Author's Notes:
Welcome back! And thanks for 400 views on ffn and Ao3 respectively! I appreciate your continued support! Now, this chapter's a hefty one, so I won't keep you here long. Enjoy!
…
Chapter Thirteen: Smoke
The night passed more quietly than expected, but that wasn't much of a gift. The house felt empty, even with Janna sticking by Star's side and Rafael and Angie being aloof as always. That was, for the most part, because Marco hadn't come home. In fact, he hadn't even sent a text by the time that midnight rolled around.
She couldn't blame him, of course. She was sure he was embarrassed, frustrated, and who knows what else. Yes, they were in a closet, but it wasn't the romantic getaway she'd dreamed of!
She stared into the fog through her window, sighing with annoyance. She just wanted to talk to her best friend, alone, for once. No, that wasn't allowed. Not this week. Not when her world was bursting at the seams. Not when she finally figured out how she felt. And absolutely not when she needed him most.
Her throat remained in knots even when it was finally time to sleep, her heart beating torturously slowly as she stared at her bedroom ceiling with Janna beside her.
They shared her bed that night. Janna never mentioned wanting to leave or even seemed like she thought about it. At one point, she had to text her father to assure him she was alright, but even then, she didn't worry about herself.
She was good like that. She was who Star needed that night, and she made everything feel okay, or, at least, something close.
Sleeping was less than easy that night, but she couldn't have expected anything different. She tossed and turned, but no matter what she did, it felt like the eyes of the crowd were still watching her.
She'd closed her blinds and even hid under the blanket, but even concealed beneath the covers, she felt the stalking gaze of the shadows around her.
She tried to ignore it, but that was easier said than done, and with Janna having fallen asleep, she couldn't even say it, let alone actually do it.
Still, after sprinting home from school, there was only so much her mind could do to stop her from sleeping. So, between her fits of panic, she managed to sneak a few brief moments of peaceful slumber, but the brevity and infrequency of those moments couldn't be understated.
The morning did eventually come, but not without its share of discomfort.
Frazzled didn't scratch the surface of describing how she felt. She was groggy, her body ached from a night of unusually stiff posture, and as soon as she opened her blinds, the familiar sight of the fog greeted her. She stretched with a loud groan, then turned back to her bed.
Janna was still there, but something else was still off. Marco still wasn't home. She could feel it. Memories of the last time he disappeared flashed from the back of her mind, but she quickly pushed her worries away.
There weren't any monsters in that dimension. There couldn't be. Ludo's monsters were the only ones after her, but as far as she knew, they were gone for lack of a less morbid word. Plus, nobody else could have matched Toffee's cruelty. They wouldn't go after him. There was no way.
She sighed, glancing at Janna, whose mouth hung open as she drooled unabashedly. Immediately, it became clear why her body ached. Rather than having her usual space, she only had around a fifth of her bed to herself, the rest taken by Janna's fully outstretched arms and legs. She was so knocked out it looked like she'd never slept a second in her life.
She pulled her knees to her chest and buried her face between them.
It was uniquely cold that morning. The air was chilled, almost frigid, and Star could barely feel her feet. It really was nothing like Mewni on Earth. The climate was dynamic. One day, it could be swelteringly hot, and the next day, this.
She shivered and finally got out of bed, careful not to wake Janna as she shuffled toward her door in her morning attire, an oversized shirt and baggy but soft sweatpants.
She closed her door softly before heading gingerly downstairs, following the sweet aroma of Earth breakfast, which she'd come to adore during her short stay.
"Hey, Star," Angie greeted from the couch with a large book in her lap. "Good morning."
She nodded, then turned toward the kitchen, shocked to see Rafael at the stove with a large, pink apron.
She smiled, and Angie did the same.
"Marco has one too. He's just not manly enough for pink," Angie joked.
"Breakfast will be ready shortly," Rafael announced from the kitchen.
Again, Star nodded, lacking her usual excitement. Angie must've picked up on that because she spoke up before her gaze could even reach the floor.
"Hey, Marco told me to let you know he's having a bonfire in the backyard tonight. He wouldn't tell me anything else about it. He mentioned that your new roommate isn't invited, but she'll come anyway. Janna always does."
"A bonfire?! You guys do those here?" Star gleamed, memories of her childhood flooding her mind as she bounced in place.
"Yes!" Rafael shouted with enthusiasm, his wife giggling. "I've been to many!"
"Are you sure you want to tell her about those?" Angie mocked, his face flashing red. "As I recall, you've told me about a certain time you-"
"Shh!" he hurried, sprinting to the living room to cover her mouth.
