"Right it's all done I just need…stop licking the chocolate!" Frowning, I whack Janna's hand from the mixture remains as she cradles her hand glaring playfully at me as we stand in the kitchen. I am about to finish the icing where Janna was meant to clean up but her form of clean up isn't the most hygienic.
"But it's so good…" Childishly, she whines.
"And it's for bon bon come back to me when you're a dead clown." I tell her.
"You can count on me." Determined, she promises making me groan.
"Worse thing is I wouldn't be surprised if you did now then. Let's go I promised Star and Marco I'd help them with the dance decorations…" Sternly, I remind her as she helps me put the cake in the box. We head to school.
"Star! Over here!" Janna calls out as we enter the gym, finding Star and Marco all tangled up.
"Ash! Janna Bananna!" Excited, Star bounces up and down, lunging over to us.
"Why did you give her that nickname idea?" Annoyed, Janna playfully glares at me.
"Why did you steal my chocolate bar Janna?" Calmly, I argue back.
"It was one chocolate bar." She huffs.
"It was the ultimate chocolate bar…" Sinisterly, I whisper only to squeak back as Star wraps her arms around me, making me stumble back, taken aback by the sudden shift of weight. Janna places her hands on my shoulder catching and steadying me as she beams brightly at us.
"Did you get it? Did you get it?" Eagerly, she chants.
"We made it!" Proudly, Janna opens box and a fly flies out.
"We sorta…dropped it." Shyly, I whisper.
"Cake on a plate." Awestruck, Star gasps hands on her cheeks in awe of the desert.
"It's time to find out if the legend is true." Smirking, Janna declares.
"Will Bon Bon come back?" Excited, I question.
"Just like his candles?" Together, we creepily chorus and laugh.
"This séance is gonna be epic!" Eager, Star smiles.
"When is a séance not awesome?" Confidently, I scoff.
"I will see you tonight at seven." Smirking, Janna tells her.
"I'll see you tonight at... wait what?" Confused, she furrows her brow.
"Yeah. Bon Bon said he'd be back on his 100th death day, and that's tonight." I repeat to her.
"Nooo! I thought it was tomorrow. I promised Marco I'd be his dance buddy tonight. His teeth might fall out if he goes alone…" Sadly, Star whines.
"I warned you Star." I sigh remembering her telling me of it.
"I thought we could be dance buddies too!" Disappointed, Star whines at me hugging me making me grumble.
"Yes, Star and I told you no because I was doing a séance. I was the one to invite you." Tiredly, I remind her as she hangs off me.
"What are you gonna remember more, high school dance or dead clowns' séance?" Janna frowns at Star grabbing her shoulders, staring intensely.
"A DEAD CLOWN SÉANCE STAR!" Firmly, I remind her shaking her trying to get her to see the obvious answer.
"Dead Clown séance! Marco!" Urgently, Star rushes over to Marco as I furrow my brow.
"You think she will realize…" Janna begins.
"After today maybe." I sigh.
"Anyway how are you from what you told me…" Janna begins.
"Urgh I don't know. I just…what Marco said got to me, but it was the Naysaya, I will ignore it." I tell her.
"But can you ignore how you feel or lack of…?" Janna says.
"I don't know! We'll have to wait and see." I shrug not sure what to say.
"Alright but the more you wait the harder it will be." Janna tells me making me bow my head as Janna leaves. I watch Star and Marco talk, my brow furrowed. Star if that cube said anything and if I'm right…this is going to be a messy situation as we head back preparing for tonight.
Frowning, I wait patiently downstairs on my phone as my brow furrows as my finger brushes gently against the call button for Michael. I sigh bowing my head, not sure what's going on I just don't…feel like it, maybe it will go, eventually. I hope…Still for Jackie to ask Marco to the prom I'm proud of him…
"Look down below!" Janna calls out. Easily, I catch her bag as she slides down taking a seat and beginning to turn the torch on and off in her hand, making her eyes dilate. I sigh at my moron of a friend while worriedly, I glance at Star still oblivious or in denial. Calmly, I take the flashlight off Janna, knowing the damaging effects it could occur to the eyes. Frowning, my ears perk up at the sound of the door as Angie rushes to the door eagerly greeting Jackie.
