Music Box

Earth. Earth was filled with many wondrous and strange things ranging from people, customs, and objects. At least, that's what it felt like to Star. Each and every day Star would silently, but many times loudly, marvel at the mysteries of this strange and charming dimension. The list of mysteries that simply had to be solved were numerous and varied as every aspect of Earth life was interesting and worth understanding. The mysteries ranged from the toilet that took things from this world, the man who ties to leaves things in the Diaz's front yard box, to magical devices that could transmit sound from the air itself.

Star stared at the music box with an intensity that was usually reserved for school work or math problems that had letters in them. Star gently touched the smooth and glossy surface of the music box as she tried to discern the source of its obvious magical qualities that allowed it to play a wide variety of music that included her all-time favorite band Love Sentence. The magical music box in question was currently sitting on Marco's night stand in all of its magical, and to be honest, not so boxy glory. This music box was semi-circular in the back with a flat front. The glossy red color of the backside of the music box definitely suited Marco as it matched his infamous red hoodie.

Star gingerly flipped the switch on the side of the music box from her ever so comfy position on Marco's bed. The music box started to play what sounded like a guitar, or at least what she thought Marco said was a guitar, over the speakers. Star sighed lightly as she began to eye the two fairly large and worn nobs on top of the music box. Marco had spent a solid 15 whole minutes explaining the use of this magical device. Unfortunately Star had only listened to a small portion of that explanation as she instead pondered exactly what shade of brown Marco's eyes were. She had come to the conclusion that they took on differing colors depending upon his mood. At the time he was happily explaining the music box and they most resembled the liquid chocolate they had made when the weather got cold outside.

The words that had previously labeled the nobs had, apparently, long worn away leaving Star with no clue as to what each one did. All she could vaguely remember was that each one did something specific to change how the magical music box played music. One even changed the kind of music it played over its dimensional speakers. This song was nice, but Star wanted something different. Star reached over and gave the far left nob a twist to the right. This, however, did not have the desired effect Star was expecting. Instead of changing the music style the magical music box was playing, it increased the volume of the music currently playing. Star shot straight up in the air swinging her arms and legs wildly in shock. "AAAAhhh!" Star's startled scream seemed to echo around the Diaz home. This caused a rumble from down stairs soon followed by the sound of scampering feet coming up the staircase.

Marco peeked into the room, only one eye and some of his brown hair visible from around the corner. The sound of Marco's assent when unnoticed by Star who was been karate chopping the air in frenzied panic. Marco smiled to himself as Star reached over and turned the radio down to a more aesthetically pleasing level. "Well", Star mumbled, "I guess it's safe to say that was the wrong one." Star again reached for a nob, except this time going for the one on the far right. She gave it an experimental, and gentle, twist. This time the "magic music box" responded as Star had originally hoped it would and the music that came over the speakers shifted from the melodious sounds of a somber country song to that of static with intermittent and unintelligible words trying to fight their way through the speakers. "This one isn't very pretty…maybe I broke Marco's music box? No, no, no, no! Go back! Don't be broken!" Star desperately pleaded as she again turned the nob resulting in the music coming though clearly with no static to disrupt the sound of the music whatsoever. "Thank goodness." Star sighed in relief as she felt her racing heart with one hand. "That was scarier than Ludo, but I guess that's not saying much…" Star mumbled to herself. Marco, meanwhile, was struggling to contain his laughter to the point his side were beginning to ache from the exertion of holding in his mirth.

Marco, upon regaining his composure, again peeked around the doorframe to watch as Star continued to fiddle with his radio. Marco didn't know why Star found it so fascinating, but ever since she had "discovered" it he had left it out for her. It seemed to make Star extremely happy, although this was the first time he had seen Star dare tough it and play around with the stations.

"Please play that one song music box." Star asked sweetly as she almost seemed to slightly bow her head politely to the radio. Marco smiled from ear to ear. Star was beyond ridiculously cute. Only Star would ask an inanimate object something so kindly and, more endearingly, sincerely. Marco could only guess she was looking for what he had come to realize was her favorite station, the pop station. Marco brought his hand to his chin as he contemplated helping Star find the station before returning to finish his homework assignments so that he and Star could enjoy whatever adventures would await them this weekend, but the prospect of ruining this hilarious and adorable display of "Starness" was unthinkable.

