Star and Marco vs Evil Book 2 Chapter 5: V, a star vs. the forces of evil fanfic

— OoOoO — O — OoOoO — O — OoOoO —

This is a work of fiction portraying alternate universes; all similarities to beings living, dead, or undead are entirely convergent.

It all went to shit so quickly.

Jackie had turned eighteen two months before Star returned. Although she celebrated with Chloe, her dearest friends from Echo Creek ... Star, Marco, and even her closest and oldest friend Janna ... did not join her. Janna had given up her Echo Creek life to follow Marco to Mewni, and while she stayed in frequent contact with Jackie, she felt that, as Marco's de facto aide-de-camp and protector, she should not be away from Mewni. Marco and Jackie were still estranged, although neither would have admitted it, due to embarrassment and plain old teenage misunderstanding. Star was literally a monster.

In two more months, Jackie would be graduating from high school. Again, Jackie was a lone woman in that regard. Chloe had graduated several months earlier from her school in France; she was now working at Echo Creek Academy, assisting in teaching world history, and French language. Marco and Janna had earned their High School Equivalency Diplomas several years early. Star's institutional education ended when she returned to Mewni.

For the first time, Princess Oblivious wondered what Janna's parents thought of their daughter's decisions. Star also wondered what role her own parents were playing in Janna's life. It seemed to Star that Janna had simply walked away from everything as a child ... a teen child but still a child ... and nobody seemed to be caring for her in a parental way. Star had met Janna's mother, who'd been very pleasant and nice, but couldn't recall Janna ever really talking much about either parent. She made a mental note to follow up on that, as she turned her attention back to the pile of shit the day had become.

It had seemed simple enough: Star, Marco and Janna would take Jackie, along with Chloe and Tom, on a weekend trip to another dimension as a combined birthday and graduation gift for Jackie. It would be simple, nice, and fun ... but would also, in theory, allow Star, Marco, and Janna to assess what they could do when Jackie and Chloe came for their promised extended visit come summer.

When Jackie had traveled to another dimension on Star's interdimensional field trip three years prior, Jackie had made the same kinds of poor choices that the rest of the class made. Marco supposed that, since with age came wisdom, there'd be no issues, but inter-dimensional travel could be very dangerous. The 'Safe Kid' needed to know, not suppose, how Jackie and Chloe would behave and react to the misadventures that always occurred.

On Friday night, they camped out in the Camping Dimension, a rustic dimension with no dangerous lifeforms, technology, or permanent settlements. They had pitched tents, then created a campfire. For several hours they roasted weenies, made delicious, hot, schmoes, and told funny, and sometimes embarrassing, stories about themselves and their friends.

In a somber moment, Janna wanted to conduct a séance to contact friends now gone, but everyone else suggested a toast instead. With raised cornapple cider, they saluted Ponyhead, Alfonso and Ferguson, and Rich Pigeon, in turn. Providing the weekend's first tense moment, Star accidently belched when toasting Rich Pigeon. Star was mortified, but Marco, Janna and Tom pulled muscles stifling laughs. Jackie and Chloe were merely confused, not yet having been told the cause of Rich's demise, even as delicious a tale as it was.

As the evening wore on, they began to talk about what they would do the next day. The plan had been to spend the entire trip together as a group; however, as they discussed what would be fun, it quickly became apparent that some portion of the group would be miserable engaging in activities the other part found preferable. Finally, they agreed they would spend the first day in pairs, meet up again for a party in the evening, then play it by ear the second day, before returning to their respective homes in the evening. Marco had misgivings leaving Jackie and Chloe alone, not only for their safety, but because he didn't see how he could assess them if he wasn't with them. Janna convinced him she'd keep an eye on them with her magic and would allow him to view the video later.

For the first day, then, Star and Marco picked the Mardeegrah Dimension, with the approval of their friends. Despite the name, the dimension had nothing to do with the Earth celebration of Mardi-Gras; in the language of the dimension, it meant "everything you need to relax, in any way you want, in one dimension, for a reasonable price." The identical sounding names were simply a coincidence ... so far as Marco knew.

