Author's Note: I got an idea to continue this and figured why not write it up. I don't know where this fic is headed (if it's even headed anywhere), but I hope you enjoy!
Star Error III
Fenton was still dodging her.
Anytime Star entered the same room as him or started to approach him, he would leave the area or find a teacher to talk to.
Or sometimes he'd disappear altogether. He would somehow just be gone, just like that.
"Are you checking out Fenton again?" asked Dash in the hall after the final bell rang.
Star scowled. "I'm not checking him out."
"You keep looking at him," said Kwan.
"I thought he wasn't your type?" said Paulina.
"He's not," insisted Star. "I'm just trying to figure something out, okay?"
"Is this still about his glowing freckles?" asked Dash. "Because I really think you were just seeing things."
"I was not! I saw them. And you would see them too if I could just get him to—"
"Whatever." Dash clapped a hand on Kwan's shoulder. "We need to get to practice."
"Me too," said Paulina. "I'm supposed to start teaching the girls a new routine."
Star watched her friends walk away and checked the nearest clock. She still had time before she had to start tutoring.
She looked down the hall and saw Fenton at his locker with Manson and Foley.
This was her last chance of the day to catch him.
And she wasn't going to miss it.
She headed down the hall toward him. Fenton looked up and started walking away from her.
Star quickened her pace. Fenton rounded a corner.
Star dashed to the corner and located Fenton already halfway down the next hall.
She swerved and maneuvered around bustling students, never taking her eyes off that messy dark hair and lavender backpack as he weaved through the crowded hall.
He pulled off to the side and entered the boys' restroom. Star stopped short and stood next to the door.
If he thought he had lost her, he was wrong. She was going to wait right here until he came out, even if she ended up being late for tutoring. Not like she was getting paid for it anyway.
The restroom door opened. A boy exited and gave Star a confused look before proceeding on his way down the hall. Star pretended to play with a strand of her hair.
Another boy walked down the hall and pulled open the restroom door, giving Star a puzzled look as he went inside. Star pretended to study her nails and looked up again to stare at the door once he was gone.
Less than a minute later, the same boy reappeared, looking perplexed that Star was still standing there as he shuffled away.
A minute passed. Then another. Several minutes.
Fenton surely knew she was waiting for him to come out. He was probably hoping she would give up and leave.
But she wasn't about to lose to Fenton of all people.
She kept her eyes fixed on the door. There were no windows in this particular restroom, she knew that. There was no other way for him to get out. Soon, soon, he couldn't possibly hang out in there all day, she just had to keep waiting, keep watching, keep—
"Hey, Star."
Star jumped and turned around. She jumped again when she saw Fenton standing right behind her.
"What are you doing here?" she squealed.
"I know you've been trying to catch me." Fenton leaned against the wall, folding his arms and crossing one leg over the other. "Just thought I'd say hi."
"But how—" Star whipped her head to look at the restroom door, then back at him. "How did you get there?"
Fenton smirked.
"You never came out this door! I was watching."
"I have many hidden talents."
Star narrowed her eyes and wrinkled her nose.
"So what can I do for you, Star?"
"You know what I want from you, Fenton."
Fenton sighed and looked at the far wall. "Yeah, I do."
Star waited, tapping the toe of her shoe against the floor.
Fenton looked at her again. "You want to get dinner with me."
Star rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you're not cute, Fenton. You should know that by now."
Fenton shrugged. "I don't know, I've had a couple girls tell me I'm cute."
"No girls that matter," Star retorted.
Fenton inclined his head and chuckled through pressed lips.
"Are you gonna give me what I really want, Fenton?" asked Star, checking the clock and grimacing. She was ten minutes late for tutoring now.
"Sure." Fenton's top teeth scraped over his bottom lip. "Just meet me at Belinda's later today. I'll buy you whatever you want."
Star scoffed. "Seriously? Belinda's Café? You're trying to get a date with me out of this?"
Fenton scratched his chin, his expression turning more serious. "Well, the truth is, I really do need help with math."
"Yeah. No kidding."
"And our tutoring session yesterday was cut short."
"Hey, you're the one who walked out on me." Star held up her hands, palms up. "I was willing to keep helping you even with your freaky glowing face."
Fenton's face turned slightly pink in the cheeks. But his freckles remained light brown.
"I know you know what I'm talking about." Star put her hands on her hips. "I didn't imagine that."
Fenton clutched one of his backpack straps and looked down at the floor before looking up again. "Tell you what. If you meet me later to help me with math, I'll answer five questions for you. Any five questions you want."
Star raised a brow. "Any five questions I want?"
"Mmm hmm. And I promise I'll be completely honest." Fenton moved off the wall and stood up straight. "But they have to be yes-or-no questions."
Star scrunched her mouth, swishing her lips side to side. "Fine. But not Belinda's. It's way too popular. I'm not about to risk being seen out in public with you."
Fenton smiled amicably.
"Let's do Station 11 instead," said Star. "No one from our school ever goes there. Four-thirty. After I'm done with tutoring."
"All right," said Fenton. "Meet you there, Star."
He gave a small wave and walked away from her down the hall. Star glared at the back of his head, not sure if she liked the familiar way he used her name.
"Saturn! Mercury!" she yelled. "Black holes! Neil Armstrong!"
Fenton froze, his back still to her. Star gripped one hand with the other and watched him, waiting.
He turned around and looked at her. He gave her a knowing smile before turning again and leaving.
His freckles stayed ordinary.
Star's glare hardened.