Star again reached over and turned the nob, this time slowly and continuously as she went through intermittent phases of static and varying radio stations. Star continued this process, tongue sticking out and looking upwards as if trying to remember the sound she was looking for. Finally a familiar tune could be heard coming over the radios speakers which caused Star to immediately brighten up only for her excitement to dissipate almost as quickly as it had come. Star's timing had been "perfect" as she had indeed found the station she was looking for the entire time. However, she managed to catch the ending portion of, what had been one of her favorite songs, "Just Friends".

Marco watched Star with a look of utter confusion as he could not understand why one of their favorite songs had seemingly made Star unhappy. Marco wanted with everything in his being to go to her and comfort her in any why that he possibly could, but something in him told him to hold fast to his hidden position in the doorway.

Star sat there, staring at the music box, sullenly. Of all the songs the magic box could play, it had to play that one. The one song that reminded her that Marco would only ever see her as a friend, and nothing more. Star hated how this song had been ruined for her several months ago at the Love Sentence concert as she had watched Marco and Jackie kiss, while she still held Marco's hand. While Marco and Jackie had stopped dating each other before spring break, she could not shake the unwanted feelings of sadness the song now brought with it as it passed those magical dimensional speakers.

As the song ended Star sighed and whispered, "but I wish we could be more than that…" Marco had heard Star's words in the silence that followed the ending of the song, but the name that followed had been cut from the air by the upbeat music and lyrics of the next song. Marco frowned which turned into an uncharacteristic scowl. Whoever hurt Star deserved to know the pain they put her through. Star was the most amazing person he knew and he had silently taken it upon himself to do all he could to ensure Star's happiness. Now all he had to do was find out who had made her sad and make them apologize. However, the first step was to cheer Star up.

Marco silently flew down the railing of the stairs and landed softly on the livingroom floor before bolting into the kitchen to put the finishing touches to his, at least according to Star, famous nachos. This was a surefire way to cheer her up!

Marco smiled triumphantly as he pulled the now finished nachos from the oven in all their gooey and cheesy glory. Marco gently placed the nacho bowl on a large metal pan that would allow him to easily carry the sizzling nachos up to his room for him and Star to enjoy together. Marco went up the stairs as fast, as a safely, as he could while carrying the nachos. "Staaaaaar!" Marco sang "the look what I got for you!" Marco turned the corner to find Star sprawled on his bed and half wrapped in his bracket as she was still listening to his radio.

Star's face lit up as she closed her eyes and breathed in the heavenly scent of Marco's delicious nachos that she would admittedly say she was addicted to. "Marco, made us nachos?" Star nearly screamed as she hopped to a sitting position on his bed. Star smiled at Marco and patted a spot next to her, inviting him to join her. Marco placed the pan that held the nacho bowl on the indicated spot and sat next to the pan himself so that he and Star occupied the space on either side of the delectable food.

"What did I do to deserve this Marco? Is this a "happy blank days on Earth" thing? Star asked she hastily grabbed a nacho and tossed it in her mouth with a happy, almost purring, sound of approval. Marco shook his head in wonderment "You don't know how many days you have been on Earth?" "Well Marco, to be honest, I stopped counting when your mom stopped putting the number on those banners in the living room." Marco couldn't help but to chuckle as even he had to admit that he didn't exactly remember the number of days Star had been making his life better.

"Touché Star Butterfly. Touché. "Marco said as he too reached into the bowl and grabbed a cheese drenched chip to eat. Star looked at Marco like a confused laser puppy begging, without words, for an explanation. Marco took note of Star's confusion and hastily finished chewing up his nacho. "Touché, basically, means that you made a point and I am conceding that point to you" Marco explained as he licked the cheese from his lips. This action, however, did not go unnoticed by Star as a shiver silently ran down her spine causing her to tremble ever so slightly.

"So, I see you found my old radio again. I assume everything came out alright since you found your station again." Marco asked as he gave Star a toothy smile. Star smiled too, but not her usual bright smile that Marco had come to adore. "Ya, I found it ok, but I thought I broke your magic music box for a minute." Star replied looking down as she remembered the first song to greet her on her magic music station. "Marco, is there a way to keep the magic music box from playing certain songs?"

Marco noticed Star's demeanor take a more somber turn which prompted him to decide he had to find out the answers to his questions gingerly so as not to make Star sad. He had to play this as smooth as the jazz radio station on FM 97. "I'm afraid not Star. The Radio", he emphasized the word, "only plays what each station broadcasts. So if you don't like the song the only solution is to change the station or turn it off completely…You do realize that the radio is not magic, right?"

