Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

If Fenton didn't show up in exactly two minutes, Star was going to leave.

She drummed her pen against his name on her tutoring list, the last one. She technically wasn't allowed to leave until her session was completely over, but she wasn't about to wait on this dorkus. Her throat was already sore from talking for ninety minutes straight.

He finally walked into the classroom. Star turned from the table with a scowl. "You're late. But of course you are. You're late to everything."

Fenton's hand clutched tight at his backpack strap. "Star, um... I didn't know you were in the tutoring club when Falluca asked me to sign up."

"Yeah, well, I can't buy my way into a good university like Dash or Paulina. Need to do something a little extra to prove myself on my applications. Plus it gives me something to do after school while Paulina's at cheer practice."

"Oh, yeah!" Fenton pointed up toward the ceiling. "I actually saw her on my way here. I mean, I saw all the cheerleaders out on the field."

Star quirked a brow. He pointed up as if toward the sky, as if he saw her from the sky.

Weird.

But not any weirder than he normally was.

"So that's why you're late, huh?" asked Star. "Distracted by Paulina and all the cheerleaders?"

Fenton's mouth hung open.

"Whatever." Star rolled her eyes. "Sit down. Let's get started."

Fenton took a seat beside her at the table and pulled out a textbook and notebook from his bag. "Okay, so, um, this is for math—"

"Yeah, I know it's for math. I exclusively tutor math here; that's why you got me when you signed up."

"Oh." Fenton nodded in his usual dopey manner. "Um, well, homework tonight is all the even problems on page two-oh-six."

"We'll see how much we can get done together," said Star, looking over the textbook page. "Definitely won't be all of them, but maybe we can do like the first two."

"That's fine. Anything helps when it comes to me."

Star puffed out an amused chortle. "Yeah, I bet it does."

She shifted more comfortably in her chair and read the first question out loud. "If one light-year equals nine point five times ten to the fifteenth power meters and a cloud is in the shape of a sphere with a diameter of three hundred thousand light-years, what is the volume of this cloud in cubic meters?"

Fenton pressed his pen into his jaw. Star watched his face, scanned for signs that he had any clue at all how to solve this problem.

Nope, clueless.

Star placed a piece of scratch paper between them. "Okay, so we start with—"

"But that's not right."

Star retracted her pen from the sheet of paper. "What do you mean it's not right?"

"It's not nine point five, it's nine point four six. And even that's an estimate, a light-year is really—"

"Fenton," said Star sharply. "It doesn't matter. You're focusing on the wrong thing. Just use the numbers given to you in a word problem even if you think it's wrong because if you try to use anything else, you're going to get the wrong answer and then you'll get marked off." She shook her head. "God, no wonder you're failing math."

"I'm not failing, I just—"

"Whatever, let's just skip this problem. We'll do the next one." Star looked at the textbook again. "Two galaxies are currently a hundred thousand light-years apart and approaching each other at a speed of six hundred kilometers per second. In how many million years will the two galaxies have completely collided if they continue at the same speed?"

Star again watched Fenton's face. He nodded a couple times, appearing deep in thought.

"So it gives us some conversion equations here." Star tapped a spot on the textbook page. "So how do you think we should use them to solve this?"

"I feel we need more information than that first," said Fenton.

Star groaned. "Oh, my gosh, like what, Fenton?"

"Well, like… What kind of galaxies are we talking about?"

Star stared at him.

"Well, you know, there's different types of galaxies—spiral, elliptical—and I just think that could be a factor in what's happening here. Because they move differently, they have different rotations. And further, is there anything between them? Or anything affecting their trajectories, like other galaxies or a black hole or—"

Star's mouth twitched as he prattled. His eyes were directed across the room and didn't seem focused on anything at all. The fluorescent lighting picked up on the glitter dotting his cheekbones.

Wait, glitter? She could've sworn those were freckles before.

"Fenton, okay, stop. Calm down."

Star held up a hand. Fenton shut up immediately.

"Yeah, you're right," said Star. "In reality, there are other factors that would need to be considered, but again, this is why you probably struggle so much with math, because you keep focusing on things that don't matter."

She jabbed at the math problem in the textbook with a manicured finger.

"When you read a math problem, there's no hidden information, okay? Just take it as it is, don't overcomplicate it." She chuckled. "Actually, this is probably why you struggle so much with a lot of things, why you're so awkward all the time. Because you fuss over things that aren't important."

Fenton ducked his head. The light speckling his cheeks faded. "Sorry."

Star propped her elbow on the table. "But boy, you really like astronomy, huh?"

"Oh. Yeah." Fenton leaned back in his chair. "I really love it a lot. Since I was a kid, one of my favorite things to do is use my parents' big telescope to look at all the stars and sometimes even the planets if they're visible."

And just like that, his freckles lit up again.

"Is there a reason your freckles glow?" asked Star, scrunching her mouth.

Fenton raised his hands to his cheeks. "Oh, um—"

"Is it all that freaky ghost radiation crap you're exposed to at your house?"

"Um—well—"

"I mean, sometimes your eyes glow, too. Like I've just seen them light up sometimes." Star shrugged. "I just figured it has something to do with your parents' ghost research. Like it's just seeping into your body and making you…glow, I guess. Like a ghost."

"No, it's—um—" Fenton stood, his hand still covering the lower half of his face. The freckles on his arm and neck flickered. "I just remembered I need to—I have to—thanks for your help, but I need to go."

He kept his face turned from her while he put his things back in his bag and dashed out of the classroom.

Star stared at the closed door.

Weird.

And this time, maybe even a little weirder than he normally was.

Chapter Text

"Hey, have any of you guys ever seen Fenton's freckles…you know, glow?" asked Star.

Paulina, Dash, and Kwan stared at her blankly from around their usual cafeteria table.

"Glow?" Paulina stuck out her bottom lip. "What do you mean? Danny's freckles glow?"

"Yeah!" said Star. "Okay, so like, he was telling me about galaxies or whatever—"

"You and Fenturd hang out?" asked Dash.

"What? No! Shut up. He signed up for math tutoring and I don't know if he has ADHD or something but he would not shut up about stars and crap the whole time—"

"Oh yeah, you're good at math," said Kwan.

"Yeah, I know I am." Star rolled her eyes. "Anyway, he was talking about how much he loves space and junk and his freckles—just—started glowing." She gestured to her cheeks. "Like little dots lit up on his face. And on his neck and arms, too."

"Ooh, that sounds pretty," said Paulina.

"No, it was weird!" said Star. "I mean, I always knew Fenton was freaky, but this was just…weird!"

"Star, that's really dumb," said Dash. "You were seeing things. Why would Fenton's freckles be glowing? How is that even possible?"

"I don't know!" Star threw her hands in the air. "I mean, you know his parents. They do all that ghost hunting and research. And you've seen his house! He's probably exposed to ghost radiation all the time."

"And you think that would make his freckles glow?" asked Paulina.

"Yeah! I mean, I don't know why else they would—oh! Or maybe…" She leaned over the table and lowered her voice. "Maybe his parents do, like, experiments on him. They totally give off major mad scientist vibes."

"Whoa, dude." Kwan shivered. "You think they'd do that?"

"Heck yeah, I do!" cried Star. "Have you seen his parents? They're freaking terrifying! They're like a non-goth version of the Addams Family!"

Dash burst out laughing.

"I'm serious!" Star pressed her hands to the table. "And like, remember when we tried to get him to donate blood and he wouldn't do it? I bet this is why! I bet he's contaminated with ghost crap that his parents have been, like, injecting into him or something."

Dash clutched at his middle as he continued to laugh.

"Okay, but are you sure you really saw his freckles glow?" asked Paulina.

Star huffed and stood. "I'll show you. Come on. I'll get him talking about space again, and then you'll see for yourself."

She led the way to the table where Fenton and his friends were sitting. They stopped their conversation and looked up at the four A-Listers.

"Hey," said Star.

"Hey!" greeted Foley with a huge grin.

"Yeah, I'm not talking to you." Star leaned against the table and faced only Fenton. "So, Fenton. You walked out of our tutoring session yesterday pretty quick."

"Oh." Fenton ducked his head. "Yeah, I forgot that I had something else I really needed to do. Sorry."

"Well, that's a shame. Because we were having such a good conversation."

"We were?"

"Yeah! You know, about stars and space and stuff?"

Fenton looked at her warily, his eyes darting to the faces of the other A-Listers.

"Like, okay, galaxies." Star lowered herself and propped her head up with her arm on the table so she was level with his face. "What are the different types of galaxies again? Spatial and elastic?"

"No, spiral and—" Fenton clamped his mouth shut and looked down at his lunch tray with a small shake of his head.

"Spiral and what?" pressed Star.

"I don't know."

"Yes, you do! You were telling me about them yesterday!"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Star glanced back at her friends. Paulina and Kwan were frowning. Dash was smirking.

"Come on, Fenton! You wouldn't shut up about this stuff yesterday," said Star. "I want to hear about it!"

"You know, we're trying to eat here," cut in Manson.

"No, you're not," snapped Star, turning on her. "That grass isn't food, Manson. It's garbage."

Manson's jaw dropped. "It's not garbage, it's—"

"Whatever, I don't care." Star turned back to Fenton. "How many meters are in a light-year, huh? How about that?"

Fenton shrugged. "How should I know?"

Star scowled. "Okay, seriously, I couldn't even go over a single math problem with you yesterday because you wouldn't stop talking about astronomy. You love this crap!"

"No, I don't think so."

"Yes, you do, Fenton! Jeez!"

Fenton looked across the table at his friends. "What do you guys think? Do I like astronomy? Have you ever heard me talk about it? Like ever?"

Manson and Foley exchanged quick glances.

"No," said Manson.

"I don't think so," said Foley.

Fenton looked at Star again. "See, there you go. Now can you let us get back to eating so we can finish before the bell rings?"

"Fentgeek, come on," said Dash. "Just talk about the stupid stars already so we can see your freckles glow."

"Dash!" squealed Star.

"What? Just trying to make something happen!"

"Well, now he's definitely not gonna do it!"

Fenton stood. "You know what, I actually need to talk to Lancer about something." He pushed his tray toward Foley. "Here, Tuck. You can have the rest."

Fenton swiftly walked away, ran away. Just like he had the day before when Star tried to tutor him.

"Wait, but Fenturd," yelled Dash. "Is it true your parents experiment on you?"

He and Kwan broke into laughter. Many students turned to stare. Star crossed her arms and glowered at Fenton as he pushed through the double doors out of the cafeteria.

She knew what she saw. Fenton's freckles glowed. And she wasn't about to let him make her think she was the weird one here.

Chapter Text

Fenton was still dodging her.

Anytime Star entered the same room as him or started to approach him, he would leave the area or find a teacher to talk to.

Or sometimes he'd disappear altogether. He would somehow just be gone, just like that.

"Are you checking out Fenton again?" asked Dash in the hall after the final bell rang.

Star scowled. "I'm not checking him out."

"You keep looking at him," said Kwan.

"I thought he wasn't your type?" said Paulina.

"He's not," insisted Star. "I'm just trying to figure something out, okay?"

"Is this still about his glowing freckles?" asked Dash. "Because I really think you were just seeing things."

"I was not! I saw them. And you would see them too if I could just get him to—"

"Whatever." Dash clapped a hand on Kwan's shoulder. "We need to get to practice."

"Me too," said Paulina. "I'm supposed to start teaching the girls a new routine."

Star watched her friends walk away and checked the nearest clock. She still had time before she had to start tutoring.

She looked down the hall and saw Fenton at his locker with Manson and Foley.

This was her last chance of the day to catch him.

And she wasn't going to miss it.