Star chuckled as Angie gave Rafael a sly grin, kissing his cheek and sending him back to the kitchen.
"Either way, as I understand it, something… happened at school. I believe Marco said that this was supposed to make it better."
"Jackie," Star muttered to herself, her eyes planted firmly on the floor as she contemplated.
"What was that?" Angie questioned.
Star met her eyes, shaking her head. "Oh, nothing. I should- go get Janna."
Angie smiled and nodded, slowly lifting her book as Star awkwardly shuffled to the stairs.
Star kept to her word. She woke Janna up and relayed what Angie had told her. Star was uneasy about seeing Jackie, but Janna seemed unbothered by the news for one reason or another as if it was somehow a good thing.
She explained that Jackie wouldn't go out of her way to have something like this set up if she was mad, but it all seemed too good to be true. She and Marco were alone in a closet. They might not have done what everyone assumed, but how would Jackie know that?
She expressed that her worries hadn't subsided, but Janna still didn't flinch. She insisted that everything would be alright, but since Star didn't feel any better, Janna concocted a clever compromise.
She knew Jackie and Janna would be there, so what could have been better than an extra line of defense? She didn't have many friends on Earth, but there was someone that she wanted around.
Leah.
Her presence promised comfort, but more importantly, a biased third party who could de-escalate any possible situations that might arise.
Still, inviting her alone would make her reasoning too obvious, so a couple more lighthearted boys were sure to do the trick.
Once Janna and Star finished breakfast, they set their plans into action. Star had no idea where to find Leah, but she knew if anyone could, it was Janna. So, that was where Janne went. She promised to be back in time for the bonfire, bringing Leah, Ferguson, and Alfonzo.
Truthfully, there was nobody she trusted more to get this done, so as the hours passed, her stress was alleviated, even if only slightly.
She did her best to keep herself busy, although if she was being truthful, that was an exercise in futility. Just like the night before, she kept remembering the eyes of the crowd. They followed her around every corner, through every doorway, and into every room.
No matter how hard she tried to hide, she couldn't escape them. She felt their gaze, but beyond that, she could feel them making assumptions. She remembered their faces. She knew what they were thinking. The thought alone made her feel dirty.
As a princess, nothing felt worse than people thinking she did something she didn't, and this was no different. They thought she did something disgusting when all she took from him was an innocent hug.
For hours, these eyes followed her, asserting their determinations on her with every step she took and scrutinizing her every move, whether it be a mere twitch of her finger or a soft sigh. The burden of their gaze was crushing, but she had to be strong.
When the hour of the bonfire grew near, she sat in the living room, hoping that the presence of Marco's parents would give her some relief. They made the weight of the gaze lighter, but until Janna returned, she knew she wouldn't feel at ease.
The doorbell finally rang about thirty-eight minutes before the bonfire started, and immediately, Star perked up from her slumped position on the couch.
She lept to her feet and twisted the doorknob without hesitation.
Seeing Janna's face brought her more joy than she could express.
She lunged forward and wrapped her arms around her. Janna chuckled.
"Watch out, people are gonna think we-"
"Ahem," Ferguson said. "Inappropriate."
Star pulled away, confused, but Janna shook her head, her face saying you don't want to know.
Still, Star smiled. The presence of her dearest friends made everything feel alright again. Still, something, or someone, was missing.
Suddenly, Janna's smile fell, like she was genuinely disappointed in herself.
"I couldn't find that Leah chick," she admitted. "I swear, I looked everywhere. For some reason, nobody knows her. She must be new or something."
Star nodded, but something felt fishy. She remembered hearing Leah explain she had known Marco for a long time, but that would have entirely contradicted Janna's story.
Star's smile didn't falter, "No, don't worry about it. I'm glad you're back."
Janna smirked, and behind her, Alfonzo broke the tension.
"On the bright side, most people aren't talking about what happened yesterday. Most people think Marco's too much of a safe-kid to- You know…"
Star nodded, shuddering.
"Hey," Janna said, jabbing at Star's shoulder. "You've got us! And if all goes right tonight, you'll have Marco and Jackie."
Ferguson gleamed, "Yeah, I'm sure Jackie'll be reasonable. She always is!"
"Pfft," Janna muttered, chuckling and crossing her arms.
All eyes fell on her, and quickly, she realized her mistake.
"Yeah, no, totally! She'll understand," Janna nervously giggled, rubbing the back of her neck.