Star smiled sheepishly as thoughtfully continued to munch on yet another cheesy nacho. Marco smiled to himself as he thought 'That is perhaps a battle better won another day'. "Why do you ask? Did they play a song you did not enjoy?" Marco asked, knowing the answer already to see if Star would be willing to tell him the reason outright. "Well, it's complicated I guess." Start replied nonchalantly, "Don't worry about it, it's no big deal." Marco let a momentary frown hit his face as he would have to dig deeper. "Well, what song was it?" Star looked up from her nacho and, not wanting to lie to Marco, replied "Just Friends".

Marco was pleased, now he was getting somewhere. He would work with this opening. He wasn't "Dr. Marco- P.H.D" for nothing after all. Marco feigned shock "but I thought that was one of your favorites, one of our favorites!" Star blushed as she looked at the radio "it was, but now it just makes me…sad." Marco took that information in. While this was not exactly a revelation, it was a start. "Well, why does it make you sad Star?"

Star bit her lip as she thought about what to say. Should she come out and tell him, or should she continue to dance around his questions and hope to eventually satisfy his sudden inquisitiveness. "Well Marco, it's just a boy issue…I'm sure you don't wanna get into that, ya know?" Star replied as she desperately hoped that Marco would simply accept this and move on to other things. Like nachos. Which Star found more and more interesting as this line of questions continued as she no longer dared to make eye contact with Marco.

'Aha!' Marco screamed in his head! This had to do with that Oskar guy! The guy "with the record". Star's not so secret crush that made Marco's stomach drop whenever he thought about the idea of him and Star together. He made HIS Star feel this way! "It's Oskar isn't it? I'm gonna go find him and give him a piece of my mind!" Marco nearly shouted as he jumped up from his positon on the bed. Star gazed at Marco in amazement. For as smart as he was, he sure managed to come to the wrong conclusion. "Marco, this has nothing to do with Oskar. I haven't liked him in ages. Besides, he doesn't even go to school anymore."

This certainly caught Marco off guard. If not Oskar, then who was causing Star to feel bad whenever one of their favorite songs played? "Well, if it isn't Oskar…then who is it?" Marco asked pleadingly. "I just want to make you feel better. You deserve to feel happy." "It's just some boy Marco, don't worry about it. I'll be fine. I am Star Butterfly after all. I'm a monster butt kicking machine!" She stated with a half-smile.

Marco sat just sat there staring at Star. His best friend and the secret recipient of his affection. The wheels in Marco's mind were slowly beginning to turn as a very spontaneous, and Star like, plan began to form in his mind. Marco gulped as he nervously picked up his cell phone. "Star hold on for a second…I think I know how to make you feel better." Star watched confused, and simultaneously relieved, as Marco walked out of the room.

Marco shakily opened up the dial pad on his phone as he punched in the number for Star's radio station, 98.1 FM "The Wind". Marco stood in her room nervously pacing the floor as he ran through the worst ways this plan could backfire on him. This was a risk, but his heart kept telling him he needed to do something. Now was the perfect chance to, hopefully, tell Star how he felt and alleviate Star's mood at the same time. The only problem was he was putting his friendship with Star on the line. Either this would work perfectly, or this would backfire and destroy him. There would be no returning to his blissful world of being Star's best friend after this. It would be too weird, but he had to try. Now was the time! It just had to be or else his heart and soul would shatter. "No pressure." Marco muttered to himself as he finally heard a voice on the other end of the line.

"This is 98.1 FM "The Wind"! Would you like to make a song suggestion or would you like to enter in on our contest to win a back stage pass to Echo Creek's music festival next month?" asked a spunky female voice who Marco recognized as the lady who often made announcements of all kinds for the station. "I was wondering if I could possibly request a specific song for your station to play here in a minute, if that's ok." Marco asked anxiously. "You most certainly may young man! What song would you like to hear on our station next?" "Could you please play…" Marco asked as grabbed ahold of the wall to help steady his weak and shaky legs. "Most certainly! I hope you are near a radio now because as soon as "Just Friends" by Love Sentence ends we will put your song selection on the air! Have a great evening and remember to keep the dial turned to 98.1 "The Wind"!" The lady said way to enthusiastically. The only thing that Marco caught in that final exchange, however, was the name of the song that was currently playing. "Star…"

Marco scampered back to his room to find Star again looking crest fallen with a half empty container of nachos sitting farther back on his bed than you remembered setting it. "Star, are you ok?" Marco asked even though he could see the answer written on Star's usually cheerful face. Star looked up from the floor and smiled weakly at Marco "Ya, I'm fine. I just wish this song wasn't so popular right now…" Marco nodded nervously as he knew the song would be reaching its end soon. "Star, I'm gonna make the next song special, from me to you." Star looked at Marco questioningly as she asked "I thought you said that the music box didn't work that…"

The rest of Star's thought was forgotten as the next song started to play and she laser focused in on Marco's claim to control the magic music box.

