Chapter 11: Marceline and Bonnie.

"Finn?" Minerva asked with a hint of surprise. Finn stepped forward quickly with a nervous smile on his face.

"Sorry, I'm late, I had to do some things" he said clearly improvising.

"What kind of things?" his mom asked slightly concerned when she noticed his evasive tone.

"Nothing, Mom. I was..." he said quickly trying to change the subject "fixing something, but that's it" he was silent for a moment before adding with a furtive glance towards his professor "you know? school things"

Minerva arched an eyebrow clearly unconvinced by her son's answer but decided not to press or insist so abruptly.

"Sit down, Finn. We were just talking about something very important" she indicated, pointing to an empty chair next to her.

Bonnie remained silent, observing her student's attitude and sensed that something was not right but preferred not to press any further at that moment. Minerva, on the other hand, was not so easily fooled. As Bonnie talked about what they could do to help him get through the year, Minerva noticed how Finn avoided talking about his grades or any issues that might have held him back.

Finn, on the other hand, plopped down in his chair trying to look interested in the conversation his mother and professor were having. But his mind was betraying him, taking him back to the incident of a few minutes ago.

*Flashback*

He had left math class in a hurry, looking to get to the lecture on time. But when he was in the hallway, some bullies intercepted him, blocking his way with their mocking laughter.

"Look who's in a hurry" said one of them, crossing his arms with a mischievous grin, "Wwhere do you think you're going, weirdo?"

Finn did not answer him, trying to ignore them; but it was useless, another one pushed him against the wall.

"You're leaving so fast? you're not even going to greet us?" he mocked.

Before Finn could react he felt himself being grabbed by the shoulders and pulled towards the back exit. The cool air hit him just as he realized they were in the teachers' parking lot and what they planned to do to him.

"Hey, let go of me" Finn shouted, struggling unsuccessfully to get free.

"Come on, don't be like that. It's just a harmless prank" one of the bullies as they lifted the lid of a trash can. In a matter of seconds, they threw him in and slammed the lid.

"Help! Get me out, you jerks!" the blond boy cried moving through the trash, laughter echoed as Finn hit the inside of the dumpster, furious and humiliated "get me out of here!"

He stopped shouting and hitting the inside of the container when he heard how the three of them kicked the container from the outside causing him to fall backwards over some sealed bags. The footsteps moved away, as did the laughter, and it took Finn several minutes to find a way to get out of there on his own as the container had flipped over due to the kicks. By the time he managed to get out, he was covered in dirt, scratches and his clothes were covered in stains of doubtful origins but he had no time to regret it, he could not go back to the bathroom to try to clean his clothes a bit either. Without wasting any more time he ran towards the lab, when he reached the door, he did his best to pull himself together before getting inside.

*Flashback end*

Back in the present, Finn clenched his fists under the table remembering the humiliation. He was barely listening to what Bonnie and Minerva were saying, but when his mother called out to him, he was startled.

"Finn?" Minerva repeated looking at him expectantly "Have you been paying attention?"

"Uh... y-yes... yeah, of course" he murmured, though he had no idea what they had been talking about all that time.

Minerva looked at him with a look of concern and suspicion, but decided to leave the subject aside for the moment.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but lately Finn has been completely lost in my subject. He barely pays attention in class, he falls asleep, he doesn't make an effort to study and needless to say, this is the second time he has failed an exam that contains even the most basic exercises" Bonnie explained, tapping with her magenta pen on the paper that had the last exam where all the unanswered questions and those that the teenager had certainly failed to answer on his own were marked in red "Mrs. Campbell, this is serious, if Finn has failed the exam, he could end up repeating the year" she explained seriously, looking at Minerva for a reaction. She sighed, leaning back in her chair.

"I suspected it... but I don't know what to do. Finn has been so... how shall I put it? odd at home lately. He's distracted, but I haven't been able to get a clear answer out of him. What do you propose he could do?"

Bonnie moved a little closer, lowering her voice so Finn would not hear her as she made her proposal.

"Maybe we should find a tutor for him or a study group...he doesn't have to do this by himself, but he needs to find a different approach if he really wants to make it through the year."

Minerva nodded slowly, her expression changing to a more thoughtful one.

