AUTHORS NOTE: This picture is how I imagine they both look like right now.
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GUMBALL P.O.V
*ONE YEAR LATER*
Just like that, one year has passed. I was okay... I kept thinking about Marshall, but... it was all goog.
"Hey, beautiful... what're you doing?" Said Nick.
I've been pretty successful when it came to brushing off everyone that came on to me. But Nick was the hasdest one... he refused to be brushed off that easily.
"Hi..." I replied. "I'm tying to study..." I said.
"Well... I'll study with you then..." He insisted. I sighed.
"Look, Nick... I like you... but... I told you countless times... I have a boyfriend... his name is Marshall Lee... and I love him..." I insisted.
"Hm... you say that... yet no one has ever even seen this man... where is he?" He asked. I shrugged.
"I... I don't know..." I said, as I looked down. He huffed.
"That's tough... you say you have a boyfriend... but... you don't even know where he is..." He said as he stood up...
He leaned down closer to me and whispered. "I'm not gonna give up... and I'd never leave you alone for a whole year..." And he left.
He didn't understand... and I didn't want to explain...
Marshall asked me to wait for 5 years... and that's what I'm gonna do.
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FIONA P.O.V.
*THREE YEARS LATER*
Flame, Marceline, Bonnie, Mono and I all decided to go visit Gumball at his school in Boston. He had a rough year. For some reason, this year has been tougher on him then the year Marshall left. But... we are going out there to give him support and to figure out what happened to him. Most of us are already done with college and are looking for jobs... so, we thought we'd spend some time in Boston... that way we can all be close like we were before.
We were all waiting on him outside... his class should be ending by now.
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GUMBALL P.O.V.
I made a mistake.
The first year of college, I was alone. Marshall had just left, and I felt empty.
When I arrived in Boston for my first day in College, I got really hit on. All the guys here are so cool and hot and nice... But... in my heart, I was still Marshall Lee's boyfriend.
But... I also made some enemies.
I met Nick on my first year and his constant attention and unwavering pursuit slowly started to wear me down... One day... I just snapped at him at a party. I told everyone I had a boyfriend, and that his name was Marshall Lee. The girls in my class pushed me to know who he was, to introduce him... but I could never do that...
The first parties were the hardest... all the questions and harassing. Honestly, felt like high school all over again.
Now, things are better, no one really bothers me anymore, but I was portrayed as a liar now.
Not like I care, anyways.
*Bell ringing*
Finally, freedom.
"Gerald Barnabas Gumball, there are some people outside making a lot of noise calling your name. I suggest you go out there and ask them to stop yelling." Professor Kenner asked politely, giving me a sweet smile. I really like her. I nodded and rushed to put my things in my bag.
Fiona and the others just don't know how to make a quiet entry, do they?
I smiled as I picture the hassle they were causing outside.
"Oh, I wonder if it's that imaginary boyfriend..." said Amanda, laughing as the other girls joined her. "I might just follow you to see if he's real... I mean... you bragged so much about him the last 2 years... we're curious as to why he never even visited you." She said, snickering, trying to get to me, but I never got mad which made me her target even more.
Amanda was Nick's big sister... and the way I rejected him in front of all our classmates really annoyed her. She swore to make my life a living hell...
I just ignored her and rushed outside. And, like I thought, as soon as Fiona saw me, she screamed and ran toward me.
"GUMBAAAAAL..." She yelled, as she ran and hugged me as hard as she could.
"O-oof..." I let out, from the impact. "Oh my Glob I missed you guys so much..." I said as the others joined in on the hug. I smiled.
"Awwn, thats too precious... no boyfriend though... that's too bad..." Amanda said to the others, as they laughed and took off. I just huffed and tried to ignore her.
"Hm... what was that all about?" Fiona asked me, with one eyebrow raised. I sighed.
"I'll tell you guys at the bar." I said as we head out to one of the Pubs near campus.
*At the Pub*
We all sat at a booth to be more comfortable while talking. We ordered and starting to chat.
"Sooo... what was that all about? Who is that girl, anyways?" Bonnie asked. Flame, Mono, Marcy, and Fiona also looked at me, expecting an explanation.
"Well..." I sighed. "On my first year here, I got really hit on... by many guys... but of course I kept telling them I already had a boyfriend named Marshall Lee... they were all really nice and understanding... except for Nick." I said keeping my head down.
"And Nick is..." Fiona asked, urging me to keep talking. I sighed again.
"Nick is Amanda's baby brother and he's really persistent. One day, at a party, I got really over all of his advances... he was starting to really bother me... he was drunk and kept trying to touch me... kiss me... so I pushed him away and yelled for him to stop coming on to me because I had a boyfriend and we loved each other very much." I sighed. "From that moment on, Amanda has never left me alone again. She's just trying to protect her little brother... but damn... she's relentless... and vengeful..." I finished.
