The Butterfly Effect | Star vs the Forces of Evil

Prologue | Realization

"Perhaps the butterfly is proof that you can go through a great deal of darkness and turn into something beautiful."
~

His room was silent. The only thing that kept him somewhat sane was the steady ticking of his clock on the wall.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

Marco Diaz brought his face to his pillow and groaned loudly into it. He hated himself. He hated himself so much. Those images kept flashing in his mind, plaguing his thoughts. The couples on the ash-colored beach. The giggling, the handholding, all while he had nobody to call his own. His girlfriend, Jackie Lynn Thomas, had broken up with him not long before, but he got over it quickly, after he realized that she wasn't what he wanted. Not at all.

Star Butterfly was what he wanted.

Star Butterfly. Star Butterfly. He repeated her name over and over in his mind, while he begun to form a mental image. Her adorable heart-stamped cheeks. Her beautiful, deep blue eyes. Her long golden mane that hung just below the back of her knees. Her laugh, her smile. He was deeply in love with his best friend, and he didn't even realize it until now.

Marco felt queasy to his stomach the more it festered in his mind. How could he not have known? All of the signs were right there in front of him, like a big red sign pointing him in the right direction. He loved her. He had alway loved her. Why did it take him so long to take a hint?  He mentally slapped himself. He had his chance, but it was gone, all gone in seven, simple words:

"I do have a crush on you."

"I didn't want to admit it because I know you don't feel the same way..."

But he did. He felt the same way so much. He was in denial. He had all the chances in the world, he had her, almost, but the chance slipped from his grasp in a passionate kiss from her demon boyfriend. The same Tom Lucitor that made her fume at his presence. That Tom Lucitor. He didn't quite understand the appeal.

It was imprinted in his mind, the scene was branded in his memory. Moments of realization all around him, and the biggest sign of realization of all, right in front of him. The jealousy that he felt, the sadness that he lived was all there. All right there, painted in red.

"Not again," Marco whispered as he tried to shoo the tears away, but they wouldn't go. They rolled down his cheeks; one after another until his vision was blurry. Why was he so blind to the love that he felt for Star Butterfly? Why did he have to realize it so late, on his birthday of all days? Why was he so hung up on it? She didn't give a hoot about his birthday. She was too busy making out with Tom. It was like she had forgotten all about the times that they spent together and the adventures that they had embarked on. Who was Marco Diaz? The annoying earth turd who had happened to fall back into her life uninvited. The earth turd that nobody took seriously. The earth turd who got left at the pier all alone. The earth turd who couldn't do anything right. That's who he was.

Marco let out a sob as he tried to wipe his tears with the sleeve of his hoodie. Star had moved on, and he should try to too. It was so hard, though. The realization came far too late, and he couldn't get over it. He was spending his birthday mourning over the supposed loss of his best friend.

Then, it hit him.

His talk with Tad. He had dimensional scissors. He could go anywhere he wanted in the universe, and he was choosing to stay bound to his so-called friend who didn't care about him anymore. She went as far as to make him a "Squire" as an excuse to order him around? Why was he succumbing to it? Was he holding on to some false hope that Star's feelings would emerge once again?

The boy felt around in his pocket for the cold metal, touching it with his fingers. Sixteen long years of intense training. He slowly took them out of his pocket, eying his reflection in the blades. He could have sworn he saw Star's face in them, too, but he didn't think much of it. He had to get Star out of his mind before it consumed him.

With a swift movement, Marco opened a portal within his room, and stared into it with a triumphant smile.

"I'm coming, Hekapoo," he whispered as he jumped into it, shutting it behind him.

Who needs Star when you're a hot, thirty year-old hunk in your native enviroment? Not Marco... at least...not now.