Chapter 1: Invisible Touch

The Echo Creek Academy school day began at 8:00 am, by which time students were expected to arrive promptly at home room to begin another exciting day of their educational journey. For at ECA, a student's day was truly an exciting one.

Since her arrival a few months prior, Star Butterfly had become the talk of the school, and rightfully so. She was an extradimensional princess whose magic and adventurous exploits frequently disrupted classes and endangered the school. Naturally, the students loved her for it. The bubbly and unpredictable Star could liven up a day in unimaginable ways, and students now raced to class in the hopes Star would surprise them again.

And surprise them she did, though not in the way they expected… if that made any sense. Star was seated at the side of the class by the window with a pair of binoculars pressed tightly against her eyes. Whatever she was looking at, she was doing so with an intensity that called for her complete attention. The students walking in muttered to each other in confusion, sitting down and conversing somewhat disappointed with today's showing (a 4/10 at best).

Trailing in behind the majority of students was the person most accustomed to Star's zaniness. Marco Diaz, resident safe kid and Star's best friend, hesitantly took his seat next to Star, trying to discern what Star could be on the watch for. As he got closer, he began to make out Star murmuring to herself.

"F… F… B… C… F again…."

"Uh, Star? Are you trying to read your report card or something? Because it's about five miles away."

Star waved dismissively at Marco, her focus still glued on the outside. "Don't be silly, Marco! You know I could never get a B. I'm watching Oskar play his keyboards."

Looking out, Marco could see that the oddball delinquent Oskar Greason was indeed stationed at his usual spot on top of his car in the parking lot some ways away, fingering away on his ever present keyboard. Star sighed, resting a hand at her cheek. "His composing skills are beyond words…"

Marco cringed. Star wasn't wrong, but most other students weren't exactly swooning over Oskar's cacophonous noisemaking. While the wannabe musician was thankfully far enough away for his music not to be heard in the classroom, Star's fascination with Oskar was still a mystery to the Earth boy.

"You can make out what keys he's playing with those things? Impressive." Marco said, shrugging off her controversial appraisal of Oskar's talents.

Apparently satisfied with her eavesdropping, Star reached for the wand at her side and poofed away her visual aid. "Yeah, magical binoculars are at least 75% more effective than non-magical binoculars. Thatpercentagehasnotbeenverified, magicalbinocularsmayinfactbelesseffectivethantheirnonmagicalcounterparts."

Marco laughed. "And out of curiosity, with regards to your ongoing crush, have you tried actually talking to him yet?"

Her eyes darting away, Star avoided his gaze as she started playing with her hands. "Yeah… we talked on the phone once."

Marco leaned in, hoping to reclaim Star's attention. Speaking in a slow and helpful tone, he suggested, "Well, maybe you could try talking to him in person."

Star's hands suddenly slammed down on her desk, giving Marco a look as if he had insulted her mother. "Are you kidding? He's in the midst of creating musical masterpieces, I can't just walk up and interrupt him! What if I break his concentration right as he's composing his magnum opus?!"

"That may be a risk you have to take. Who knows? Maybe you'll inspire him to create something even more beautiful." As beautiful a song as Oskar can make, Marco thought to himself.

Star's expression brightened as she took in the idea. "You really think so?"

"Sure, I think you're pretty, er, inspirational!"

The princess grinned widely. "Thanks Marco! I think I will go talk to Oskar." Her arm slung around Marco's shoulder, pulling him closer. "Right after you go and talk to Jackie Lynn Thomas."

Marco's heart froze at the mention of her name. Now it was his turn to look away. "T-that is completely different," he said, blushing profusely.

"And how is that?"

"Well… for one thing, I already have talked to her. Remember how we sat together on the bus? That's how I got this bad boy!" Pulling out his phone, Marco quickly pulled up Jackie's contact on his phone and showed it to Star. The skater girl had taken a selfie, giving the camera one of her trademark chill smiles.

"Niiiiice," Star admired, winking and giving a thumbs up in approval. "So where does that put you on your twenty-three step plan?"