She headed down the hall toward him. Fenton looked up and started walking away from her.

Star quickened her pace. Fenton rounded a corner.

Star dashed to the corner and located Fenton already halfway down the next hall.

She swerved and maneuvered around bustling students, never taking her eyes off that messy dark hair and lavender backpack as he weaved through the crowded hall.

He pulled off to the side and entered the boys' restroom. Star stopped short and stood next to the door.

If he thought he had lost her, he was wrong. She was going to wait right here until he came out, even if she ended up being late for tutoring. Not like she was getting paid for it anyway.

The restroom door opened. A boy exited and gave Star a confused look before proceeding on his way down the hall. Star pretended to play with a strand of her hair.

Another boy walked down the hall and pulled open the restroom door, giving Star a puzzled look as he went inside. Star pretended to study her nails and looked up again to stare at the door once he was gone.

Less than a minute later, the same boy reappeared, looking perplexed that Star was still standing there as he shuffled away.

A minute passed. Then another. Several minutes.

Fenton surely knew she was waiting for him to come out. He was probably hoping she would give up and leave.

But she wasn't about to lose to Fenton of all people.

She kept her eyes fixed on the door. There were no windows in this particular restroom, she knew that. There was no other way for him to get out. Soon, soon, he couldn't possibly hang out in there all day, she just had to keep waiting, keep watching, keep—

"Hey, Star."

Star jumped and turned around. She jumped again when she saw Fenton standing right behind her.

"What are you doing here?" she squealed.

"I know you've been trying to catch me." Fenton leaned against the wall, folding his arms and crossing one leg over the other. "Just thought I'd say hi."

"But how—" Star whipped her head to look at the restroom door, then back at him. "How did you get there?"

Fenton smirked.

"You never came out this door! I was watching."

"I have many hidden talents."

Star narrowed her eyes and wrinkled her nose.

"So what can I do for you, Star?"

"You know what I want from you, Fenton."

Fenton sighed and looked at the far wall. "Yeah, I do."

Star waited, tapping the toe of her shoe against the floor.

Fenton looked at her again. "You want to get dinner with me."

Star rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you're not cute, Fenton. You should know that by now."

Fenton shrugged. "I don't know, I've had a couple girls tell me I'm cute."

"No girls that matter," Star retorted.

Fenton inclined his head and chuckled through pressed lips.

"Are you gonna give me what I really want, Fenton?" asked Star, checking the clock and grimacing. She was ten minutes late for tutoring now.

"Sure." Fenton's top teeth scraped over his bottom lip. "Just meet me at Belinda's later today. I'll buy you whatever you want."

Star scoffed. "Seriously? Belinda's Café? You're trying to get a date with me out of this?"

Fenton scratched his chin, his expression turning more serious. "Well, the truth is, I really do need help with math."

"Yeah. No kidding."

"And our tutoring session yesterday was cut short."

"Hey, you're the one who walked out on me." Star held up her hands, palms up. "I was willing to keep helping you even with your freaky glowing face."

Fenton's face turned slightly pink in the cheeks. But his freckles remained light brown.

"I know you know what I'm talking about." Star put her hands on her hips. "I didn't imagine that."

Fenton clutched one of his backpack straps and looked down at the floor before looking up again. "Tell you what. If you meet me later to help me with math, I'll answer five questions for you. Any five questions you want."

Star raised a brow. "Any five questions I want?"

"Mmm hmm. And I promise I'll be completely honest." Fenton moved off the wall and stood up straight. "But they have to be yes-or-no questions."

Star scrunched her mouth, swishing her lips side to side. "Fine. But not Belinda's. It's way too popular. I'm not about to risk being seen out in public with you."

Fenton smiled amicably.

"Let's do Station 11 instead," said Star. "No one from our school ever goes there. Four-thirty. After I'm done with tutoring."

"All right," said Fenton. "Meet you there, Star."

He gave a small wave and walked away from her down the hall. Star glared at the back of his head, not sure if she liked the familiar way he used her name.

"Saturn! Mercury!" she yelled. "Black holes! Neil Armstrong!"

Fenton froze, his back still to her. Star gripped one hand with the other and watched him, waiting.

He turned around and looked at her. He gave her a knowing smile before turning again and leaving.

His freckles stayed ordinary.

Star's glare hardened.

Chapter Text

Star entered the small cafe and held her breath as she scanned the tables. No one she recognized was sitting at any of them. No one even looked up at her as she took a seat at an empty table in the farthest corner of the room.

She watched the time tick away on her phone. Of course Fenton would be late to this, too. He was late to everything. Class, tutoring, why would this be any different?

Fenton at last burst through the door, panting. He looked around the cafe before spotting her. Star glared at him as he approached.

"I know, I'm late, I'm sorry," said Fenton between deep breaths, shifting his backpack off his shoulder as he took a seat next to her. "I just got caught up with something."

"Caught up with what?" Star wrinkled her nose.

"Just something."

"You're bleeding."

Star pointed to the glistening wet cut just below his jaw. Fenton dabbed at it with his fingertips and studied the resulting red stain. He then reached across the table and grabbed a napkin, pressing it to the cut with his thumb.

"How'd it happen?" asked Star.

"I just—ah—I don't remember."

"How could you not remember? It obviously just happened right before you came over here since it's still bleeding."

Fenton shrugged. "I guess I just wasn't really paying attention to where I was going. Must've hit or bumped into something."

"Okay. Whatever." Star cleared her throat. "So my first question is—"

"Do you want something to drink?"

Star blinked. "Do I—what?"

Fenton gestured to their surroundings. "I can buy you something. If you want."

"Fenton, this isn't a date," said Star. "I don't want you buying me anything."

"Are you sure? I've heard their smoothies are pretty good."

"Yes, I'm sure. Can I ask my first question now?"

Fenton shook his head, taking the napkin off his neck. The cut was clotted and no longer bleeding. "Nope."

"What? No? Why not?"

Fenton reached into his backpack on the floor beside him and pulled out a math textbook and notebook. "The deal was you help me with math, and then I'll answer five yes-or-no questions for you."

Star groaned. "Really? I have to tutor you first before I can ask them?"

"Well, yeah. How else am I going to make sure you actually keep your end of the deal?"

Fenton tilted his head and pouted in an expression of mock query. Star stared at him, not sure if she was more annoyed or puzzled by his behavior.

"You know, I'm not used to being around you without Dash," said Star. "Like I've never seen you this bold. It's kind of weird."

Fenton frowned. "What does Dash have to do with anything?"

"Well, you get timid when he's around. Like you're afraid of him."

Fenton scoffed. "I am not afraid of Dash."

"Then how come you never act like this around him?"

"I—" Fenton groaned and shook his head. "I mean, I certainly don't want to give him any reason to mess with me, so I try not to put him in a bad mood if I can avoid it. But he's not even in my top ten when it comes to people I'm afraid of."

Star cocked a brow. "You have a top ten list of people you're afraid of?"

"Ah—no, I didn't mean it like that," said Fenton quickly. "It's just—I've got bigger problems than Dash."

He was pointing to the cut under his jaw. Star squinted one eye, trying to figure out what he meant.

"Why are you pointing to your cut?" she asked. "Exactly what kind of bigger problems are you talking about?"

Fenton blinked and looked down at his finger, lowering it immediately. "Oh—um—nothing."

Star scrunched her mouth. Weird. Everything about him was just so weird.

He wasn't looking at her now, instead keeping his gaze to the table. Star took the opportunity to study his freckles closely, but they seemed normal now.

"So is there any way I could ask you just one question right now?" asked Star.

Fenton looked at her again. "No."

Star slumped in her seat.

"But I'll tell you what." Fenton reached into his bag and pulled out a couple pencils and a calculator. "There are five math problems I need to do for homework tonight. So if you help me with the first one, you can ask your first question. And then help me with the second problem, and you can ask your second question. And so on. Sound good?"

Star sighed. "If that's what I have to do."

Fenton handed her a pencil. Star hesitated before taking it, wishing she had some wipes to disinfect it first.

"So here's the first problem." Fenton pointed to a page in the textbook.

"Is it another space word problem?" asked Star.

"Nope, just a boring regular problem with numbers and some letters."

"But wouldn't you rather talk about space right now?"

She watched his face, but he just smiled.

"Nice try," he said.

Star shrugged. "Worth a shot."

She looked over the first problem. Just simple algebra. Nothing too out there or complicated.

She walked him through the steps, told him exactly what to write, explained to him what was happening in each step and why it was necessary. When he finally produced the correct answer, Star glanced at her phone clock and groaned.

"Fifteen minutes for just one problem." She chortled. "I sure hope every problem doesn't take you this long or we're going to be here a long time."

"Which is why I'm more than happy to buy you something," said Fenton with a slight waggle of his eyebrows.

"You're just trying to stall so I can't ask my first question," said Star, narrowing her eyes.

Fenton sighed. "All right, all right. I guess I do need to hold up my end of this deal already."

Star straightened up in her seat. "So my first—"

"Wait." Fenton tapped a spot on the table. "Put your phone here first."

Star balked. "What? Why?"

"I need to make sure you're not recording this. Show me you have no apps open and put it here."

"Are you serious? I'm not showing you anything on my phone."

"I'm not answering any questions until you do."

Fenton's face was blank as he waited. Star glared at him.

"That wasn't part of the deal," said Star.

"I'm making it part of the deal right now."

"Exactly what are you trying to hide, Fenton?"

"Well, you get five questions to try to figure that out."

Star's glare turned into a scowl. But still Fenton held his ground, his expression calm and unwavering.

With a huff, Star showed him her phone and let him watch her close out all of the apps. Then she set her phone on the table. "There. Are you happy now?"

Fenton smiled. "Is that your first question?"

Star pressed her lips. "No, of course that's not my first question."

"Well, the floor is yours," said Fenton, leaning back in his chair. "Ask anything you want. Just remember it has to be a yes-no question."

"And you swear you'll be completely truthful, right?"

"Yes. I do."

The two were quiet for a moment. At a table nearby, a couple laughed about some inside joke between them. Behind the cafe counter, a barista prepared a customer's latte.

"Okay. Here's my first question." Star looked Fenton dead in the eyes. "Do your freckles glow sometimes?"

Fenton rubbed the back of his neck and averted his eyes. "You're really going straight for the big questions, huh?"

"You have to answer," said Star. "You promised."

"I know, I know. Just give me a minute." He released a long, heavy sigh and glanced around the cafe. Then he leaned in close to her and said in a low voice, "Yes."

Star waited, but he leaned back and was already looking at his text book again. "Yes? That's it?"

"I didn't say I was going to elaborate on any answers."

"But—"

"Yes or no, that's all you get."

"But I already knew the answer to that question, I just want to know why—"

"I answered your first question," cut in Fenton firmly. "Now you have to help me with another math problem if you want me to answer another."

Star fretted and sputtered before giving in. "Fine, Fenton. Have it your way."

The next problem was similar, another simple algebra problem. Star walked him through the steps again, watched him carefully write out each of them as he attempted to solve for the abstract symbol. Once he reached the end, Star had him circle his final answer.

"That took you ten minutes," said Star, using a clock on the nearest wall instead of her phone to time him. "Thankfully, you're getting faster at this. Maybe we won't be here all night after all."

"How long does it take you to do a problem like this?" asked Fenton.

"Like two minutes. Maybe three at the most."

Fenton's jaw dropped. "What? Really?"

"Oh, close your mouth." Star rolled her eyes and chuckled. "I'm not bragging. That's actually normal. You're just painfully slow."

Fenton also chuckled. "Yeah. I really struggle with math. So I appreciate you helping me."

