"I'm surprised you didn't invite Michael to this…" Smiling, Star confesses to me as we prepare for the love sentence concert tonight as I lean in, adding some mascara as I focus on my reflection.
"Nah I thought it wouldn't be fair on you…" I confess ignoring the brief ache in my chest at the mention of him.
"What do you mean?" Confused, Star furrows her brow as I sigh.
"Star third wheeling sucks especially if a couple is involved besides I just…need space." Tiredly, I explain to her.
"Have you…spoken to him?" Gently, she questions me making me go quiet.
"No and tonight we are not going to think about it or anything about it alright I just…I still need time to think." Calmly, I set the rule standing up, finally satisfied with my attire for tonight as I put on my iron bangles for tonight's concert. I mean it's not like I have been trying to avoid him or anything heh…heh…nervously, I glance over at my phone, checking the time only to note the numerous notification bars popping up with Mike's text just as I then gasp when it bursts to life, vibrating, emitting a familiar song, making my heart drop as I urgently silence the call.
"Right no need to worry may I just say you look awesome!" Pleasantly, Star praises me.
"Thanks…" Grateful, I smile at Star through the mirror as I do a look over once more, finding Star's tee already on me, in front I wear a yellow and black rolled up flannel shirt opened up while wearing a pair of denim distressed jeans and maroon vans. My long ruby red locks are tied into a side ponytail by a yellow band.
"Come on! Come-on-come-on-come-on! Jackie's gonna be here any minute!" Excitedly, Star beams at me, moving up and down from the stairs, approaching me, moving up and down clinging to my arm as she peers out of the doorway.
"I know. That's what I'm worried about." Sighing, Marco puts his hood up.
"Oh, poor thing. I told you, there's nothing to worry about, right? We just want to make Jackie feel included in our fun times together." Sweetly, Star smiles.
"Yeah, I guess." Marco mutters.
"Come on, it'll be fine. I promise. Now get dressed!" Star helps him up and skips away humming.
"Uh, I am dressed. Red hoodie. Jeans. That's pretty much dressed for me." Marco frowns gesturing to his attire.
"Hah. Uh, no, you're not, 'cause I made concert tees~!" Excitedly, Star uses her wand to make three concert tees, one of which materializes on her body.
"Look it'll be fine I'll be there so I'll make sure you and Jackie have some alone time." I promise Marco.
"Oh, man! Love Sentence concert tees!" Marco blinks taken aback by the tee thrown in his face, blinding him.
"Handcrafted." Proudly, Star boasts as I shove my hands in my pockets pushing some fabric of my flannel out to display the shirt Star made as Marco looks down at the tee showing me, his, Star's, and Jackie's faces with the words "LS TOUR".
"Perfect." Sarcastically, Marco sighs.
"Be nice she made them, and I mean it you don't know how many plasters I had to get for her." Lightly I elbow Marco grumbling.
"I know, right? Put it on!" Unmindful, Star orders him, oblivious of Marco's struggles to put the concert tee on.
"Little tight." Straining, Marco whimpers
"Maybe that's because you think you can put it over your hoodie." Tiredly, I furrow my brow at my struggling friend trying to help him only for the doorbell to ring, alerting and tarrying Maroc screaming as he tugs at the tee as I step back.
"Hey, girlfriend!" Giddily, Star smiles as Jackie rides in with her skateboard, a new one at that.
"No way! You made concert tees?" Amazed, Jackie gushes at the sight of our tees.
"Oh, yeah. Check it out." Proudly, Star shows off her work.
"That's so funny, 'cause I made concert skateboards! Whoa!" Grinning, Jackie holds up Love Sentence-themed skateboards, making me gawk in awe.
"These are…perfect did your uncle do the work?" Intrigued, I trace over the work done.
"I see you noticed…" Smirking, Jackie leans back crossing her arms.
"Jack your uncle does the best work!" Confidently, I praise her.