Marco placed his phone back in his pocket. "'Get her to take a selfie for me'? That was step seven."

Star patted her friend enthusiastically on the back. "Makin' progress! Now why don't you keep up that momentum and talk to her when she comes in?"

Marco slunk in his seat and raised his hands defensively. "Ehhh, best not to bother her too much. Casual conversation isn't till step twelve. Besides, I've got to come prepared with just the right material."

Frowning in frustration, Star pulled Marco out of his slump and forced him to attention. "Marco, you can't over-prepare for true love." Star's eyes magnified at the words, lost in the beauty of the very concept. "You just go up and say what's on your mind!"

"But that's the problem: when I go up to her my mind goes blank."

"It all comes with experience, Marco! And you'll never get to know more about her if you don't talk to her."

That particular comment didn't sit right with Marco. "What do you mean? I know more about Jackie than anyone else in school!"

"Like what?" Star asked, her arms crossed skeptically.

"Like how she arrives at school at precisely 7:56 each morning, how her hair dye color is Aquamarine number—"

"Yeah, but what do you know about her?" Star butted in. "What's her favorite movie, what kind of music does she like, what are her pastimes?"

Marco stared at Star silently, biting his lip deep as he pondered for a moment. "Well… she likes to skateboard…"

Star gasped in excitement. "There ya go! Talk to Jackie about skateboarding!"

"Star, I don't know anything about skateboarding!" Marco said exasperatedly.

"All the more reason to ask Jackie about it!" Star said, her smile growing wider.

"Ask me about what?" A voice spoke out from behind Marco. For a moment, Marco seemed to stop functioning, his face contorted and his body in a tense, frozen position. Turning around, Marco looked up to see Jackie Lynn Thomas smiling at him expectantly. The sight of the love of his life sent Marco into a frenzy.

"Jackie?! Oh, um, h-hi! Star and me… that is to say, er, Star and I… well I just wondering…" Marco sputtered out helplessly. The aimless gesticulating accompanying his babble wasn't helping matters. Deciding she had seen enough, Star stepped in to push Marco in the right direction.

"Marco just wanted to ask you about skateboarding, right Marco?" She nudged him encouragingly and gestured to the skater girl in front of them. Marco's eyes darted frantically between the two girls.

"Um… that's… yes."

Jackie grew noticeably more excited. "Aw, rad! What did you wanna know, Marco?

Breathing heavily and lost in a daze, what was left of Marco's mind decided it would be easiest to take it one word at a time. "I… wanted… to… know… what… you… do... with… skateboards."

Jackie looked at him inquisitively. "Like, what kind of tricks I do?" Marco let out an affirmative squeak. "Oh, cool. Well, I just got a new board, so I haven't broken it in much yet, but I just like to do some bigspins, some nosegrinds, stuff like that. I have to test it out on the ramps this weekend, see if I can pull off a fastplant."

Marco's eyes glazed over. Was she still speaking English? His mouth opened and close like a goldfish as he tried to come up with some sort of response. Before any noise could escape his lips, the school bell rang and Ms. Skullnick plodded into the room. Noticing this, Jackie spoke up and said, "I guess I'll have to tell you more some other time. Later, Marco! Later, Star!" She waved as she strolled to the opposite corner of the room to where her girl-friends awaited her.

"Later, Jackie!" Star shouted as she waved across the room. Marco, in contrast sat frozen where he had been the past minute, shock and confusion still dominating his face. At last movement arose in his body, only to slam his face into his desk in utter embarrassment.

"Oh, god… this girl is messing me up," he muttered nearly inaudibly with his face hidden.

"But you looooove heeeeer!" Star sang out in a whisper, hoping to cheer up the distraught boy next to her. With no visible response, however, Star resignedly turned away to let Marco recover on his own. That wasn't to say she had given up on him. On the contrary, her mind raced to solve the problem of Marco's bashfulness. He was her best friend, and no matter how long it took her, she was determined to give him a helping hand. She did have magic after all, and magic solved problems 75% more effectively.

Usually.