"Oh, hey Angie, hey Star." Smiling, Jackie greets the two as she makes her way inside, wearing
"Come on in." Mrs Diaz encourages her inside as she wears a blue turquoise mermaid dress with a seashell necklace.
"Oh my gosh you look like the ocean." Amazed, Star gushes taking her hands.
"Thanks. Hey Janna. Hey Ash." Smiling, Jackie greets us.
"Hey." Rudely, Jana mutters continuing to flash the light in her hand after taking it back as I sigh bowing my head, leaving her to her devices.
"You excited for the dance?" Smiling, I decide to make small talk.
"It'll be fun, maybe you can pop by with that boyfriend of yours!" Cheekily, she winks making me release a small, forced chuckle not sure what to say.
"Um yeah…" Awkwardly, I glance to the side feeling my body tense only then for…
"Hi Jackie." Marco greets as all eyes turn to Marco in a suit as my worried yellows glance at Star finding much to my predicted worry, Star gazing affectionately at Marco. Lovingly, Marco and Jackie look at each other as Marco heads down the stairs, while Star looks at them sadly. Quietly, I rise from my seat and approach Star looking sadly from afar.
"You look amazing." Gently, Marco tells her.
"Heh, you too." Sweetly, Jackie smiles.
"A plus!" Nervously, Marco smiles as I facepalm at the moron while Jackie giggles affectionately.
"Uh...sorry." Apologetically, he smiles.
"Smell his butt. You'll thank me later." Sneakily, Janna winks as I sigh at the idiot, shoving her beanie down to cover her eyes.
"Ignore her and have fun," Understandingly, I tell the two as Marco glances at me relieved to see my pair of yellows, no longer looking angrily at him, a tight smile on my lips as I try to be fair.
"Oh Star! Um, please take a photo of my handsome son and his beautiful date!" Enthusiastically, Rafael tells her.
"Sure. Uh smile!" Nervously, Star smiles and takes the shot. Concerned, my yellows soften as I walk over to her, placing my hand on her shoulder making her blues look up at me. I give her shoulder a gentle squeeze as she blinks back the tears threatening to fall. Pained, Star sadly looks at the picture and watches Marco and Jackie walk to the dance from the door, peeping her head out as they leave.
"Come on let's distract you." Softly, I tell her making her smile grateful as Janna's mum picks us up and we head to the graveyard.
"So where's this ghost?" Glossaryck questions as he rises from the open spellbook after it smashes through Janna's mum's car and stops before us opening up.
"You know I got to give it to him, the man is dedicated to bon bon." Impressed, I nod my head.
"It's a clown séance can you blame me?" Glossaryck outstretches his arms.
"I really can't." I confess.
"Glossaryck? What are you doing here?" Surprised, Star furrows her brow.
"Is that a joke? Dead clown séance! Now lead the way." Glossaryck declares as he slams the door shut. Swiftly, Janna switches on her head lamp and Glossaryck switches on his crystal.
"I like your natural headlamp, Glossaryck." Amazed, Janna compliments him.
"It's not natural but thank you." Glossaryck corrects her.
"I wonder if Bon Bon's skull still has the clown nose on it?" Curious, Janna thinks out loud.
"Oh, no way. Maggots would have eaten it by now." Glossaryck dismisses.
"Maggots don't eat plastic." Janna argues.
"Plastic?" Glossaryck chuckles.
"Uh, yeah. Glossaryck, all clowns have plastic noses." Smirking, Janna corrects him making me sigh at the argument about to brew as worriedly, I glance at Star, seeing her eyes linger on her mirror phone, on Marco and Jackie.
"Come on don't let them ruin tonight," Gently, I whisper to Star looking up sadly at me.