When the fire died down to embers, each couple retired to their tent. As Star crawled into hers and Marco's, Marco hesitated. They had shared a tent before, but, just as with sharing a bed, it no longer seemed appropriate, if it ever was. Making his decision, he pulled out the wond, but before he could cast the spell to make his own tent, Star leaned out of the existing tent and slapped the wond out of his hand. Marco stifled his "ow," holding his stinging hand, as Star cast Raspberry Ribbon Lassos, bodily pulling Marco and the wond into the tent. She whispered into his ear, "I get it, but there's respectful and then there's stupid. Only our friends are out there, and I guarantee Janna's told them what happened in the Abs Dimension."

Marco sighed. "Okay," he said, kissing Star on the cheek. Even though they had separate sleeping bags the prior times they shared a tent, Marco crawled in with Star without even thinking about doing otherwise, to Star's amusement. They cuddled up, and slept through the night, nightmare free.

Come morning, after a hot breakfast of pancakes, cornapple syrup, pig-goat bacon, and generous helpings of the local insect life that was attracted to the sweet treats, the teens parted ways to enjoy the day.

Which quickly went to shit.

— OoOoO — 2 — OoOoO — 2 — OoOoO —

Jackie and Chloe were having a blast crashing the waves in the Surf 'n' Turf region of the dimension, a combined surfing beach and skateboarding park. Jackie had chosen to start with surfing, as she still 'boarded almost everywhere, even after earning her California driver's license.

The waves were righteous. Any kind of wave a surfer might want was present; the being had only to pick the correct starting point along the beach to catch it. The pair had started with the kiddie wave pool to get a feel for the forms of the waves. Their primary concern was how the waves, and the surfing, behaved under gravity just barely different enough from Earth's that the teens could feel the difference while riding their blades.

Jackie and Chloe spent only about five minutes there, before moving on to the intermediate waves, skipping the beginners section. The two paddled out then dropped into a wave, the two about nine feet apart, with Jackie in the lead.

Although she was having fun, Jackie's mind was on other things; she couldn't help herself, both she and Chloe had felt bold that morning, and were wearing very revealing bikinis. It was proving to be a mistake ... or the best decision they could have made, depending on how Jackie looked at it.

Distracted by thinking about the water beading on all that exposed café-crème-colored skin, Jackie couldn't maintain her balance and performed a rather gnarly face-first wipeout. The water ... most of which Jackie thought went up her nose ... was pleasant, not too hot nor too cold. Chloe was an excellent surfer so didn't run into Jackie, bailing safely to make sure her girlfriend was okay. Once satisfied, and too far behind to remount the wave, Chloe pulled Jackie onto her surfboard. With Jackie's surfboard in tow, the teens paddled to shore.

As they pulled themselves from the water, Chloe asked, "Go again here, poser? Or would you like to move on to embarrassing yourself at the next level?"

Jackie didn't rise to the bait; she simply pulled Chloe into a passionate kiss. After a few seconds, she began sliding a hand under the back of Chloe's bikini bottoms. Chloe grabbed Jackie's hand, saying, quietly, "Merde! Stop that, someone will see!"

Jackie batted her eyes at her girlfriend. "So? Nobody from Earth is here to care. Let's scandalize the natives!"

Chloe thought for a few moments, then said, "C'est la guerre." She pulled Jackie into a new embrace, and as they began to slide hands toward swimwear, they heard, "There! Get the Mewmins!"

Fairly certain there were no other beings around that could be taken for Mewmins, the pair broke their embrace, looking farther into shore. Half a dozen beings in uniform were running toward them. Their confusion at why they were being targeted was short lived, as a dimensional portal opened and Star and Marco ran out. "Of course," Jackie muttered, immediately discerning the source of their current predicament.

Without a word of explanation, Star grabbed Chloe's hand and Marco grabbed Jackie's, pulling the interrupted lovebirds into a new dimensional portal, just barely ahead of the advancing Guards.

— OoOoO — 2 — OoOoO — 2 — OoOoO —

Janna and Tom were having a blast in the Video Game Morgue, a combined arcade and morgue.

