Love Song Read online

  “Geez. They’re even waiting for you,” Marceline breathed, looking back at the retreating group.

  They were glaring at her, and she flipped them the bird in return. Turning back to Song, she went on to apologize.

  “Sorry I’m late,” she said with a slight laugh. “I kind of forgot where this school was for a second. I had to GPS it. You alright? Ready to go?”

  A grateful smile tugged on Song’s lips as she nodded, hurrying down the steps to join Marceline as she turned around and started making her way off of the school grounds.

  After reaching the park’s halfway mark, Marceline remembered the other reason she was late.

  “Oh,” she said, digging into her back pocket.

  Song looked up and over at her, her eyes glancing around to said pocket curiously.

  “Here, the other reason I was late. I was getting this from our library,” she said, pulling out a small notepad. In its spirals, contained a small pen. She handed it to Song, who merely stared at it.

  “It’s a notepad. So you can like … communicate with me. Since, you know. I thought it might make this a little easier. Not that it’s hard now, or anything.”

  Song’s brows rose in surprised appreciation, her eyes switching from Marceline’s face to the gift presented to her. But as she was about to take it, Marceline opened it.

  “Oh, and here,” she said, taking the pen out of the pad’s spirals and clicking it. “I’ll write my number in it, too.”

  She handed it towards Song once more, having placed the pen back inside the spiral. But now, Song was frowning. Although it was nice to have available contact information, she didn’t want to become a bother. She was very grateful that she was helping her, but she couldn’t help but also feel guilty that she was so helpless. Noticing the change in her expression, Marceline’s hand went a little limp in concern.

  “What is it? You don’t want it?”

  Song perked up, snatching the pad from Marceline’s hands and putting it into her shirt’s front pocket. She also didn’t want to seem ungrateful. Marceline laughed at the immediate adjusting to her attitude. She crossed her arms, returning her attention forward with a nod.

  “Alright, then. So … Why do those girls keep bothering you, anyway? Did you do something to them?”

  Song shook her head no, a frown etching its way onto her lips.

  “So, what gives?”

  There was a weak shrug in her shoulders, but she didn’t move to explain, or reach for the notepad to show signs that she wanted to. Marceline sighed. She wanted to know, but it wasn’t worth getting her upset over it. She should have known better, really. What other emotion could talking about her bullies bring? Marceline cringed, regretting the question.

  “Sorry. Don’t worry about it. It looks like they’re scared of me, anyway.”

  Another smile flashed across Song’s closed lips. She was right. And as much as she wasn’t a spiteful person, she couldn’t deny that she enjoyed watching them flee. She nodded in agreement at the statement, making Marceline grin. She got the frown to go away.

  She decided not to bring up if Song had mentioned anything to her parents or teachers or not. She didn’t want another awkward silence – no pun intended.

  So she just let the walk take over, enjoying the fact that Song was able to enjoy a walk home.

  5

  April 12th

  Diary,

  Fucking pop quiz in Chem today. I’m pretty sure our groans could be heard from, like, Russia or something. I don’t think I did that badly, though. Maybe like a 70? Idk.

  Jess is officially dating the jerk in gym class. Big surprise. And Greg is still whining about their break up. Poor guy.

  Been a few days walking this kid home. She doesn’t really say much. Like, try to talk, anyway. She answers questions, but she doesn’t really like … do much else? Don’t know. But every time I suggest stopping walking her home she gets super nervous. I wonder how long those girls were bothering her …

  Well, I guess it doesn’t matter if she talks or not. Not gonna let her be bullied when I’m right there. Fuck that.

  April 15th

  Diary,

  I think maybe she’s warming up to me? Maybe? She kind of laughs more. Only, it’s not really laughing. Lol. It’s like this weird noise scoff breathing thing. It’s so funny. She started today, and I laughed because she laughed and she laughed because I couldn’t stop and it was just a mess.

  Jess keeps nagging at me about hanging out with her, even though she’s always around whats-his-name. So, that’s whatever. I don’t really care anyway, I like the walks home.

  Anyway. Shit ton of math homework today. Mr. Elmon is out of his mind.

  April 22nd

  Diary,

  This kid isn’t as weird as I thought. I mean, sure, she can’t talk. But that’s about as weird as it gets with her. She’s even got a similar sense of humor as me. Sometimes the notepad makes it even funnier. She doesn’t actually use it that much, though. I’m getting pretty good at reading her facial expressions, and this whole charades thing she does. It’s kind of cute, in like a hyper puppy kind of way.

  Anyway, it’s been like two weeks since I started walking her home. And I gotta say … I kind of like hanging out with her more than I do these losers I call friends. Like, I’m starting to look forward to our walks. Maybe I’ll bring her along with me to work. She doesn’t seem like she’s doing much else at home.

  But yeah. Still weird, but cool kid.

  April 29th

  Diary,

  Third week. This girl is unnaturally good with dogs. Like, she was handling three, no problem. I was almost jealous. It took me a while to even be able to handle two. Maybe they know she can’t yell at them.