Star was less than confident but invited her friends inside nonetheless. She hoped to have a moment of peace, but almost instantly, her hopes shattered. She and her friends lingered in the living room for all but five minutes before the doorbell rang again, and instantly, Star's heart dropped.
Angie walked to the door and opened it without hesitation.
Three people stood in the doorway, although in Star's opinion, one was more animal than human.
Marco, Jackie, and Jakob peered through the open doorway, all of their eyes landing on Star, and immediately, she felt a newly familiar chill run down her spine.
She froze as the teens meandered into the house and even forgot to breathe. Her face was red with embarrassment, and she struggled to meet their gaze.
Her knees felt weak, but Marco's voice cut through the tension before she could collapse.
"Hey, do you two mind waiting out back? I want to talk to Star for a second," he said to Jackie and Jakob.
Both seemed apprehensive but obliged nonetheless.
As Marco stepped forward, he didn't need to repeat his request. Janna, Alfonzo, and Ferguson followed the other two teens outside.
Only when she heard the back door slide closed did she finally gain the courage to meet his eyes, and immediately, Star wanted to look away.
Big and brown, they drew her in and imprisoned her without intent. She felt paralyzed when all they possessed was kindness. They gave her comfort, but all she could feel was guilt.
He looked tired, and she could only imagine why. As much as she was innocent in everything that happened, he was even moreso. He didn't even initiate the conversation, let alone the hug, and he certainly didn't mean to let the doors fall open.
She felt her eyes glossing over and desired nothing more than another hug. Her arms and legs itched to lunge forward, but her mind kept them both at bay. She knew the consequences. She knew that-
Without warning, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her.
Her brain froze, and her heart rate soared. She had been trembling but hadn't realized it until it stopped. Her eyes and mouth hung wide open. She wanted to reciprocate the embrace but couldn't force her body to move.
"I'm sorry," Marco said, and Star's eyes flooded with tears.
He peeled away, but she still felt his warmth. Tears streamed down her cheeks, but she felt nothing but joy.
"I just- I should've been there for you. With everything that's going on, I-"
"It's okay, Marco," Star dismissed, finally wrapping her arms around him with a wide smile. "You're here now."
He wrapped his arms back around her and smiled. They both stood like that for a while, neither saying a word for several seconds. Nobody came between them. Nothing stopped them from being together. There wasn't even awkwardness. For once, they were just happy.
Of course, they both knew that couldn't last forever, but as rare as it had become, they peeled away from each other of their own volition, smiling as they headed to the backyard.
When they walked through the back door, it was like they entered a different dimension, which wasn't all that strange for Star, but even she felt unnerved.
The fog still hung over the surrounding area, as thick as ever, and the air was even colder than it was in the morning.
The teens huddled around a pile of firewood and other flammable objects that Rafael had set aside, waiting for Star and Marco to join them, and as soon as they poked their heads out the door, Janna didn't hesitate any longer. She tossed a match into the kindling, and within seconds, the inferno started to spread like a plague, eating away at the space it hadn't reached.
Star stopped for a moment, the brilliance of the flame reflecting in her eyes, radiating with warmth.
She smiled and came closer, watching Marco sit beside Jackie, who refused to meet Star's gaze. Hoping not to make things worse, she sat beside Janna, who had saved a seat or, more accurately, a chopped log for her to sit on.
She plopped down with little grace, letting out a deep sigh of contentment as the heat of the fire danced across her bare skin.
It was quiet for a while, a couple of minutes at least. It didn't seem like anyone wanted to address the warnicorn in the room, but eventually, an unsavory voice ruined the pleasantness of the moment.
"Pretty messed up what happened yesterday, you know?" Jakob remarked, meeting Star's eyes with hostility.
She snickered and crossed her arms. Janna quickly came to her defense.
"What's wrong with you? Were you dropped as a child?"
He smiled smugly, then turned to Marco, speaking loud enough for everyone to hear.
"I thought you said the emo girl wouldn't be here."
Marco and Star both squirmed, knowing what was coming next.
"Oh yeah? I'd rather be emo than a moron. You look thirty-five. Shouldn't you be out of high school by now?"
He glared in Janna's direction but didn't give any sort of rebuttal.
Star almost convinced herself there would be a moment of peace, but Jakob had something else in mind.
"Let's not get distracted. We're here because of Star!" Jakob asserted, standing up and pointing at Star through the fire. "She's the one that-"
"Dude, stop," Marco said, his hand quivering as he glanced at Star, then Jackie.
"Oh, come on," Jakob groaned. "You blackmailed him, didn't you? He hasn't been straight about what happened in the closet."
"No, Jakob, you don't-" Jackie tried to interject.