"Then why won't it go away?" She whispers making me sigh, draping my arm over her and bringing her into a hug, trying to cheer up my friend.
"No. Real clowns have meat noses." Glossaryck states.
"Ugh. What do you think, Star? Ash?" Janna turns to face us.
"Depends on what was in the plastic or real nose. Either way it would have rotted everything decomposes some take longer than most." I answer for the both of us.
"Don't you think it's weird that Marco asked me to the dance and then totally changed his mind at the last minute? That's like- That's like not cool, right?" Hurt, Star questions the group making me sigh.
"What? No! You told Marco you didn't wanna go because you wanted to see Bon Bon. You do wanna see Bon Bon, don't you?" Firmly, Janna reminds her.
"Oh! Yeah, of course. Bon Bon! Huh?" Surprised, Star gasps as she trips over but I catch her as the two of us peer over our eyes widening at the grave of moss while in the background we hear both Janna and Glossaryck argue over meat and plastic.
"I will come back…" Slowly, I recite as I turn to Star looking at me as I nod, the two of us beaming brightly.
"It's Bon Bon!" Together we chorus snapping Janna and Glossaryck out of their argument to turn to face the tombstone before us.
"Bon Bon the Birthday Clown. First, he was dead. Maybe he's alive. Does he have a nose? Maggots in his eyes…" Excited, Glossaryck sings out loud playing on his ukulele as Janna and I put the finish touches on the circle.
"You ready Ash?" Janna asks me as I finish using the tape making the summon circle.
"It's done and dusted." Smirking, I confirm standing up and dusting myself off.
"If that don't say welcome back clown ghost, nothin' does. How's the shrine coming?" Janna asks Star only for Janna and I to furrow our brow to see her zoning out. Hey Star. I call out to her snapping her out of her daze.
"Huh?" Star blinks looking up from her mirror phone making me sigh.
"The shrine. How's it coming?" Janna questions her reminding her of the task at hand.
"It's uh.. It's coming along. Ugh, it's not. Sorry, sorry. My head's totally loopy tonight." Sighing, Star bows her head as we hear the faint crack of a bottle.
"Take your time Star. This will be a long night." Gently, Janna assures her.
"Sooo.. As long as we're all just sittin' here chillin'.. Would it be cool if I got your guys' opinion on something?" Star leans back making Janna and I groan having an inkling of an idea of what she will be asking.
"I-Is this about Marco again?" Janna questions glancing at me.
"What? Nooooo…" Nervous, Star glances to the side.
"Star…" Sternly, I cross my arms as she sighs bowing her head.
"Yeeesss. Could you please just tell me what you think of this one thing?" Star shoves the mirror picture of Marco and Jackie in front of our faces.
"Uh, sure." Janna agrees lazily glancing to the side.
"Okay, notice anything off about it? See? It's like just because Marco has a mole, suddenly Jackie has to have, like, eight of them?" Star points out making me groan.
"Those are freckles." Sighing, Janna corrects her.
"Hey Star, Star, Star-" Glossaryck calls out to her.
"YES, interrupter." Rudely, Star snaps at Glossaryck making me frown.
"Star! That is no way to talk to Glossaryck just because of some boy!" Annoyed, I snap at her making her bow her head regretful.
"Thank you Ash so….Are.. you gonna use this?" Mischievously, Glossaryck points to one of the spells from the book.
"What is it?" Confused, Star looks over the page.
"I don't know. It's like a.. spell. There's a.. little drawing of a rat or something." Glossaryck describes making me frown, picking up a few words of phrases.
"Uh, we're kinda in the middle of something." Star tells him.
"...So I can do whatever I-" Glossaryck smirks.
"Yeah, whatever, go." Lazily, Star dismisses.
"What have you done?" I scowl as Glossaryck burns page and warms hands by the fire.
"Oh, whoops. I accidentally deleted the picture. Uh, problem solved? Can we just focus on the shrine, now?" Swiftly, Janna deletes the photo making me sigh shaking my head at the mess.