He gave her a sincere smile. Something she had never seen on him before. Certainly not one meant for her.

It was…nice.

Star cleared her throat. "Yeah, well, I'm not doing this for you, remember?" She tapped the table a couple times. "I get to ask my second question now."

Fenton sat up straighter. "Yes, of course. Ask away."

Star looked down at the table, creasing her brow in thought. Since Fenton was going to give only straight yes-or-no answers, she knew she had to be cleverer with her questions.

"The reason your freckles glow." Star looked up again. "Does it have something to do with the reason you refused to donate blood?"

Fenton pressed his lips and ducked his head.

"You remember what I'm talking about, right?" said Star. "When our school was having that blood drive and you said you couldn't donate blood?"

"I remember," mumbled Fenton.

"So? What's your answer?"

Star placed her elbow on the table and leaned her head into her hand as she waited. Fenton appeared to be thinking very deeply.

He looked up at her, his expression serious. "Yes," he said.

Star blinked, picking her head up off her hand. "Yes, the reason your freckles glow is related to why you can't donate blood?"

"Yes," said Fenton with a small, defeated groan.

Star leaned toward him eagerly. "I knew it. I knew they had to be related. So what is it? Is your house just full of ghost radiation or something? Is it just your freckles that glow, or other parts, too? I know I've definitely seen your eyes glow—"

"Shh." Fenton scanned the cafe, his eyes wide with alarm. "Keep it down, okay? And I'm not answering any more questions until we finish another math problem."

"Okay, okay, fine." Star searched for the next problem in the textbook. "Let's do this."

Star guided him through another problem, squirming in her seat as she tried to hurry him along, rushing him to just get the right answer already! But he wrote slowly, carefully, barely speaking and simply following her instructions. Disgruntled and quiet. Where was all his cheeky sass now?

"You're being slow on purpose, aren't you, Fenton?" Star smirked. "You don't want me to have time to ask a third question, do you?"

Fenton shot her a quick look before penciling in the final answer to the problem and circling it. He then leaned back in his seat. "Ask away, Star."

His expression was now calm, neutral. Star stared at him a moment, waiting for him to break eye contact first. But he maintained that same poker face.

No matter. She knew she was getting under his skin with her questions. And she intended to beat him at this little game he came up with.

Star clasped her hands. "Do your parents experiment on you?"

She watched his face closely, expecting him to pale or blush, perhaps twist his face with panic or shock, maybe even disgust. But instead, he remained solemn for a couple moments before smiling softly.

"What?" asked Star, her eye twitching. "What are you smiling about?"

"Nothing," said Fenton, amusement edging into his voice. "It's just that I get asked that more often than you might think."

Star raised a brow. "Really?"

"Well, my parents kind of have a reputation for being 'mad' scientists. And with all the ghost research my parents obsess over and the many times they've taken out the whole block's electricity with just one failed experiment, the neighbors have been watching us a while. And they've tried asking Jazz and me about what they're doing and if we're all right. Stuff like that. We tell them we're fine, but they never believe us."

"How do you know they don't?"

"Because we still get concerned phone calls or knocks on the door every now and then."

"From who? More neighbors?"

Fenton stared at the table a moment before turning to look at her again. "My answer to your question is no. My parents don't experiment on me."

Star frowned. "That's the truth?"

Fenton nodded.

"Would you tell me the truth if the answer was yes?"

Fenton smiled. "You're not going to waste your fourth question on that, are you?"

Star rolled her eyes.

"Look, I promised I'd answer all of your questions honestly," said Fenton. "Even the…really uncomfortable ones. Which you're so good at coming up with."

"Hey, don't blame me for beating you at your own game."

"Of course not."

He was still smiling at her, a small, almost wistful smile. Star could feel heat coloring her cheeks the longer she looked at him.

"Let's get to the next math problem already," said Star quickly, looking at his textbook so she could stop seeing that dumb smile of his.

Fenton hummed and picked up his pencil, using it to point to the page. "It's this one next."

"You don't need me to tell you how to start this time, do you?" asked Star.

Fenton shook his head and began the first step all on his own. Star couldn't help but beam as she watched him work.

"That's good, that's right," said Star. "You've got it."

Fenton circled his final answer and set down his pencil.

"And that only took you five minutes this time," observed Star, glancing at the clock.

"Well. I have a pretty good tutor."

He smiled at her again. Star looked away.

"Yeah, of course you do," she said to the table. "I don't need you to tell me that."

On the edge of her vision, she could still see him smiling. She cleared her throat and looked across the room.

"Fourth question," she said. "Um, just let me think for a moment."

She breathed out, composing herself. Fenton's smile faded. She looked at him again.

"Does anyone else in your family glow?" she asked, running the words over her tongue carefully.

Fenton stared at her for a long, quiet moment. Then he lowered his gaze and sighed.

"No," he said softly. "It's just me."

Star pursed her lips and cocked her head. "If it's really just you, then what makes you so special?"

"It doesn't make me special." Fenton chuckled, but it was a hollow sound. "It makes me a freak. But you already knew that."

"But isn't everyone in your family exposed to the same ghost radiation or whatever? Why are you the only one who glows?"

"That's not a yes-or-no question."

"All right, fine, I'll rephrase it—"

"No."

Star stopped, surprised by his stern tone. Something she had never heard from him before.

He picked up his pencil again. "There's one more math problem. Then you can ask."

Star watched Fenton scribble the steps to solve the next problem, but her mind was churning, puzzling out what her final question should be. She wondered what it meant that he was the only one in his family who glowed. Why would that be? Was there some ghostly radiation that somehow only he was exposed to? Did his parents and sister know about it?

She chewed the inside of her cheek as she stopped looking at his notebook and studied the side of his face. He didn't notice her stare as he continued working.

He said he wasn't special. But he was certainly different. And just what was it that made him different from the rest of his family?

"Is this it?" asked Fenton, tapping his final answer with his pencil.

Star blinked and looked at his work. "Oh. Um…yes, that looks correct."

Fenton circled the answer and set his pencil down. He was quiet a moment before turning to her. "Okay. Well. That was the last problem. So what's your last question for me?"

Star's mind again raced through her thoughts as she tried to pin down a good question to ask. "I still really want to know why you're the only one in your family that glows."

"I'll only answer a yes-or-no question."

"I know, I know. Just give me a minute to figure something out, will ya?"

Fenton shrugged and folded his arms, resting his elbows on the table.

Star's phone lit up from where it lay on the table, a shimmery tone indicating the arrival of a new text message. Fenton and Star both glanced at the screen, at the name of the sender.

"Orion?" said Fenton.

"My brother," said Star. "He's probably just sending me a goofy meme or something. Or maybe he's noticed we're out of pizza rolls."

"Your brother's name is Orion?" said Fenton. "Like the constellation?"

Star opened her mouth to respond but paused, seeing the childlike wonder in Fenton's eyes.

An idea clicked in her head.

"Yeah," she said with a slow nod, then turned her body to him fully and smiled. "He was named after the constellation. So, you see, my mom's name is Comet—"

"Comet? No way, really?"

"Well, not really. It was her stage name back when she used to dance at the club, but she just liked it and continued having everyone call her that even when she and my dad got married and she stopped dancing." She stuck a finger in his face. "Oh, and before you ask, no, she was not a stripper, she was a go-go dancer."

"I wasn't going to ask," said Fenton with a small shake of his head.

"Well, good." Star cleared her throat. "So anyway, my mom is really into, like, cosmic energy and astrology and how the alignment of the stars affects things, stuff like that. So she named me and my siblings star names."

Fenton's expression looked eager now, fascinated. Star brightened her tone.

"So there's me, obviously, Star. And then my older brother is Orion." Star gestured to her phone. "And then I have a younger sister, Nova. And my mom was saying if she had another son, she would've named him Astro, but that ended up not happening."

"That's so cool," said Fenton with a breathy sigh. "Honestly, that's how I want to name my kids someday, too. Star or space names."

"Really?" Star rested her chin on her hand.

"Yeah, well, I mean, if my wife would be okay with it. It would be awesome if I could meet someone who loves astronomy as much as I do. But if not, I'm hoping she'll be okay with giving our kids cosmic middle names, at least."

"Ooh, like what kind of names?" asked Star, trying to sound as intrigued as possible.

"Well, I like Aurora for a girl. Or for twins, one could be Aurora and the other Borealis—okay, that's kind of a joke, but not really, like the more I think about it, I kind of like it." Fenton's tone was rising, the pace of his speech quickening, his mouth widening, his eyes sparkling. "Or Canis. I really like the name Canis because, you know, Canis Major, Canis Minor, they're the two dog constellations—they're the dogs that follow Orion on his hunts, actually—and God, I just love dogs so much, my parents never let me have one but I'm definitely not going to do that to my own kids, we're totally going to have a family dog and maybe he could have a cosmic name too, like Polaris or Rigel or—"

Fenton continued babbling about dogs and constellations. Star's mouth fell open as the freckles on his face lit up, specks of brightly glowing dots decorating his nose and cheeks.

Star grabbed her phone off the table and opened her camera app. Fenton turned his face toward her just in time for Star to snap a photo of him looking right at her camera.

Fenton shot out of his seat and stepped back, covering his face with his hands. His eyes were wide with horror. Star smiled up at him triumphantly.

"Delete that," demanded Fenton, still covering his face.

"Hmm." Star pretended to think, then lowered her phone into her lap. "Nah, I don't think so."

They locked eyes. Fenton kept the lower half of his face covered so all Star could see was his hard glare.

"Still wanna buy me something, Fenton?" Star looked over at the counter where the barista was now staring at them. "I think a victory smoothie might be in order here."

Other people in the cafe turned to stare at them. Fenton ducked his head and threw his textbook, notebook, and calculator into his backpack. His skin burned red around his shining freckles.

"Hey, you can't leave." Star mock pouted. "I still have one question left."

Fenton stopped and looked at her, his hands on his backpack and not covering his face. His expression softened into defeat.

He then swung his backpack over his shoulder and covered his face with one arm, dashing out of the cafe. Several baffled patrons stared after him, whispering.

Star watched the cafe door swing shut behind him, sticking out her bottom lip in thought.

She unlocked her phone and tapped open the photo she just took. Fenton was looking right at the camera, eyes wide, mouth partly open, a smattering of light flecks spread across his face.

She opened her group text conversation with the A-List and uploaded the picture along with a message.

See? I told you.

Chapter Text

The next morning before classes began, Star joined the other A-Listers in the hall near their lockers.

"Did you guys see the picture I sent yesterday?" she asked with a whine.

Dash, Kwan, and Paulina exchanged confused looks before turning back to Star.

"Yeah," said Dash. "We saw it."

"Then how come none of you responded?" Star put her hands on her hips.

"Well." Kwan scratched behind his ear. "Honestly, I just didn't get it. I mean, I don't understand why you sent it."

"Yeah, me neither," said Dash.

Star scoffed. "What do you mean, you don't understand?"

"It's a cute picture of Danny." Paulina unlocked her phone and pulled up the photo. "But yeah, I don't get why you sent it either."

"His freckles are glowing in the picture!" Star practically shrieked. "Did you not see that?"

"Of course we saw that," said Kwan. "But it's obviously fake."

"Yeah, why are you trying so hard to prove that Fenton's freckles glow?" asked Dash. "You're getting a little obsessed."

"Fake?" Star sputtered. "You think I faked that picture?"

"Well, it's easy to do," said Paulina. "There's a Snapchat filter that does exactly the same thing, gives you these really pretty sparkling freckles."

Paulina opened the Snapchat app on her phone and pointed the front camera at Star. Glittering freckles dappled Star's cheeks on the screen, twinkling as she moved her head.

