Love Song Read Free Page B

her.
    Her face crumpled into a sob as she lunged forward into Marceline’s chest, gripping onto the fabric of her hoodie. Marceline flinched, her body tensing as she heard and felt the soft sobs against her. Her eyes wide, hands outstretched hesitantly.
    It was the completely opposite of the first time she had helped her, and from Friday’s playful mood. Needless to say it caught her off guard. But as she began hiccupping and sniffling, Marceline instinctively wrapped her arms around the girl’s back, one hand patting soothingly against the long-sleeve, white button-up of her uniform.
     
     
                  “So what’s your name, anyway?” Marceline asked the girl as they walked down one of the many streets of the town.
    After the girl had calmed down, Marceline had offered to walk her home after having felt bad about not getting to her sooner than she did. And now that they were walking, Marceline thought it wouldn’t be all that weird to actually have an introduction.
    “Mine’s Marceline. A lot of people call me Marc, though.”
    She looked up to her right at Marceline, brows arched in a curious manner, though it was Marceline who was curious. Marceline’s brows soon mimicked hers as she grew impatient for a response.
    “What? I don’t even get a name ?” Marceline half pouted.
    The girl smiled, looking away. She glanced up, thoughtful in her expression before raising her hand to her mouth and gesturing outwards. Marceline’s brows furrowed as she watched the game of charades.
    “What? I thought you spoke English.”
    The girl nodded, repeating the gesture with more emphasis. Marceline frowned.
    “I don’t get it. I just want to know your name.”
    More charades.
    Giving up, Marceline decided to take a crack at it.
    “Okay, fine. Uh … yawn? Yawning?”
    She shook her head, repeating the gesture, this time with an open and closing mouth.
    “Speaking? Singing?”
    The girl stopped, pointing her index finger towards Marceline in excitement.
    “Your name is singing ?”
    Marceline frowned at the thought. But then again, she was foreign. That could have been what her name translated into. But she shook her head, her hands gesturing for her to try again.
    “Sing? Music? Song?”
    She smiled, nodding enthusiastically.
    “ Song ?”
    Another nod, smile growing.
    “Oh,” she said with some indifference. “I guess that’s better than Singing. Why couldn’t you just say that?”
    Song shook her head, her hand gently tapping her collarbone to signal that she couldn’t.
    “What? You can’t talk, or something?” Marceline frowned. “They named you Song and you can’t speak ?”
    This time Song frowned, offended. She had already realized the irony of her name. She didn’t need to be reminded. She pouted, looking away from Marceline, who immediately responded.
    “Sorry, sorry. I’m just saying … I like it, though. It’s a cool name.”
    Song shrugged it off, rolling her eyes before dropping them to her feet. They were beginning to enter her neighborhood, and people were beginning to stare at the odd coupling. Song didn’t want to make any eye contact with anyone, so she decided to find interest in her shoes.
    “Anyway …” Marceline glanced around the neat neighborhood, taking notice to the people that were looking their way. “Those girls back there … Do they bother you every day?”
    Song hesitated, but nodded. She saw no point in lying. Marceline gave a slow nod of distaste, her maroon-glossed lips thinning into a hard line.
    “You got any siblings that could like, walk you home or something?”
    This time it was a shake of the head.
    Marceline sighed, giving another slow nod. She swore under her breath. She couldn’t allow herself to let what was going on keep happening, knowing that she was able to do something about it. She groaned, scratching the back of her head and loosening her low ponytail.
    “Welp. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”
    Song looked up in