"I understand" she agreed as she gets up from her chair and the pink-haired woman did the same "okay, Bonnie. I'll talk it over with him as soon as he get out of school. Thanks for letting me know."

Bonnie gave a professional smile and nodded before picking up her things.

"I hope it works out, Mrs. Campbell. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call me."

Finn walked silently beside his mother as they left the school behind. Minerva had not said much since their lecture with Bonnie, but her expression was serious. Finn knew he was in trouble; nevertheless, he could not find the words to break the ice.

Finally, Minerva stopped, forcing Finn to do the same.

"Finn" the short blonde haired woman spoke, turning to him with her arms crossed.

"Yes, Mom?" he replied, trying to sound calm even though he was dying of nerves inside.

"Can we talk for a moment before we go home?" Minerva asked, pointing to a nearby bench. Finn swallowed, he knew something was not right but he simply obeyed and followed his mom, he sat down next to her while trying to avoid her gaze "can you tell me what's been going on with you lately?"

Finn looked up but avoided looking directly at her.

"Nothing, mom" the teenager replied "just... you know? School stuff"

Minerva shook her head, clearly frustrated.

"No, Finn. It's not just school stuff. I was talking to your professor, she told me that you've been failing exams, that you don't pay attention in class. And today you were late for our meeting, what's going on?"

The boy swallowed hard, desperately looking for an excuse that sounded convincing.

"It's just... I was busy with something. I was a little late, that's all" Finn said and then fell silent.

Minerva did not seem convinced, she let out a deep sigh, a clear sign of disappointment.

"Finn, what else are you hiding from me?" Minerva asked, her tone even more serious.

"Nothing, Mom. Really, it's no big deal" he finally answered, although he knew that answer would not be enough "it's just that... I was busy with something. That's why I was a little late"

"Why didn't you tell me that you failed Chemistry again?" the woman asked with a tone of voice more disappointed than annoyed "how many other things are you hiding from me, Finn?"

The blond-haired teenager felt the knot in his stomach tighten.

"I didn't want to worry you, Mom. I know you're busy with the hospital and... I thought I could handle it."

Minerva let out a deep sigh, running a hand across her forehead.

"It's not about whether you can handle it or not, Finn. I'm your mother. I'm here to help you, but I can't do that if you're lying to me or keeping things from me" Finn lowered his head, feeling smaller and smaller "I'm sorry... Listen, I need you to take your studies seriously. That's why I've decided that you won't be going to the festival with Phoebe"

When Minerva announced her decision, Finn slumped back on the bench, his frustration palpable.

"What? No, Mom!" Finn cried, raising his voice in despair "you can't do this to me!"

"I can and I will. Unless you show that you are committed to getting better, you've no right to go to the festival with your lady friend" his mother said in a firm tone of voice that indicated she was unwilling to change her mind.

"What if I try harder" the boy suddenly proposed with an almost pleading tone of voice "what if I pass the make-up exam? I promise, I'll study and I'll get a better grade..." but the woman raised a hand to stop him.

"I'm sorry, Finn. But I can't trust your promises if you don't fulfill your responsibilities, unless..." she continued "if you really try hard and pass your make-up exam, I'll reconsider my decision. But I want you to take this seriously. Also, you're going to have tutoring twice a week during the afternoons after school with a boy who's close by"

Finn frowned, clearly uncomfortable.

"Tutoring? with whom?" he asked in confusion.

"With a boy named Fern. He's new to the area and is tutoring to cover his expenses."

Finn felt the name echo in his mind, stopping him for a moment. He remembered the night on the bus, when his gaze met that of a blond boy with messy hair and green locks, a guitar resting in his lap.

"Fern" Finn repeated in a whisper, trying not to sound too surprised. Minerva looked at him, intrigued by his reaction.

"Do you know him?"

Finn quickly denied, averting his gaze.

"No... Well, I think I've seen him before, but I don't know him well."

Minerva nodded, not giving it much thought.

"Then this will be a good chance for you to get to know him better" she said "and to focus on your studies"

Finn sighed, knowing he had no choice if he wanted to go to the festival.

"All right, I'll do it. But if I pass the exam, will you let me go to the festival with Phoebe?"

Minerva nodded slowly, though her expression remained serious.

"If you prove you can keep your word and pass, then you can go to the festival. But I want results, Finn. No more excuses."