"No... way... I can't believe we had the same idea! Giddily, Star beams as she bites on the board?" Confused, I blink at her strange action but shrug it off as we let Jackie in.
"Great minds, am I right?" Jackie chuckles.
"Trade!" In a singsong tone, Star trades a concert tee for one of Jackie's skateboards. Jackie puts the tee on.
"So, where's Marco?" Curious, Jackie questions us.
"Oh, he's getting dressed." Star gestures to the struggling mess, still trying to put on the tee despite my warnings.
"Hey, Jackie." Feebly, Maroc wheezes out.
"Hey, Marco." Coolly, Jackie removes her helmet swishing her blonde locks. Victorious, Marco finally puts the tee on, but…grimacing, the tee constricts on him, ruby red flushing up his inflated head struggling for air.
"Nice shirt. Shows off your pecs." Cheekily, she winks at him.
"Skateboards, really? I thought we were taking the bus." Strained, Maroc tightly smiles.
"Yeah! Skateboards! It'll be fun! Summoning Cloudy Charm! Love Sentence, here we come!" Hyped up, Star beams as Star puts helmet on Marco's head only then to summon a perky pink cloud and place her skateboard and we head out, heading to the concert…
"Ooh-ooh! I got one. How many times did Love Sentence break up before their fourth reunion tour?" Smiling, Star rides Cloudy while Jackie is in front with her on her skateboard and I am lingering behind, keeping a careful eye on the struggling Marco.
"Dude you want to get on my board?" I offer noting him struggling and look on conflicted, not sure whether to help or leave him.
"I'm fine." Pained, he wheezes out.
"Uh... Six, if you count the time, they broke up on the morning of their second reunion tour and got back together after lunch." Jackie answers.
"Yes! Except it was before lunch, not after." Snarkily, Star corrects her.
"No, it was totally after." Jackie argues.
"Let's ask Marco. Ash what do you think?" Star suggests.
"I don't know about that. I mean I like the music but that's it." Honestly, I respond.
"Yeah, where is Marco?" Concerned, Marco glances to her.
"Right... behind... you!" Slowly, Marco finally catches up to us wheezing.
"Wow... Maybe we should've taken the bus." Frowning, Jackie proposes as we sigh watching the mess as we continue on heading to the concert.
"Hello, Echo Creek!" Squealing, I can't help but grin as Justin makes his way on stage as the prison wall explodes, revealing him and his backup. Excited, Star and I squeal at the sight of the hottie.
"Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh! Such pageantry! I love it. I love it!" Amazed, Marco gushes.
"Straight out of the Echo Creek Penitentiary, I'm Justin Towers, and this one goes out to everyone who's "just friends". Justin announces making me smile brightly as Star and Marco turn to face me.
"Our second-favourite song! Together, we chorus, holding hands my sea green beaming until widening when seeing him here. Horrified, I stare in horror when finding Michael in the crowd hiding his demon side. I note his arm draped around some girl with Tom by his side with another girl, they are clinging to them both as I watch the girl Michael is with…bring him into a kiss.
Stunned, I stare in silence as Michael happily returns the kiss until his brown hues open and find my yellow making his eyes widen, the two of us staring in stunned shock. Frowning, I turn my back to him, holding in the tears of pain as I exhale shakily.
"You okay?" Star's voice breaks through the muffles as I turn to her smiling strained.
"I'm fine." Weakly, I smile bringing her into a side hug confusing her but she shrugs as we all begin dancing alongside Jackie, proclaiming it to be her favourite song while it being our second.
"They're playing my favourite song! Whoo! Dance with me, Diaz!" Excited, Jackie tells him as we begin dancing after lip synching some of the lyrics.
Ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh
Star grabs Marco's and my hand, and the four of us dance together. On stage, Love Sentence dances choreographically as we begin lip synching.
