Star lazed on her cozy canopy bed. Poking her magic wand, the 17-year old hummed a little Earth-tune her recent ex played on his weird electric piano. Tomorrow was her 18th birthday, and she was planning for the biggest party ever seen in all her four years on her new home, Earth. Her style had changed much since her first year on Earth, much less childish and more modern but still cutesy. These days, for example, she would wear flowy pink shirts and teal skirts as opposed to a teal and green striped pair of leggings, a bright pink dress and multicolored belts. Still, she remained mostly unchanged with her personality, except for her growing knowledge about Earth.
Marco knocked on the door and sauntered in. At 18, the boy still wore his generic red sweatshirts and black jeans, but grew out of his dorky karate obsession (unless he fought monsters) and fanny packs. He had growing popularity because of Star, who was the third most popular behind Brittney Wong and Jackie Lynn Thomas. Star was well-liked due to her magic and out-going attitude, whereas Brittney was unapproachable and more the untouchable kind of popular. Jackie was nice and all, but still semi-reclusive, but popular because she was cool.
"Yo, Star! Your magic mirror is ringing," Marco pointed out as he plopped down on Star's bed.
"Ugh, it's just Tom. He doesn't even know I dated Oskar, that creep. Can't I get a cool boyfriend?" Star groaned. She still snapped her fingers and the mirror popped to life.
"Star! You picked up! Haha, well, I have a new take to get you, you WILL be mine!" the 18-year-old demon gestured towards her. She rolled her eyes and stepped towards the mirror. Marco watched from a chair, directly parallel to the mirror, so he could see everything.
"Woah, woah, woah! Is that a new boyfriend? Star, are you cheating on me? I thought we were together!"
"One: We aren't, two: that isn't my new boyfriend, I already broke up with my old boyfriend. That's Marco, he's my best friend. We live together. I've lived with him my entire time on Earth!" Star looked back. Both teens were blushing furiously while the strange demon ranted.
"Get off my mirror and don't call back!" Tom called jealously.
"Wasn't planning on it," Star muttered, tucking her long hair behind her ears. She got it cut when she was 16, so now it was by her waist again. Marco got his hair cropped regularly, but when he finally got Star's cut, it turned out Muny has weird magic stuff when she overlapped to Earth so it actually hurt her. She hadn't gotten it cut, and it would only go back to normal in Muny.
Star sighed and flopped back onto her bed. Marco leaned back into his chair.
"So… tomorrow's your birthday, and your fourth year on Earth, whaddya want, more fanny packs?" Marco laughed as he gestured to his pile of old gifts from his younger, dorkier years.
"Maybe to be accepted into Earth college; also maybe a decent boyfriend or legitimate crush," Star replied glumly. Despite her growing up, she was still usually upbeat and happy.
Star's sadness made Marco uncomfortable. He stood up and walked over. Grabbing her wrist, he pulled her up off the bed.
"Yeah, it stinks. I'm over my ex, now, too, on account that they cheated on both of us. But I still, liked her, y'know? You learn to get over small pains. But the deep, heart wrenching ones last for years. A magic wand can't fix a broken heart, no matter how hard you try. 'Sides, you aren't heartbroken, you would know. You wouldn't be as happy as you are these days. Oskar and Jackie Lynn Thomas are jerks. At least we found that out early on," Marco consoled Star, who sat with her head hanging upside down off the bed. She grunted. Marco grabbed her hands and pulled her into a sitting position. Gently pulling her up, he dragged her out of her room. Grunting, she pulled back. Marco sat her down in the kitchen.
"Star, don't you have a portable mirror?" Marco asked. Star whipped out her smaller mirror and flopped it towards Marco. He nodded back.
Twenty minutes later, they sat together with a bowl of 'Marco's Super Awesome Nachos', a not-changed Pony Head on the mirror, and 'Space Unicorn' blasting out of Marco's phone. Star finally cracked a smile. Marco felt so much better. All three of them were laughing their heads off by nine o'clock. Pony-head had to leave for Saint Olga's strict curfew, but all were in a good mood. All three went to bed, anticipating Star's big birthday.
. . .
Upon awakening, Star found the Diazs partying for her. They handed her all of her Earth college acceptances they had been collecting as a surprise for her. The Saturday was to be fun and lazy until three in the afternoon when the party began. Everybody was invited.
At eight in the morning, Star and Marco sat in Star's room when the mirror began buzzing with an urgent message. Marco curiously watched from the side as Star answered.
Her regal parents popped to life on the screen. Both seemed relatively calm but still boring and unremarkable. It was a bland message, not a single acknowledgement of Star's birthday. It was simple but boring until one eventful sentence.
"Star, because you are eighteen and now officially a woman, you are heir to the throne. You must come back to Muny before three o'clock in the afternoon. Ludo is after you and Muny is safer for you now." Her mother said. Star's mouth fell open. Marco tumbled off of his chair.
"Mom! That's when my b-day party is! I can't leave Earth, I've been accepted to Earth college! I have Earth friends and I've been in an Earth relationship! I can't stop here! This is my home!" Star argued. Her parents remained calm and stern.
"Star, you must come home immediately. Say goodbye to your Earth friends. Earth will be taken over by Ludo, he has a master plan nobody knows. If you come home you won't become a slave. Bring nobody but you and your things."
"Shouldn't I stay here and protect them?"
"There is nothing you can do,"
"But-"
"Come home or be dragged home. Happy Birthday." The screen turned black.
Star fell to her knees. Marco fell by her side.
"Home? We're gonna be enslaved? We can't-" Marco stuttered. Star got up without talking and waved her wand, muttering a spell. All her stuff zipped into her suitcases. She grabbed her dimensional scissors.
"Cancel the party. I'm going at 2:30. I'm sorry. I want to stay, but I can't mess with my parents,"
"Star, at least bring us! Ludo is going to get us! Please!" Marco pleaded. Star turned away. Waving her wand she got back into her royal garments and flopped onto her bed.
. . .
The hours ticked away until 2:30. Marco and Star had talked and talked. There was no way for the two to stay in touch between dimensions. Star would be gone forever. The Diaz family stood outside holding each other. Star opened a portal with her dimensional scissors. She almost walked through, but stopped and turned around.
"Marco, you've made these last four years the best. You are my closest friend. Closer than Pony-Head. I haven't been attached to anybody even more. I'm going to miss you more than anything. And, I think I just realized this, but…" Star said solemnly, right in front of Marco. Looking down, she whipped her head up and pressed her lips against his. They pulled apart, then grabbed each other in a tight hug.
"Goodbye, Marco. Good luck with Ludo," Star mumbled. She took off into the portal. It closed with a swoosh behind her. Marco stood alone.