Finn nodded resigned but determined.

"Thank you, Mom" he exclaimed, hugging her "I promise I won't let you down"

As they walked home, his mind kept turning Fern's name over in his head, wondering what it would be like to work alongside someone who, though he barely remembered, had left a small impression on him. He could not help but feel his heart racing as his hands began to sweat inside the pockets of his jeans and his breathing became slightly fast. At that he began to question why a simple mention could alter his rhythm so much.

On the other hand, Minerva could not help but feel relieved that she had come to terms with her son, although deep down she knew that there was still a long way to go before Finn understood the importance of his responsibilities.

The bustle in the downtown area enveloped Marceline as she walked with her bass slung over her shoulder. She had spent the whole morning helping her dad and although the day promised to be a long one, she was eager to lose herself in the music with her band. As she turned a corner, the figure of a certain pink-haired young woman became evident in the distance, Marceline tried to ignore her at first focusing on her own thoughts, but could not stop her eyes from meeting Bonnibel's. The tension was immediate causing the sound of the city to fade almost instantly.

Bonnibel was the first to move, crossing the street to head towards Marceline with a determined stride, though her expression betrayed the discomfort she felt.

"Hey, Marcy" she said in a tone of voice that was firm but softer than it was intended to be.

"Bonnie" the long dark-haired young woman replied bowing her head, she adjusted the strap of her bass case as if preparing for whatever was coming next.

The silence that followed was dense, full of unspoken words. Bonnie was the first to break that tension, unable to bear the distance she felt for much longer.

"It's been a long time since we've spoken" she said, though she knew that sentence wouldn't lighten the load.

"Yeah, I guess we've both been busy with our own stuff" Marceline replied in a neutral, almost cold tone of voice. Bonnibel lowered her gaze for a moment before raising it again to look at Marceline with a mixture of nostalgia and doubt. Silence settled between them again, but this time, Marceline was the one who decided to face it "why are you talking to me now, Bonnie?"

"I guess..." Bonnibel hesitated, searching for the right words "I wanted to make sure you were okay"

"You care about me now?" Marceline asked with a dry laugh, though her eyes reflected neither mockery nor amusement.

"I've always cared about you, Marcy" Bonnie took a step back, as if those words had physically struck her "I just... don't know if I was doing it the right way"

The comment disarmed Marceline for a moment, but instead of letting the emotion get the better of her, she straightened her shoulders and shook her head.

"I have to go. My band is waiting for me" without giving Bonnie time to answer, Marceline turned and started walking away, leaving the pink-haired woman alone amidst the bustle of the city. Bonnibel watched her go, with a weight on her chest that she knew would not go off so easily. At that, the long dark-haired young woman stopped briefly before turning to Bonnie, her gaze looking more relaxed though still containing traces of tension "all right. Maybe we should've a serious talk about what happened between us... some other time."

Bonnie, surprised by the response, nodded slowly.

"Sounds good to me. Shall I write to you and we'll agree?"

"Sure" Marceline readjusted the strap on her bass, trying to keep her composure "but don't get your hopes up too high. I don't know if it will make a difference"

"Sometimes it's not about change" Bonnie gave a faint smile that was more hopeful than before "but about understanding"

Marceline did not reply, simply raised a hand in farewell before resuming her walk. Although the interaction had been awkward, the promise of a future meeting left a door open to something else.

The sound of the bass echoed softly in the cellar while Marceline tuned the strings, adjusting the last details before starting the rehearsal. The rest of the band was ready: Georgy was tapping the drumsticks against his legs to the rhythm of an improvised melody, Wendy along with Phoebe and another girl were going over some verses on the paper containing the lyrics of the song they would play, and Booboo was going over some notes on his trumpet.

Marceline looked toward the door, expecting Fern to appear at any moment.

"What about Fern?" Booboo asked raising his voice above the scattered noises. Marceline shrugged, still tuning her bass.

"He probably fell asleep again. You know how he is."

The drummer let out a laugh.

"Classic Fern" Georgy commented, still laughing "do you think he remembers we had rehearsal today?"

"If he doesn't show up in the next five minutes, I'll call him" Marceline sighed, putting the bass aside as she crossed her arms.