He turned to her and nudged Marco to the side, grabbing her shoulders and looking into her big, blue eyes.
"He's lying to you, Jackie," he urged.
"What? Jakob-" Marco shouted.
"Marco wouldn't cheat, but he's hiding something…" Jakob once again turned to Star, keeping his off-hand on Jackie's shoulder as he pointed. "... and it's her fault."
Suddenly, Marco pulled Jakob away from Jackie and pushed him as hard as he could, huffing.
"Get out of here," he shouted. "I don't know what your problem is. You said you'd be cool."
Jakob scoffed as the eyes of the teens all watched him, then sighed, shook his head, and walked to the back door. She pulled it open hard, then slammed it shut behind him, all eyes tracking him through the glass until they couldn't see him anymore.
Janna got to her feet and stepped toward the door, but Star held her back, meeting her eyes and shaking her head.
"But- Star, something's-"
"Just… don't. He's gone. It's fine."
Reluctantly, she obeyed, sitting back down and crossing her arms.
"I see you've been keeping good company lately. Huh, Marco?"
He tried to object, meeting Alfonzo, Ferguson, and Janna's eyes, but couldn't manage a sentence. His face fell into his palms with frustration.
With a conflicted expression on her face, Jackie wrapped a comforting arm around him, and he sighed.
"It's okay, man," Ferguson remarked. "Star's been hanging out with us. It's not like we've been alone."
"Yeah," Alfonzo piled on. "It's fine."
Seconds passed, and Marco didn't seem any happier. Unknowingly, Star had been staring at him, only interrupted by a sudden gasp from her "emo" friend.
Star turned to her and followed her eyes to the back door, where Leah stood, smiling and waving.
"No, I swear, Star, I never found her. There's no way."
Star got to her feet without hesitation and wrapped her arms around Leah, squeezing her enthusiastically.
"What happened to doofus? He looked mad. Did I miss the party already?"
"Uhm," Star started, nervously scratching the back of her neck. "You could say that."
Eyes agape, Janna stared as the two returned to the fire, glancing at Star, then Leah.
"Something isn't right," she muttered as Star pulled Jakob's old seat beside her. Star sighed with contentment, leaning toward the warmth of the fire.
"So," she started, scanning over the teens. "What should we talk about now?"
"Now that Jakob is gone, we can talk about whatever, right?" Alfonzo questioned.
Star nodded, but even after a couple of seconds, nobody spoke.
"Oh, come on, it can't be this awkward," she remarked. "We should just-"
"What's going on, Star?" Jackie questioned, her tone stern.
Arms crossed and eyebrows tilted together, she was visibly upset, which was confusing for Star.
Her mouth hung open for a second.
"What do you mean?" she asked. "Jackie, if it's about-"
"Is that what it's about?" Jackie questioned.
Confused, Marco turned to his girlfriend, and Star fidgeted in place. Still, Jackie didn't back down, not even a little bit.
"... Because I need an explanation. You've been acting weird for the past week—even weirder than usual.
"..."
Star turned to Janna, then glanced to Alfonzo and Ferguson, then to Leah.
"Jackie, you know I can't talk about that. If you can just-"
"What? Wait?"
"Yes!" Star accidentally shouted, earning an even angrier glare from Jackie. "I can't just go around telling everyone! It's a secret."
"What's a secret?" Ferguson inquired.
Janna shook her head dismissively but couldn't stop Leah from asking questions.
"Oh, is it about your magic?"
The bonfire fell silent, all eyes landing on Leah, then shifting to Star.
"Oh, was that a secret? I thought everyone knew," Leah remarked, the silence returning.
Star facepalmed.
"Fine," Star snapped, glaring at Jackie and meeting her eyes. "Since everyone knows now, yes, it's the magic. You happy?"
"Something's up with the magic, and I needed to talk to my best friend. That's why we were in the closet. I haven't been able to talk to him in a week because he's always with you."
"He's my boyfriend! Of course, he's with me!" Jackie shouted, only further angering Star.
She stood up, continuing. "That's not the point. Everything was falling apart, and I missed my best friend. Nothing happened in that closet. I just hugged him."
"... And you just had to be sure that the entire school saw it, huh?"
Star's fists balled, fury flowing through her veins.
"No! The door wouldn't stay shut! Marco was holding it closed, but when I hugged him, he let go! It was an accident!"
"That doesn't make it any better!"
"Oh boo hoo! You didn't even acknowledge that Marco existed a week ago. Now you want to act like you're star-crossed lovers? Please."
"Star!" Marco shouted, frustrated.
