ʜ ᴏ ʟ ʏ

18.

Part 1
Her foot bobbed from the ground repeatedly, her knee bucking upwards with anticipation. It was takimg everything in her not to lash out on the girl seated ahead, Lsp, as she liked to be called. She kneeded the gum between the crevices of her teeth with a loud 'pop' and 'smack' as she twirled the loose strand of her faded purlple hair. Usually, she could deal with the occasional bull crap she had to offer but there was to much set upon her shoulders at the moment and the girl was taking  far to long for her stress to handle. 5 minutes, for 5 minutes the girl sat upon her chair and contemplated the offer that was dealt upon her, and Marceline couldn't handle it much longer. She fell short to her patience and ushered the words "Lsp," from behind her gritted teeth. "Omg Marceline!" The girl exclaimed, halting the smack of her gum and shoving a annoyed look towards her. "I am trying my best under this situation but your putting alot of pressure on me." It seemed like money wasn't the best coax. There weren't plenty of things you could bribe someone that would make them set fire to the school for. No, not the whole school, just a small indoor fire. She only needed just enough smoke to set off the fire alarms and maybe set off a few sprinkles to soak the school in the clear fluids. The fire would cause an evacuation and all students would be ushered outside for the fire fighters to be contacted to put out the baby flame. Marceline and Bubblegum (as she liked to call her) would be out before the fire is started so their departure wouldn't cost to much commotion. That was the plan indeed, only if Lsp would go through with it. The girls relied on someone to ignite the flame and Lsp was the only person she could bargain trade with. It was now or never that the plan would go through, and Marceline wasn't going to give in so easily. "Lsp." She addressed her, her offer and tone setting itself to professional. "If you help me and go through with this, not only will you receive your moeny reward, but more makeup." It was true, Marceline had a hawks eye and was keen to noticing things plenty didn't. She had took regard to Lsp's shortage of the only makeup products she could smuggle into the school a while back. It wouldn't be such a big deal to some, but makeup pivoted an important role to her. It allowed her to express herself in a school so very bland. Her questionable thoughts had scattered at the mention of the colorful facepalet. Marceline knew the deal was sold, a confirming smiling taking over the straight line of her glossed lips. "I guess I could try." She tried her best to play it off, easing a grin to Marceline's face. The girl could say the times she had smiled had sky rocketed since she took her leave from confinment, especially the nights in the room. Without any supervision from Vivian, Marceline was openly able to speak to her roomate with a night full of laughs. What a friend she had. "Marcy." Lsp snapped, pulling her from her smiling daze. "Sorry, go on." Lsp disregarded her weird blank daze and began to question when she should start the flame, claiming the answer of "two mintues after the bell rings" from Marceline. And there it was, the plan was set, packaged, and shipped. Marceline would have enough time to deliver herself out of the school and to the creek where the trip would begin after the bell. As much as she didn't want to put her freedom in the school at risk, this had to be done. Vivian had it coming. And there it was, loud and clear, pumping adrenaline through her veins. The shriek of the bell dismissed the students from the classes that held them captive. It was time. The girl was sure to grip the worn out school bag in her hands before swarming out the room along with the rest of the class and out into the open halls. Swift, she had to be swift. Even though class had let out, there was no telling what would happen if she was caught exiting through the back of the school by a monitor. Well actually, she knew what would happen, just didn't want to think of it anymore. The act of sneaking out grew more bulk when approaching the back of the school. The huge clusters of girls heading towards the cafiteria for dinner grew thinner and thinner the farther back she drew. Thin to the point that she was the only one trudging the empty halls. Any monitors? To her luck, no. The ones that did stand guard on the halls were far to busy conversing to notice her slip by quietly out the exit. The pores of her skin were greeted by the mixed weather that lingered. The warm and cold mix of air was something she couldn't get used to due to the daily biapolar change in weather.  You could wake up to warm rays of sun one day and a cold front the next. She ignored the thoughts pegging her eternally and  continued crossing the endless feild of green and to the cut out space of the fence. The snipped metal awaited her form, slightly cracked open as if someome had already been through. Bonnie was probably situated at the creek by now. Peeling back the peice, Marcy pulled herself through the gap, careful not to snag her bag on the loose silver. Into the woods she walked, the shade of the trees enveloping her. It wasn't to long before she arrived at the entrance of the creek to find her form perched atop of the giant mound rock. It took her a second or two muster up her words but the words "Bonnie" croaked from the pit of her throat. Her head turned, her now brown hair slapping the side of her cheek. "Took you long enough." Bonnie remarked, standing from the collected mass of rock and joining Marceline. "Sorry, Lsp was having a bit of trouble going through with the plan." It was very true she was, but her questionable acts was nothing Marceline couldn't handle. Upon her arrival, it was finally her time to explain the plan to her friend. The whole week, Marceline had been conceiving the idea but now with her final plan composed she could spill the secrets. "So." She spoke, removing the straps of the bag from her shoulder. "I've been thinking of this the whole week and now, there's no turning back. You with me?" That was no question, Bonnibel was always down for whatever Marceline had in store. She shook her head eagerly, finally ready to dispose of Vivian. "Ash. Ash is the one we go to." "What?" She lowered her brows in slight disbelief. "The asshole ex that's been harassing you for the longest now?" How could the fate of Vivian rely on an asshole as such? Marceline couldn't lie, the words she spoke were very true. But she knew Ash, even through his thick head of shit he was capable of getting things done and she was partially sure he had what they needed. "Bonnie, I know." She patted her shoulder comfortingly. She had really lucked up on a friend when she