"Yes. Shrine time!" Happily, Star starts working on shrine but looks uncomfortable making me furrow my brow as we continue the ritual.
"Aww…she's so peaceful…Star wha…what are you doing?" Blissful, I smile at the snoring Janna as I kick some dirt on her, getting out of my own coffin well empty grave and looking down at the snoring Janna.
"N-Noothing…" Nervously, Star smiles at me.
"Isn't that the all-seeing eye?" I furrow my brow.
"You know it?" Surprised, she raises a brow.
"Star I read the chapter with you what did you do?" Stenrly, I demand from her.
"I didn't mean too I just…they were both on a skateboard and I just I've been trying to phone him and I…I…why did he have to take her!? She barely knows him!" Angrily, she scowls.
"Star…" Softly, I sigh.
"Why!?" Angrily, she cries lunging forward and wrapping her arms around me making me sigh as I hug her back.
"Star I don't…I don't know how I can help you, but you got to understand. Marco has been crushing on Jackie for years, you had Tom now let Marco have someone." Sternly, I tell her placing my hands on her shoulders gently prying her from crying on my chest.
"But it's not fair!" Angrily, she releases an ugly sob bowing her head as tears cascade down her face.
"I know it isn't I know…" Gently, I whisper as she sniffles in my chest as I comb my fingertips through her blonde locks, trying to help her through this hard time as the spell disperses causing the spying girl to lead to a crying girl.
"WHA.. What did I miss?" Surprised, Janna jolts out of her grave turning to face us confused and delirious.
"Did I do that?" Scared, Star whispers scared she stumbles back into the grave joining Janna.
"Yes, you fell on me. Not sure on the mud." Frowning, Janna confirms for her.
"Who knows," Innocently, I whistle trying to ignore the glowing wand causing Marco and Jackie to fall to the floor.
"Nononono! I know I fell on you. I was there for that. There was this eyeball spell and then Jackie and Marco and they were- they were skateboarding and then-" Panicking, Star freaks out.
"Star calm down come on," I sigh helping Star up as I then help Janna up.
"Woah! Slow down, woman! You are not making any sense." Frowning, Janna agrees with me only then for us to notice giant rats in the hole.
"Aaahhh! Okay. Shoo! Shoo! Shoo! Shoo! Get out of there you giant rats!" Annoyed, Star hisses at them as my eyes widen alongside Janna's in excitement when feeling the ice-cold chill of a breeze, extinguishing the burning flames around the shrine.
"It's happening." Giddily, Janna grabs both Star and me as we grin as the candles light up again revealing a tall figure dressed as Bon Bon.
"You came back! Ooh! That explosion did a real number on your face." Happily, Janna smiles only to grimace back at the sheer sight of Bon Bon's face.
"I think that's called decomposing Jan." I call out to her only for my eyes to widen when Bon Bon removes his mask to reveal…
"AHAHAHAHAHA! Surprise!" Cackling, Ludo greets us as the tall figure disperses to reveal the same spider and eagle from before.
"Ludo?!" Startled, Star gasps at the sight of him drawing out her wand.
"Okay seriously dude you have a wand now why won't you just leave us alone!?" Angrily, I snarl at him.
"It isn't enough!" Ludo tells me.
"When is it? It's never enough. It's people like you that give monsters a bad name!" I call out making him glare at me.
"Miss me, Princess?" Proudly, Ludo takes out his wand and blasts us. Quickly, Star and I leap back as we handle the three while Janna handles the rats.
"You are not dropping me again!" Indignantly, I scream as the eagle attempts to swoop down and hit me again but not this time. Surprised, the eagle squeaks as I feel a rush of adrenaline, feeling a wave of primal rage as I snarl…
Oblivious, Star focuses on Ludo unaware of the pained grunt of Ash, collapsing in on herself as she falls on one knees, cradling her arm, swiftly rubbing at her arm, unaware of the flakes falling as she darts over to Janna, attempting to defend her friend from the Hawk and Spider.