-"
"That's great, Gumball but, uhm, I was wondering if we could go to your place instead..?"
"Oh..."
"What? Can we not?"
"No, it's fine. Just why the change?"
"Eh... I was just thinking I'd be able to focus more in a new environment?" There's the bad lying again.
"Fionna. I know you. Now tell me the truth."
I slumped over and leaned against the desk, letting my hair form a curtain around my face, groaning. "Because my brother..."
"What did he do this time?" Gumball asked. Well at least he's falling for this one.
"After you left... He was so embarrassing..." Well that part was true. After my parents called home, Finn came into my room and found Gumball and I all cute and cuddly sleeping on my bed. He hasn't stopped teasing me about it since.
"Ohhhh. Did he see us...?" Gumball asked cringing. I nodded, still hiding behind my hair. I can't believe Gumball is actually falling for this. I can't really tell him, I told Marshall that I was going to the dentist so your car can't be in my driveway. That would be bad. He would freak at me. For one, he hates when I lie to him. And two, he hates Marshall. I don't know what happened between them. I was kind of scared to ask because at the mention of either one of their names, they'd explode and ignore me for awhile.
"Hey! Why aren't you two working?" The teacher barked at us from behind his computer. I was taken aback, but Gumball spoke up.
"We've actually finished the project," he announced calmly despite the teacher's loud yell.
"Really? Why haven't I seen it?"
"You have," I said, "...idiot..." I mumbled.
"Which one is it?"
"You put it outside on display..." I said without emotion. He did this all the time. He always expected the worst from me because I was the youngest student in his class. And the only girl. I raised an eyebrow as he stared speechless at us before I could actually see him regain his focus... like always. He sat up straight and stroked his beard.
"Oh... of course. Carry on."
"Geez..." Gumball mumbled, sitting back down and turning to me.
"He's gotta do that every time doesn't he?" I joked, shaking my head.
"Eh. I like proving him wrong and then seeing the look on his face," Gumball said, chuckling. His laugh was contagious and I started laughing as well. We joked for the rest of the hour before the bell rang.
Throughout the entire day, I kept zoning out and thinking about summer. I refused to stress over the exams. The math one was tomorrow. The English one next week. The science exam two days after that. I obviously wasn't ready, and was incredibly annoyed by everyone talking about their study crams tonight.
Like yesterday, I practically got on my knees and rejoiced when the last bell rang. Robotics class was so boring! I don't know how I've managed to stay in that class for nine months. Gumball waited for me to get everything in my backpack before we made it over to his.
Avoiding Marshall's locker, I raced Gumball to his car. I threw my stuff into the back seat and rolled down the window. It was so hot today. He started the engine and we sped down the highway to his house.
Like a gentleman, he opened the front door for me when we reached his house. You could almost call it a mansion. This boy had buck.
"Is it weird to say I forgot where your bedroom is?" I asked jokingly. Gumball chuckled. "You'd be surprised to hear how many times I've heard that. C'mon, follow me," Gumball instructed with a wave of his hand. I followed him up two flights of stairs and passed the third microwave I've seen. He opened a door for me, and I tried to hide my awe. His room was twice the size of my living room. Half of one wall was made up of just windows, and his filmy gray curtains let in the nice afternoon sunlight.
I made sure to take even my socks off before I step foot on his plush carpet, I could sleep on this carpet without any blankets or pillows. I walked up the few steps to his king sized bed and collapsed. It was like lying on a cloud. "Gumball I need to come over more often..." I grumbled, closing my eyes. I stretched my arms our and relaxed, feeling another nap coming on.
"Sure, just don't take any more naps," he chuckled.
"What if taking a nap is the soul purpose of why I even came over?"
"Then you can nap, but you came over to study remember? The exams?" Gumball stood over me and raised an eyebrow. I groaned and rolled over so I didn't have to look at him.
"I don't wanna!" I whined into the blankets.
"Alright. I'll give you a few minutes. I want to change into something a little more comfortable..."
"Hmmkay..." I moaned. I heard Gumball chuckle as the squeak of a door opening could be heard as well.
I was almost falling into oblivion when I felt a cold hand on my shoulder.
"Fionna?" I heard someone say, waking me up. I opened my eyes slowly to see Gumball leaning over me, a smirk on his lips. He changed his clothes into a light blue tank top and a darker blue Adidas basketball shorts. "Ready to study?"
"Oh... yea, sure," I groaned. Gumball laughed and helped me get off the bed. We switched to the coffee table and couch to study instead.
I actually had fun studying with Gumball. We studied up until four thirty before Gumball offered to drive me home. We got into his car quickly and began speeding down the highway.
Ever the gentleman, Gumball opened my car door for me when we arrived at my house, and I ruffled his hair. He made a silly face, but helped me take my heavy book bag out of the car.
"Oh, crap!" Gumball shouted. All of my book, pencils, and papers spilled out of the bag and crashed onto the ground. "Sorry! Sorry!" Gumball cried, immediately falling to his knees and began stuffing the items back into the book bag. "It's fine, Gumball," I bent down to help him.