"Okay, but that's not the same," said Star. "Can't you see how that's digital and this is real?" She pulled up the photo of Fenton on her phone. "Can't you tell the difference? Look again, come on!" She pouted. "Getting his freckles to glow again wasn't easy, you know."

"So you went out with him just to try to prove to us that his freckles glow?" asked Kwan.

Star reddened. "No, I didn't go out with him, I just—"

"Yeah, what exactly were you doing with Fenton yesterday?" asked Dash.

"I wasn't doing anything—"

"I totally recognize that background," said Kwan, looking at the picture on his phone and then showing it to Dash and Paulina. "That's that one cafe near Sadako High. Station 11."

"Yeah, you're right," said Dash. "Cafes are a prime date location, Star. Why else would you be there with him?"

Star gritted her teeth. "That's not it! We were—"

"You went on a date with Danny yesterday?" asked Paulina. "Oh my gosh, why didn't you tell me? When did he ask you out?"

"Would you just listen—"

"He asked you out and you said yes? Really?" said Kwan. "I mean, I know you and I aren't a thing anymore, but I didn't think you'd downgrade that much."

"I didn't—he's not—" Star huffed. "He just asked me to tutor him! That's it! I was tutoring him in math yesterday."

"But you usually tutor math in one of the classrooms," said Kwan. "Why would you go to a cafe to tutor Fenton?"

"It was a date," laughed Dash. "It was totally a date."

Star began to retort but stopped, suddenly aware of the other students in the hall. Many were staring at them, murmuring and whispering with each other. Star Rainsdon? And Danny Fenton? Danny and Star? Star and Danny? The chic and the freak? They're an item? They're a thing now? They went on a date last night and made out and now they're together?

"It wasn't a date," said Star. "I could never—he's such a—that's not what—"

The bell rang. The students in the hall began to move again, shuffling past, still whispering and looking at her, some giggling.

"I have to get to class," stammered Star, running away from the rest of the A-List, ignoring even Paulina's calls for her to wait.

Chapter Text

The rumors continued throughout the morning. Star kept catching students looking at her and whispering, giggling behind their hands.

Damn it. All she wanted to do was prove that Fenton's stupid freckles glowed. How did she let this happen?

After the lunch bell rang, Star caught a glimpse of Fenton down the hall. She paused for only a moment before deciding not to meet the rest of the A-List for lunch and power walking toward Fenton. She wasn't hungry anyway.

Students stared at her as she dashed past them. She was sure she could hear them whispering about her. What's she doing? Where's she going? Is she chasing after Danny Fenton? Oh, she must be, yes, she's so very in love with him, isn't she?

She clenched her jaw and kept her gaze straight ahead, making no eye contact with anyone. Fenton was leaning against a row of lockers and chatting with his two loser friends.

"Hey. You." Star marched up to him, her hands balled into fists by her side.

Fenton turned to her and blinked with an expression of mock innocence as he pointed to his chest. "You talking to me?"

"Yes, I'm talking to you," hissed Star. "Who else would I be talking to?"

"I don't know." Fenton shrugged and looked around. "There's a lot of people in this hallway."

"Quit acting dumb," said Star. "We need to talk."

"Isn't that what we're doing now?"

"You know what I mean. Somewhere private."

"Oh, my. Whatever about, Star?"

Fenton's eyes became larger in his continued faux naivete. Manson and Foley exchanged glances and quirked eyebrows.

"I just couldn't possibly imagine," said Fenton.

"Are you going to come talk with me?" demanded Star. "Or am I going to have to drag you somewhere?"

Fenton laughed. "Oh, wow. I'd kind of like to see you try that."

Star growled and could feel her face heating up.

"All right, all right, we can talk." Fenton looked at his friends. "I'll meet you two at our usual table for lunch a little later."

"See ya," said Foley.

"Good luck," said Manson.

Star stomped ahead of Fenton, leading the way down the hall. She could see more people staring at them as they walked past, whispering their names and giggling.

The first empty classroom Star spotted, she darted inside. Fenton followed in behind her, and Star locked the door.

"So how have things been since last night, Star?" asked Fenton with a pleasant smile.

Star scowled and opened the picture of his glowing freckles on her phone. "You need to tell the A-List that this is real, that your freckles really do glow."

"You really sent that to them, huh?" Fenton squinted at the photo, as if he were studying it.

"Yes!" cried Star. "And they think it's photoshopped or some kind of Snapchat filter. And then they recognized the background and thought we were on a date and now the entire school thinks you and I are dating."

Fenton burst out laughing. Star seethed, her grip on her phone shaking.

"What about this is funny?" Star gritted her teeth.

"This really backfired on you, didn't it?" asked Fenton, still grinning.

Star sputtered and fumbled with a response.

"I mean, am I supposed to feel sorry for you?" Fenton raised his arms, palms up. "What do you want from me right now, Star?"

"I want you to tell everyone the truth!" yelled Star. "You have to tell the A-List that your freckles really do glow so that people will stop thinking we're dating."

"Hmm." Fenton scrunched up his mouth and glanced up at the ceiling before dropping the expression and looking at her again. "Nah, I don't think so."

Star growled. "What? What do you mean, you don't think—you can't just—"

"Look, I don't care if people think we're dating," said Fenton with a nonchalant shrug. "First Paulina, now you—I mean, everyone's gonna think I'm a stud. This is only a good thing for me."

"But not for me!" cried Star. "I can't let people think I would actually date a freak like you!"

"Hey, you're the one who brought me in here and locked the door," said Fenton, gesturing around the classroom. "You don't think anyone saw us come in here together?"

"If you would just tell everyone the truth, that won't matter!" insisted Star.

Fenton exhaled loudly, rubbing his fingers over one eyebrow. "I can tell anyone who asks that we're not actually dating, but I'm not going to admit that my freckles glow."

"That's not enough, Fenton."

"Well, I don't know what else you'd expect from me after what you did yesterday."

Star huffed. "Oh, is that what this is about? Did I hurt your feelings when I tricked you, Fenton? Is this your way of getting back at me?"

"Of course not," said Fenton. "I'm not the one who started the rumor about us dating, Star. I just don't care. You've given me no reason to care."

"You know, all I wanted was proof that your freckles glow," said Star. "I don't even know why you want to hide this so much, like no one at this school could possibly think you're any freakier than you already are."

Fenton raised a brow. "You think so, huh?"

"Uh, yeah," said Star. "Everyone already knows your parents deal with weird ghost stuff. No one would be the slightest bit surprised that some of it leaked into your skin or whatever."

"It's really not as simple as that."

"Then what is it?"

Fenton averted his gaze.

"Can you just tell me, please?" asked Star.

Fenton slowly shook his head. "No. I can't."

Star scoffed. "I really don't get you, Fenton," she muttered.

Fenton sighed. "Look. You and everyone at this school, you're not the ones I'm trying to hide this from."

"What do you mean?" Star cocked her head. "Who are you trying to hide it from, then?"

"Just…" Fenton rubbed his upper arm. "People."

"What kind of people?"

"People who would…want to hurt me." Fenton looked at the floor. "If they knew."

Star eyed him warily, sticking out her bottom lip. "Why would anyone want to hurt you just because your freckles glow?"

"I can't tell you."

"Well, if you won't tell me, then let me ask my last yes-or-no question to try to figure it out."

Fenton groaned. "Star—"

"I still have one left, don't I? You said you'd answer five questions for me if I helped you with five math problems."

"That was before you took that picture of me and sent it to the A-List."

"Come on, are you really going to keep holding that against me?" asked Star. "It backfired, like you said. Now we're even."

Fenton shook his head and turned to leave. Star grabbed his arm, causing him to look at her again.

"Let me ask." She didn't let go of his arm. "Please."

He stared at her for some time, silent. Then he opened his mouth but jumped when someone rattled the door handle.

"Did someone lock my door?" asked a teacher's muffled voice. "Who's in there? I just stepped out for a few minutes!"

Star let go of Fenton's arm. "It's Mrs. Winters. Shit."

Fenton headed to the door and unlocked it, swinging it open. Mrs. Winters scowled at them, a textbook in one hand and her other hand on her hip.

"Star, Danny?" Mrs. Winters moved past them to her desk. "Look, I know you're a new couple, but please don't use my classroom to make out."

Star's jaw dropped. "What—we were not—I mean, we're not—"

Fenton smiled and took Star by the wrist. "Sorry, Mrs. Winters. It won't happen again."

He tugged her wrist. Star allowed him to pull her out of the room and lead her down the now empty hallway until they were out of earshot.

Star took her hand out of Fenton's grasp and leaned against the lockers, groaning. "God, even the teachers have heard the rumor about us dating now."

Fenton started walking away. Star stood up straighter. "Fenton! Where are you going?"

Fenton turned back to her. "Lunch. Sam and Tucker are waiting for me."

"But we haven't finished talking about this!"

"What more is there to say? And don't you think your friends might be wondering where you are, too? Do you really want to tell them you were with me for all of lunch?"

Star glared at him before sighing with defeat. "No, I really don't," she muttered, looking down at the floor.

"But you know…" Fenton turned to her more fully. "I never got to thank you for your help yesterday."

Star looked up, raising a brow.

"The way you explained how to do those math problems was really helpful," Fenton continued. "Usually I don't have a clue what Falluca is saying, but today, math class made more sense to me. And Falluca actually seemed impressed when I turned in the homework you helped me with."

"Oh. Um." Star shrugged. "Well, that's my goal as a tutor."

"You're good at it," said Fenton. "I hope it really does help you get into your top college."

"My top college?"

"Yeah. You told me that you joined the tutoring club so it would look good on your college applications."

"You actually remember that?"

"Of course."

He smiled at her kindly. Star could feel herself blushing and pretended to scratch an itch on the back of her neck so she could look away from him.

"I really need to go now." Fenton pulled his vibrating phone out of his pocket. "Tucker keeps spamming me, asking where I am."

"You will let me ask my fifth yes-or-no question, won't you?" asked Star.

Fenton hesitated, then chuckled. "I might. Maybe. If we ever go out again."

"Wha—again?" Star put her hands on her hips. "That wasn't a date last night, Fenton. You know that."

Fenton shrugged and gave her a small wave before turning to walk toward the cafeteria. Star let him go this time, unmoving, staring after him.

Chapter Text

"Star, where have you been?" asked Kwan.

Star took her normal seat at the A-List table in the cafeteria. "Nowhere. Sorry. Just had a thing I needed to take care of."

"Aren't you going to eat?" asked Paulina, taking a bite of her chicken salad.

Star looked down at the empty table space in front of her. "Oh. Uh, actually, I already ate."

"What did you eat?" Dash grinned, chewing his food as he spoke. "Fenton's face?"

Star balked. "What kind of a question is that?"

"He walked in literally a minute before you did," said Dash, looking over in Fenton's direction where he was sitting with Manson and Foley a few tables away. "His loser friends were here on time as usual, so that means he was also 'taking care of something.' That 'something' probably being you, right?"

"So you and Danny are really hitting it off, huh?" Paulina playfully elbowed her in the side.

"No!" shrieked Star. "You guys have got it all wrong."

"Star, you don't need to keep denying it." Dash took a huge bite of his burger, a glob of ketchup smearing above his lip. "Paulina's dated him, too. Clearly that nerd's got something going on you girls like."

Paulina made a face. "I don't know what you're talking about, but could you please use a napkin, Dash?"

Dash wiped his mouth with his hand. "Paulina, we all remember that week when you were attached to Fenton's hip and we had to temporarily kick Kwan out of the A-List to make room for him."

"I could never forget," sighed Kwan with a pout.