The video games were fun and interesting, just challenging enough to keep gamers engaged without turning them off by being too easy or too difficult. Tom was playing an action-adventure game and loving it, even though side shooters were normally his thing. The graphics were world class, the soundtrack was spectacular, the difficulty was just right, and the weapons and powers were fun. The story, a ridiculous tale about a barbarian magical princess from another dimension fighting monsters with her demon boyfriend and human lover, was as engaging as it was oddly familiar.

During the interstitial between levels, Tom leaned over to Janna who was just a foot away, having fun of her own. In a quiet voice, he asked, "Don't you think a combined autopsy slab and video game is just a wee bit odd?"

Janna looked around as if she wasn't certain someone was actually speaking to her while she was busy, then answered, "No. What's weird about it? Now give me a kiss."

"Ewwwww, you're elbow deep in a corpse. I'm not going to even touch you."

"If you don't touch my lips with yours now, I won't be touching you with my other things later."

Tom quickly gave Janna a peck on the lips. As they were about to reengage with their respective fun, they heard, "There! Get the demon and the Mewmin!"

Fairly certain there were no other beings around that could be taken for a demon and a Mewmin, the pair quickly looked in the direction of the shouting. Half a dozen beings in uniform were running toward them. Their confusion at why they were being targeted was short lived, as a dimensional portal opened and Star and Marco ran out. "Of course," Tom muttered, immediately discerning the source of their current predicament.

Without a word of explanation, Star grabbed Tom's hand and Marco grabbed Janna by her shoulders, pulling the interrupted lovebird-icorns into a new dimensional portal, just barely ahead of the advancing Guards.

— OoOoO — 2 — OoOoO — 2 — OoOoO —

Star and Marco adjusted the straps of their backpacks then picked up their walking staffs, ready for their hike. They so enjoyed their last hike that escaping into the woods for another sounded wonderful. They also thought that, unlike last time, if they got deep enough into the woods they might even engage in some light snogging.

The pair had been granted a privilege extended to few, even in this dimension dedicated to the fun of guests. The Queen's personal jungle covered a significant portion of temperate hills, with colorful and exotic, but not dangerous, plant and animal life. It was well guarded, and gaining entrance required special permission, which the teens, Star being royalty, were quickly granted.

Only one thing was left to do before their day of fun began, the ritual greeting of the Captain of the Royal Guards. Marco walked up to the captain, bowed, then recited the phrase Star had given him.

Ten seconds later, the teens were running for their lives with the entire garrison on their heels.

— OoOoO — 2 — OoOoO — 2 — OoOoO —

After gathering up their friends, Star had attempted to portal them back to their rustic camp but, in the rush, slightly miscalculated, dropping them directly into the middle of the local barracks of the Royal Guards. Without time to think, she cast a spell about them, a box impervious to all but the strongest magic, which would keep them safe and mostly comfortable for six hours. Unfortunately, she had again Starred things up, not realizing, when she called on the spell from memory, that six hours was the minimum, not the maximum. The box proved to be as impervious to exit as it was entry, blocking Butterfly portals and demon fire columns.

With each pair sitting together on the floor, backs to a wall, four teens stared at Star and Marco in annoyance, while Star stared at Marco in annoyance. After a few minutes contemplating how quickly the day had turned to shit, Star asked, "Just what the corn did you say?"

"Exactly what you told me to say," Marco answered, his voice thick with annoyance at Star's question. He turned to the other teens. "To enter the royal jungle, as a sign of respect you have to recite a phrase to the Captain of the Royal Guards that reflects this matriarchal, motherhood-worshipping, society. I said 'oo kala gar doo KAG ee doe,' which means, 'we are brothers from other mothers.'"

Star groaned. "Marco, the phrase is 'oo kala gar doo ka GEE doe.' What you actually said to him was 'your mother mates out of season with my brothers.'"

"Jeebus," Chloe muttered. Jackie dimly wondered when and where Chloe had picked up that particular oath.

"Well, anyhoo ... we're stuck in here for a while," Star said, "and I'm already bored."

"Well, last time we were trapped in a box like this, it was that Truth or Consequences thing," Jackie broached. "So how about a truth game?" Star, Marco, and Janna, groaned. "No, no, it will be fine. This time we get to choose the questions, and we just have to agree to be truthful."