It was no secret
The way that we feel
A love that's so pure
A love that's so real
You showed me your world, and it felt like a sign
But you acted too slow, and you ran out of ti-i-ime
And now we'll be just friends
We will be just friends
And now we'll be just friends
Be just friends
I didn't mean to hurt you
You didn't have a clue
So you went out and got busy
And found somebody new
New
New
And now we'll be just friends
Oh, we will be just friends
And now we'll be just friends
Be just friends
And now we'll be...
"Star?" Confused, I question when feeling her hand around me tighten, shaking as I turn to see my eyes widening when seeing Marco and Jackie lock lips. Pained, Star darts away.
"Star!" Worried, I rush after her only for my eyes to widen as I make my way down to the mosh pit to feel a hand on my wrist making me turn, my eyes widen in surprise to find a familiar hand on my own. Surprised, my yellow look into a pair of red and brown.
"Michael? What are you doing here?" Stunned, I am taken aback.
"Maybe if you hadn't been blocking my messages and calls you would have learned I got tickets for us for this concert." Bitterly, he remarks.
"Michael please not now…" Tiredly, I beg.
"Then when? You haven't spoken to me since…did I do something wrong?" Pained, he whimpers.
"No! You didn't I just…Michael listen I have a lot I need to do important things." Aloofly, I tell him.
"And us? Aren't we important?!" Angrily, he snarls slamming his foot down startling me at the pillar of ruby red far from us but hurting innocent people.
"I'm not saying that. And us!? There is no us!" Frustrated, I huff.
"Then what are we, what is this!?" Angrily, he yells, his eyes turning ruby red as I hiss reeling my hand back at the harsh stinging pain. I look down at my scorched hand, my eyes widening at the stream of ruby red as Michela staggers back, a look of guilt in his eyes as I cradle my wrist to my chest.
"I wasn't the one to make it weird!" Annyoed, I accuse him.
"I told you my feelings clearly," He argues.
"And I told you mine! Look just…. someone I care about needs me more than ever right now…" Coldly, I hiss.
"So they are more important than us!" Angrily, he screams.
"Would you just shut up! We aren't anything!" Fed up, I snap at him taking him aback.
"What do you mean?" Confused, he sputters out.
"I'm not the one cheating clearly you don't value us as much as you say you do and I…I just…I got to go." Exasperated, I exclaim, pointing towards the girl calling out to him, noting the ruby red mark on his cheek making his eyes widen, pain filtering across his cheeks as I feel a sharp ache in my chest at the familiar sensation of disappointment, of another person in my life letting me down, another person I thought I could be close to letting me down, everyone letting me down. Seething, I cradle my throbbing temple, blinking back the tears threatening to fall as I turn my back to him.
"Ash! You never…you never told me what we were! I have a right to see other people if we aren't together! I can't wait for you hand on foot until you feel like dating me that isn't how it…!" Michael calls out to me, but it falls to deaf ears as I slam my hands on either side of my ears, trying to block him out, trying to blink back the tears threatening to fall no, I refuse to let him get to me, to let anyone get to me and hurt me again, I won't…I won't be hurt again! I promised myself I wouldn't and I won't.
"Star! Star!" Urgently, I rush over to my pained friend's side.
"Huh? Oh, Ash sorry I left you there." Star glances to the side, hurt etched into her tone.
"Star come on let's go…" Gently, I whisper to her surprising her.
"But you like love sentence…" She whispers confused as I place my hand on her shoulder.
"I do but I would prefer to not see my friend being hurt." I reason.
"Ash I…" Pained, Stars voice breaks as she sniffles, tears threatening to fall as we look up to see Marco and Jackie kissing just as I note Micheal glancing to the side returning to his demon date who leaps into his arms, kissing him making me seethe, shaking my head at the cheat.
I didn't mean to hurt you
You didn't have a clue
So you went out and got busy
And found somebody new, new, new
And now we'll be
"Star? Where are you going? Are you all right? I'm sorry about the... the, uh... It just kind of happened." Frowning, Marco finally catches up to us. Immediately, I feel Star's hand dart to my own, shaking as I squeeze her hand trying to console her.