found her. "Ash is a total ass fuck but he has exactly what we need. After this we don't have to associate with him for nothing else." Bonnibel didn't agree about even going into contact with a man-boy so immature that he stalks his ex but its what they had to do. She couldn't keep up avoding Marceline for her own safety. Bonnibel didn't have to depart any words from her mouth to get the notion that she understood to Marceline. She gave her shoulder a final pat before breaking their contact. "We swim." She whipped her finger from her side and aimed it to the moving waters. "You can swim right?" She quickly questioned. Bonninel verified with a thumbs up. How could she not? The preacher had signed her up for every sport, extracurricular lesson, and classes he could in her young age to produce the perfect girl. She was grateful she was able to succeed at the programs she was entered in, giving her the bright mind she had today. Her attention parted back to her upon her voice filling over the sounds of nature."Across the creek we can take the back wood to Ash's house. We can avoid any contact with civilians if we hang around the wooded area, it'll be a quiet trip to there and back." Bonnibel had to admit, Marceline had formed quite a smart plan. The thought of civilians calling the school had completely grazed her mind so she was grateful for Marceline's thinking. Now all that remained was the reason. What did Ash have that was so valuable to Vivians down fall? It seemed that Marceline had read her mind when she answered. "Ash, he's got some private things of Vivians." She air quoted private with her fingers. Bonnibel didn't catch on really well. Marcy pushed a truffle of her hair from her face and allowed it to casscade down her back scalp for a clearer view. "He's got something that Vivian wouldn't want to get exploited for. You'll see." She insisted. Bonnibel only shook her head, watching as Marceline undind the buttons of the clean shirt. Her face turned a darker shade at the sight, her brain going mush and her mouth taking over for her loss of movement. "What about clothes? We gotta keep dry or we'll get sick." And of course, Marceline had that problem solved too. "Simple." She shedded the skirt from her waist and lifted the bag from the ground. I can walk in the creek to up and about the middle before I gotta start swimming. I should be able to hurl the bag to the other side if I can get close enough. And there you go, dry as an old vag-" Bonninel quickly shut down the sentence before she could finish with the palm of her hand. Marceline laughed against her fingers. "Marceline that's distasteful." She removed her hand to reveal her chuckling smile, Marceline not defending herself on her behalf. Pretty soon, both girls were stripped of their clothes placed in the blue bag and down to their undergarments. "Ready?" "Ready." And forward they went, the water collecting at their shins, growing higher as they proceeded. Ankles, calfs, thighs, and to their stomachs the water rose. The cold wind was not to much of a great addition to the pulsing rapids of the creek. Marceline could say she was pleased to hear the scream of the fire alarm from the school just as they reached the water. Though it was a tad bit late, Lsp had went through and supplied them with the help that was needed. She was grateful. With the bag lifted above her head and away from the water, her teeth clattered together in reaction to the cold waves that lapped at her body. "Im freezing my nuts off." Bonnibel couldn't relate more. The cold water of the creek is exatcly what kept her away from pools unless 80 degrees or above. Marceline found the rocky surface beneath her feet dropping lower and lower upon each step, any step lower and she would've sunk trying to protect the dry bag. Halting by her side, Bonnibel watched as Marceline arched her feet from the ground and sprung as high away from the water as she could, slinging back her arms and releasing the bag in the air. The almost weightless bag grazed the air above the water with a few twirls and knicks from the wind, but ultimately landing at the base of the grass ahead as Marceline faced the impact of springing upwards. The water that surrounded them bounded up from their resting place and splashed at their sides. It was unentiontoal for Marceline to submerge under the surface but the flowing water tackled at her feet when they returned. As quick as she sunk, she was right back up on the surface, her short hair clinging to her jaw and neck from being soaked. "Are you ok?" Bonnibel frantically questioned from her side. Marcy swiped a few driplets from her eyes and complied. "Yeah im fine, just cold. Lets keep going." And they both did as told, their feet growing short of something to walk on as the water got deeper and soon resorting to prompt kicks. Her arms paddled at the water ahead of her and her legs sloshed slowly behind, her tactic preventing her from drowning. Marceline had never been this far across the creek, to afraid her sight would be captured by wistful eyes, but she had to admit, swimming through the creek was more fun that she thought. Just as she was growing used to the feel of the waves, the shore approached them both. "Final." Bonnie breathed out, her feet returning to a stable stance in the water while she pulled herself onto the patch of land clear from trees, Marceline following soon after. Both girls were quite delighted to find the bag, free of any soaks or splotches of water. With the time given, Marceline parted the zipper of the bag and handed Bonnibel her clothes, the fabric finding place on her body afterwards. "Oh, I almost forgot." Spoke Marceline, averting her gaze away from the girl who buttoned her shirt and into the bag below them. She was able to pull up a jacket to Bonnie's curiousity. "Brought you this just in case. Kinda knew you would be cold." The kahaki shaded jacket came into her view. A collared tanned fabric that concealed the warm layers within itself. Bonnibel was far grateful for her offer, but also concerned of the condition of Marceline. She was the one that submerged into the water. "Marceline, I can't take that." She protested. "You need it far more than I do. You could get hypothermia in this weather." Marcy only shook her head and threw the jacket towards Bonnibel, who caught it just before it could touch the earth. "It's cool, the breeze is nice." She wasn't lying. Marcy had always been fond of the cold weather, even if her wet scalp wasn't. Bonnibel knew there was no winning any bickering with Marceline from past experiences, so she simply slipped into the jacket. The layered insides protected her arms from the cold weather and the coat smelled fondly of Marceline to her liking. It was nice.