After a few seconds, the other teens nodded their assent. "We just keep it simple, respectful, and fun; no prying, angsty, teen crapola. Right, Janna?"

"Right," Janna replied. "Absolutely." Janna turned to Star and Marco. "So, why'd it take you two idiots so long to realize you were a couple when everybody else saw it immediately?"

Nobody uttered even a groan; instead, all but Janna flipped a single gold coin to Tom. In response to Janna's quizzical look, Tom stated, "We have a standing wager: if we find ourselves in any situation similar to this one, we bet on how long it will take you to say or do something creepy or inappropriate. I won because I bet 'immediately.'"

"Wow," Janna said. "I can't believe I didn't know."

Everybody flipped Tom another coin.

The wagers paid, Star and Marco looked at each other, silently debating whether to answer Janna's question. After a few seconds Star shrugged, then Marco quietly said, "Okay. I'll start."

Marco thought for a few tens of seconds. "I don't know." The rest of the group groaned. "I really don't, and not to put too fine a point on it, if I didn't know then, how the hell would I know now?" Marco turned to Star. "Stardust, I have a question: if you had a crush on me, if you were as worked up about me returning to Earth as Pony told me later you were, why did you end up with the flamer over there so quickly?"

Tom muttered, "That's prince flamer."

Star gave an exasperated sigh. "I thought I'd never see you again; you don't really think I'd pine away for you forever, do you? I moved on."

"Star, I have dimensional scissors, your family has dimensional scissors, and you can open portals on your own. We could have visited each other any time we wanted."

"But you were with Jackie."

"Yes, but you were ... are ... my best friend. We still could have visited, still could have gone on adventures together. And who knows, maybe we would've figured things out without ... all the drama."

With a huff, Star hit her back against the wall, mumbling, "Teenagers are dumb."

Marco leaned on Star. "Well, don't think it was just you who was dumb. Like I messaged when you were at Tom's lake house, I should have been texting you every day."

Janna looked back and forth between the two. "That doesn't answer my question at all. Let me ask it another way; Marco told me about the squire oath. How could you not know that was essentially a wedding vow? If it wasn't to make him your boyfriend, then what the hell were you doing?"

"What?" Star replied. "Nobody else thinks that was a wedding vow. Not even Marco."

Tom cleared his throat. "Um, I did."

"You did?"

"When you told me Marco was leaving, you also told me that bit about Marco swearing an oath to be by your side for the rest of your lives. When I responded and you interrupted me, you thought I was saying 'huggable guys' do that, but what I actually was saying was 'husbands' do that."

"Then why the corn did you stay with me?"

Tom shrugged. "Now it's my turn to say 'dunno.' I guess, with Marco leaving, I thought he wouldn't be a rival any longer, although, in retrospect, that belief probably belongs under 'teenagers are dumb.' But I did wonder what was going on; heck, I'd been wondering since you broke the Blood Moon Curse. When I saw the locket, and found out about the second kiss, and you hadn't told me about either one on your own, well ... then I knew."

"I guess ... I guess ..." Star stammered, "I guess I was just so frightened of losing Marco." Star turned to Marco. "Maybe the truth of the matter is I couldn't tell the difference between friend and boyfriend. I told you after the Blood Moon Ball all I wanted was a friend, but I'm pretty certain I was already starting to fall for you. After Tom and I danced at the Silver Bell Ball, I told him all I wanted was a friend, yet I started dating him again soon after. I wanted to keep that kind of connection in my life; I guess I should have figured out then that I wanted something deeper than just friendship."

Star paused for a few moments, gathering her thoughts. "As for the squire oath ... well ... Marco, you are incredible; I've told you before I've never connected with any being like I've connected with you, and I wanted to keep that at all costs. Boyfriends come and go, and I just didn't want what we had to go." Star turned back to the group, hanging her head.

After a few seconds, Marco said, "Ditto."

The other two couples groaned loudly. "You're lucky there's nothing in here to throw," Janna said.

"Maybe the squire thing was so I could force you to stay in my life and have control over the terms, too. Maybe it was also a way to not risk losing Tom as well, if things didn't work out between us," Star added.