"No it's not! Don't help, I did this!" He scooted closer to me, blocking me from picking up one of my study guides. I laughed and pushed him back.
"It's fine!" I repeated, snatching a book and shoving it into the bag.
"No it's not!" Gumball booty bumped as I laughed, scooting me to the side. When I looked up, my heart stopped.
Marshall watched us from the road in front of my house on his bike. I knew what the dark look on his face meant, and I felt my heart shatter into a billion pieces. He wasn't going to talk to me for a while. He was going to try to avoid me until I came crying at his feet. I could see it now, I would follow him around like a puppy until I would get a reaction from him again.
"How was the dentist, Fionna?" Marshall asked sarcastically with a sneer.
"Marshall..." I started.
"Save it," he snapped bitterly, "I'm going home..."
I watched him pedal his way down the street until he disappeared over the hill. I sighed and pulled my knees to my chest, resting my head on them.
"Fi?" Gumball asked gently, lightly touching my bicep. I didn't respond to him. "It's all cleaned up now."
Without making eye contact, I took the bag from him and quickly made my way to my front door. I already had my keys tightly clutched in my fist.
"Wait!" I heard Gumball cry behind me. I didn't stop. I was already pushing the door open when I felt his hand on my bicep again. He spun me around, but I didn't look at him. I stared down at his hand tightly around my arm. "You know you can talk to me right?" Gumball asked quietly. I swallowed and pulled my arm away.
"Goodbye," I tried to say emotionless, but it came out more distressful than I hoped it would. Before I slammed the door shut, I heard Gumball mumble, "Good luck on the exams."
Like I could focus on them now.
"So this morning I almost asked my mom if I could start driving myself to school instead, but I didn't feel like explaining myself to her. I walked, though, instead. School's not that far from my house," I explained to Cake after the last school bell rang. Today was hectic, trying to escape Marshall. I decided I'd give him a day to himself instead of following him around, begging for forgiveness. Not to mention I was late trying to walk to school. I hadn't woken up early enough to make it on time.
"Fi, you're talking like this is normal!" Cake exclaimed, shutting her locker. "You need to talk to Marshall. He's sensitive."
"I know, I know."
"I mean he's so sensitive, he probably starts more drama than a girl does!" Cake joked. "But, uh, tell me why you even like him again?"
"I ask myself that everyday, and I don't even know why!" I cried, exasperated by myself. Gumball would be a good boyfriend, I thought as I turned the knob on my locker.
"Hey Fionna!" I heard Gumball cry from across the hall. Speak of the devil. I turned and smiled at him.
"Hey I'm really sorry about yesterday. I was just... just really shaken up."
"It's fine. I get you probably had something goin' on. None of my business," Gumball said, waving it off. "But I came over hear to ask about the exam! How do you think you guys did?"
"I was screaming in my head. I didn't get any of it!" Cake groaned.
"Honestly, I think I did pretty good." I said.
Great! See? Studying actually works," Gumball said with a smirk. I punched him in the arm, but smiled anyways. "Shut up. I could've studied on my own. If I wanted to," I joked.
"I think I bombed the exams! Watch me get everything wrong!" Cake moaned into her hands as she covered her face.
"Oh please, you've had better grades than me in every class the entire year," I said. She scoffed, but kept smiling.
"So, Fionna. I was wondering if we could hang out after school? Maybe?" Gumball asked, taking a step closer to me. I could smell his cologne, and it swirled into my head, messing everything up for a moment. I forced myself to focus again. I really didn't feel like going out with anyone today. Especially when Marshall and I were supposed to hang out today. I highly doubt that he'd want to even see me, though.
"Oh. Gumball. I can't..." I started. Gumball's face immediately dropped, and I felt a tug at my heart.
"Oh... Well, why not?" Gumball asked, disappointment obvious in his voice.
"Well..." I glanced at Cake for a second before I looked back up to face Gumball.
"Because we're having an all girl's night at my place!" Cake shouted a little too loudly. She wrapped her arm around me and pulled me tightly to her side. "We gon' celebrate the math exams being over!"
I looked back up at Gumball and saw the smile return to his face. "Sounds fun. Well, see you guys Monday, then." Gumball waved as he made his way to the nearest exit. We waved after him. "...thanks..." I muttered to Cake after he was gone.
"Anytime, babe."
"Except. I really don't want to be out tonight. I just want to stay home and-"
"Oh don't worry, you weren't actually coming over anyways. I have a date with Manny tonight! But I'm still driving you home."
"Okay."
Half an hour after I came home, I watched the school bus pass my house and drop Lily Sue Peters, or LSP, off at my stop and watched her walk home. I sighed. I missed Marshall. I regretted ever lying to him. I should have just told him who I was going with. Even if he did hate Gumball, he wouldn't hate me for being friends with him.
My phone vibrated in front of me, and I checked to see who texted me. My heart skipped a beat.
Marshall:
We still hanging out?