Chapter Text
Bonnibel Bluestock-Jarèt.
Ok, so that got Marceline's attention. What a ridiculous name. Not that Marceline Maaya Sharma Abadeer could talk, but still. The homeroom teacher announcing the presence of the new girl in class had somewhat caught Marceline's interest, and she actually paused her doodle of a bat playing guitar to sit up straight and pay attention.
With a name like that, Marcy wondered what on earth this "Bonnibel" would look like. She began picturing a tall posh girl who looked like a horse.
What she got was something different entirely.
First off, her hair was bright bubblegum pink. It was long and piled up into a messy bun at the back of her head. She was petite and curvy, wearing a pastel blue blouse, white skirt and cardigan, those little socks with frills around the ankles, and brogue shoes on her small feet. There were a pair of stylish square glasses on the end of her little round nose, which she pushed back up with her delicate fingers; the nails of which were painted to match her hair. She was...
She was...
Frowning slightly. Because Marceline had been staring at her the moment she stepped through the classroom door.
Slightly embarrassed, Marcy coughed and quickly resumed her doodle. But she didn't look away for too long. The sound of the new girl speaking up immediately caught her attention again.
"Um. Actually, it's Bonnie, if that's alright." her voice was soft and sweet. She was well-spoken, and her pink-glossed lips were pursed in a perfect little cupids bow and...
Crap, staring again. She scribbled extra hard into the paper, giving the guitar-playing bat a pair of big angry eyebrows.
"Oh, yes of course Bonnie that's fine." Ms. Mujigae piped up, turning to smile at the class.
"Bonnie's family just moved here from Florida, so everyone make her feel welcome. There's a seat there for you Bonnie."
Oh crap what if it's next to me don't look up she probably thinks you're a creep already don't look-
Marcy looked up, just to be safe. To her relief, it wasn't. Bonnie made her way down the line of desks, towards the empty seat on the row to Marcy's right, and two desks in front of her.
Their eyes met in a brief glance before Bonnie sat down. Marceline noted that her eyes were light blue.
Thoroughly resolved not to do any more staring, Marceline lowered the peak of her snapback down over her eyes and bent over her piece of paper. The bat's guitar was now shooting fire.
Ms. Mujigae began to take attendance. She was a sweet lady, always smiling, with dyed blonde hair down to her waist, and her English had a pleasant lilting quality due to her Korean accent.
"Susan?"
"Present."
"Daniel?"
"Present, Miss."
"Marceline?"
"Present."
Marceline didn't look up when her name was called. She continued scribbling away in her notebook. But for some reason, she hoped that Bonnie had looked over at her upon learning her name.
~~~
The rest of the day passed at a strange pace. Marceline learned that she and Bonnie were in the same classes for English Literature, and all three sciences. Marcy spent most of the day staring at the back of Bonnibel's pink head (or at least, trying not to). It seemed that Bonnie was fond of classic literature, and was a total whizz at science, especially chemistry. She didn't act like the shy new girl. She wasn't afraid to raise her hand and share her knowledge and opinions with the teachers and class. In fact, Marcy thought she was somewhat of a know-it-all. Very Hermione Granger. Not...that that was a bad thing, or anything like that. Hermione was one of Marceline's favourite literary heroines. Plus, Emma Watson was very cute...not that Marceline would ever admit such a thing out loud...did that mean she though Bonnie was cute too?
UGHHH.
Marceline thumped her head down on her desk in her graphic arts class, thankfully a class she didn't share with the pink-haired new girl.
What's the matter with me?
Marceline sighed in relief when the final bell of the day rang out. She had no homework due the next day, which meant a night of curling up in her room and watching back-to-back episodes of Buffy on Netflix. She made her way to her locker, humming the Buffy theme as she opened it and took out her pennyboard, tucking it under one arm. She briefly checked her reflection in the small mirror she'd blue-tacked inside the locker door. Dark eyeliner framing dark eyes, long dark hair framing her dark face. She smoothed a long finger over her meticulously plucked and shaped eyebrows, and found them pulling into a frown due to the loud sound of aggressive rattling coming from a few lockers down. She closed her locker door and turned to find Bonnie, about 4 lockers down, twisting the number lock furiously and rattling the door, all to no avail. She finally gave it a tiny kick and pouted in irritation, which Marceline couldn't help but snort quietly to herself at.
"Chillax, Princess. Looks like you got landed with the cursed locker. Bummer." Marcy said as she made her way over. Bonnie frowned at her, clearly finding the comment unhelpful and she sighed in frustration.
"Why won't it open?!" she grumbled, and Marceline raised an amused eyebrow.
"Man, calm down! There's a trick to it see?" Marceline fiddled with the knob, hoisted the door up and gave it a yank before it swung open.
"Aaaand...there!" she gestured to the opened locker in triumph "Ya gotta lift the door up a bit, and then it should open, got it?"
Bonnie blinked in surprise, seeming significantly calmer, and then nodded.
"Thank you, ummm...Marc..ia..was it?" she said uncertainly, and Marcy gave a slow grin.
"Marceline. You're welcome. Laters, Bonnibel." she drawled, grin widening, before dropping her pennyboard to the floor with a clatter and coasting away down the hallway.
"It's Bonnie!" the short girl yelled after her.
If Bonnie hadn't been landed with the cursed locker, they may have never even had a reason to speak. Somehow, Marceline's grin got even bigger.