The group was quiet for a few minutes, before Janna said, "Well, fair enough. I guess that does explain why you treated Marco like a servant rather than a friend."

"What was that?" Star asked in an almost guttural voice.

Janna didn't back down. "You treated him like a servant. I know what was going on; when Marco was working with me on getting our diplomas, and when you were a monster and Marco was feeling wistful, he would talk about your adventures. It didn't sound to me like he was a boyfriend or even a friend," Janna's voice took on a tinge of anger, "he was a fucking servant. Just how many times did you pull the 'you're my squire so do what I say' card?"

Star was clearly becoming angry, so Marco laid a comforting hand on hers. "We'll have to agree to disagree on that one, Janna," Marco said.

Janna glared at Marco for a few long moments for disagreeing with her, but she wasn't finished. "And you could have treated Tom better, too," she continued. "Both of you. Tom would never say it, he's too nice, but you were lousy friends. I told you this before, Marco, but Star ... you both kept secrets from him you shouldn't have; you purposefully excluded him, even though he was your boyfriend and he thought of Marco as his best friend. That's why you don't get a pass from me on this one."

Tom began to comment, but stopped when Janna said, "You damn well know I'm telling the truth, because you vented to me about it when you were the one feeling wistful." Tom closed his mouth.

Everyone was silent for a few seconds, then Tom said, quietly, "Look, I understand the relationship stuff, that you were confused; teen romances can be messy and I don't really hold that against you, and I hope you don't hold it against me. I get the secrets around that ... but not the others, like the sleep portalling. Why did you keep those secrets from me? Especially if you didn't want to risk losing me?"

Star and Marco glanced at each other. "I'm not certain," Star replied.

Tom growled, a flare of flame briefly appearing around a hand as he clenched it in frustration.

"No, really, Tom. I think ... well, part of it has to be my confusion ..."

"Which you just admitted you understand," Marco pointedly said to Tom.

"But, beyond that," Star continued, "maybe ... I felt like I needed someone who I knew I could rely on. We were never really friends, Tom, not like we are now. With everything Marco and I went through as friends, I knew I could rely on him. Plus, they were very serious matters, so I thought I needed someone that could help me that I knew for certain I could trust with the secrets."

Tom scowled at Star. "Did it occur to you to try me? Either of you? Were you that certain I couldn't be trusted that you couldn't risk it? Janna's right, you were lousy friends."

"Well," Marco said addressing Tom, his own anger rising, "you weren't always a great friend either. Remember what you said when you told us about the Blood Moon Curse and that you knew Star had feelings for me? You said," Marco took a mocking tone, "'where did you think those came from?'" Marco returned to his normal, if angry, voice. "How is that not an insult? You couldn't have been clearer if you'd said, 'Star would never fall for a loser like you if she wasn't forced to by a curse.'"

Tom opened and closed his mouth a few times trying to formulate a rebuttal. Finally, he gave up and said, "You're right. I'm sorry."

"And how much of a friend were you to Star? When Star dabbled in politics, or wanted to do something other than 'relationship stuff,' how many times did you bail on her? And of those times you didn't, how many did you have to be persuaded to join in?"

Tom looked at Star. "I guess, when I'm honest with myself ..."

"How often does that happen?" Janna quipped.

Tom sent Janna a withering look. Turning back to Star, Tom started over. "I suppose with us opening up like this, I can admit that was another reason I decided to break up with you. Janna and I don't get excited by the same things, exactly, but we each have experience with, and are even good at, many things the other does find interesting, and that's helped us grow together. I've learned a lot about myself being with Janna, and you and I, well, we just weren't the best match." Jackie raised her eyebrows at that statement, squirreling it away in case she ever needed to talk to Marco. "I think that's why we really didn't grow that much as a couple. You and Marco were very close to start with, yet, while we dated, I watched you and Marco grow even closer. There's a reason why everybody kept referring to Marco as your 'other boyfriend.'"

Silence befell the group for a long stretch. "Well, that was anticlimactic," Chloe finally said.