I won't lie to you
I know he's just not right for you
And you can tell me if I'm off
But I see it on your face
When you say that he's the one that you want
And you're spending all your time
In this wrong situation
And anytime you want it to stop1

I know I can treat you better
Than he can
And any girl like you deserves a gentleman
Tell me why are we wasting time
On all your wasted crime
When you should be with me instead
I know I can treat you better
Better than he can

Star's eyes began to fill up with tears as she looked over to where Marco stood in his doorway looking down at his socks. Star began to smile and her smile turned into a fit of uncontrollable giggling as she began to openly cry and giggle all at the same time. Marco had completely missed the mark, yet he had somehow hit a "bullseye" as they said on Earth.

Marco sheepishly looked up at Star as he watched her giggle and cry. Confusion was evident on his face as this was not the reaction he had anticipated in either the best or worst case scenario. Star was laughing and crying. 'Is this a good thing?' was the only thing that crossed Marco's mind as Star began to compose herself.

"Marco, you made this song play for me?" Star asked as a blush began to spread across her face. "I told you I did…" Marco replied hesitantly. Star was so hard to read right now Marco internally groaned to himself. "Do…do you mean it?" Star asked hopefully as warmth began to fill her entire being. "Y-yes…Star…I mean every word." was all Marco could manage to squeak out as his voice was beginning to tighten up from how tense he felt.

Star smiled so brightly that Marco felt as if we were going to go blind if he were exposed to her smile for that much longer, not that he would complain. That would be the last thing he would ever want to see, if he could choose. Star's happy, smiling face would be a wonderful last sight to behol… However, Marco's last thought was completely disrupted, shutdown, and forgotten as Star tenderly pressed her lips to his.

Marco stood there, completely paralyzed by Star's sudden display of affection. Marco could not even begin to count how many times he had dreamed of this moment, yet he had never actually expected for it to come to fruition. Star had kissed him. Marco was broken from his stupor by Star's sudden embrace which brought Marco back to Earth only to hear that Star was…apologizing? "I'm so sorry Marco! I didn't mean to…Please forgive me! It won't happen again! Please don't stop being my friend!" Star said brokenly through her tears.

Marco was confused to say the least. Why was Star apologizing? She made his dreams come true, she was a dream come true. That's when it hit him. Star had mistaken his shock and silence as a bad sign. She thought he was upset! Marco knew there was only one way to resolve this. He slowly reached for her hand and led her to his bed where they had been sitting not that long ago. He sat on the bed and placed his back against the headboard after having moved the nearly forgotten nachos to his desk in hurried rush. Marco patted the spot next to him softly as he gave Star a reassuring smile. Star sniffed and wiped her eyes as she climbed onto the bed next to Marco where he had beckoned her to sit.

"Star, please don't be sorry. Because I don't want you to be sorry." Star again went to wipe her eyes only for Marco to reach up and wipe away her tears with the sleeve of his hoodie. "What do you mean "I don't want you to be sorry"?" Star asked as Marco wrapped his arm around her shoulders and brought Star closer to him. "I mean that…I don't want you to try to take back that kiss. I wanted to kiss you. I just didn't think my plan would work. I figured you must have liked someone else. I'm sorry that I made you feel that was a mistake. I love you Star Butterfly."

Star smiled and her cheeks were again graced by a blush as she snuggled into Marco more. Star looked up at Marco with hopeful shining sapphire eyes "Does this mean we are..." Star started to ask only to be interrupted by Marco's lips gently meeting hers. "I would hope so, unless you are opposed to that." Marco said with a sly smile. Star's hearts began to glow pink as whispered "not at all" with a satisfied smiled plastered to her face.

Marco and Star sat on his bed cuddling together as the radio continued to play song after song in a soft rhythmic loop. The only thing that, eventually, interrupted the loop of symphonic sound was the light snores coming from Star. Marco looked down and kissed Star's golden hair. Then with a weary sign he leaned his head against the top of Star's and whispered before falling asleep himself "I love that magical music box."