A Tad Unhinged

Chapter 8: Odysseus

STAR

Having dinner with a siren, the guy you like who's under her spell and some chick who I'm pretty sure is evil, not to mention a guy you know nothing about and a good friend your 95% sure has a crush on you is hard. But, even though all I wanted to do was destroy Marco and Jackie's bond, I couldn't. I didn't want her to know. So, with my mouth fastened I make my way through the dinner.
Never have I been so happy for a meal to be over.
"We should do this again." Kai says as she leaves.
"Totally." I mumble, "Just without Jackie."
"Hm?" Kai asks as she leans back towards me.
"Nothing." I say as I leave. Marco is leaning on the wall over Jackie, who is putting back on her shoes.
"I had fun tonight." Marco says with a smile.
"Me too." Jackie looks up as she finishes tying her shoe.
"Having everyone together again," Marco looks up at everyone, including me. "I dunno it just reminded me of summer."
Jackie stands up so close to him they might as well have been kissing. She says something but I didn't hear her. My hands tighten so my nails dig into my palms. The feeling in your chest when your heart is breaking spreads through me. I close my eyes tight, wanting the heart breaking pain to go away. But it didn't go away. So when I opened my eyes Marco was standing in the doorway waving people away. I stood in the middle of the room, staring at him. The way his brown hair blew in the soft wind, the casualness of his lean, he fact I could see the subtitle, thin smile that would be spread on his face right now. The smile he got whenever I'd bring up good memories. I could tell he was wearing it just by how relaxed and happy we was standing. I was in a forbidden love with him. He was the Romeo to my Juliet. The Tony to my Maria. The Jack to my Rose.
He was my Odysseus.
How some woman in my head knew about a Earth book that I didn't even read confused me, but not enough for me to actually wonder who she was. And right now Marco was tied to a mast trying to get free to run to her but something was holding him back. And I'd like to think its me, that I'm the rope hugging him, making sure he doesn't drown following a false promise of love.
"Star." Marco says. I watch as he turns around to look at me, still leaning in the doorway.
"Y-Yeah?" I mutter softly.
"Looking back," He stands up straight and walks towards me, "I guess I should've sent everyone home and just taken care of you. I need to know you're okay."
"Yeah I'm fine." I respond without hesitation. That was a half lie. I will be okay. As soon as I kill Jackie and save your heart. But, just devil in the details.
"You are?" He walks towards me. "You promise?"
"Yes." I say, my voice cracking a little.
He reaches forward and pulls me into a hug, a small chuckle. "Jesus Star you are so full of crap."
"What?" I try to push way but he keeps me locked in the hug.
"I'm not letting you go until you tell the truth." He taunts lightly.
"I am!" I try to pull away, laughing a little.
"Nope." He starts to laugh and pulls me tighter. "Tell the truth."
"Nevah!" I wiggle around and he lets go for a split second before crouching to grab me by the legs. Without any struggle, he pulls this me over his shoulder into a fireman's carry and walks towards the kitchen.
"Let me go!" I protest as I lightly pound his back.
"Not until you tell me!" He flips me into a chair at the table and sits down across the corner from me, a plate of dumplings between us. He's smiling.
"I don't know what you think aggressively hugging and carrying me will accomplish." I put one of the dumplings into my mouth. "I'm fine."
"Liar, liar rainbow on fire."
I laugh, still chewing. "Can I ask you a question?"
"You just did."
"Shut up you sarcastic ass." I swallow the dumpling. "Do you like Jackie?"
"Yeah." He eyes me. "I mean, do you mean like, do I wanna date her?"
I nod.
"Yeah." He smiles. "Yeah I think I do."
Shit. "Do you love her?"
"Love?" He blushes a little and lowers his gaze, a small smile. "She is pretty amazing. I definitely admire her, for so many reasons. You know, yeah." He looks me dead in the eyes. "Yeah I'd say I love her. But I think I need to go out to really know for sure."
Fuck. "Okay."
"Why?"
"I just saw the way you looked at her and-" I wanted you to look at me that way. "-you just looked so taken by her I was wondering."
"Sorry if I made it awkward." He smiles bashfully.
"No no no you're good." I sigh. "You're good."
"Hey." He puts his hand on mine and my heart swells. "Are you okay?"
Why does he keep asking me that? "Yes. I've never been better."
"You'll tell me though." He looks me in the eye. "You'll tell me if you space out or see someone or something unusual happens, right?"
Oh yeah me and this woman in my dreams are plotting the utter distraction of your siren girlfriend. "Totally."
"Good." He plops a dumpling in my mouths hole standing and smiles. "Mom and dad should be home from their movie in like an hour if there is anything loud or destructive you wanna do."
I smile back. "Can we just play video games or something?"
"Sure." He nods and I follow him up to his room.

From ten to eleven we played video games in his room. We had to stop in the am cause Angie told us we were being too loud. So we split up after a nice goodnight. As soon as got into my room I slammed the door shut and opened the texting app.
Me: Hey you still up?
...
...
...
Jackie: Yeah what's up?
Me: Nothing much. Tonight was fun 🙂
Jackie: Yeah. I'm sorry you missed the summer we did this all the time.
I bite my lip and huff.
Me: Aw I'm sorry I missed it 😢
Me: Anyways I feel like I didn't talk to you like at all 😭😭😭
Jackie: Yeah. TBH I thought you were mad at me
Me: Well it's because you're an malevolent siren who's fucking over my best friend so you can kill him for the kicks you evil vindictive bitch-
Oops. Better not send that.
Me: What? Why'd you'd think hat 🙈💖
Me: *that
Jackie: Lol I dunno man
...
Me: You wanna hang Sunday maybe? 🤔🤔🤔
Jackie: Yeah.
Jackie: Just us?
Me: Yeah
Me: If that's okay
Jackie: Uh yeah totally. My house?
Me: Ahhh yes 😍😍😍 I've never been 🙈
Jackie: Okay lol. You have a ride over?
Me: YUP
Me: Cya then 🙃
Jackie: lol bye

Before I turned off my phone. I changed Jackie's contact to say "Jackie 😈 Lucifer-Thomas" and then flopped onto my bed and fell asleep soon.
"Hello Star." Eclipsa says as soon as I enter the rec room.

I DUNNO GUYS I JUST FEEL LIKE STAR WOULD BE THAT PERSON TO TEXT WITH AN OBNOXIOUS AMOUNT OF EMOJIS. LMK IF YA THINK IM WRONG BUT LIKE... I DUNKO MAN
LOVE YA
WOLFIE