"Was it?" Marco asked. "Well, maybe this will bring an end to it ... Tom, I'm sorry, for not trusting you and being a bad friend, and for not apologizing sooner."

"Me, too. I'm sorry, Tom," Star added. Hoping to lighten the mood, she asked, "How did you and Tom officially get together, Janna? I heard you made the first move?"

"Of course I did," Janna replied. "I'm an independent woman with breasts like grapefruits ..."

"Maybe small grapefruits," Jackie interrupted.

"Shaddup. The point is, I knew what I wanted and went for it. Not all at once, Tom was still hurting bad thanks to you two, but my patience isn't infinite. I wasn't going to sit by forever and allow him to pull a Marco and go on with his life not acting on what he knew, when he knew it, doing it to ... get it done ... when ... ugh, whatever, you know what I mean." Janna never muddled her words unless she was very emotional.

Star narrowed her eyes. "If you two are so in love, why do both of you keep showing up with mystery bruises you won't talk about?"

Star looked at Tom. Magic crackling around a fist, Star said threateningly, "If you're abusing Janna ..." Star then turned to Janna, saying, "If you're abusing Tom ..."

Regardless of whether she consciously intended to break the tension, Star nonetheless did. Janna laughed, then said, "I don't think it should surprise anybody that I like to play rough. Tom, too, although maybe not as much, but he's sweet and willing to indulge me." To everybody's shock, Janna, not one for public displays, gave Tom a peck on the cheek.

"We have a stringent rule to keep it from getting out of control; it's for fun, after all. If one of us says the safe word, things stop immediately, no questions asked and no repercussions."

Intrigued, Star asked, "What's your safe word?"

"Starco," Tom answered. "Takes both of us right out of the mood."

That threw a bucket of cold water on what had been a lightening mood. What happened next, then, was probably inevitable.

Jackie asked, "Star? I've always wondered ... why did you push so hard for Marco to be with me when you had a crush on him?"

Again, Star had to think for a bit. Blushing, she said, "I think part of it was not understanding my feelings like I said earlier, but I think part of it, too, was that I really, really, really wanted Marco to be happy. I thought being with you would make him happy."

"Aw, duuuuude ... that's so sweet."

Marco remembered Star asking him to remind her to say a certain something to Jackie, and figured that, while no time would be perfect, now was probably the best time to get it out and done with. Marco leaned over and whispered in Star's ear. Star blushed again, then nodded.

Taking a deep breath, Star quietly said, "Jackie, I'm sorry I confessed my crush on Marco in front of you and everybody else."

Jackie smiled. "That's okay; I might have been peeved at the time, but I got over myself. I know it wasn't malicious; you thought you would never be back so didn't want to leave any unfinished business. I completely understand."

Star glanced at Marco, a tear escaping an eye. "No, that's not true; I had this." Star pulled out her compact phone, showing Jackie a capture of the Beach Day photo.

Jackie scowled at the image. "What's this?"

"This is a photo from the beach day that you missed."

Jackie thought for a couple seconds. Confused, she said, "But ... that was after you confessed."

"Yes; it's from the future. Well, at that time it was from the future. So, I was lying my pert Mewmin ass off when I said I was probably leaving forever."

Jackie began to speak, but Star interrupted.

"I'm also sorry for spying on your dates with Marco using the All Seeing-Eye spell."

"What?"

"And I'm sorry for using it to spy on you when you were in the shower, to make sure Marco wasn't with you."

"What?"

"You do some really creepy stuff in the shower, by the way. Janna would be proud."

"I am," Janna remarked.

"WHAT?" A touch of both amusement and anger clearly evident in her voice, something only Jackie could pull off, she asked, "Is there anybody in here who hasn't seen me in the shower?"

The only hand to rise into the air was Marco's.

Everybody looked at Tom in shock. "Tom?" Jackie asked in surprise.

"Hey," a clearly embarrassed Tom replied, "Janna had you on her computer screen when I visited once. Or maybe it was twice. No, it was at least a dozen times."

