Anonymous

14

Bonnibel found her in the library.

Hidden away in the back corner near the window, she was reading a book, as nonchalant as could be. Her shoes were on the floor but her feet were on her chair, her legs in a diagonal fashion as she read. Bonnibel raised an eyebrow at the girl's socks – they were mismatched, one sporting a distorted image of The Hulk and the other decorated with Thor.

It was all too casual for Bonnibel's liking.

Either way, she lowered herself into the seat opposite her and cleared her throat to announce her presence. All she received in response was a passing glance over the top of the book.

"What're you reading?" Bonnie tried to sound interested and enthusiastic, but it was hard, considering who she was talking to.

Marceline sighed, her green eyes flicking from the page she was on in her book up to Bonnibel. "Game of Thrones." At Bonnie's small look of surprise, Marceline rolled her eyes and then trained them back on her page. "What? Surprised that I can read?"

"Surprised that you choose to read." Bonnibel corrected her. "Most people just watch the television show. Why'd you take your shoes off, exactly?"

"Because I don't want to get the chair dirty and I'm comfortable sitting like this." Marceline huffed and marked the page she was on in her book. "You don't need to make small talk, princess. What do you want?"

"We're handing in our project today and I want to know if you finished the poster like I told you to." Bonnibel folded her arms across her chest and waited expectantly.

Thankfully, Marceline reached forwards and produced an A3 sheet of paper from her bag. The poster was as Bonnibel had wanted, which was pleasantly surprising. She scanned it over just to make sure – she couldn't be too careful when it came to Marceline – and then passed it back to the other girl with a satisfied nod.

"Everything is in order." Bonnie promptly responded. She produced a plastic folder from her bag and slid it across the little table between them. "This is the essay for it that I produced with the notes we made that day in the holidays. You can read it over if you'd like."

"I'm good." Marceline pulled her book back in front of her face and continued reading, effectively cutting her off. "Feel free to fuck off now."

Bonnibel huffed. "I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't use that kind of language or tone around me. It's insolent and rude. Can we just be civil, please? I'm sick of arguing every time I'm within ten feet of you."

Marceline lowered her book again. "You want to be civil with me?"

"Yes, I do." Bonnie confirmed. She had to remind herself that it wasn't because she liked Marceline. Far from it. This was for her own sake. "I feel like it'd be easier for the both of us if we ever encounter one another. Besides, it's not like we'll have to meet up regularly after this project has been handed in. We'll go our separate ways and our mutual avoidance policy will be put back in place. But it's best for others people and mutual friends if we're not at each other's throats whenever we run into one another."

Marceline frowned at her, as though she was trying to figure out Bonnibel's actual motive. There wasn't one. Bonnibel was being as genuine as she could be, because arguing with Marceline was tiring and she was honestly sick of it. Civility was the best policy.

Marceline watched her for a moment, apparently considering her offer. She looked conflicted, as though pushing Bonnie's buttons was something she enjoyed doing – it wouldn't surprise Bonnie if it was – but then let out a soft sigh.

Eventually, as if Marceline had completed her Bonnie-scan and concluded that there were no scary ulterior motives, she stuck her hand out. "Fine. Deal. We can be civil."