"You're all crazy," said Paulina. "That never happened."

"Come on, Paulina." Dash took another bite, even more ketchup dribbling down his chin. "Just tell me what that nerd's secret is already. I mean, why would you date him of all people before me?"

Paulina pursed her lips. "Well, for one, he's not gross."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Stop talking with your mouth full, Dash! See, Danny's not a pig like you are."

"That's because Fenton barely eats at all. He's a twig."

"He's not a twig." Paulina looked in Fenton's direction and twirled a lock of her hair. "He's put on some muscle this past year. Don't you agree, Star?"

Star rolled her eyes. "Who's keeping track of that?"

"Look, all I'm saying is, I could kick his ass from one end of this school to the other." Dash sighed. "God, I actually kind of miss whaling on him. Coach said I had to knock it off or I'd get kicked off the team."

"Does Fenton know that?" asked Kwan.

"No, and I'm not gonna tell him." Dash smirked. "I'd rather him live in fear that I could pound him any day now."

"He's not afraid of you, you know," said Star with a shrug.

Dash furrowed his brow. "What did you say?"

"Fenton's not afraid of you," said Star more slowly.

"And just how do you know that?"

"He told me."

"Oh, did he tell you yesterday on your little date?"

"It wasn't a date, as I keep trying to tell you, but yes, it was yesterday at the cafe."

"He was probably just trying to impress you." Dash laughed. "You know, act like he's tough for his new girlfriend. But I think it's real cute that you two are starting to get to know each other so well."

Star wrinkled her nose and pouted.

"So how is he?" Paulina nudged her.

"What? How is who? What do you mean?" asked Star irritably.

"Danny," said Paulina. "I mean, is he a good kisser?"

"Shouldn't you know, Paulina?" asked Dash. "Surely you sucked face with him at least once when you were dating him."

"Shut it, Dash." Paulina glared at him. "I'm asking Star a question."

Dash rolled his eyes and stuffed the last bite of his burger into his mouth. "Yes, Star, please tell us what it's like to kiss one of the biggest geeks in school. We're all dying to know."

"I just want to know if he's better than me," said Kwan anxiously. "He's not, right?"

Everyone looked at her expectantly, waiting. Star chewed the inside of her cheek as her eyes darted between them.

And a few tables over, Fenton was chatting it up with his friends, all smiley because he had the upper hand again.

And then Star got an idea.

"Well, actually…" She put her elbows on the table and leaned forward. "We haven't kissed yet. Fenton—I mean, Danny says he wants to practice a little more first. You know, to make sure our first kiss is perfect."

"Practice?" Paulina tilted her head.

"Yeah," said Star, grinning. "He has all these dolls and pillows in his room that he likes to practice on. They all have pictures of girls at our school taped to them. He says it makes it feel more authentic."

"Ew, are you serious?" Paulina crossed her hands over her chest and shuddered.

"No way, he doesn't do that, does he?" Kwan's eyes were wide.

"He's got at least a dozen of them," said Star. "He mostly uses pictures of cheerleaders."

"Oh, I have to tell everyone right now." Dash whipped out his phone and began furiously typing out a text message.

"Cheerleaders, so does that mean he has a doll or pillow with my picture on it?" asked Paulina.

"Oh, yeah." Star nodded. "I think he might practice with yours the most."

"Ugh, gross." Paulina stuck out her tongue. "But is it at least a good picture of me?"

Star's smile dropped. "Is it—what?"

"Just tell me it's not that picture of me after I ran that marathon last semester, is it? Where I'm all sweaty and my eyeliner is running?"

"Uh—"

"I know it's been circulating between all the boys, so please just tell me he's not using that one because I really hate it."

Star rolled her eyes. "He's using a great picture of you, don't worry."

Paulina sighed. "Okay, good." She also pulled out her phone. "The other cheerleaders are going to want to know about this, though."

Star smirked triumphantly as Dash and Paulina busily typed away on their phones, then she turned to look at Fenton across the way, catching his eye after just a few moments. She waved at him and flashed her most dazzling smile. Fenton's brow furrowed, his bottom lip sticking out slightly in a puzzled frown.

Star flipped her hair over her shoulder as she turned away. The game was back on.

Chapter Text

Star could barely contain her giggles the rest of the day. Every time she heard a student in the hall whispering Fenton's name, she had to fight back a snort. Her rumor about his practice kissing technique must have reached the entire student body by now.

After the last class of the day, Star said bye to the rest of the A-List and headed toward the tutoring room.

And then a familiar voice called out to her.

"Star!"

Star turned and pressed her lips to fight back another giggle. Fenton was power walking down the hall through a throng of students who all stopped and stared at him. And he looked pissed.

"How's it going?" she asked cheerfully as he approached.

Fenton scowled at her. "We need to talk."

"Oh, my. Whatever about, Fenton?" Star batted her eyes. "I just couldn't possibly imagine."

Fenton's scowl deepened. "Just—come on."

Fenton turned on his heel in a huff and started walking away. Star practically skipped after him, following him down another hall and then another where there were no students at all. He finally stopped and turned back to her. Star held her backpack straps and tilted her head, smiling brightly.

"What's on your mind, buddy?" asked Star.

"Well." Fenton lifted his hands in a shrug. "There's this rumor going around the school that I practice making out with dolls."

"And, and." Star grinned, holding up a finger. "Pillows."

Fenton smirked, chuckling mirthlessly. "Yeah, I don't do that."

"Then why do you have all those dolls and pillows in your room with pictures of girls at this school taped onto them, hmm?" asked Star, sticking out her bottom lip.

"I don't," said Fenton, his smirk dropping. "Why would you tell people I do?"

"Well." Star twirled a strand of her hair. "I was sitting with the A-List at lunch and Paulina asked me if you were a good kisser. And I said we hadn't kissed yet because you wanted to practice a little more. And then they all wanted to know how you practice and I told them that you practice with dolls and pillows."

"That's how it went down, huh?" said Fenton.

Star smiled and bobbed her head in a nod.

"Okay," said Fenton. "Well, you need to tell everyone that you made it up and it's not true."

"I do?" asked Star. "Really?"

"Yeah. Really."

Fenton's eyes hardened into a glare. Star scrunched up her mouth and pretended to think.

"Hmm. Tell you what," said Star. "I'll tell them I made it up if you tell them your freckles really do glow."

Fenton stared at her a moment before chuckling sardonically. "Oh, I see. That's the game you wanna play here."

"Mmm hmm, it really is," said Star, her tone sweet. "So what's your next move gonna be?"

Fenton scoffed. "I could just spread a lie about you, too."

"Oh, yeah, you could," said Star. "But I know you won't."

"How do you figure?"

"Because you're too nice, Fenton."

Fenton held up a finger and opened his mouth, but no words came out. He slowly closed it and looked away in defeat.

"Sucks, doesn't it?" said Star with mock sympathy. "Nice guys really do finish last."

"You know, this is really low," said Fenton. "Even for you."

"Even for me?" Star gasped and pressed a hand to her chest. "That hurts, Fenton. That cuts deep."

Fenton sighed and shook his head. "Why are the prettiest girls always the meanest?"

"Aw, you think I'm pretty, Fenton?" Star puckered her lips.

Fenton narrowed his eyes at her. "You know you're pretty."

"Hmm." Star shrugged and swept her hair over her shoulder. "Yeah, I do."

"I just don't get it," said Fenton. "You're telling everyone that we haven't kissed yet because you're waiting on me to practice more? I mean, whatever happened to not wanting anyone to think we're dating at all?"

"They already think it," said Star. "I just decided to use it to my advantage instead of fighting it."

"Of course you did," muttered Fenton.

"But all of this can go away if you just help me prove to everyone that your freckles glow."

Star clasped her hands behind her back and smiled at him. Fenton folded his arms and stared her down.

"No," he said.

"Yes," said Star, her smile dropping. "Let me get you talking about planets or astronauts in front of the A-List so they can see for themselves that you're a freak and I'm not crazy."

"You know, it's not just talking about astronomy that makes them glow," said Fenton. "It just happens anytime I think about or see something that gets me really excited."

Star raised a brow. "Really?"

Fenton groaned. "Why am I telling you this? I shouldn't be telling you this."

Star checked the time on her phone. "Look, I need to get to tutoring, but if you change your mind, let me know." She looked up at Fenton again. "Oh, and if Paulina asks, just tell her you're definitely not using that picture of her from the marathon she ran last semester to practice kissing, okay? She apparently hates that picture."

"So you're really just going to do this to me?" asked Fenton. "Like, really? You're just going to lie about me like this?"

"Yeah." Star glanced up at the ceiling before nodding definitively. "Yeah, I think I am."

Fenton glared at her, then started marching away a few steps before stopping and turning back.

"And by the way," he said, his index finger pointed at her, "I am a great kisser."

Star scoffed and folded her arms. "Who told you that? Your mom?"

"No," said Fenton, sounding both defensive and haughty. "I've made out with like half the girls at this school, you know."

Star snorted. "Oh, my gosh. Are you talking about when you judged that beauty pageant?"

"So what if I am?"

"Those girls were just desperate to win, Fenton. I mean, even I gave you a back rub."

"You should've tried kissing me instead. You really missed out."

"Yeah, right. Those girls would tell you anything to get your vote. I don't for a second believe you know a thing about kissing."

"Well, now you'll never know for sure." Fenton gestured between the two of them. "Because anything that might've happened between us, it's now off the table."

"It was never on the table."

"Well, now it's even more not on the table."

"Fine by me, space boy."

They stared each other down, Fenton's face turning pink while Star felt heat traveling up her neck as she noticed that his lips actually did have a nice shape to them.

And for a moment, she wondered just what would it be like to kiss him?

She cleared her throat and shook her head. "Let me know if you change your mind about showing everyone your freckles glow."

"I'm not going to change my mind," said Fenton.

"Then I guess we'll just see what happens next, won't we?"

Fenton scowled before turning and actually walking away this time. Star smirked and started walking in the opposite direction toward the tutoring room.

Chapter Text

Star kept waiting for Fenton to break, to crack, to come running back to her and agreeing to prove his freckles glowed if she would just tell everyone she made up this horribly embarrassing rumor, please.

But to his credit, Fenton remained strong, simply shrugged off the laughter and walked by all the whispering students with his head held high.

Great. She had forgotten how practiced Fenton already was at being teased and bullied.

At lunch, Star entered the cafeteria and first glanced at the A-List table, where Dash, Kwan, and Paulina were sitting and chatting. Then she looked at Fenton's usual table.

Except he wasn't there. Manson and Foley were sitting alone.

The gears in her head turned as she looked over at the A-List table to make sure they hadn't seen her yet. She then ran over to the loser table and took a seat next to Foley.

"Uh." Foley cocked his head and pressed his glasses up his nose. "Can I help you, Star?"

"Or not," said Manson from across the table, narrowing her eyes. "What do you want?"

"I just noticed Fenton isn't sitting with you two," said Star. "So where is he?"

"Lunch detention with Lancer," said Foley with a shrug. "He fell asleep during class again."

"Aw, that sucks," said Star with a pout. "But at least that gives me a chance to catch up with you, Tucker." She gently trailed her fingers down his upper arm. "We had fun that one week we hung out, didn't we?"

"That was a very strange week," muttered Foley.

"You were just using him to carry your books while Paulina ditched you for Danny," said Manson.

Star frowned at Manson. "Hey, I'm talking to Foley here, not you."

"You better watch it, Star," said Manson with a bite. "After that disgusting lie you made up and spread around the whole school about Danny, you have some nerve coming over here and talking to us."

"I'm not afraid of you, Manson."