— OoOoO — 2 — OoOoO — 2 — OoOoO —

The rest of the time spent in the box was uneventful, although the atmosphere among the friends was a bit strained. Once the box spell ended, and they successfully escaped the Royal Guards, they decided to cut the trip short and try again another weekend. Star and Marco left Tom, Jackie and Chloe with Janna in the Butterfly Castle Rose Garden, Janna insisting she'd entertain them for the rest of the day.

That evening, Star was heading toward the kitchen for snacks while Marco set up in Star's room to watch a movie, planning to make up for the Friendship Thursday they missed doing last-minute preparations for Jackie's weekend. Star rounded a corner, surprised to find herself facing Jackie.

Jackie slapped Star, hard.

Star could already feel a welt rising on her cheek, as Jackie grabbed her by the shoulders and slammed her against a padded tapestry hanging on the wall. The only reason Star didn't defend herself was that her warrior instincts immediately told her Jackie was not trying to seriously hurt her, only get her attention. It was unlikely to have been a coincidence that Jackie slammed her into the stone wall at the only spot it wasn't completely bare, and into one of the few tapestries anywhere in the castle that was padded.

Jackie didn't say a word. For what seemed like an eternity to Star, Jackie's green eyes, brimming with tears, bored into hers. Even though Star was frequently oblivious, this time she knew exactly what was going on.

Finally, with a small push, Jackie released Star, then turned away.

In a small voice, Star asked, "Are we still friends?"

Jackie stopped. Without turning around, she answered, "I know how important that is to you, so I'm not going to leave you hanging. Yes, we are, we were kids when all that happened, but ... just the same, I think it's best we don't talk about it again, for a while."

"Okay," Star agreed, then turned away and ran.

Janna and Chloe stepped out of the shadows. Janna had immediately sent Tom home, then spent a few hours working with Jackie and Chloe on the planning for the party after Marco's Accolade. Jackie had been subdued, clearly affected by Star's revelation, so, without much trepidation, Janna decided to set up the confrontation between Jackie and Star.

When Star had confessed her crush nearly three years prior, Janna was the only person in the room that seemed to care what Jackie might be feeling. Even Jackie's friggin' boyfriend effectively abandoned her in that moment, not even checking on her before or after chasing after Star. Janna had known for some time about the photo from the future and Star's lie, and it still made her angry. But, for once, she understood that if she brought up the issue it could unnecessarily make a bad situation even worse. Once it was out, she stepped in to make sure it was resolved once and for all, one way or another.

Sidling up to Jackie on each side, Chloe and Janna put an arm around Jackie's waist. They half guided, half carried, a crying Jackie to Janna's room. Janna portaled them home soon after.

— OoOoO — 2 — OoOoO — 2 — OoOoO —

Still in Star's room, Marco waited anxiously for Star to return. Janna was a good friend to Marco, texting him about what was going down so he could be ready to handle Star when she returned. Janna also warned him to not interfere and why; Marco, as much as he hated what was occurring just down the hall, figured Janna was probably right.

Star entered at a run, distraught, a few tears sliding down her cheeks. She slowed, walking over to her window seat, then threw herself onto it. She sat gazing out the window.

Marco gave Star a few minutes of quiet, then asked, "How do you feel?"

"You know what just happened?"

"Yes; Janna texted me so I'd know to talk to you."

Star sighed. Janna ... as usual. In a soft voice, Star said, "It hurts. Bad. I wish almost more than anything I could take it back. I lied to Jackie and tried to manipulate her and ..."

Star jumped as Marco yelled, "No, Star, you lied to ME! You tried to manipulate ME! How can you possibly not see that?!" Marco covered his mouth with both hands in shock; the only being in the room more surprised than Star at Marco's outburst was Marco himself.

Star and Marco stared at each other for a long few moments, Marco breathing hard. Finally, he took a deep breath, lowered his hands, and said, "Wow. I don't know where that came from. I knew I thought what you did was a real dick move, but towards Jackie; I didn't realize I thought it was toward me, too."

Star looked away, saying, "I thought I might trick Jackie into ... giving you to me, I guess, as horrible as that sounds." Star was silent for a few moments. Continuing with a slight catch in her voice, she said, "I'm sorry. I guess I knew all along I was trying to manipulate you too, hoping to force a confession that you really did like me, or that maybe the thought of your bestie leaving forever might spark something."

