Ugh, I do not like this chapter, just tough to motivate myself to write for. But it's done and now I can get to something that I've wanted to get too for a while!

Also, sorry about the wait, people who read Ghostly Auror would know that I've been busy with finals, the holidays and writing for other stories.

I also referenced two episodes of Danny Phantom in chapter, kudos to anyone who notices them. They're pretty easy.

But without further ado, here is the next chapter!

Chapter 17

Three weeks later…

As the next two weeks went by Star and Valerie got much closer as friends. They started to hang out with each other on a more frequent basis.

At first Valerie would say that she would be too busy to hang out with Star but now, the two would seeing each other every day at school and after. They even went to the recent 'Ember' concert when the pop star was recently in town.

They watched Tucker storm the stage and spectacularly fail to sing the hit song, "You will remember my name" by Ember, ruining the awesome mood of the concert. Though Star was still had a really good time with Valerie.

Star enjoyed hanging out with Valerie, she liked her company with Sam, but Valerie had the quirks of being a little more girly than Sam, giving Star the opportunity to talk about more girly topics with Valerie than with Sam.

When the full group would hang out together at lunch, Danny and Tucker would be friendly to Valerie and try to include her. Meanwhile Sam would be passive and little bit aggressive to Valerie which made the relationship between Sam and Valerie fairly awkward.

Star knew that there was no one that Valerie or Sam would hang out with each other if Star wasn't there to act as the glue that got them to actually be friendly to each other.

Though to be fair the times that all five of them are all together has only happened maybe three times and two of those times was a trip to the Nasty Burger.

In this time Star noticed that with her lack of exercise from her injury and being kicked off the cheerleading squad has been making her gain some weight. Her hips had flared up a bit and curves were starting to look more like a women's body instead of a little teen's body. She was not happy about her stomach getting flabbier.

She thought about what the boys around her must be thinking, hoping that no one around her would notice. She thought of Danny specifically hoping that he wouldn't notice out of everyone around her.

One day at home, Julian joked that Star was looking a bit plumper than usual which set her emotions off, causing her to cry.

Julian had told her that he was only joking with the off handed comment. As much of jerk her brother could be, he still cared for her and showed that he really felt bad for making her cry.

She expressed her dissatisfaction with her body to Valerie and this spawned the idea for the two of them to start working out. Star immediately said yes, knowing that having a friend to motivate her to get in shape.

It was early morning in the city, the sun was just starting to shine over the cityscape, a thin veil of fog covered around the knees creating an ominous feeling for anyone awake. In the streets were Valerie and Star running along the side walk by the central park in the middle of Amity Park. They turned at the park entrance and started to run through the park trail going through the dirt trail through some trees. They both breathed in the winter air as they ran in their jacket and shorts.

The cold nipped at their exposed skin at the knees and lower thighs making the skin red. Star's breathing was becoming more and more haggard as she tried to keep up with her African American friend who was now starting to split away from her.

Then a lone tree on a hill was in sight lifting Star's spirits. This tree was the end point of the girl's runs where they would take a break before they started running again. All she wanted at that point was to reach that tree and collapse in the dew covered grass of the hill.

Valerie reached the tree first just by a few seconds. Star reached it and automatically slumped into the tree as she haggardly breathed to catch her breathe.

This was the fourth run that the two of them have done so far and since then it has only gotten harder to reach the end point for Star as Valerie got faster and faster with unbelievable improvement in her strength and endurance in the last month.

"Here" Valerie said offering a baby blue water aluminum water bottle. Star grabbed it and immediately drank the water to sedate her thirst.

"You're getting really fast Valerie" Star complimented.

"Yeah, I guess my work outs after school are paying off" Valerie said with pride.

Star sat down on the grass of the hill and looked at the suburban city as the sun had just risen out of the bright yellow shine and brightened the sky from dark blue to the ordinary sky blue colour. It looked like it truly was a new day.

"Hey Star, I need you to be honest with me about something." Valerie said sitting down beside the blonde staring into her eyes.

"Depends…" Star answered nervously.

Valerie sighed and nodded in agreement. "Do you have a crush on Fenton?"

"N-No…" Star said lamely, her cheeks instantly started to spark red as she blushed.

"Your lying…I can see it from a mile away Star" Valerie said a little satisfied.

Seeing that there was no use, Star just nodded sadly. "Yeah…"

"For how long?"

Star froze at the question, she knew how much she hated her savior ghost so she couldn't be fully honest about her answer. Though when she thought about the question she couldn't help but realize that her crush has always been a back and forth between Danny and her ghostly savior.

"It's been a little on and off. But the earliest was a couple of months ago" Star answered.

"You going to make a move on him?" Valerie asked with a friendly nudge.

Star couldn't help but laugh. "I don't know. I haven't even thought about that…"

And it was true, she'd never even thought about a bigger relationship with Danny. Maybe it was because of her on and off infatuation with the Phantom that was a part of that. Either way the possibility of getting farther into a relationship seemed to be stagnate to her.

"Come on, we better get back to get ready for school." Valerie said getting up.

Star got up as well quickly stretching her now stiff muscles from the time that she'd sat down. She passed her water bottle to Valerie who put it away in her pack.

Then the two of them went off and started running back to their homes.

After school…

Star walked side by side with Danny going towards Danny's house to study for the English exam that was scheduled later in the week.

"Hey is your sister still dating that Johnny Thirteen guy?"

"Nope, they broke up" Danny said thankfully.

Star couldn't laugh at the comment. She remembered seeing the guy with Jazz when they were studying together one day. "Yeah I didn't see how she could date a guy like that. I mean she so smart while that guy was-"

"A loser?" Danny finished for her.

"A mean loser" She corrected giving Danny a smile.

"Yeah… I didn't like him either"

Taking a brave step forward Star did something that she couldn't even believe, but she did it anyways. "So…you crushing on anyone Danny?"

Danny stopped walking and looked at her surprised, his cheeks becoming red instantly. He looked away shifting side to side nervously.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to" Star offered, noticing the boy's obvious discomfort.

"No… it's alright. And to be honest I'm kind of conflicted between these two girls. I like them both and they're both great I just don't know if one of them would want to be with me. I'm also a little conflicted on who to choose, not that one is worse its just… they're both so great." Danny said spilling a bit of his heart out to Star looking a little depressed by revelation.

"Danny, you would make of those girls real happy" Star said enthusiastically trying to cheer Danny up.

One thing that Star noticed was Danny's admission of using any names, and she couldn't help but think that Danny might actually like-like her. The very thought made her stomach flip as she thought of the possibility that Danny may like her as something more than friends.

"So what about you?" Danny asked innocently.

"What about me?" Star questioned confused.

"Who are you crushing on?" Danny said elaborating a little more.

"Oh, well…" Star started nervously feeling a little guilty that Danny had shared so much just now that she felt a little pressure to share a bit as well.

"I don't know, at one point I had this really unrealistic crush with someone that I would never be able to have a date with, then, I started to like someone more realistic for me and he's really great." Her face was now a beat red as she rubbed her arm self-consciously.

"There is no reason that guy won't like you Star, you should try your luck" Danny said getting closer to Star.

They both looked at each ice blue eyes meeting turquoise and in an instant Star nodded and started to walk again. "Yeah…maybe"

Danny joined alongside her as the two of them continued to walk down to Fenton works unsure how their future romances unfold. But they both shared a close bond of friendship.

I really ended the chapter poorly but you know what, I just wanted this chapter to be over and done with!

I hope you enjoyed my brand of little bit of teen romance here. I tried to not make it too mushy.

Remember to review what you think, I always appreciate everyone's input on my work.

Until next time,

Prophet =P