The curly blue-haired girl was in bed, covers pulled up past her nose, hot but cold, happy but sad. Kelly was a disaster; she was usually calm- good in a fight, helpful when needed, but overall, someone without much of an important standing. She shuffled against the mattress, pulling her knees up to her chest. Deep in her soul, she felt like a side character in her own life.
She wrapped her arms around herself, staring at the lava lamp on her nightstand, a gift from the boy who created this pain within her. Marco Diaz. His brown hair, his red hoodies, his beautiful, understandable soul. Kelly was lost in her thoughts, his smile filling up her senses. The boy from a different planet, a different dimension altogether. The boy she couldn't have.
Suddenly Kelly choked back a sob, her hands going to wipe her eyes under the glasses she'd forgotten to take off. She hadn't even realized she was crying, but her pillow was soaked, and her throat was parched. The lava lamp bubbled and changed, blues and purples attempting to calm her aching heart.
The night at Lava Lake Beach had been one of the best of Kelly's life. She'd spent so long trying to forget it, to let it go altogether, but he kept her mind reeling. The thought of his smile left a pit in her stomach, the date of his birthday was forever sealed in her mind, the color red brought nothing just regret.
He was in love with Star. Everyone could see it; it was plain as day- to Kelly, to Ponyhead, even to Tom. Yet everyone ignored it, pretending it wasn't true. It frustrated Kelly; she was alone, and worse than that, she was lonely. But Marco couldn't comprehend that Star was happy with Tom, finally.
Maybe Star didn't realize it.
Maybe Kelly was dreaming.
Maybe the pit in her stomach would never go away. Kelly closed her eyes, teeth clenched, fighting the urge to yell. Emotions running high, exhaustion in her bones, the world around her cloaked in darkness. She sat up suddenly, grabbing the lava lamp and throwing it hard against the wall. It shattered with a crash, the odd contents sliding down the wall, glass going everywhere.
Kelly climbed out of bed, threw a jacket on, and climbed out of the window before anyone knew she was the source of the sound. She crawled up her oddly-shaped house, using temporary footholds of bricks and shingles. She landed with a thud on the roof, her hair framing her face as she stared up into the sky. A thousand stars seemed to twinkle hello, a silent chorus of light.
Suddenly, from the other side of the roof, Kelly heard an all-too familiar voice resound as a blue-green portal appeared and disappeared in a flash. Not tonight, not again, she couldn't bear it. Feet padded towards her, soft thuds against the cool, still night, and she tightened her jaw.
"Hey, Kelly."
Kelly forced a smile, fiddling with the zipper of her jacket. Through her still-clenched jaw, she uttered a phrase that was so simple, yet so hard to say.
"Hey, Marco."