The Aftermath Chapter

Star Butterfly felt like she was floating and no, it had nothing to do with the Flying Tortoise Spell she accidentally casted on her feet. Looking down, she spotted Horace and Shelly, magical tortoises on the bottom of her feet that floated a few inches off the ground and perfectly levitated her.

"Then what happened?" Marco asked, unaware of the dreamy look in Star's eyes, along with her cheek hearts pumping and pulsating slightly, the last time that happened was when she went out with Tom for the day and a half of their relationship.

"Um, well, she talked about you," Star said, trying to calm her fluttering heart. "She wasn't sure if you'd enjoy the concert, but she wanted to invite you."

Marco grinned and did a little dance that Star could only describe as an elderly man's jig. She giggled slightly at Marco's excitement, it was only a little footnote in the entire night but it seemed to make his entire day.

"Oh, that's great!" Marco shouted, jumping in place with an excited grin. "What happened next?"

Star fingered her wand and hoped Marco couldn't see her biting her lips, but then again Marco was too busy taking notes, well, less taking notes, more drawing hearts in his notebook.

"Oh, you know, Jackie asked me out again," Star said. "You know, to hang out."

"Awesome!" Marco said, completely subverting how Star thought he'd react. "Where you going, what're you doing?"

Star tilted her head curiously, stopping in her tracks. Marco stopped as well, but still unaware of Star's turbulent expressions. "What's up, Star?"

"Why aren't you… you know, upset?"

"What'd ya mean?"

"I mean." Star gently took Marco by the shoulder and turned him around. "Come on, Marco, you like Jackie Lynn-Thomas, but you're happy just hearing about what it's like hanging out with her instead of hanging out with her?"

"Star, I live vicariously through you."

"I don't even know what that means."

"This is as close as I can get."

"But why not just ask her?" Star asked, baffled by the icky feeling in her chest as she said that, even her wand dimmed a neon green. "Just go up to her and say, 'Hey, you like to hang out, I like to hang out, let's do that together!"

"Yeah, but…" Marco grumbled, gripping his pen tightly. "What if she says no?"

"You've fought monsters, traveled to other dimensions." Star took him by the shoulders, and smiled. "Talking to Jackie can't be the scariest thing in the world."

Marco smiled warily, his brown eyes looking way too similar to a puppy's. He nodded, putting away his notebook. "You're right, Star. Thanks, you always know what to say."

Marco hugged her and it felt like butterflies were having a mosh pit in her stomach, but she couldn't place why she felt like that, was it from her suggestion to talk to Jackie or from the hug? Star decided it must've been the hug. That's it. The hug.

Miss Skullnick made Star write 'I Will Not Summon Golden Unicorns in Class' fifty times, even though she didn't do anything. It was fine, after all, Miss Skullnick was still a troll because of Star so she didn't hold it against her. While she up at the chalkboard writing, she glanced over her shoulder and noticed Marco muttering to himself, most likely mustering up the courage to talk to Jackie who was behind him.

Unbeknownst to her, Star growled lowly, gritting her teeth and gripping her wand tightly.

"Hey! Back to writing!" Miss Skullnick snapped, sitting at her chair painting her claws.

Star went back to writing but after three words she looked back again at Jackie. She looked as she usually did. Her wavy blonde hair, her impossibly green eyes twinkling as she laughed at a joke someone made. She wore an Exploding Hamster Wheels t-shirt which made Star's heart feel like it was flying.

Then, Marco turned around in his seat and started talking to Jackie. He looked so nervous, like he was about to throw up, but he managed to maintain eye contact. Jackie's eyes widened then a smile and a blush spread across her face.

Acid boiled in Star's stomach, or at least it felt like that. The blood in her body turned to ice and her heart felt like it was being dipped in lava. The chalk exploded in her hands and her heart cheeks morphed into angry faces.

Star's wand vibrated with magic in her hand. "Hey! Get back to writing!" Miss Skullnick screamed.

Electricity crackled and thunder rumbled. The lights flickered and a black cloud materialized out of nowhere. Lightning flashed and incinerated Miss Skullnick's desk and sent the troll flying across the room… and out of the window.

The fire alarm rang and the sprinklers activated, dousing the entire room. Instead of running and screaming, the students cheered. "Star Butterfly rules!" Justin cheered. The students ran out of the class and outside to the emergency meeting place.

Only Marco remained and, for some reason, he wasn't angry with Star's wayward spell. He was grinning from ear to ear. "Star! You were right!"

He had to shout over the sprinklers and Star strained her ears to hear. "What?!"

"I said you were right!"

"I was what?!"

Marco leaned in closer to her ears, sending tingles and shiver through her body, but it must've been the cold water. "I asked to hang out with Jackie Lynn-Thomas and she said yes!"

Star's chest felt tight, her insides felt like they were being microwaved, but she smiled as brightly as she could. "That's… great, Marco!"

Marco hugged Star tightly. "She said we could all hang together! There's a movie coming out, Retaliators: Era of Ultron, this is gonna be awesome!"

"Awesome…" Star mumbled weakly.

Marco broke the hug, still holding on to Star's shoulders. "It's all thanks to you. You're the best, Star!"

"Then why don't I feel like it?" Star said quietly.

"What?"

"I said… you're welcome, we'll have a great time, Marco!"

Star didn't understand this feeling. But it felt like jealousy.