Marco sighed. "Look, you were fourteen, hurting, confused, and in a dire situation no fourteen-year-old should ever be put in."

"I know, but ..."

"No buts, Star. You know you don't have to worry about us, we'll work out any issues together. As for Jackie, I'm sure she's hurting right now, and probably feels betrayed." Marco joined Star on the window seat. "But Jackie's not a little girl; plus, she's smart and reasonable, on top of being hot as all get out. Heck, looking back, when she dumped me on that pier it's pretty clear she understood you and me, even if we didn't, yet. I'm sure Jackie knows there's nothing you could have done differently that night, that would have changed how she and I ended up."

Star opened her mouth to protest, but then closed it. She, too, thought Jackie was pretty dang hot.

"She'll get over it, sooner rather than later, I'm sure. And if she doesn't? Fuck 'er."

"Only if I get to join you," Star said cheekily. "Um, so, are you mad at me now, too?"

"Maybe a little, but, well ... you did spark something. Like I said in the photo booth, things became different after that. Maybe if I'd been more self-aware earlier ..."

Star interrupted, saying, "Marco, this is on me, don't take this on your shoulders, for once. I'm the horrible person here."

"Okay, I can agree with that; you really are a horrible person."

Star snickered; she knew Marco was toying with her. The two teens sat awkwardly for a minute, before Marco stood, stretching and yawning. "Well, I don't think either of us is in the mood for a movie, now. I say we call it a night and start fresh in the morning. Good night, Star." Marco walked toward the door.

As Star moved to sit on her bed, she said, sadly, "Good night."

To Star's confusion, Marco stopped short of the door, turning toward her. "Uh, what are ..." Star began.

Marco smiled, then produced the wond from where he had hidden it under his hoodie. "Sparkle Glitter Bed Expand," he cast.

Star's nightstand was pushed far to the right with a muted whoosh, a new, narrow, nightstand appeared where Star's original nightstand had been, then an exact replica of Marco's bed materialized.

Star looked quizzically at Marco as he lay the wond on what had been her nightstand. "Introducing ... the compromise," Marco said, gesticulating grandly at the new sleeping arrangements. "It won't stop the gossips, but it will ease my conscience. There's just enough distance between the beds that we can't just casually roll from one into the other, but not enough that we can't reach each other to hold hands or slap the other awake."

Star tittered at the joke. "I considered bunk beds," Marco continued, "but after what happened when we visited your cousins, when we were playing around and I fell out of the bottom bunk, then you fell out of the top bunk onto me, well ... I decided six broken ribs, and internal injuries, once in my life was enough. Besides, you're heavier now. Much, much, much, much, much ..."

"Shut it, Diaz."

"Point is, I love you, and ... we're both getting really strung out from lack of restful sleep, so ..."

Star's bottom lip quivered, as she stuttered, "Th-th-this is sooooo s-s-sweet!"

Marco quickly vaulted his bed to sit next to Star on hers, embracing her. He wasn't telling her the entire truth. Star was talking to her mother more often than before the "unfortunate incident," as they had come to refer to Star's transformation. After one such talk, Moon gathered up River, portaled Angie and Rafael to the castle, then confronted Marco over the nightmares issue. She made it clear Marco should not worry about wagging tongues, first entreating him, then nearly threatening him, to sleep and, to be fair, only sleep, with her daughter, for both Star's and his sakes. River, to Marco's surprise, did threaten Marco if Marco continued to not sleep with his daughter. When Marco appealed to his mother, Angie told him she'd continue the beating after River wore himself out, until he agreed.

Marco considered it one of the most bizarre exchanges of his life. Even so, it convinced him to finally pull the trigger on his compromise.

After a few minutes silently enjoying each other's touch, Marco said, "Well, I need to move over to my own bed, I've violated your 'virginal' honor too much already."

Star reached behind her, grabbed a pillow, then walloped Marco as hard as she could, knocking him clear onto his own bed and almost off it.

"Good night, Wild Man. I love you."

"Good night, Stardust. I love you, too."

From down the hall, Janna yelled, "Stop it!"

As always, stay amazing!