"Well, maybe you should be. Because maybe Danny's too nice to retaliate with a made-up rumor about you, but I'm sure as hell not."

"Aw, did Fenton tell you all about our conversation?" asked Star with mock sweetness. "That's adorable that he has you to look out for him."

"Yeah, he does," said Manson, clenching a fist. "So tell us what you want already so we can get back to eating lunch in peace."

Star made a face at Sam's salad, which looked like a bunch of grass mixed with a few mushrooms. "I don't want anything from you. Just Foley."

"Me?" said Foley.

"Yes, you. Tucker." Star turned up the charm again and danced her fingers on his shoulder. "How about we go somewhere private? You know, to catch up."

"He's not going anywhere with you," said Manson. Star shot her a dirty look.

"Catch up on what?" asked Foley, staring at her fingers on his shoulder.

"Just…stuff." Star mustered her cutest, coyest pout. "Please?"

Foley studied her fingers a little longer before looking down at his half-eaten tacos. "Can I finish my lunch first?"

"Tucker!" whined Sam.

"But I really wanna talk now." Star made her bottom lip tremble as she moved her fingers to his collarbone, eliciting a pleasured shudder and small smile from Foley.

"Fine, okay." Foley stuffed the rest of his tacos into his mouth and gathered all his trash on his tray. "Let's go."

Star shut one eye and suppressed a gag as Foley noisily chewed and swallowed the large amount of food in his mouth. Why were all boys so disgusting?

Well, except… She had to admit Fenton wasn't all that gross. He even kind of smelled nice.

Ew, no, she was not thinking about how Fenton smelled right now—

Star jumped up and made an effort not to look at Foley while he still had food in his mouth.

"Tucker, you're not seriously going anywhere with Star, are you?" Manson moaned.

"I just want to hear what she has to say," Foley replied, swallowing the last of his tacos and picking up his tray. "Let Danny know where I am if Lancer lets him out of detention early, okay?"

Star led the way out of the cafeteria, Foley tossing the remains of his lunch in the nearest trash can as he kept up with her. She could feel Manson glaring at her back as she pushed past the cafeteria doors.

And she could feel other students staring at her as well. But they already thought she was dating one of the biggest freaks in school; what did it really hurt if they saw her with the freak's best friend, too?

Chapter Text

Star wasn't exactly sure where she was leading Foley. Just somewhere isolated, some place where no other students would be around to see her hanging out with this dork.

But students were everywhere. Outside, behind the school, various cliques of teens had claimed just about every spot. At last, Star settled on the least populated area she could find. She dragged Foley to an empty bench around the side of the school.

A couple of kids gave them curious glances as they sat together. Star closed her eyes and breathed in, throwing her shoulders back and composing herself.

This would all pay off eventually. All she had to do was prove that Fenton's freckles glowed and then the A-List would at last believe her and realize that no, she definitely did not have any feelings for that freak and of course never would.

She opened her eyes and smiled coquettishly at Foley, turning her body toward him. "I was really hoping we could find a place where we could be alone, but this will have to do."

"How alone?" asked Foley, a blush rising to his cheeks. "Because I'm sure we could find an empty classroom if we—"

"Ah, ah." Star pressed a finger to his lips, her smile twitching as she remembered the last time she tried using an empty classroom to talk to Fenton. "I like the autumn air, don't you? So crisp. A little romantic."

"Uh." Foley nodded. "Yeah. A little." He cleared his throat. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

Star decided to cut right to the chase. "You've known Fen—I mean, Danny—a long time, right?"

"Yeah," said Foley. "Since preschool. We both liked playing with the rocketships and we started fighting over the same one. Then the teacher made us share and we've been buds ever since."

"Aw, that's adorable," said Star. "Danny really likes space and astronomy, doesn't he?"

"Oh, he loves it. That was all he ever wanted to play when we were kids, rocket trips to the moon. We'd set up a whole space station in his room." Foley made a face. "But then his sister would always come in and try to make us play school instead."

"So he's just always been into space?" asked Star, not wanting to get off topic.

"For sure. He's been dreaming of becoming an astronaut for as long as I've known him."

"That is just so precious." Star raised the pitch of her voice. "And don't you think it's even more precious the way his freckles light up whenever he talks about it?"

Foley's mouth closed, his lips thinning.

"Oh, come on," said Star. "I already know about his freckles. I've seen them glow twice now. You don't need to pretend it's not true."

Foley chewed the inside of his cheek and rubbed his neck, pushing on the back of his cap so it fell down his forehead a short distance.

"He's confirmed it for me himself," said Star. "He even told me that it happens anytime he gets excited, not just when he talks about stars and space."

Foley's eyes crinkled with mirth. "I'll never forget this one time when Paulina walked by in the hall wearing this tight low-cut shirt that really pushed up her boobs. Danny's whole face turned red with these little glowing specks all over. He threw a jacket over his head and ran away so fast."

"I think I know exactly what shirt you're talking about."

"He looked just like a planetarium!"

"So you admit it's true? His freckles do glow sometimes."

Foley sighed and readjusted his cap. "I guess there's no use denying it now."

"So do you know why it happens?" asked Star. "I mean, apart from him getting excited. Like, what is it that makes them glow?"

Foley hesitated. "I don't think Danny would want me talking to you about this."

"But I've just gotta know," said Star. "I mean, can you blame me for being curious?"

Foley grumbled something under his breath.

"I've heard rumors that his parents experiment on him," said Star. "Is that true? Is that why his freckles glow, because his parents infused him with weird freaky ghost plasma as part of an experiment or something?"

"His neighbors certainly seem to think that's the case," said Foley. "They even got CPS to come out a couple times."

Star blinked, frowning. "Really?"

"But they found nothing," said Foley quickly. "Because Danny's parents are not experimenting on him."

"So then why do his freckles glow?" asked Star.

Foley slumped and ducked his head.

"Come on," said Star. "You're his best friend. You know the reason, don't you?"

"Uh, well—"

"You do. Don't say you don't. You do."

"But I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"I really shouldn't be talking to you about this. I've already said way too much."

Foley tried to stand, but Star forced him back down on the bench by pushing on his thigh.

"Wait, don't go," said Star. "Please, just tell me. I just want to know why it happens, that's it."

"You know I can't trust you, Star," said Foley, suddenly sounding bitter. "Not after what you did to Danny."

"Oh, that?" Star huffed dismissively. "It was just a harmless prank."

"Not to Danny," said Foley. "Why do you think you deserve to know anything about Danny after that?"

Star suppressed an eye roll. He was really going to make her bring out the big guns, wasn't he?

"Tucker, please…" Star leaned in close to him, pressing her thigh against his, dancing her fingers up his shirt to his collar. "It was all in good fun, I promise."

Foley's eyes were wide under his glasses, and she could see a red blush coloring his dark complexion.

"Please just tell me." Star lowered her voice, almost whispering in his ear. "I really, really want to know."

She looked at only his mouth now, a technique she knew always drove boys wild. She then leaned in closer, drawing her lips into a cute pucker.

"Star?" called a voice behind her. No, not just any voice. Fenton's voice.

Star jumped up and turned to face Fenton, who was holding a large bouquet of bright orange flowers. Foley stayed seated on the bench.

"Fenton! What are you doing here? I thought you were in detention!" squeaked Star.

"I was, but I simply couldn't stop thinking about you, my darling," said Fenton. "So as soon as Mr. Lancer allowed me to leave, I went out looking for you. But I never thought I'd find you here, my own girlfriend cheating on me with my best friend."

A crowd of students started forming around them as Fenton made a big show of pretending to cry into the crook of his arm. Star's face burned.

"Fenton, what are you doing?" she demanded under her breath.

"I just can't believe after we declared our undying love for each other that you would betray me like this," said Fenton with an exaggerated sniffle.

The students started whispering. Star could feel sweat forming behind her ears. She caught Foley fighting to hold back a smirk.

"We didn't even get to have our first kiss yet," wailed Fenton, his eyes dry. "And I was practicing so very hard for you on all those dolls and pillows, because I wanted our first kiss to be magical and perfect."

A few girls gasped and cooed with pity. Star looked around at the crowd and held up her hands.

"This isn't what it looks like," she insisted, smiling sheepishly. "Can everyone just leave so my—uh—boyfriend and I can talk alone?"

"Oh, I was a fool for thinking a beautiful girl like you could ever really love someone like me," cried Fenton. "I just so wanted to believe you when you looked into my eyes and said that we were meant to be."

Star was frozen in place, her muscles all locked up as Fenton continued his extravagant display of mock despair. The students began to whisper and murmur louder, the guys looking amused while the girls pouted and sighed over how very tragic this was. Several students were holding cell phones in their hands as they recorded the drama.

"Fenton," she hissed through tightly clenched teeth.

"You won't even call me by my first name," moaned Fenton. "We've been dating for nearly two days now and you still won't call me Danny."

"Knock it off." Star's hiss lowered to a harsh whisper.

"Tucker, my best friend, you have also betrayed me so," said Fenton dramatically.

"Bro, I would never," said Foley just as dramatically, getting to his feet off the bench. "Star was the one who tried to kiss me, and I cannot help that I am such a manly stud."

Star turned fierce eyes on Foley, but he ignored her, looking only at Fenton.

"Oh, that you are, Tucker. How could I possibly hold that against you?" Fenton wiped away fake tears. "I simply must forgive you."

The students were all glaring at Star now. Star's entire body was on fire as her fists clenched. She looked from one boy to the other, unsure who she wanted to punch more, her voice high and shrill as she tried to find the right words. "Fenton—Foley—"

"It seems I have no choice," said Fenton, all choked up. "This is the end of us. I must break up with you right here and right now, my beloved Star."

The crowd of students collectively gasped. Star's fists were now clenched very tight as she focused on Fenton, blotting out all the other students' judging faces.

"No one breaks up with me, Fenton," Star growled.

"I just did," said Fenton, the lower half of his face solemn while his eyes sparkled with smug amusement. "But I still want you to have these."

He approached her and thrust the bouquet of orange flowers into her arms. Star blinked as she clutched them to her chest.

"A parting gift, a token of my love," said Fenton. "I picked them out especially for you because I know orange is your favorite color."

Star stared at the bouquet, its aroma sweet and fragrant. The attached tag read Golden Roses.

Plenty of boys had given her flowers in the past, but no one had ever given her a full bouquet of her favorite color.

She had no idea orange roses even existed, and they were absolutely gorgeous.

She raised her eyes. "Fenton—"

"My heart is too broken to stay a moment longer," said Fenton. "Goodbye forever, my dear Star."

Fenton dashed away with dramatic flair, breaking through the crowd of students. Foley followed after him, not even giving Star a second glance.

And then the whispers erupted. Star raised the bouquet to cover her face as she listened to every word.

Danny Fenton just caught Star Rainsdon cheating on him!

Star Rainsdon was just dumped! In front of the whole school!

Star was dumped! The popular girl dumped by a geek! Can you believe it?

And Danny was so nice to her. He even gave her flowers! So romantic.

Did you know he was practicing for their first kiss because he wanted it to be perfect? Why can't all boys be that considerate?

Star must have no heart, no soul to treat Danny like that. How cruel.

Star was dumped! Star was dumped by Danny Fenton, of all people!

Star tore out of there, crashing and bumping through the crowd, running far away from everyone, the whole school. She stopped when she reached the street corner, panting.

It wasn't until she heard the faint chiming of the school bell signaling the end of lunch that she realized she was still holding the roses in her arms.

Chapter Text

"Star, is it true?" asked Paulina in the hallway after the last bell. "Did Danny really dump you?"

"Yeah, he did," whooped Dash. "Didn't you see it on TikTok?"

