I'mjustgonnatalkreallyfastsowecangettoreadingassoonaspossible!

Heya folks it's Watermalone here with part two, as I promised last week!

I was planning on doing review responses but I realized that technically this chapter isn't really done so I'll hold off until next week so I can do one giant combined response section!

Anyways, without further ado, here is the final part of 'When We First Met'. Read, relax, maybe rate(?), and above all, enjoy!

I'll try to be sneaky and leave out the disclaimer because then you guys will all think I secretly work for Disney on the set of SVTFOE! MUAHAHAHA! (just kidding... Or am I?)


(A little while ago)

Star sat in the field alone, reading one of her stories again. She gazed into the sky. The clouds were darker, indicative of impending rainfall.

Sighing, she closed the book and began to stand up, a large shadow looming overhead.

"Hey check it out Lars, looks like we got ourselves a little bookwormy." Star gasped in shock as she turned around to face the massive tub of lard himself.

No, not him, not now.

Lars was in fourth grade. While that may have sounded harmless to anyone else, everyone knew that he was about as bright and subtle as a sack of hammers. He also hit like one too.

A low grunt came from the large boy, a wicked smile plastered his face.

One of his followers, a shorter, skinnier boy with long hair draped over his eyes and a beanie on his head, addressed her.

"Whatcha got there, huh bookwormy?" He pointed at the gold chain around Star's neck.

That was one thing about Lars and his gang of miscreants, they liked to take prizes. To them, bullying was a game. There was a treasure at the end they aimed to possess, and they would, one way or another, take it. Like some sick trophy to show for themselves in malicious pride.

Her hand shot to the pendant, attempting to shield it by her heart.

"Now now, we can do this one of two ways," the other boy began. Great, the 'ultimatum'. "You can hand it over, or we'll pry it out from your lifeless fingers!"

Her eyes widened in fear. While murder probably wasn't on the table, the possibility of being hurt at all frightened the girl.

"N-no." Her voice cracked.

The three cackled at her maniacally. They knew she wasn't a threat.

"I SAID NO!" She shouted at them furiously, bending down, she grabbed a rock (more so a pebble) and forcefully threw it at their leader.

It bounced off Lars' massive body, barely causing him to even flinch.

The laughter died immediately, their faces grim.

"Oh, we got ourselves a fighter now, huh?" Lars cracked his knuckles in reply. Distant thunder rolled, echoing from the horizon.

Star began backing away, evaluating her options. Run? No they were much bigger and faster. Fight? Again, bigger and faster. Negotiate?

She evaluated their dim-witted expressions.

Ha, no.

Forcing her eyes shut, she opened her mouth and unleashed the loudest scream from deep in her gut. The trio reached for their ears, trying to mute the screeching.

Star reopened her eyes. Hoping that scared them off.

Nope.

"Now you've done it." The boy's voice gruff and dark. He reached to grab her.

"HEEEYA!" A small flash of red whizzed before her, connecting with the larger boy's face.

It was another, much smaller boy. Possibly her age? Maybe even younger.

The long haired boy rubbed his face where he was punched. "Why you little-" He went to grab the child.

The boy managed to sidestep the attempt swiftly and with ease. Winding his arm back, he thrust it at the older boy's face again, this time managing to knock him to the ground.

"URGH!" His mass collapsed to the ground, grunting in pain.

Lars growled deeply. He began to charge at this small boy, fist raised to strike.

The red-hooded boy dodged out of the way of the blow successfully, however, he couldn't dodge the third assailant.

The other boy, who had remained quiet the entire time, tackled the brash vigilante to the ground.

"NO!" Star couldn't help but be compelled to try to save him, urging herself forth, she found herself grabbed by the long haired boy who had recovered from the blow to his cheek.

"LET ME GO!" In horrified shock, she watched Lars stride over to the child, and land a direct kick to the stomach causing him to double over in pain.

She couldn't discern his cries of pain over her own.

Rain pattered the grassy field, providing leeway for the incoming thunderstorm.


Marco stared at her quizzically. "Are you mad at me again?"

What the heck is with this guy? Did he have the entire day knocked out of his memory?

"N-no." Star began. "Don't you remember what just happened?"

"Um... I woke up, found you sleeping and-"

"YOU GOT BEAT UP BECAUSE OF ME!" Marco flinched, not realizing such a shy voice was capable of being so loud.

"Well... yeah.." He shrugged his shoulders. "I guess so..."

"A-and... You don't hate me?"

"Why would I hate you?"

He was either dense, stupid or both. Slowly, she pointed at his eye, now a full deep shade of purple, completely swollen shut.

He reacted by covering it with his own hand.

"Oh that? I dunno... Could be worse..."

"But... Why?"

Marco's eyes diverted from her incredulous gaze. He seemed almost... embarrassed.

"You- you looked like you needed help."

Star felt her cheeks glow. "I... could've handled... myself.." She muttered.

"Well, now you don't have to!" His face gleamed with pride.

Dense, stupid, what next?

"Besides, three against one was kinda unfair."

Math... apparently math was next. This boy was ridiculous.

She rolled her eyes. "So... Marco Diaz," the name rolled off her tongue with ease. "I've never seen you around before, are you new here?"

He blushed a cute pink, "Y-yeah, me, my mama and my papa just moved in yesterday.."

"Was this your first time out?"

"Yep."

Wow, rough welcome.

"Ahem- so are you going to go to school here?" Mentally, she facepalmed. What kind of question was that? Of course he was.

"Yeah! I'm gonna be going to Echo Creek Academy!" She couldn't help but feel excited at the mention of her school.

"Great! I can show you around! Grade three right?"

"Yep!" He was completely grinning now, blissfully unaware that he was ever in any pain. "Wait… show me around? You mean… you wanna be friends?"

Star was dumbfounded. It wasn't really a question you just throw at people, let alone ones you had just met moments ago in rather, awkward circumstances.

"Y-yeah, I-I guess…"

A moment passed filled with silence.

"Uh... So.. I got- I gotta get going home now..."

A sad look fell upon the boys face. "Oh, well... okay..." He mumbled, staring at his shoes.

Guilt struck Star in the chest like an arrow. "But we can play together again tomorrow?"

His face lit up instantly with that endearing smile. "Yeah sounds great!"

Another hushed pause. Star wasn't sure what to do next. Should she just leave? He wasn't moving. But she couldn't stand anymore of this awkward silence.

In retrospect, it could very well have been a bad idea to leave him there, alone, in fact it could've cost them their friendship entirely, but in truth, Star didn't actually have many friends in school. It's not that she didn't try, it's more or less she didn't really care. Friends came and went, as she learned early in life, and being attached to people was completely foreign to her.

On the other hand, looking into the boy's deep brown… eye… and cute grin, maybe it was worth giving it all a try…

To ensure that he wouldn't be lonely, of course. He was the new kid after all, and so it would only be morally right to help him learn the ropes! Nothing more… obviously…

"Okay BYE!" Star ran from the playground in the direction of her home, her vision focused on the path ahead, preventing herself from looking back.

"Just one friend, right? What could possibly happen?"

The sun lazily dipped beneath the horizon, completely ignorant of all that happened below it's warm gaze as it indicated the end of another day.


Alright then! So I don't really have much else to say here, um... Next chapter is coming out next week as you can imagine... Um thanks for reading... I dunno I got not much else to announce haha!

On that awkward note, I hope you enjoyed this pilot project I got going, I'm planning on keeping it for a very long time.

And of course, reviews and comments are deeply appreciated, let me know whether or not you liked or hated anything about my writing and I'll be sure to address such words in my next chapter! I hope to see you all next week for chapter two (for realsies this time!).