STARCO BADASS DUO [BADASS SERIES #3] |COMPLETED|

Badass Duo|Harass

C H A P T E R  F O U R -
H A R R A S S

By this time I am close to having a teensy breakdown. I tried waking her up by kicking her face mildly with my shoe but she slept through it.

Both of my parents sat themselves on the couch with a knowing look that I didn't want to see this time. I sighed, took a seat opposite to them and fiddled with my fingers casually.

"I can explain," that was the first thing that flew from my mouth. My father raises a brow. "That's exactly why we're being silent. Go on."

My fingers began to sweat terribly and it didn't feel nice. "She tripped down the stairs and dragged me along, that's why we were lying on the ground."

"Who is she?" My mother asks. "--she's a friend."

"A friend?" I sighed. "--I was inviting her because I wanted her to teach me something."

"Exactly what?"

"Just the norm, Math and subjects like that," I casually shrug but my parents didn't seem too certain yet they didn't press further. Mom then points at Star sprawled on the floor. "Can you wake her up Marco? It's rude treating your guest like that."

"And why does she smell like booze?" my father covers his nose. He hates the smell of beer, not mention, my father has great smell, he can smell somehow anything no matter how small or far.

"Don't tell me---" I cut my father off. "She drank, I did not!"

"That doesn't make it any better, Marco," my father sighs. "--how old is she? Isn't she illegal to drink beer and where did she get it from?"

My mom seems to get the hang of the situation and shakes her head. "You're hiding something from us Marco. Tell us, what are you really doing?"

I was about to open my mouth when Star groans and all attention diverts to her. She opens her eyes whilst struggling to get up. My mom lends her hand and Star takes it, pulling herself up. "Thank you."

She wipes her skirt like nothing happened and looks back and forth between the three of us. "Am I envading a private family talk?"

I wanted to face palm myself. Stupid. "What's your name, dear?"

"Star Butterfly," she says and takes a seat beside me. "I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. I'm Marco's friend, he asked for my help because he wanted to learn how to do self defense and I got tipsy."

"Self-defense?" My mother gives me a look and I look away. "--are you being bullied, Marco?"

"I'm not," I grit through my teeth. "--I just felt like learning it. Like I could maybe help someone who might need my help."

Bullshit.

My mother clasps her hands together, a smile etched on her lips. "That's good news! I can't believe how kind my son is, isn't he Papa?"

My father smiles at Mom and looks at me. "That's nice Marco, are you hungry dear?"

"Well I'm full," she chuckles and my mother waves her off. "--You're thin, come eat with us, I'll be cooking some of my specialty."

As I look into her eyes, there's happiness yet sadness in it and I don't know if she's having some issues. She feel my gaze then looks at me with a warm smile. "You sure are lucky, Marco. Your family is nice."

"My family is okay, nothing special really," I tell her and she tucks a hair behind her ear. "--yeah, normal."

///

"Mind telling me how you ended up sleeping in my room?" I ask her, staring at my ceilings, thought it's dim and I cant really see anything.

"Your mother kinda forced me onto it," she chuckles. "--she tells me something might happen to me if I get home this late."

"I'm pretty sure you would be the least to be threatened," I retorted and she snorts. "Yeah, but what do you know? I'm a fragile girl."

"Fragile girl? That's presumptuous of you," I pulled the duvet close to my mouth. "--you seem civilized speaking to my parents."

"Am I really that crazy in your eyes?" she shifts on her futon. "--I can be civilized too you know."

"Aren't you going to sleep?" she asks. I shift to the side, causing a slight creak. "I can't sleep."

"Me either," she states. "--do you like watching the stars, Marco?"

"What kind of question is that?" she hisses. "Just answer me!"

"Geez. I guess--well it's pretty sometimes and it's quite chilly outside."

"How about we go outside and see the stars?" she suggests. I sat right up and glanced at her direction. "Why not?"

. . .

"Isn't it beautiful, Marco?" she smiles while glancing at me. I say nothing but nod, eyeing the way her eyes shone against the moonlight. She truly is the weirdest person I've ever met. It's quite ridiculous how we just knew each other today and how we're already having somehow a sleepover like long-time friends.

She seems tame--for now. "My parents and I used to watch the stars every night. My father would always tell me a story while my mother would run her fingers on my hair."

Then her reminiscing smile became glum. "--but we don't do it anymore. It used to be the most special thing that we used to do, but I guess times had changed."

"Why don't you tell them how you feel?" I say and she blinks at me, then looks away. "--my feelings don't matter."

"How can you say so?"

"Because I became like this," she pointed to herself. "--I'm the disgrace of the family. I don't deserve to say what I feel."

I didn't know what to say, so I stayed silent and let the night take us. It was soothing and the cold breeze draws me in. The stars are pretty in view as they're shining so bright.

///

"We'd be having a new transferee, please be kind to her and welcome her," Ms. Dalen says while I lazily laid my head on my desk. I'm really sleepy, I slept so late last night because of Star.

I let out a yawn and rubbed my eyes when I saw the woman in front of me. I blinked twice to make sure I wasn't imagining things. Turns out I wasn't. Our eyes met and she gives me the widest smile she could give. "I'm Star Butterfly, pleased to meet you."

I wanted to slap myself. What a small world.