"You never told me." Bonnibel spoke, careful not to stumble over the mounted ground beneath her. "How did you and Ash meet?" The question formed from the blue. Marceline took notice to Bonnibels curiousity in most situations. With the time given, Bonnibel would form a question you wouldn't even think she thought of and Marceline adored it. She held a liking to the attention Bonnibel put into the little and big things that revolved around her. "Well." She breathed out, her mind recalling the actual event. "I met him before my girlfriend." Bonnie snickered from her side. "Girlfriend huh?" She teased, Marceline concealing the red that threatened to spill her cheeks. "Not really a girlfriend that's just a blanket term for it. We would sleep around from time to time." She admitted sheepishly. Sleeping around, right. Bonnibel almost forgot what she did with Vivian, the memory bringing tensions to her bones. "Anyways." Marceline steered the convo back to place. "We first meet at a party. He seemed cool enough, bought me dr-" she looked at Bonnie and refrained using the intended words. "Drinks, he bought me drinks." Bonnie held a skeptical look but didn't question her. "We started to hangout after that. He would sneak me into clubs with fake ids, take me out on skateboard dates, hell, he even taught me how to use a gun." She acknowledged his good times. The times before he went jagged. Such potential waste. "We started dating a little while after. That's kinda when everything went to shit." Her shoulders sagged to Bonnibel's notice. "Hey, you don't have to if you dont want to." She comforted the girl. Marceline appreciated it but declined. "Nah." She chimed. "Better to remind you how much of an asshole he is before we get there. Maybe you can sucker punch him again." Bonnibel laughed at the recalled moment. She will never forget punching him in the face. The duo continued their trip with Marceline continuing to engage on the tale. She spoke of the random moments he would lash out with a change of tone, or the way her mentally abused her to make her feel as if he was all she had and the only one that would ever care about her, even the times he lowered her confidence and self worth. Her words were giving Bonnie even more of a reason to lash out on him with her fist. She couldn't come to imagine somone degrading Marceline Abadeer to make her feel such way, being that the girl resembled an ice cold personality that put off others. Maybe that's what shaped her to that. When Marcy finished her story, Bonnibel couldn't help but hold a grudge to him. "Don't worry your pretty little face." Bonnibel consoled, earning a smile slip from Marcy. "I'll rearrange him with these." She displayed her fist before planting a pukered kiss on her knuckles. "Your a loser."She scoffed, slugging Bonnibel with her hand. Her foot stamped the print of her shoe into the molded dirt, Bonnie drawing closely to her side. "What about you, Princess?" She taunted her with her words. "I haven't heard much bout' your past dating experiences." And indeed she was correct. Bonnibel tried her best to keep her personal life away from her school life, but with Marceline, she had managed to shed that rule away. Marceline knew plenty things of her from outside of school and part of her life, the same went for her. Marcy was the only one she trusted with this information. She was able to muster up the courage to tell. "I had a girlfriend, not long ago." Marceline invested her ears into listening. "We met at school and things just kinda sprung from there. We would hangout at my place mostly everyday, which wasn't a good thing being that my guardian is a pastor." She continued to walk forward. "It was over as quickly as it started when my uncle found out. I was sent here before I could even figure out what happened to her." Her words held a stale tone. She didn't know what to feel for her. Happy that she probably got a better ending or dissapointed that she let her go down in such way. It seemed as Marceline had sensed her change in tone and took to one of her practical lines to brighten her spirits. "Datin' sucks." She kicked at a pebble beneath her. Bonnie laughed softly, stuffing her hands into the jacket beaming. "Sure does."