•Fionna•

It's been three days.

Three days since I kissed Marshall.

I KISSED MARSHALL.

I make myself dizzy with all the thoughts about the kiss going around and around in my head, for three days, as I am unable to think of anything else.

I kissed Marshall.

We KISSED. Under the mistletoe. After Christmas.

We KISSED.

As in, our lips TOUCHED.

I touched lips with MARSHALL LEE ABADEER.

I kissed him.

KISSED HIM.

That actually happened.

I want to slap myself at all the same invasive thoughts that have been occupying my mind these past three days. Unfortunately, these thoughts seem impossible to get rid of, so here I am, still obsessing over Marshall and I's mistletoe-induced Christmas kiss.

I try my best to concentrate on the video game I am playing on BMO, but it is nearly impossible with I kissed Marshall constantly blaring over and over again in my head.

"Ha!" Finn cries out next to me, gripping his controller. "I'm actually beating you! You usually win all the time at this game! Just too distracted with thinking about you and your boyfriend's kiss?"

I clench my controller in my hands visibly tighter. "Shut up, Finn. He's NOT my boyfriend, nor will he ever be. Plus, that so-called 'kiss' you keep talking about was only because of a tiny mistletoe hanging over the door and you guys' insistent egging on. That's all it was--there was NO feelings involved. None," I snap back, hoping my annoying brother will take the hint and shut up about it. Since it happened, the kiss is all he can seem to talk about. Luckily (and surprisingly), everyone else has seemed to have gotten over it and left it alone, which I am immensely appreciative of. But, of course, Finn can't let it go and every chance he gets he brings it up as much as possible.

It's driving me INSANE. It takes every ounce of love for my brother that I have to keep myself from strangling him.

It's getting harder and harder to resist.

Suddenly, I hear our front door open and close before footsteps echo into the living room.

"Hello, all!"

I look out the corner of my eye to see Gumball standing in our living room, holding a basket.

"Hey, PG," I say.

"'Sup, man," Finn says. Neither of us look away from our video game.

"Are Cake and Jake here as well?" Gumball asks.

"Nah, they're out grocery shopping. They'll be gone for the next hour. They left a note." Finn's voice is bored and uninterested in the conversation as his eyes stay glued to BMO.

If Gumball notices Finn's disinterest, he ignores it. I hear him clasp his hands together, the basket probably slung over his arm. "Well. I just came over to cordially invite you all to Bonnibel and I's annual New Years Eve Gala."

I barely suppress a groan.

Prince Bubba Gumball and Princess Bonnibel Bubblegum's annual New Years Eve Gala.

Just thinking about the name gives me a migraine.

Bubblegum and Gumball's New Years Eve Gala is the biggest and by far most popular party of the year (and not only considering the fact that it literally celebrates the New Year). Everyone goes because everyone knows that the Candy Kingdom is the place to be on New Years Eve; that has been proven every New Years Eve Gala.

Even though everyone is welcome, Bubblegum and Gumball take the liberty of giving and/or sending everyone fancy, expensive invitations, which is what Gumball is here to give us now.

It's the same every year.

The fact that the New Years Eve Gala is a huge bash isn't why I don't love it--no, that's because the New Years Eve Gala is not only the most popular event of the year, but definitely the most fancy event of the year.

It is required that you attend in formal wear AND bring a date.

THAT is why I don't typically enjoy the New Years Eve Gala.

Because formal wear means a dress and heels, and a date means scrambling helplessly for someone to go with.

Both of which I hate.

When I was younger and old enough to go to the New Years Eve Gala, Cake would insist I was too young to bring a date and she and Jake would just end up bringing both Finn and me to the New Years Eve Gala as their "dates". Luckily, that ended when I got older and started dating Flame Prince, who was my date to the New Years Eve Gala when I was fifteen. Of course he wasn't my date the next year (which was last year) because we'd broken up for the last time.

Last year for the New Years Eve Gala, Finn was my date, which was the most embarrassing experience in my entire life. It was mortifying. I could tell Finn felt the same way.

So, you can imagine why I'm not exactly looking forward to this year's New Years Eve Gala.

I hear Gumball reach into the basket and rustle around before there are suddenly two invitations laying on the floor next to Finn and me.

"There are your invites. I take it you will both be attending this year as well?"

I, again, barely suppress a groan. "Yes," I mumble, trying not to sound as disappointed as I am.

"Hell yeah!" Finn, to my surprise, actually sounds excited. "Of course I'm coming! I have a girlfriend now, who will be my date! It's gonna be great!"

Oh. Of course. That's why he's so excited. Since he and Flame Princess are a thing now, he won't be forced to take me as his date.

Lucky him. Unfortunately for me, I don't have a significant other so that means (now without my brother) I'll be dateless, which means I can't even go.

But, this is the biggest party of the year, and NO ONE misses it--it's unheard of to miss the famous New Years Eve Gala. Plus, Bubblegum and Gumball are my friends... and as pleasant as the thought of simply skipping the whole ordeal since I don't have a date sounds, I'd feel bad if I bailed on my friends' biggest event of the year just to save myself from humiliation.

A hero doesn't do things like that.

And I am nothing if not a hero.

So, I'll figure something out for a date... hopefully.

But for now, I'll just suck it up and put on the biggest fake smile I can muster.

And that's what I do; I smile up at Gumball, trying to seem as happy as possible. "Yeah," I say cheerfully. "Can't wait."

Gumball smiles back. "I'm glad."

I'm not.