"What? Are you jealous now? You had your chance!"
Star's eyes widened with confusion, but Leah stepped forward.
"You're the jealous one! You're always whining about how much Marco talks about her. You just can't handle not being the coolest person around, can you?"
"What? How do you even- I've literally never seen you before, let alone talk to you."
"What do you mean?" Star asked Leah, genuinely confused.
"I- Janna told me."
Jackie glared at Janna, betrayed.
"What? No, I didn't!" Janna shouted.
"Is that true?" Star interrogated Jackie, half-cocked. "What did I ever do to you?!"
"Do you really wanna go there?" Jackie shot back. "You think Ferguson and Alfonzo were the only people Janna told about you?"
Star glared at Janna the same way Jackie had, earning a sorrowful look before returning her attention to the girl with the bleach-blond hair.
"Nothing happened in the closet," Star reasserted.
"But it could've," Jackie remarked. "... and I know you thought about it."
"Jackie, what're you," Marco tried to question, but Jackie shooed him away, her eyes deadlocked with Star's.
"Jackie, I would never."
"You're lying, Star."
"How could you know that?" Leah defended.
Jackie got to her feet and grabbed Marco by the wrist.
"It's obvious," she remarked. "Star's a princess. She's used to getting whatever she wants. How is this any different?"
Star's eyes widened, and her mouth hung open as Jackie dragged Marco into the fog.
They were gone before she could blink, but Star's eyes lingered on where they had sat.
"..."
"Screw her," Leah remarked, breaking the silence. "I don't care what she says. You're not a bad person."
"I-" Star started, her words dying in her mouth.
"Well, that went about as terribly as it could've," Janna remarked.
Star's attention quickly returned.
"You told Jackie that I like Marco?" Star questioned, gravely serious.
"I-" Janna tried to argue before sighing and nodding.
"I think you should leave," Star remarked seconds later before turning away.
"What? Come on, you know I didn't mean to…" Janna tried to reach out to Star, but Leah stood between them.
"I think you heard her," Leah asserted, meeting Janna's eyes with a solemn glare.
Janna was short, and Leah was shorter, but that didn't stop her from being every bit as fiery.
Janna shook her head and stepped back.
"Okay, I understand," Janna remarked, meeting her eyes. "Just remember who your real friends are."
Leah remained between them, but Star's eyes followed Janna as she walked away, and even lingered when she disappeared into the fog.
She sighed, her face falling.
"So…" Alfonzo started awkwardly. "No s'mores?"
Ferguson chuckled, and Star did the same, smirking slightly.
"No, guys, sorry," Star answered. "I need to be alone tonight, but thank you for coming… you too, Leah. I don't know how things would've gone otherwise."
"Are- are you sure?" Leah questioned, surprised when Star nodded.
"Yeah, I just need some time to think about… you know, everything."
"Sure," Ferguson remarked, getting to his feet. "... Oh, and just so you know, your secret is safe with us. We kind of figured something was going on with you. Plus, there had to be a more logical reason for the school getting shut down, and we all know there wasn't a shooting like they're saying. It's not like we heard gunshots."
Star smiled. "I'm sorry. I should have told you once Janna and Jackie caught me."
Ferguson shook his head, then patted her on the shoulder. "No worries," he said. "Either way, we should head out, right, Alfy?"
"God, please quit calling me that," Alfonzo said before turning away and disappearing into the smoke.
Again, Star sighed, watching as they left. She was ready for the night to be over, so she quickly turned back to where Leah stood, but just like always, she was nowhere to be found.
"Typical," she remarked.
…
Author's Notes:
There you go! That's the chapter. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it! This one was a blast! There was a lot more drama than I'm used to writing, and the character conflicts are finally coming to a head. The prom is only two chapters away (Chapter 15), so everything should wrap up well, and I can start a new arc!
I won't explain anything else here, but I hope you're as into this as I am! The prom was one of the first things I thought of when I was scheming up this fic, so I'm super excited that it's so close!
As usual, I ask that you give me some feedback. It's been a while since I've gotten a comment, so all I have to go on is the views. I appreciate the views, but it's still really tough to know you're enjoying the story. So, please, if you don't mind, leave a comment. It can be anything from a simple hello to a full-on critique! I'd love to hear it!
Finally, as I mentioned on my Instagram page ( starcovstheworld), I started a new job recently, and my college semester is in full swing, so writing time is scarce, but I promise I'll still find time when possible. So, whether it's soon or sometime down the line, I'll see you all then! Until the next chapter, stay safe!
~ lucash21