"Wait, it was caught on camera? Let me see!" cried Kwan.

Dash pulled up the video and played it for Kwan. They snickered and pointed at different moments in the video, mocking Fenton's words. Star imagined slapping the phone right out of Dash's hand and stomping on it over and over.

"Your face is so red, Star," laughed Dash. "Have you seen it?"

"Guys, lay off," said Paulina. "Star's our friend, in case you forgot."

"Come on, a dweeb like that dumping an A-List girl? That's priceless," said Dash.

"But did you really try to kiss Foley?" asked Kwan.

"She and Foley dated before," said Dash. "She was just going back to her ex."

"I was not!" squealed Star, stamping her foot. "And I didn't try to kiss him! I was just—ack!"

Star stormed off, ignoring Paulina's calls to come back. What was the point in trying to explain anything to them? Until she could prove Fenton's freckles glowed, they weren't going to believe her.

She had to find Fenton, confront him, demand to know where he even got the gall to humiliate her like that in front of the entire school.

She searched everywhere around the school, but Fenton seemed to be gone already. She checked the time. She was on the schedule to tutor a couple students but this was far more important.

She exited the school and ran entirely off campus. She hoped Fenton was at one of his known hangout spots around town, but she was willing to show up at the front door of Fenton Works at this point.

She spotted Fenton through a window in the Nasty Burger. He was chatting it up with Manson and Foley, looking very happy indeed as he laughed about something.

Star clenched her fists, her face red as she threw open the door into the restaurant and stomped up to Fenton's booth.

"Fenton!" she hissed through gritted teeth.

Fenton blinked and cocked his head. "Can I help you, Star?"

"You, me, outside," spat Star. "Now."

"Star." Fenton sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry if this is hard for you, but we broke up."

"You broke up with her, if I remember correctly," said Foley cheekily, popping a fry into his mouth.

"Oh, that's right, I did," said Fenton with a smile.

"You don't even have to remember," said Manson, holding up her phone. "It's all on video."

Star became aware of a few Casper High students sitting at other tables. They were turning to stare, whispering behind their hands.

Star leaned over the table and lowered her voice. "Fenton. Don't make me ask you again."

"All right, all right. Just let me finish my milkshake."

Fenton picked up his shake and began drinking it through the straw. The seconds dragged on and on as he noisily slurped it all up. Star watched him, her eye twitching.

At last, Fenton popped the straw out of his mouth and loudly sighed, sounding quite satisfied. "That was so good. You really should get one, Star. I would buy you one, but we're no longer dating, as you know."

"We were never dating!" shrieked Star, about ready to pull out her hair.

"Ouch." Fenton pressed a hand over his heart. "Did our two-day relationship really mean so little to you?"

"Move it, Fenton!" ordered Star.

Fenton smirked as he slid out of the booth and followed Star out of the Nasty Burger and around to the back near the dumpsters. Star checked that no one was around before railing into him, forcing him up against a wall.

"What the hell was that at lunch?" demanded Star. "What were you even doing there? You were supposed to be in detention!"

"Oh, I was," said Fenton. "But Lancer let me out early, so I went looking for Sam and Tuck. Then Sam told me you took Tucker somewhere, and I decided to go find you."

"But why? I mean, why did you have to make such a scene?" Star huffed. "I mean, flowers? Really?"

Fenton grinned. "That was a nice touch, wasn't it? Sam has connections and was able to call up someone who could get them delivered super fast."

"But why did you tell everyone that you were dumping me? I don't get dumped, Fenton! Certainly not by freaky losers like you."

"Hey, don't try to make me the bad guy here. You were the one cheating on me."

Star slammed his shoulder into the wall. "Cut the shit, Fenton. You embarrassed me in front of the whole school."

"Oh, wow, did I?" Fenton's bottom lip trembled. "Being embarrassed in front of the whole school, that's rough, Star. I'm so sorry." He scratched behind his ear. "I mean, I can relate, because, you know, this one time, someone spread a rumor around the whole school that I tape pictures of girls to pillows and dolls and then use them to practice kissing."

"So this was your revenge, was it?"

Fenton shrugged. "Well, you were right that I'm too nice to make up a lie about you and spread it around, but I'm definitely not too nice to take advantage of my supposed girlfriend trying to weasel information out of my best friend by seducing him."

Star grimaced. "I wasn't seducing him."

"Oh? So what you were planning on doing when you were leaning in toward him with your lips all puckered?"

"I—they were not!"

"Star, I saw you. Why are you denying it?"

"But I wasn't really going to kiss him!" protested Star. "I just wanted him to think I was."

"Mmm hmm. Sure. Just like you wanted everyone to think I practice kissing on dolls and pillows."

"You have only yourself to blame for that." Star scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Really, Fenton, I just don't understand why this is such a big deal to you."

"Well, it's pretty embarrassing for everyone to think that I even need to practice kissing—"

"Not that!" hissed Star. "I'm talking about why you're so against everyone knowing about your glowing freckles. I don't get it."

"I wouldn't expect you to." Fenton narrowed his eyes. "But as I've already told you, this is something I have to keep secret. I can't let anyone know."

"Sam and Tucker know, don't they?"

"They're my best friends."

"Well, I know. You even confirmed it for me and let me ask questions about it. Why are you okay with me knowing?"

"I'm not." Fenton groaned. "But I was stupid and let you see them glow. I really hoped you'd leave it alone if I just satisfied your curiosity by answering a few questions."

"Nope," said Star. "I am still very, very curious."

Fenton turned and raised his forearm just above his head, pressing it to the wall as he leaned against it. He hung his head, sighing deeply. Star scrunched her mouth and folded her arms.

Nothing was said for a couple moments.

"Okay, look." Star held up her hands as a gesture of goodwill. "I'm getting real tired of all this back-and-forth tug-of-war between us—"

"You're only tired because I'm winning right now."

Star reddened. "Can we maybe just come to some kind of compromise?"

"Hmm." Fenton held his elbows. "What did you have in mind?"

"How about this? I'll stop trying to prove to everyone your freckles glow if you just tell me why they glow."

"I already told you why."

"No, I don't mean how to get them to glow by getting you excited about something. I mean what it is inside of you that makes it happen."

Fenton frowned and slumped against the wall.

"How did it all start?" asked Star. "I mean, you weren't born like that, right? I know you said it's the reason you can't donate blood, so obviously it's something in your blood that makes it happen, but what is it?"

Fenton shook his head. "I can't tell you that."

"Why not?"

"Because it's not a yes-or-no question."

Star's mouth hung open. Fenton smirked.

"Fenton, come on," whined Star. "I really promise to stop trying to prove your freckles glow if you just tell me why it happens."

"No," said Fenton, his smirk vanishing. "That's an even bigger secret I definitely don't want anyone to know."

Star pouted. "I can keep a secret."

"No, you can't," said Fenton. "Everyone knows you're the biggest gossip in school. You'll sell out anyone's secret if it's juicy enough."

Star raised a brow. "I highly doubt that your big secret is juicy, Fenton. It's probably something really dumb."

"Hmm. Well, you go on thinking that."

Star groaned. "Fenton, I'm trying to make peace with you here, put an end to all these silly pranks between us."

"You call making up a rumor that I practice kissing on dolls a 'silly prank'?"

Star sniffed and turned up her nose. "I could've done a lot worse, you know."

"Oh, I have absolutely no doubt about that," said Fenton. "I have no doubt that you're capable of sinking much lower than that."

Star narrowed her eyes at him and crossed her arms, her nose wrinkling as she exhaled sharply.

"Look, Star, I don't trust you. I really don't," said Fenton. "And you know you've given me no reason to trust you now."

"You're not still butthurt about that picture I took, are you?"

"It's everything, Star. It's everything you've been doing to me." Fenton paused to close his eyes and breathe a moment. "I don't trust you, but I promised you five yes-or-no questions, and you still have one left. So even though you really don't deserve even that much from me, I will answer a final question for you."

Star scrunched her mouth, gliding a manicured nail down her chin.

"But then can we please be done with all of this?" Fenton gestured to the air between them. "Can this game we're playing be over already?"

Star swished her lips back and forth a couple times. "So you won't make me go on a date with you? I can go ahead and ask whatever yes-or-no question I want and you'll answer it?"

"Well, I mean, we're kind of broken up now, but sure, we can go on another date if you want."

"It would be our first date, and no, there will be no date at all."

Fenton shrugged and crossed one leg over the other as he folded his arms and leaned back against the wall. He raised his eyebrows expectantly.

"I'm not asking here next to this dumpster. As if." Star scoffed. "Besides, I need some time to think about it."

"Well, when you think of something, let me know." Fenton kicked himself off the wall. "I'm going back inside." He started heading around to the front of the Nasty Burger.

"Wait!" Star called, holding out a hand to stop him. "I do have a different question. It's not a yes-or-no question, though."

Fenton turned, not looking at all irritated or tired but simply curious, the smallest of smiles tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Those flowers you gave me. How did you know orange is my favorite color?" asked Star.

Fenton chuckled. "I heard you mention it to Paulina in class once."

"What, so you were spying on us? Eavesdropping?"

"It's not eavesdropping if you're talking loud enough for everyone to hear."

Star scowled but could feel herself blushing as well.

"Did you like them?" asked Fenton. "The orange flowers."

"Um. Yeah." Star shrugged, remembering how she placed the bouquet in her locker because she couldn't bring herself to throw it away just yet. "I liked them okay."

"I liked them, too," said Fenton. "I thought they were really pretty."

Fenton gave her a small wave before walking away and disappearing around the corner of the Nasty Burger. Star groaned and released a sigh.

Chapter Text

A back door near the dumpster opened. Star jumped but relaxed when she saw Valerie walking out wearing a Nasty Burger shirt and hat and carrying a black trash bag.

"Valerie!" Star held her hands behind her back sheepishly. "I was just—I mean, I forgot you work here."

"Every Thursday after school," said Valerie dully.

"Ah." Star nodded. "So, taking out the trash, huh?"

"Well, yes." Valerie lifted the dumpster lid with one hand and swung the trash bag in with the other. "But it was really just an excuse to come out here and talk to you."

"About what?"

"I think you know about what. I saw you come out here with Danny."

Valerie put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot. Star tried to look innocent as she waited for Valerie to elaborate.

"Star, we don't really talk as much anymore," said Valerie with a sigh. "But you and I are still friends."

"Of course we are," said Star. "You've just been busy with all your part-time jobs."

"Seems you've been busy, too," said Valerie. "Spreading nasty rumors about Danny."

Star rolled her eyes. "It was one rumor. Singular."

"Doesn't make it less nasty," retorted Valerie. "And Danny doesn't deserve that. Danny's my friend too, and I know how vicious you can get. That rumor you made up wasn't even half as bad as you could've made it."

"True." Star shrugged. "I'm saving some tricks up my sleeve."

"Tricks for what?" Valerie glared at her. "Star, what exactly is your beef with Danny? First I hear you two are dating, then I hear you haven't kissed him yet because you're waiting for him to get more practice, and then he breaks up with you publicly in a video everyone in school has seen by now?"

"I—" Star twirled a lock of her hair. "It's kind of hard to explain, but—well, I'm trying to prove something about him because Paulina, Dash, and Kwan all think I'm crazy."

"What are you trying to prove?"

"Uh—well—" Star paused. "Wait, you dated him for a little while, didn't you?"

Valerie tensed. "Yeah, for like a little little while. But I had to break it off because I was too busy with—er—work."

"But you got to know him pretty well, didn't you?" asked Star. "You must've seen his freckles glow, right?"

Valerie raised a brow. "I must've seen what?"

"His freckles. You've seen them glow, haven't you?"

