Fiolee: A Thousand Years in the Making

Chapter 21: A Sticky Situation

    When we arrived at Gumball's castle, the ballroom was beautifully decorated. There was a banquet table full of professionally prepared desserts and other goodies. Pink and white flower chains were wrapped around the staircase and balcony. There were also balloons in the Candy Kingdom's colors and banners hung representing each kingdom in Aaa, including the Fire Kingdom.

Oh no, I thought.

I looked around, but I didn't see him yet. But I saw Muscle Prince, Turtle Prince, and Wild Berry Prince. Surprisingly I even saw Marshall Lee. I was about to go over to him, but then Gumball came over to me.

"Hey," the prince said smiling. "I've been looking for you."

"Well, here I am," I said.

"Come," he said laughing. "I want to show you something."

"Cake," I called out. "I'm going with Gumball."

"Okay girl see you later," Cake said.

Gumball led me away from the ballroom and upstairs to a room away from the party.

"Is this your bedroom?" I asked him.

Then he locked the door. This made me uneasy.

"Fionna," he said, starting to undress.

"Gumball what are you doing?" I asked worriedly. He just stood there, naked, for a second. I began to reach for the sword in my purse, when unexpectedly, he pounced on me. Then I got scared.

"Get the lump off of me Gumball!" I yelled with tears in my eyes. "Why are you doing this?"

"I'm giving you what you want Fionna," he said pulling my dress off. "You said you wanted me to be more romantic."

"Not like this!" I shouted. I was in my underwear now and before he could take them off, I kicked him in his gumballs.

I reached for my sword, but he knocked it out of my hand. I tried to make a run for the door, but Gumball, with surprising strength, dragged me back to the bed.

"This is what you asked for Fionna!" Gumball yelled with a wide eyed look. "You've been wanting my attention lately, well now we're alone and you've got it."

"NO!" I yelled. "I never wanted this! I never... I never wanted you."

I realized this for the truth it was.

"What?" he said stopping.

"I...I don't think I can do this anymore Gumball," I said sadly. "Those things I said in the lab that day were true. You just take a logical approach to everything, but it makes you not care about anything. You may be smart when it comes to science, but you're an idiot when it comes to romance. I thought I could put up with it because I loved you for a long time, but it did me more harm than good as your girlfriend. And after what you tried to do tonight, I don't think I can be your friend anymore either. "

He didn't say anything for a long time and just laid there on the bed. Then he finally said:

"You're going to regret breaking up with me Fionna, and I think you better leave."

I didn't say anything and just ran out the room. I was looking for a bathroom when I ran into Peppermint Maid.

"Miss Fionna!" she yelled. "What happened to you?"

You're boss tried to force himself onto me tonight, I wanted to say. I knew I couldn't, so instead I said:

"It doesn't matter," I said quickly. "I just need to find a bathroom."

"Right this way," she said. "But your dress is ruined. You can't go back to the party looking like that. Would you like something else to wear?"

I knew Cake would wonder why I changed dresses but I would explain this later.

"Yes," I said.

***

I looked in the mirror trying to process what had just happened and wondering how long it lasted before I stopped it. The girl I saw in the mirror had mussed hair, a missing earring, ruined makeup from crying, and was wearing the remains of all of Cake's hard work.

I held the dress Peppermint Maid gave me next to the one I was wearing and contrasted how one showed what happened-or almost happened to me tonight, while the other one would show me as a flawless and innocent princess that nothing bad ever happened to.

But it did happen, I thought. It did.

***

After spending an hour in the bathroom redressing and fixing my makeup, I went to find Cake. But instead I found Marshall.

He took one look at me and said: "Fionna! What happened to you?"

"Where's Cake?" I asked tired.

"I saw her go somewhere with Lord. Now answer what happened to you?" he said.

"Nothing okay," I snapped. "Just take me home."

"Okay," he said. "This party sucks anyway."

As Marshall flew me home, I knew he would want an explanation later. But I couldn't tell him what happened with Gumball.

I wasn't even wearing the dress but he knew something was up the minute he saw my face.

I couldn't tell Cake either. Glob knows what she'll think of me if this ever got out.

But I won't let it get out.

Not to Marshall.

Not to Cake.

Not to anyone.

But something changed in me tonight. I was scared of Gumball now, but I was also scared of who I would become after this.

You're going to regret breaking up with me Fionna, he said.

I tried to end things with Gumball, but that didn't mean he was done with me.

***