Just as she was about to pull out her phone, the cellar door burst open. Fern came in almost running, his hair in a mess and his guitar thumping against his back as he tried to catch his breath.

"Sorry, I'm sorry" he gasped, raising a hand as if that was enough to calm the stares that were watching him.

"Did you sleep too much or what?" Marceline asked arching an amused but also a bit exasperated eyebrow. Fern quickly shook his head, putting his guitar down on the floor as he reached into his pocket for something.

"No, it's not that. It's just that... I had to sort some things out on the way. But I'm here now."

Marceline looked at him for a moment, noticing the sweat on his forehead and how he avoided looking directly at her. She decided not to press him, at least not at that moment.

"It's all right. I just hope you won't be late again. Let's start from the beginning."

Fern nodded, putting her guitar in position as the rest of the band got ready. Despite the delay, everyone was ready to immerse themselves in the music and get ready for the festival. As the rehearsal continued, Marceline tried to concentrate on the chords of her bass but her mind wandered back to the meeting with Bonnibel a few hours earlier. She could not help but think of Bonnie's words, especially that line:

"Sometimes it's not about changing, it's about understanding."

I don't know how to explain this but... it feels strange to imagine myself talking to Bonnie again in a calm way, as if everything could be fixed with a simple chat. And so much has happened between us that the idea of facing these old feelings again makes me very uncomfortable.

"Marcy," Fern's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"What?" she answered looking up.

"You're getting ahead of the beat again" Fern said with a mischievous grin "what happened? Now you decide to break the rules?"

"Oh, yeah?" the long dark-haired young woman frowned visibly irritated "and who are you to talk about breaking the rhythm, Fern? Yesterday you were ahead of the beat like three times"

"Well, at least I wasn't thinking about who knows what while I was playing" Fern answered, not missing the opportunity to tease her. That comment generated an immediate reaction in Marceline, who put the bass aside, crossing her arms while looking at him with narrowed eyes.

"Do you want to keep teasing, or would you rather rehearse for real?"

Fern held up his hands in a gesture of surrender, though his smirk was still present.

"Relax, Marcy. I'm just saying you should follow your own rules, shouldn't you?"

Before the discussion could escalate, Wendy, the keyboardist, interjected with an amused tone.

"Are you going to keep fighting like little kids, or can we get back to rehearsal?"

The interruption was enough to break the tension. Marceline and Fern exchanged a glance before bursting out laughing in unison.

"Okay, okay" Marceline said picking up her bass again "but watch out, Fern. If you get ahead of me, I'm not going to forgive you so easily."

"Same here, boss" he replied, adjusting his guitar with a smile.

The rehearsal continued with more energy, and although the initial tension was behind them, Marceline could not prevent her mind from going back to Bonnibel and the possibility of seeing her again soon. As Marceline and Fern exchanged challenging glances, the rest of the band looked at them a mixture of amusement and impatience.

"Are they going to go on like this the whole day?" Wendy asked, crossing her arms with a sarcastic smile "because if they want to, we can put a ring right here for them to let off steam"

Fern chuckled, but Marceline was not about to let it go that easily.

"Oh, sure, Wendy. But there's no need for a ring when Fern already knows he doesn't stand a chance with me" the woman commented teasingly and defiantly.

"You think so?" Fern arched an eyebrow, picked up his green electric guitar and placed his hands on the strings "do you want to check it out right now, because I'm sure I can play better than you even with my eyes closed"

The rest of the group started giggling as Marceline narrowed her eyes, accepting the challenge wordlessly.

"Okay, Mr. Star guitarist" she said, leaning the bass against her chest and pointing at it with a defiant smile "if you're so talented, why don't you show what you're worth?"

Fern needed no further invitation. She began to play a fast, complex melody, her fingers moving deftly over the guitar strings. The others were silent, impressed by his skill, but Marceline was undeterred. When the teenager finished, Marceline picked up her bass and, with a look of pure confidence, began playing a rhythm line that perfectly complemented Fern's melody, adding a personal touch that left the rest of the band gasping.

"Well, I guess they're both great" Wendy interrupted, raising her hands to stop the musical duel "but if you're done showing off, maybe we can rehearse the whole song, right?"

Marceline and Fern looked at each other, still with defiant smiles but finally began to laugh.