"Oh, don't be silly! I just wanted to be down here by the stage so I could feel their sweat spraying on my face! Sweat." Painfully, Star chuckles making me furrow my brow.
"Are you sure?" Worried, Marco questions her.
"Duh! What are friends for? Now, go up there and be with your girlfriend!" Star waves dismissively.
"But don't try anything too dangerous," Cheekily, I wink at Marco blushing ruby red.
"Ash! Urgh! You're the best friends a guy could have!" Fondly, Marco hugs us.
"Yeah... Now, go. She's waiting." Weakly, Star smiles as Marco runs back to his seat.
"Come on let's get slushies," Gently, I whisper placing my hand on her shoulder as I look p at the stands, my brow furrowed at the sight of Michael talking to some random girls, spotting Tom in the crowd fortunately not seeing Star. Michael turns to scowl at me, with a group of his own mats oblivious to his narrowed brown and red meeting my stern yellow as I turn my back to him, draping my arm over Star's shoulder as we leave the stadium, my ears ringing when hearing the muffled music from the stadium as we make it out of the concert hall.
We spiraled high on a gust of love
And I knew right from the start
Nothing could tear us apart
'Til the day you broke my heart
"Star please just listen to me!" Gently, I reason to her as she stops while we are outside the concert hall.
"And what you don't understand! You got Michael! I saw you two!" Pained, she argues.
"If you had then you would have seen us arguing and him kissing another girl!" Upset, I snap, my voice cracking, surprising her.
"Huh?" Shocked, she blinks taken aback by my words making me exhale shakily.
"Star I can't…I can't do relationships." Pained, I confess the truth outstretching my arms.
"Wh-Why not?" Confused, she furrows her brow.
"Star I don't know what love is I don't know what I feel…" Honestly, I begin, hating this sense of helplessness as I tell her how it is.
"Huh?" Still, she repeats taken aback.
"I…my entire life I have grown up seeing relationships crumble, being disappointed, dropped off, hurt time and time again. I can't…I just…I have never seen this supposed love everyone goes on about." Bluntly, I confess to her.
"What about Mr and Mrs Diaz?" Perplexed, she points out making me grimace at the couple I just can't be that way, I can't be lovey dovey like Michael wants, I don't even know who or what I like! I'm just…
"That isn't the type of love I want! I don't feel comfortable when they do it and I just…I can't change who I am and I know that sort of relationship is what Michael wants and I can't give that. I don't think I can feel even what he does for me…" I confess pained.
"But at the sleepover…" She begins.
"I don't know I just he told me how he felt, and he was my friend and I learned so much about him that I…I felt like I couldn't refuse him. I mean maybe we are too similar; we'll get bored of each other. I mean we're meant to be different, aren't we?" Panicked, I explain to her.
"Ash…" Gently, I feel Star's hand on my shoulder.
"How do I know what or who I like if I don't even know who I am?" Tearful, my voice breaks tears threatening to fall as I whimper.
"Ash I never knew you felt this way…" Saddened, Star whispers.
"Trust me I am not good with emotions so I just …look just come here." Tiredly, I open my arms out to her making her smile softly sniffling.
"I…I like Marco but he…how do I make these feelings go away!?" Pained, she questions me, she lunges into my arms as I hold her.
"You can't Star you can't." Quietly, I whisper hugging Star who sniffles crying on the tee.
"It's not fair…" Pained, she whimpers.
"I know Star I know…Come on let's go home." Softly, I whisper my arm draped over my own as we make it back home, my yellows widening when hearing the sound of an explosion, turning to gawk at the sign, which comes crumbling down thanks to a familiar eerie glow of a light. Smiling, Star lowers her wand, making me furrow my brow, unnerved by what is to come.
*So guys how are you feeling about Micheal now? Or Ash? Would love to know your views on it all.*