Chapter 8 - Three Glasses of Milk

Marco was in bed thinking about Star's final year of school but soon found himself in the old Butterfly castle walking through a series of halls. Each room was decorated with a mix of white balloons and streamers. He thought he was dreaming but he knew for sure when he saw that Star was on the back of an angry warnicorn stampeding toward him.

"Marco! Did you start looking at rooms without me! You have to tell me which one you like best!" The smile on Star filled her face.

He rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Star, are you planning a party?"

She gave him a fake surprised look. "Nooooooooo"

The teenager looked again between the rooms. "Is it a party where everything is white? Like...maybe a wedding party?"

"No dummy, I'm planning a Stump Day party. Why would you think I would be planning a wedding for someone who is one hundred percent totally not us?!"

Marco could see the answer in her eyes. "I haven't even asked the question yet and I don't care what your dad says, people around here don't get married at our age."

While still mounted she patted the top of his head. "Yeah, yeah you say you want to wait until after college BUT I know what you think about, what you dream about. Plus, what makes you think I'm not going to ask you first! Here is something I do know, we are NOT pulling a Marco and waiting for some 23 step plan to finish. I can see the plan in your head, 30 is soooooo old!" Star was down from the beast and the two began walking side by side admiring the various setups.

Marco kissed her forehead. "I think you've gotten much better at reading my mind than I have at reading yours. So not-wedding planner, where did you get all these not-wedding ideas from and how are we going to pay for this when we are saving for the future?"

Star glowed happiness as she pulled Macro into the next room. "I'm glad you are not freaking out. You might not remember but I told you to read Starfan's online stories. She has four different series going. In all of them we have a big wedding, have kids, happily ever after stuff." Star giggled at her own thoughts. "She did one where you and Tom are getting married and I crash it to try winning you back. That might be my favorite. Oh and she did one where I am blind in a no-magic Earth and everyone treats me like a princess. We get married in that one too, it is SO sweet!"

The smile had spread to Marco now, her exuberance was infectious. "That girl does love writing about us. Ok, you win. No 23 step plan. But, can we have some sort of plan? Maybe just a few less steps?"

"Yes Plan-zilla! Here is what I got, our applications are already out. Over the summer we get married and then BOOM...college together! I have to assume that with us both applying to the same four schools at least one of them is going to take both of us. There is no way I want to go to college without you. As for paying for this...it might not be the same kingdom that it was before the Earth merger but mom still weaseled her way back into being the acting queen again. I'm sure if we asked my parents they would happily pay for it. If anything, that makes me an acting princess so maybe they might want to televise it?"

He shook his head. "You know I don't like asking our parents for money. Maybe we start talking about a speaking fee for your appearances?"

Marco could see that she was in the zone so he went back to listening. "Marco, forget about that paying for it part. Focus on the party we are going to have even if it is just in some backyard! You know I was so excited to talk to you about this tonight I couldn't sleep. I had to drink three glasses of warm milk before I could settle down."

The young woman paused to take a breath and used that time to study Marco's face. Slowly as she did, her smile turned to a frown. "I can see it...you're scared! AGAIN! You are always scared! Arrrgg!"

He lowered his head. "Maybe."

Holding his face still Star riffled through his thoughts as if she was looking for a missing shoe buried in the back of their closet.

He started acting nervous. "Star, college is going to cost a lot and I don't think I can buy you a wedding ring with my spare $650 dollars. I mean maybe I could but it would not be..."

She put a finger to his mouth to get him to stop talking.

"You are scared we are going to change and that I'll become unhappy with you."

Star had hit the nail on the head and from Marco's reaction, he didn't even know he was holding the nail. "I...you...well...ah...I guess. No, you are right...I..."

Star put her finger back over his lips. "We are going to change. You and I are going to change a lot. We have already changed. BUT, we are going to change TOGETHER. I can't imagine anyone else in any dimension who I would like to change together with more. I ONLY want you."

Marco finally smiled.

Pointing to her hand she continued. "I don't want a ring, I'm just going to lose it. If I want something to show off I'll just make sure you are with me. But...but most importantly, if we do this I do NOT want you to be a hero trying to take care of everything for us for the rest of our lives. I just need you to be my bestie-husband and we are going to take care of each other!"

For several minutes Marco's mind raced through the possibilities and all the pitfalls of not following the plan he had come up with. Would they be doomed to fail if they didn't follow a plan? With Star, would they be doomed to fail if they DID follow a plan? As he thought he could not stop staring into Star's eyes. His heart knew what he wanted, what they wanted. "Star, do I keep coming up with all these plans because change scares me?"

She nodded.

The nervousness was still in Marco but he pushed past it. "OK, I think we are still too young but we can go with something closer to your wedding plan even if that means it is happening waaaay sooner than I expected. I love you and I trust you. No...I trust us."

"You do?"

"I do."

"I do too."

With this she pounced at him. Their arms wrapped around each other while their lips met for a long deep kiss. He did not remember it ending but when it did his mouth formed a slight smile. "For decoration I say we go with room number two. Fun but still sophisticated."

"Good choice Mr. Daiz or should I say Mr. Butterfly!" Now Star jumped down and pulled on Marco's arm. "Come on, I want to go outside and find a place for us to dream-celebrate."

In two steps they dream traveled to a small pond behind the old castle. A waterfall was feeding into a nearby stream and the noise of the splashing echoed all around them. Standing by the shore Marco turned to kiss her again. Instead to his surprise, Star pushed her fiancée into the water with a laugh. This was followed by her jumping in on top of him. "What do you say Mr. Butterfly, just you and me here in our wet clothes. What would you like to do now that we are tooootally not wedding planning?"

Marco had a sly smile at first but his face changed as he suddenly realized something. "Star, this water is really warm...did you...did you really drink three glasses of milk before bed? Ohhhhh Star!"

With that she laughed even louder. "I was trying to hold it because I didn't want the dream to end yet!"

"You're changing the sheets Star! So gross!"

Her laughter was the last thing he heard before they both woke up.