  Anyway, my friends keep bugging me about her. I think they think I made her up or something. Lol. Well, she can be my imaginary friend over one of them any day. Besides. I think they’re just upset because I’m not paying for a lot of our hangouts anymore.

  May 3rd

  Diary,

  The girls seems to be coming around less. They’re hardly ever waiting for Song outside the school now. But I know they’re still lurking around. And I’m not about to fall into the trap of having Song walk home by herself and gets jumped. If I see those girls’ hands on her again I don’t know what I’d do. She’s like a little sister to me, now. Or puppy. Either way. No one messes with Song.

  We ditched work for ice cream today. She started working with me. Said she likes it. Which is cool, cause now we can hang out some more. Friends are still bugging me, but whatever. It’s not like they’re making plans for after I walk her home. I told them I could hang out after, but no. So I’m not going to stress it.

  May 6th

  Diary,

  I think Song had on makeup today? Think I saw her wearing eyeliner. It looked cute. I was probably weird today because I kept staring at it, haha. She got a little shy. It was cute though. Even though I don’t think she needs it.

  Anyway, Greg got a new girlfriend. Said they got together like a week ago. Wants us to get together to meet her and everything. Good for him. She sounds pretty cool. Wants to start a band or something.

  I wonder how they would act if they met Song.

  Lol. That’ll probably never happen. Adversity

  May 11th

  Diary,

  This chick can play a mean ukulele. Like, crazy good. It kind of sucks that she can’t talk. I wonder what her singing would be like. I really want to hear her voice lately. It’s probably beautiful.

  Anyway, Ima see if she wants to do like a song together. I could sing and she could play. It’d be great. We could be our own band haha.

  The Mute Vocals

  We’ll be famous!

  May 20th

  Diary,

  Had a fucking weird-ass dream about Song last night. We were like … fucking. Or, well … Idk, whatever girls do with each other. But I was like … Into it. So weird. I was gonna tell Song about it
to see what she’d say lol. But maybe not. Idk. Maybe.

  May 23rd

  Diary,

  I can’t stop thinking about that stupid dream … Every time I see Song now I’m kind of nervous, like she’s gonna read my mind or something. It’s stupid but I can’t help it. Im embarrassed, but … I wonder what she would do it she found out. She’d probably think I’m a weirdo and stop talking to me.

  … That would really suck.

  But what if she’d had a dream like that too? I kind of want tell her. Idk why I’m so nervous to, lol. Ugh, this is so weird. I’ll just tell her.

  May 24th

  Diary,

  Chickened out. So it just clicked what the hell’s going on with me. I’m … going gay for this chick. Like, it dawned on me seeing one of the lesbo couples in school like holy fuck. That’s why I can’t stop thinking about that dream … I’ve had another since then, too. But were weren’t really doing anything. We were just like … cuddling. But I thought I was straight? I don’t even know. I’ve never been with a girl before. But … Idk, I could see myself being okay with Song for some reason.

  Ugh … She’d probably stop talking to me if I told her that. She hasn’t really talked about guys that much but I doubt she’s into that. Hell, I wasn’t. I really want to tell her though … Gaahhh, I can’t decide if I should or not. Im kind of scared she’ll stop talking to me.

  Ugh. This sucks.

  May 27th,

  Diary,

  So I don’t know if it’s probably me but I think Song is catching onto me? I keep staring at her and doing weird things like an idiot.

  We’ve been hanging out a little more lately and it’s getting really hard not to just … look at her. Sometimes I start thinking about the dreams while I’m with her too. Idk

  But if its between telling her and losing her then whatever. I’d rather have her as a friend. It’s sad but after just a couple of months she’s like the best friend I’ve ever had. No way I’m losing that because I get a little horny around her.

  6

  May 30th

  “What’s up? Ready to go?” Marceline enthusiastically greeted as she waited for Song to get down the flight of stairs at the front of the school building.

  Song replied with a swift hug, before rushing out in front of her to race her to the edge of the campus and towards their usual path they took to her house. Marceline laughed, easily catching up with her and starting their journey.

  “I think I passed that math quiz. It was easier than I thought. I’m starting to wonder if your grades are really that bad,” Marceline teased as they walked, nudging Song gently against her outer bicep.

  Song gave a sheepish shrug, trying her best not to smile up at her. But Marceline shook her head.

  “Nah, we make a good team. You tutor me in math, and I tutor you in English. Even though to me you speak,” Marceline said around air quotes. “Just writing, really.”

  Song nodded, placing her hand over her chest in a gesture.

  “Ah, don’t mention it. Fair trade, as far as I’m concerned. You have homework today?”

  Song nodded again with a grimacing expression, making Marceline snicker.

  “Must be science. Only science gets that face.”

  Song rolled her eyes with another nod, before dropping them to her feet.

  “Too bad we both suck in that department. But I’d be more than happy to join you in your misery.”

  Song scoffed, but nodded at the offer, more than willing to have company during the tedious work. Especially if it was from Marceline. Marceline folded her arms, unable to help the glow that she felt every time Song confirmed that she wanted to spend more time with her. It was the closest thing to validation she could find for the feelings that had resonated with her.

