Promises

Chapter 12.1

Uhm...Hi. This is Star Butterfly...This is the first time I'm doing this, and probably the last.

I don't know why I'm doing this...

but...

I guess since I started it, why not finish it.

Marco walked into school with his earpiece on. He hung his head low, with hands stuffed into his jacket's pocket, making his way through the crowded hallway.

Well since this is the first log, I'll start with something easy: why I got transferred to Echo Creek Academy or why I left for Echo Creek Academy instead.

Marco turned a corner and almost ran into someone. Marco pressed onto the earpiece controller and removed his earpiece.

"Hey Pony." Marco greeted, with a smile.

"What'cha listening to?" Pony asked, shifting her eyes from his earpiece to him.

"Oh nothing. Some music." Marco said, looking away. He gripped his phone tightly in his pocket.

Pony hummed a tone and eyed his sudden tense posture. Her eyes landed on the wire coming from his pocket.

"You seem to be doing ok.." Pony spoke softly.

Marco looked over and raised an eyebrow: "What do you mean?"

Pony quickly met his gaze and her eyes began to dart around, then to her right.

"N-Nothing! I'll see you around." Pony said quickly before running past him.

Marco turned and watched as she made a few quick steps and disappeared behind a corner. He let out a sigh of relief and put his earpiece back on. He pressed the controller again, allowing Star's voice to play in again.

My first 3 years in my previous school were fun and what you expect for being part of the royal butterfly family. Everyone greeted me, just like how Class 4-A greets their classmates. I was so happy and content with the friends and memories I made there.

"Then why did you leave?" Marco thought as he walked to the stairs and made his way up.

I have a best friend: her name is Cherry. What a sweet name. She's the most lovable and caring individual you want as a friend.

As the recording went silent, Marco reached the roof top and began to scope the place before taking a seat, laying his back against the fence. Soon after, Star's voice came on.

She doesn't go to the same class as me, but I try to make time for her, and she does for me. We would always meet at the courtyard which is our favourite spot. There was a really old tree and there were small flowers around the end of it.

We would talk about our classes, Mr Johnson's unreasonable scolding on our school attire and our future when we get out of school.

On my last day of Year 3, I was walking through the hallways heading home. I heard lots of muffled cheers and laughter coming from one of the classrooms. I tiptoed my way there and noticed the door was slightly opened. I looked through the hole and realised Cherry was inside with some of my classmates.

They were voting on something and their suggestions were torturous and gruesome. I realised they picked their best vote and I tried to lean in to see what it is on the white board.

Star paused herself in the log as Marco waited for her to continue.

Sadly, I wasn't able to because the door was slammed open. I looked up to see Cherry with a look that villains usually have.

"Look who's here" she said and pulled me into the classroom, closing the door.

I asked them what's going on, but they didn't answer me but walked closer to me.

Suddenly, I was pushed to the floor and held down by the arms and shoulders. I tried to get out of their grip and wanted to scream but they put a cloth in my mouth....

Marco furrowed his eyebrows and gripped his phone tightly, till Star continued.

Cherry stood over me and punched me in the face.

She sneered: "What's wrong, Star? Why do you like you saw a ghost?" After she said that, she landed another on my face.

I was disoriented but I somehow remembered the pain they did to me. The students lifted and held me up, while Cherry grabbed my jaw, forcing me to look at her.

Marco started to pant heavily and shake violently, trying to contain his anger and despair.

I mustered a 'why' and she landed one last punch to the nose. She said:

"because Mewman are nothing but pretentious pricks."

All I remember after that was being dropped to the ground, with my head landing first.

Marco squinted his eyes shut. He lowered his head, placing a hand to his forehead. He could hear Star breathing shakily, trying to control her breathing as well. His breathing slowly went to normal, just before Star continued.

After I regained consciousness, my head was throbbing and I didn't want to move, but I had to.

I limped out of the now empty classroom and made it to the bathroom.

My only thought was to not to let my parents know so I tried to use magic on myself to look...normal.

But since they were quite deep, I now have scars on my face.

Marco's eyes widened, remembering the times he noticed the scars on her. He frowned and hugged his knees closer.

I didn't want to go back there.

No one would.

But I didn't want to go home.

So, I decided to walk around aimlessly and I eventually found Echo Creek Academy.

I stared at it and thought about many things: what had happened, how it happened and the coincidence that I ended up at another school, far away from home.

The longer I stared at it, the longer I felt determined, as if it's calling to me. It felt like it was a sign, like I was meant to go there.

I hesitated at first because I knew how big of an issue it can be, especially for my parents.

If I told them I want to transfer, I would have broken my promise to not tell them about the xenophobic act and if they do let me, it's no surprise that word will get out, considering who my family is.

So, I made a promise...to secretly transfer to Echo Creek Academy for my final year in high school.

The recording stopped, catching Marco's attention. He exited the media player and looked at the next two he had to listen to. He sighed and rubbed the back of his head, till the school bell rang.

He pulled the wire away, tugging the earbuds off his ears, and stuffed them into his pocket. He froze and pulled out Star's bracelet. He gave it a half-smile and wore it around his wrist, before heading down to his first period with his bag slung over his shoulder.