GUMLEE Shorts

The Spirit

It was Christmas Eve. The perfect time to start preparing for the tomorrow's day. I stood in a middle of a crowd of people waiting for the lights to let us cross. I inserted my gloved hands into the pockets of my trench coat as I held onto the latte I just bought, momentarily taking a sip whether the wind makes me feel cold.

I pulled my face up and caught a glimpse of a familiar face. "Hey! Gumball! Bubba! Over hear!!" Her hands waved around as her strands of golden hair started to pop out of her beanie.

I waved back with a sneer. Hoping she would quit trying to catch my attention left alone other people's attention. But still she jumped up an down from where she was standing.

"Fionna calm down." I pointed at her with my lips emphasising what I was saying so she could just hear me with my lips. I didn't want people to think I still needed someone to cheer as I crossed this road.

"Yes! Gumball! You! You with the puffy trench coat! The one holding coffee with the pink beanie that you got from your grandmother!!" Sweet Glob Fionna.

I sneered once more. I could feel hundreds of eyes staring into my very soul. I walked faster and took Fionna by her hand. "Come on." I grunted pulling her to the nearest empty bench I could find.

"Merry Christmas Eve, Gumball." She giggles as I let her sit down on the bench. She tucks a few hair strands behind her ear and fixes her skirt as she sat down.

"Same to you too, Fionna." I bowed my head a bit as I continue to sit down beside her.

I watch as her eyes shifted back to the snow pouring down slowly onto our heads. She batters her lashes and shook her head to remove the snow that was already covering her own beanie. She giggles once more then sips from her own cup of coffee.

"So. Are you going tomorrow?" I asked as I set aside my drink.

"Am I?" She takes a spit from her coffee, kind of surprised I asked that question. "Of course, I'm going. I'm not going to miss out on the gifts now would I?"

"Point taken." I chuckle as I watch the cars passing by.

"You know, you can switch your gift partner." She added noticing that I was spacing out already.

There was a little thing we have been doing since college, ever since we started to hang out, we had a Christmas deal. Every year we have this get together in anyone's house and celebrate Christmas there. But there was this slightly annoying twist.

On our first Christmas together we already had assigned each one a partner, and the person you are with will be you gift exchange partner for eternity, depends if you really can't take their bullshit presents. Unfortunately, Marshall was my partner, and every year it gets even worse.

I sighed and rolled my eyes at the thought. Countless lines of gifts started to pile up in my mind, woundering and guessing what would I get from him this year. It's unfair I give him decent gifts and he gives back vomit worthy ones.

"Yeah, but if I switch; he'll think I'm a wuss." I sigh deeply resting my shoulders.

"Oh yeah right." She chuckles, maybe because she thinks I am a wuss because of Marshall's fake stories about me being a whiny baby. "How about you take revenge?" She smiles at me.

"No!" That's the last thing I want to do a this moment I don't want to cause anymore trouble with this. "That's rude." I scoffed.

"No hear me out," she raises two hands up and told me to calm down. She probably noticed my anger rising up again. "Marshall has been a douche to you every year, remember last year?"

I nodded and unfortunately I failed to stop myself to recall what happened.

It was Christmas day, the most splendid time of the year. We all sat down beside the fire place all snuggled up in our poofy sweaters and warm knitted scarfs. We just had our Christmas dinner and everybody was already excited to open the presents. They started pulling it out their bags and gave it to their respective partners. I held the present tightly in hand as I sat beside Marshall.