  “So am I finally going to see the inside of your house?” Marceline asked in a joking manner.

  But the facial expression she got from Son in response took her by surprise. It was downright fearful. Her brown eyes had gone wide, and her lips were on the verge of parting in a plea for Marceline to change her mind.

  “I was … kidding,” Marceline said, hands slightly raised in what looked like surrender.

  She watched Song’s shoulders slump in relief, and couldn’t help but wonder why she was so opposed to her coming over. But regardless, she didn’t want to make Song uncomfortable.

  “Hey … do you want to see my house?” Marceline asked Song as they came across the park’s midway point, the thought occurring to her that Song had yet to do so. She smiled at the shift in Song’s expression. Going from worrisome to intrigued in a matter of seconds.

  So they changed course, abandoning their usual stops at the park and bakery in town in lue of heading to Marceline’s house. She could feel her stomach knotting up in excitement. Though it was a mere study group for homework, much like they had done several times at the library or park, this one was going to be at her house. And for some reason, it was causing her heart to go into overdrive. Unable to remember what it currently looked like, Marceline could only hope that her room was clean enough to work in.

  “Hey, isn’t that that girl?” Marceline vaguely heard from behind her, drawing her from her thoughts long enough to turn around in mild curiosity.

  But her eyes widened when landing on the two boys that had tried to chase her down weeks before. Turned out that they didn’t live too far away from each other after all. One of them was pointing at her and nodding to the other, whose expression was swiftly shifting into that of vengeance.

  “Shit,” Marceline scowled under her breath as she took a tight hold of Song’s wrist.

  Song jerked forward with a gasp, struggling to regain her footing as Marceline hurriedly dragged her down the street as the two boys shouted out to her.

  “Hurry!” Marceline urged Song, who discombobulatedly tried to keep up with her, fearful that if she looked back to see what was happening, that she would trip over her own feet.

  “Hey!” one of the two boys shouted after them, but with only a block to go before they reached Marceline’s house, she was determined not to let today be the day to break her streak of escaping bullies she’d bullied.

  By the time they’d made it to her house, the boys had gathered and started throwing rocks at them, trying to hit one of them to slow the both of them down. Marceline had gotten hit in the back of the leg, but with the adrenaline of escaping, she persevered.

  Practically throwing Song into the house, she spun back around, heading back out the door.

  “I’ll be right back,” she scowled, shutting the door behind her and rushing out to meet the boys, who skid to a stop in surprise from the sudden change of action.

  Marceline picked up a handful of the rocks that had been thrown, ready to show them what aim really looked like.

  Walking back into the house, Marceline slammed the door with a thud. She wasn’t actually going to call the police, but she needed to scare the kids. Though calling their parents would probably be scarier. She sighed, looking around the living room to find that Song was no longer in it. She glanced around before looking in the kitchen and the bathroom.

  “Song?” Marceline called out.

  Losing Song was dangerous – like losing your phone on silent. And it instilled the same reaction of anxiety. Marceline spun on her heel, brows furrowed as she listened for some hint of a response.

  “Song?” she called again a little louder.

  This time, in lieu of a response, Marceline heard the creaking of the floorboards above her. It was coming from her room. She grinned to herself. Exploring, was she?

  “There you –“

  Marceline had made her way up the stairs, ready to unleash the best fake scolding she could come up with upon catching her going through her belongings. But what she saw Song holding made her heart stop, and her blood run cold.

  It was her diary.

  Song made a slow turn on her heel, her eyes hesitating before looking up to meet Marceline’s wid
e ones. Both of their mouths hung agape with shock and growing tension.

  The atmosphere seemed to thicken by the second as the silence lingered. Marceline’s eyes fell to the tattered book she’d never gotten around to putting a lock on. There was a sliver of hope that was immediately diminished of Song reading a page that wasn’t about her.

  But it didn’t matter what page Song had randomly decided to open. If it was anything after the twelfth, every other page, and eventually every page, was about her.

  The two stared at each other for what felt like an eternity – especially to Marceline. Song was already hard to read, and with the expression she held now, there was no way of telling what her reaction was, or was about to be.

  Song’s eyes were wide, but not wide in a horrified sense, that Marceline could tell. But she couldn’t be sure that that wasn’t just a state of numbed shock. Her lips were parted, almost as if Marceline had interrupted her reading to herself.

  Her body was unnaturally still, while Marceline’s thudding heart alone was able to make her tremble under the looming silence. She half expected Song to run out of her room – and the house, never to be seen again. Marceline winced at the thought, and the prolonged, maddening silence.

  Finally, after nearly three minutes of standing still, Song closed the book, and placed it back on the desk where she’d found it, her head turning away from Marceline in the process.

  “Song?” Marceline immediately whined.

  Though the possibility of Song throwing the book at her that she’d imagined was not much better, she didn’t like what her body language was telling her.

  Aside from the day they had met, Song always had a smile on her face. At least when she was around Marceline. And for the first time, she’d seen it evaporate – and by her own hand, no less. It was almost more painful than the thought of never telling her.