"Oh... so... she's bullying you?" Fiona said, angry. I smiled.
"Oh no, don't worry... I don't care about any of that... I just miss him." I said, sadness in my voice.
Yeah we know Flame said. I miss my best friend too. Flame sighed.
"Well, we all miss him... but... we gotta remember he said he would come back in 5 years. We only have 2 years left. Its almost over..." Marceline said. I smiled.
"Yeah..." I said.
"And you sure did what he asked... you're being brilliant... as always..." Fiona said, putting an arm around my neck and hugging me.
As we kept chatting and having a great time, we eventually noticed Amanda, and a bunch of other people from my class, laughing and pointing at me when suddenly, I looked at the TV some news channel was on. But what I saw startled me, and I stood up abruptly. My eyes widened.
*News Reporter*
"This morning GENERAL ELECTRIC conglomerate has finally announced their mysterious new CEO, the bachelor of the moment, the man who has changed so many things. It is believed that he has exonerated more than 2,000 employees involved with the Boston Mafia, and he's not done yet. The name of the man, who will be best known as Boston's sexiest millionaire, is Marshall Lee Abadeer, and it is good to finally put an image and a name to the person who has been turning the corporate world upside down. Unlike his mother, former president of the company, Helen Abadeer, Marshall Lee does not tolerate corruption and has been cutting ties with all previous partners that have even the slightest connection to the Mob. There's also a lot of speculation amonsgt single Boston women as to when they'll get the chance to meet and try to win the heart of the millionaire stud. Back to you, Fred."
My eyes widened, and I screamed at the picture on TV.
He's in Boston? How could he be in Boston?
Then, I noticed Amanda looking at me furious.
"There is no way..." she said as she made her way over to my table. "You expect us to believe that your so called 'boyfriend' is a millionaire? Are you kidding? And the hottest guy in Boston?" She said as they all laughed. "Yeah, right... and he's been in Boston this whole time, but doesn't give a shit about you... he must looove you so much... Maybe I should try to win him over... as said on TV, he IS a bachelor, isn't he?" She snickered.
"You. Dont. know. A thing... about him..." I said, whispering.
"Excuse me, speak up you freak." She said, in a snob manner.
"SHUT UP..." I yelled. Fiona immediately got me away from her and took me outside to breath.
"Go away..." I could hear Bonnie telling Amanda, with a disgusted face.
"You're all so pathetic." Amanda replied, as she went back to her table.
*Outside*
"Okay... calm down..." Fiona asked. "You're not supposed to care about these people..." She insisted. I huffed.
"I know... it's just... he's b-been here... this whole time?" My voice failing me, as I saw Marceline coming toward us.
"Hey..." She said. "I think I should tell you something..." Marcy said, as she looked down, trying to find the words. "Three years ago... when we got those letters... in my letter... w-well..." She stuttered.
"What is it, woman?" Fiona said, anxious. I just looked at her and waited.
"Well... in my letter, Marshall did tell me that he would never be too far from you... and that he'll always keep you close, even though he wouldn't be able to talk to you... and he asked me to keep this between us... I didn't understand it at the time... but now..." Marceline said, as my eyes widened and watered.
"S-so... he w-was close to m-me... all t-this time?" I said, more to myself.
Then, I gasped.
"WAIT... General Electric... that's... the headquarters are..." I said as I googled it on my phone. The girls anxiously waiting for me to say something that made sense. I gasped as I put one hand over my mouth. "Oh my Glob... that's like 14 minutes away from campus... Fiona..." I said as I looked at Fiona. She smiled at me. "H-Hes been right next to me... this whole t-time..." I said as my hart raced. "I gotta... I need to... g-go there..." I said as I tried to leave. Marceline stopped me.
"Wait, Gumball... Marceline said, holding my arm. "It's only been 3 years..." She continued. I looked at her, puzzled. "He asked us to give him 5 years... didn't you see the news? He's cleansing the company of bad people... that's why he needed to keep away from us... so that nothing bad would happen... so that no harm would come to you..." She said, a soft look on her face. "If you show up now... maybe everything he's been working for... will have been for nothing..." She finished.
I sighed, tears running down my face.
"Youre p-probably right..." I said, sadness in my voice. "I'm s-supposed to w-wait... I concluded. Fiona smiled.
"Hey... it's almost over... don't give up hope now..." Fiona smiled softly at me. I only nodded.
The urge to drop everything and rush to find him was killing me... but he promised me he'd be back when he's ready... I needed to, at least, respect that.
It's not gonna be easy now that I know where he is...
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