"All right, all right" Fern said raising his hands in surrender "Marcy, you're a worthy opponent."

"And you don't play too badly for someone who is always late" Marceline joked as she adjusted the rhythm of her bass.

The rehearsal progressed steadily, the melodies and chords filling the cellar with an almost palpable energy. Marceline, however, remained restless. As she adjusted the strings of her bass between songs, her gaze rested on her lyric notebook, which she had carelessly left on a table at the back of the room.

Wendy noticed her distraction and decided to intervene.

"What's wrong with you, Marcy? You're more thoughtful than usual"

"Nothing, I'm okay" Marceline replied quickly, but Wendy did not seem convinced.

"Is it something to do with that notebook?" she asked, pointing to the object with a casual gesture.

Marceline tensed, but she knew she could not avoid the conversation for long.

"Maybe..." she murmured, getting up to pick up the notebook. She held it in her hands for a moment before looking at her bandmates, "I want to tell them that I've been working on something... a song.

The group was silent, surprised until Fern was the first to speak.

"The famous secret song?" the blond-haired boy with green-dyed tips asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Yes, that's the one" Marceline admitted confessed turning the pages carefully "I wasn't sure if I should show it to you, but I think it's time to put it into practice" the band reacted enthusiastically, forming a semicircle around Marceline as she explained the rhythm and tone "there's a part here" the young woman said, pointing to the lines in the notebook, "where I thought we could do a duet" turning to Fern "Fern, I'd like you to sing it with me"

Fern walked over to read what was marked in the notebook, her expression changing from one of curiosity to interest.

"This looks great, Marcy. I'd love to, but..."he looked at the time on his phone and his face darkened slightly "I don't have time now. It'll have to be another day."

"What? Why?" Marceline asked, visibly embarrassed. Fern picked up his guitar and put the strap around his shoulders.

"I'm really sorry, I'd like to stay longer but I have to go to work" the teenager replied "I'm starting today"

The comment caught the attention of the rest of the group.

"Work?" Phoebe asked, cocking her head to the side "since when do you have a job?"

Fern smiled nervously, avoiding direct stares.

"Since today."

"And what kind of job is it?" Georgy interjected, clearly intrigued.

"Just a small job to earn some money" Fern replied with a shrug "nothing important"

Marceline watched him, sensing there was more in the story, but decided not to press him.

"Well, I guess that's for next time. But you owe me, Fern."

"I always owe you, Marcy" he replied with a smile before leaving the cellar. As the door closed behind him, Marceline walked back to the center of the group, taking a deep breath.

"All right, then, I'll have to practice alone for now. Is everyone ready?"

The others nodded enthusiastically and the music began. Despite Fern's early absence, the song flowed with an emotional intensity that filled the cellar. Although hesitant at first, Marceline soon lost her embarrassment and let her voice and bass speak for her.

["Inmortal" Lyrics]

Tengo aquí bajo el vestido bien escondiditos tus besos malditos

Mariposas que al alba de regreso a casa se venían conmigo

Yo tengo aquí bajo la cama cada madrugada que la deshicimos

Tengo tantas cosas y ninguna está en su sitio

The sun was starting to set, illuminating the city streets with a warm orange hue. Fern was running with firm but also slightly hurried steps, still feeling the weight of the rehearsal and the energy he had left behind. With his guitar hanging on his back and his hands inside his jacket pockets, he absentmindedly looked at the shop windows and the people passing around him.

Tengo aquí dentro de un vaso la primera ola de aquella mañana

Tengo en uno de mis rizos el ritmo del tango que siempre bailabas

Yo tengo escrito en un suspiro aquellas palabras que nunca dijimos

Tengo tantas cosas y ninguna está en su sitio

The walk to the building where he lived was not long, but that afternoon seemed to go on forever, the thought of starting work making him more nervous than he wanted to admit. Although money was tight and he desperately needed it, tutoring high school kids was something Fern could hardly enjoy doing.

Después de ti entendí que el tiempo no hace amigos

Que corto fue al amor y que largo el olvido

When he arrived he climbed upstairs to the floor where he had been assigned a room for the tutoring sessions. The atmosphere was quiet and the echo of his footsteps echoed softly in the corridors, there were not many people hanging around at that hour, he guessed that most of the teachers were out doing their daily work or doing their own activities. Fern adjusted his guitar strap, thinking about how he would cover the class.

