"Here you go." After the girl handed Marsh the book, he awkwardly smiled back and stuttered, "I-I, err, t-thanks!"
Marsh only ever talked to his twin sister Mallows and barely approach female servant back at home, so he never really had any real experience talking to a girl his age.
The girl finds herself in an awkward position with Marsh as he froze infront of her, "Oh—kay... I'll, uhm, go now." And she walks away.
Marsh sighed in relief as she fled, though he cringed thinking why he got all weird. He shakes his head and looks at the book in his hands, "Oh well, time to read." He shrugged.
And days passed, Marsh and that girl would often bump into each other as they frequent the library. The library was a very convenient hiding place for Marsh from the delinquents going after him, and another reason that he found the girl quite interesting.
He'd sit far from her and shoot a few glances, checking the book she'll read for the day until she leaves for her next class. Then unexpectedly, she caught him looking at her and he immediately goes back to reading his book nervously.
This time, the girl approached him. "H-Hey there."
"Wuh—oh, h-hey."
She's been wanting to confront Marsh with his creepy attitude, but she first wanted to make sure if he was actually staying in the library for the books or just creeping around her, "I've been seeing you staying around here for quite some time, you seem to like reading books, don't you?"
"Huh, y-yeah... I do." Marsh answered shyly, his eyes looking away from her.
Raising an eyebrow with a skeptic smile, she asks, "Really? What are you reading then?"
Marsh doesn't get asked that quite often, but he always wanted to discuss the books he read with others. He tried talking about it with his twin sister, though she would often dismiss him because it was boring.
"It's a book about the seven wonders of the Sweet Kingdom, I'm already on the chapter about Soda Wetlands. Did you know, the guardian candy beast in that place..." and Marsh went on and on, overwhelming the girl with everything he knew.
Though he stops at one point when he noticed she was stuck staring at him, "Uh, I kinda got carried away... sorry for boring you." He smiled apologetically.
"Ah! N-No, no. I just never thought I'd find someone who reads the same stuff I do..." she smiled, her impression of Marsh improved. She sat took a seat on the same table, "The name's Pink Jellybean. It's so rare to find another person who likes to read these days."
This made Marsh smile, "Yeah! A-And I'm Marsh Smorshmallow."
"So what's your favorite genres? Got any recommendations?" And the two got deeply immersed in their conversation, making a great start for their friendship.
Despite the troubles in his life both at home and in the academy, Marsh was glad to have found a friend at the library. So whenever class ends, he'd sneak out as fast as he can to see Pink at the library. And they often spend time discussing the books they've read.
Things were going great for Marsh until Lem caught up with him one day, "After running away for many times, I wonder where you've been hiding. Though that doesn't matter now, we finally caught you sneaky bastard."
"L-Lem, I was busy! I, uhh—" Lem grabs him by the face, harshly squishing his soft mallow cheeks. "I didn't ask for an explanation. Take him to the base!" Lem ordered the guys holding Marsh.
"Lem! Please, please don't do this... please! Nooo!!" And they dragged him to the back of the academy.
Although Marsh was up against three guys, thinking about missing his time with Pink made him want to fight back. He bit the hand of the guy holding his right arm and punched the other guy on the face, successfully escaping from their grasps.
"Ouch! Boss, he bit me!"
"I just got a tooth extraction! How dare he!"
"Quit complaining and capture him!" Lem demanded, and they all ran after Marsh.
Since Marsh wasn't much of a good runner, he was eventually captured but this time a teacher witnessed his pursuers pouncing on him. And it all lead them to end up at the principals office.
That day, they were all sent back home, suspended for their actions violating school policy. And the news was quick to spread, because when Marsh came home, his twin sister Mallows was there waiting for him looking upset.
"Mallows..." he uttered.
"Marsh, can't you do any better? You've done nothing but disappoint this family." She pressed.
"It's not like I've made it happen on purpose, okay!?" Marsh gritted, but it seems Mallows have close off her ears, "Father is waiting for you in his office." She mentioned before leaving him.
Marsh sighed, expecting a rough scolding from his father, but he was determined to convince and take his side of the story. Though when he entered the office, he froze when a flying vase almost hit his face.
"MARSH SMORSHMALLOW!" The Baron yelled.
"F-Father!"
"HOW COULD YOU MESS WITH THE SON OF MARQUIS LEMONDROP!" It turns out that Lemmy Lemondrop was the son and heir of a Marquis that owned several hostelries.
His father had a business contract with Marquis Lemondrop, but everything went down the hill when the incident happened. "I-I didn't know!—I never mean it to happen, Father! The Marquis' son started this riot and I—"
"I don't want to hear your excuses! What's done is done, and I need YOU to make up for the losses." His father crossed his arms, veins popping out his skins, and his fists clenching at the sight of Marsh.
"...I-I'm sorry, Father." Was all Marsh could say.
The Baron draws out the whip in his drawer, and approached him. Marsh lowers his head, his eyes shut close and pulled up his pants revealing his foreleg. The Baron whipped him without any mercy until he was done venting out all the stress Marsh have caused him.
He was to be confined in his room until the end of his suspension. When he can finally go back to school, he was able to roam free with Lem still suspended.
Marsh hurried to the library with Pink in mind, he was worried she'll hate him after he couldn't go to school this past few days.
"Pink!" He called out to her when he saw her reading at a corner. Pink seemed like she didn't hear him, so he went up close to talk to her. "Pink, h-hey there..."
"Look who decided to show up—" Pink was clearly upset being ghosted by her friend, but when she turned to glare at Marsh, she was shocked to find his face bruised. "—Sweet Lord! What happened to your face!?"
"Oh, this..." Marsh averted his gaze from Pink, embarassed to show up looking pathetic. "It's just... some family matter." He tried to laugh it off, but Pink was concerned and took his hand.
"Come with me."
"Huh, w-where are we going?"
"Tsk, just follow me." And she pulls him to the infirmary to treat his face herself. This was the first time Marsh felt someone care for him. And while Pink was holding a cold packet to his black eye, she started dropping her questions, "How come you haven't gone to the library these past week?... what happened exactly?"
Hesitant to answer, Marsh felt like he could trust and tell Pink the things he went through, "Well, it's a long story..."
"I'll listen."
It made his heart ached to have finally found a person who'll listen. He took the cold packet from her hand and turned his face away, "...let's just say I got into a bit of a trouble with a classmate."
"I see... then I hope that classmate of yours stop messing with you—or are you the bad boy causing trouble here?" Pink asked teasingly, making Marsh chuckle. "How can a bookworm ever be a bad boy?"
"Fair point." They both laughed it off.
Pink truly gave Marsh a sense of relief in her presence, she was that space where he can feel safe and happy. Even though life wasn't so great at the academy, he was grateful he met Pink in this place.
Though his peaceful days soon came to an end when Lem returned from his suspension, and what's worst is that a teacher called for him in his office.
"WHAT!?" Marsh exclaimed in shock.
"I'm sorry Marsh, but you failed to pass this subject. I'll have to report this to your father." The teacher said, clasping his hands as he look at his student. "I've got to say, I'm very disappointed it came to this point."
"B-But sir! Is there any way I can pass the subject!? If my father finds out about this, he'll kill me!"
"I'm sure your punishment won't be that dire, but let this be a reminder to you..." the teacher stood tall over Marsh, giving him a cold gaze. "...you never should've messed with Lemmy Lemondrop."
It struck Marsh how much power Lem had within the school. Even some of the teachers were in his favor, now Marsh soon have to face his infuriated father again.