Seré tu luz, seré un disfraz

Una farola que se encienda al pasar

Cualquier mariposa, la estrella polar

Que viene sola y muy solita se va

Seré el sabor de un beso en el mar

Un viejo proverbio sobre cómo olvidar

Seré inmortal porque yo soy tu destino

Cuando finalmente llegó a la sala, empujó la puerta con cautela y apoyó su guitarra en una esquina de la habitación. Fue entonces ahí cuando lo vio: sentado en una silla, revisando su teléfono, estaba Finn. Fern se detuvo en seco, su mente lo llevó de nueva cuenta a aquella noche cuando se conocieron en el autobús.

*Flashback*

He turned to see that boy, he realized that they were watching and again tries to hide his face with the hood of his black jacket but that did not work.

"You!" Finn got up from his place and walked towards the boy "I know you ... you're the boy I saw leaving school"

"What did I do? Should I answer him or simply ignore him? I don't know"

"Hey, are you listening to me?" Finn asked, drawing Fern out of his thoughts.

"What? Y-yes, of course...I mean, yes, I was listening to you" answered Fern as if nothing had happened "whatever, what are you doing here at this hour? not that I want to know about that or anything but it makes me strange that every time I go somewhere you have to appear suddenly"

"I'm sorry if I'm bothering you but I could not sleep so I left my house to think a little," Finn lied, thinking that this boy would believe his lie but that did not happen.

"I don't believe you, I see your look and I know you're lying to me" Fern commented "you're bad to lie, are not you? What's more, I'm pretty sure you ran away from home to go somewhere without the permission of your parents"

"T-That's not true, I'm telling the truth" Finn replied nervously frightened the idea that that boy could get him in trouble, more than I was-I just left my house, I didn't escape to go nowhere why don't you believe me?

"Yes, of course I believe you, and as I said before, I think you're very bad at lying...but...I can teach you to lie properly if you want."

"No thanks, I had enough to see you when I left school and treat me badly. I don't even know your name! What's your name?"

"Does it matter my name? I told you I don't want to tell you, you shouldn't be so interested in knowing my name"

"I'm interested!" Finn almost screamed, Fern glanced at him, and then looked away in embarrassment "when you meet someone...you have to tell him/her your name, otherwise he/she'll never know who he/she's talking to, or when you'll meet again that person you just met and... and... that's why I told you my name"

"And who do you think you are to tell me how I should behave when I talk to a person? My mom? Ha ha ha, I don't think so" Fern replied with some sarcasm in his voice.

"No, but I'm just trying to give you some advice. I didn't know you were going to take it like that, I'm sorry" Finn said, when he said "I'm sorry" he did it in a low voice so that the boy with the green-tinted hair would not listen to him "by the way, where are you going to this at dawn?"

"I'm going to a party, my friends are waiting for me there," Fern replied.

"Don't you think it's a bit late to go to a party?"

"Hey, it's never too late to go to a party" Fern said a little annoyed at the boy's questions, turned his head to see the night landscape through the bus window.

After that, neither of them spoke again, occasionally exchanging glances, but that made Finn feel a bit uncomfortable and quickly turned his gaze back to another corner of the bus. He only hoped that his mother did not know that he ran away from home to go to the same party that the boy was sitting next to him, he was not like that, and he had never disobeyed his mother before and he was afraid that he would get into problems when return home.

"Hey, hey you!" He call him the boy next to him bringing him back to the reality "J-just...I just wanted to tell you...my name is Fern. You asked me in the morning and I...well, I just wanted to answer"

"It did not matter, you said you did not want her to know your name so...I guess there was no need to tell me," Finn said with a shrug. Fern just laughed a little at the attitude of the boy "hey, don't laugh, I'm serious!"

"I'm not laughing at you, silly. I laughed at how badly you were trying to be cool" Fern replied, still laughing, a little annoying to Finn who hit him in the arm "hey, why are you hitting me?"

"You're an idiot, you know that?"

*Flashback end*

He recognized the boy instantly: the blond hair, the slightly relaxed posture, and that expression of someone who was where he did not want to be.

Finn looked up when he heard the door open and, for a second, his eyes also showed recognition.

"You?!" both asked in unison.