"Uh…" Valerie glanced up at the sky before shaking her head and looking at Star again. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"No!" insisted Star. "Look, when I was tutoring him in math earlier this week, the questions were all space related and he started talking about stars and galaxies and light-years and he got all excited and his freckles just lit up."

Valerie laughed. "Yeah, he does get pretty excited when he's talking about space stuff."

"Right?" Star held a hand out to her. "So you do know what I'm talking about! You've seen his freckles glow, right?"

"Uh—well, no." Valerie pouted in thought. "I remember talking about it over text, not in person."

Star groaned. "Come on, you've gotta know what I'm talking about. It's like tiny stars on his face."

"Star, that really does sound kind of crazy," said Valerie. "I don't blame the rest of the A-List for not believing you."

"But it's true!" insisted Star. "I saw it with my own eyes! I'm not making it up. Come on, Val, you really never noticed anything weird about him when you two were together?"

Valerie pursed her lips and folded her arms, looking off to the side. "I didn't say that."

"You mean you have noticed something weird about him?" asked Star eagerly.

"Nothing like his freckles glowing, but uh—well, you know that I've been dabbling a little in ghost hunting ever since that Phantom dick lost my dad his job."

"Yeah," said Star. "I mean, I've seen some ghost-hunting gadgets in your room. Are you still doing that? Going after Danny Phantom for revenge, I mean?"

"Never mind that," said Valerie, waving her hand to dismiss the question. "But there were a couple of times when my ghost detectors went off around Danny. At first I thought it was just a coincidence, that there just happened to be another ghost somewhere nearby, but it's happened so many times around just him and no one else. So it must be something about him that sets off my detectors."

"What about him?" asked Star. "I mean, do you have a guess?"

"My only guess is that it has something to do with his parents' research," said Valerie. "Like he just carries some spectral residue from home sometimes. Or else he's just been exposed to some kind of spectral radiation that he's been breathing in or soaking up in his skin."

"Have you ever used the detectors around his parents? His sister? She goes to our school," said Star. "Or what about his friends, Manson and Foley? They go to his house all the time, I think."

"Hmm." Valerie thought for a moment. "No, they've only ever gone off around Danny. Never his sister or his friends or even his parents."

"But what does that mean?" asked Star.

Valerie shrugged, running her shoe over some loose gravel on the ground. "It means there's definitely something weird about him. Maybe weird enough to make his freckles glow."

"So you believe me when I say his freckles glow?" asked Star, glad to get even just one person to believe she wasn't crazy right now.

"It wouldn't be the weirdest thing I've seen," said Valerie. "I've seen a lot of weird things, Star. Ever since ghosts started appearing in Amity Park, literally anything seems possible to me. I mean, I never thought ghosts were real before."

Star looked up at the sky, searching for signs of any ghosts that might be flying above them. "Neither did I," she murmured.

Valerie checked the time on her watch. "I have to get back to work." She pointed a finger at Star. "But promise me you'll leave Danny alone, all right? Or you're gonna have to answer to me, friend or not."

Star cocked her head. "Do you still like him? I mean, like, like him like him?"

Valerie smiled fondly. "What's not to like? He's sweet, he's funny. Pretty cute, too."

The memory of Fenton's smile flashed in Star's head, causing her to blush and attempt to shake it out.

"But he and I aren't ever happening," said Valerie, smoothing out her work shirt and adjusting her hat. "But I'll tell you what, whoever does finally land that boy is gonna be one lucky girl."

Star could feel even more warmth creeping into her face but tried to play it off with a dismissive wave of her hand. "As if. That geek isn't any kind of prize."

Valerie shrugged. "Agree to disagree, I guess."

Valerie opened the back door and reentered the Nasty Burger. Star made a face and started on her way back home, trying to come up with the best yes-or-no question to ask Fenton, one that would somehow reveal whatever his big secret was.

Chapter Text

The following day, Star watched Fenton from a distance as discreetly as she could. The last thing she needed was for everyone to think that she was hung up on Fenton after he brutally dumped her in front of everyone.

Oh, she would definitely have to get back at him for this somehow. Some way. Someday. But not right now when she knew Valerie would come after her if she did.

What did Valerie even see in Fenton anyway?

Star sat behind him a couple rows back in English class, glancing up from her notes every few seconds to check him out. Sure, he had nice hair that looked pretty soft and fun to run some fingers through. And he was a lot more muscular than she remembered him being in freshman year. Taller, too. And his eyes were kind of nice, she guessed. Icy blue, a piercing color that really stood out under his dark eyelashes.

She couldn't exactly say he was ugly but he certainly wasn't, like, cute.

Not really, anyway.

Maybe just a little cute.

Star looked up again and this time found Fenton looking back at her. He smiled, and Star immediately put her head down, blushing furiously as she pretended to concentrate very hard on taking detailed notes. She did not raise her head again for the remainder of class.

Later that night as part of their typical Friday night sleepover at Paulina's house, Star sat on the carpet near Paulina's canopy bed while Paulina sat at her vanity, brushing her long dark hair. The window was open, bringing in the cool night air as the pink curtains fluttered around the frame. Paulina always insisted on leaving the window open at night, hoping to catch just one glimpse of the ghost boy before she went to bed.

"So now that it's finally just us girls…" Paulina pulled half of her hair over her shoulder and began braiding it. "How are you taking your breakup with Danny?"

Star groaned. "We really weren't dating."

"You don't need to be embarrassed," said Paulina. "You could do a lot worse than Danny."

Star thought back to Valerie's glowing words about Fenton. "You don't think he's cute, do you?"

"Of course I do. Prettiest blue eyes I've ever seen." Paulina sighed as she tied off her first braid with a sugary pink bow. "Such a shame he and his family are a bunch of weirdos."

"He is weird, isn't he?" remarked Star.

"Yes." Paulina turned to Star, her eyes wide and full of concern. "Did he break your heart terribly when he dumped you like that? Because the cheerleaders and I can get back at him if you need us to."

Star was pretty sure Valerie would kick her ass if she allowed the cheerleaders to hurt or humiliate Fenton on her behalf. "Uh—no, don't do that, please."

Paulina smiled. "So you still care about him?"

"It's really not what you think."

Paulina chuckled and tied off her second braid. "That boy has made me feel some complicated emotions, too."

Star raised a brow. "Really?"

"Yes." Paulina grabbed a teddy bear from her collection of stuffed animals in the corner of her room and hugged it close to her chest as she joined Star on the floor. "He's cute but also a huge dweeb, like I can't actually associate with him even if he is nice to look at." She sighed dreamily. "But then he's also kind of mysterious, you know? He pretends like he knows nothing about ghosts, but I know he knows a lot more than he's letting on."

Paulina petted the bear between its ears, lost in some thought Star could only guess at.

"So, uh." Star cleared her throat to get Paulina's attention. "If you could ask Fenton one question and he had to answer honestly, what would you ask him?"

"Oh, that's easy. I'd ask him about his relationship to the ghost boy."

"His…relationship? To the ghost boy?"

"Well, sure," said Paulina. "Obviously he knows the ghost boy somehow. The ghost boy is always using that Thermos with the name 'Fenton' on it."

"So, what, you think Fenton gave the ghost boy that Thermos?" asked Star.

"Well, how else would he have gotten it?" Paulina turned up her nose. "The ghost boy is not a thief. He's good."

"Hmm." Star creased her brow. "So you really think Fenton and Phantom know each other?"

"Mmm hmm," said Paulina, once again petting her teddy bear on the head. "Although I've never been able to get Danny to admit it, but if he had to answer honestly, that's what I would ask him."

Star looked off to the side, wondering if maybe she didn't need to come up with the one perfect yes-or-no question to ask Fenton after all. If Phantom was close enough to Fenton that Fenton actually let him borrow his family's ghost inventions, then surely Phantom would know why Fenton's freckles glowed, right?

Maybe all she had to do was find Phantom and ask him instead.

"Oh!" Paulina gasped and jumped to her feet. "The ghost boy!"

She dropped her bear and ran to the window, excitedly pointing at the sky. Star joined her, gazing up at the glowing flash of light streaking high above them. Looking more closely, Star could see that it was actually a white-haired ghost wearing a jumpsuit.

"It's the ghost boy!" squealed Paulina. "Ooh, make a wish! Shooting ghosts are so much luckier than shooting stars!"

Paulina clasped her hands beneath her chin and shut her eyes tight. Star watched her silently mouthing her wish, then turned to look out the window again. Phantom's glow was getting farther away, winking out amidst the constellations.

Right now, Star had only one wish.

I just wish I could figure out Fenton's secret.

Chapter Text

Star watched for any sign of the ghost boy over the entire weekend. During the day, she waited for news about a ghost fight, and at night, she went out to look for him. But he was nowhere.

On Monday in Lancer's English class, Star stared at Fenton a few desks in front of her as he scribbled something in his notebook. She still hadn't decided on a final yes-or-no question to ask him, and at this point, she wasn't sure she'd ever come up with anything good.

Was this it? Had she really lost this game? Had Fenton completely bested her after all?

Fenton shivered. Star frowned, wondering if she had just imagined it because it was actually kind of warm in the classroom.

He shivered again. Star tilted her head.

And then his breath fogged up. Star's eyes widened as she leaned forward because it definitely was not cold enough for that to be even scientifically possible.

Such a freak.

Fenton raised his hand. "Mr. Lancer, can I use the restroom?"

"We're about to break into reading groups, Mr. Fenton," said Lancer. "Are you sure you can't hold it?"

Fenton shook his head. "No, nope. Definitely can't."

Lancer sighed and waved in the direction of the restroom pass hanging near the door. Fenton wasted no time jumping up and running out of the room, grabbing the pass on his way out. Several students snickered. Manson and Foley stared after Fenton.

"The rest of you, please get into reading groups of two or three," said Lancer. "Read the passage on page three-eleven and answer the following questions together."

Students and desks began shuffling around the room, but Star stayed in place, not taking her eyes off the classroom door.

The school's ghost alarm started blaring. Many students screamed, others groaned, some chattered excitedly.

"Ooh, we haven't had a ghost attack in a while!" gushed Paulina. "I hope it comes here so the ghost boy can save us."

Star sat up straighter. The ghost boy, yes, of course. If there was a ghost at the school, then Danny Phantom would probably come to fight it off.

"Please remain calm, everyone," said Lancer as he activated the small ghost shield for the room. "Stay in your seats."

Star took advantage of the commotion to slip out of the room. She could hear Lancer still instructing her classmates to quiet down as she ran down the hall. Other teachers in their own classrooms were also telling their students not to panic, just sit and wait for the alarm to shut off and the all-clear sign.

Star ducked out of sight anytime she saw a teacher open a door and scan the hall for any wayward students. She listened intently as she continued through the halls, not entirely sure what she was listening for but she was sure she'd recognize the sound of a ghost as soon as she heard it.

The air grew colder. Star stopped right outside the library doors and stared at them. When she heard crashing sounds on the other side, she wasted no further time and pulled open the doors.

Inside the library, a huge monster ghost picked up an entire shelf of books and dumped them all into its unhinged jaw. The ghost then spit them out like bullets covered in glowing slime, firing them at none other than the ghost boy himself. Phantom flew out of the way, aiming his own ecto-rays at the monster ghost.

Star watched the battle before her, completely frozen with awe.

Until the library doors slammed shut behind her with a loud bang.

The monster and Phantom both turned their heads in her direction. Star clasped her hands behind her back and smiled sheepishly.

"What are you doing here?" demanded Phantom, his eyes wide. "Don't you hear the alarms? You've gotta go back to your classroom now."

"I will, I promise," said Star. "I just—I mean, there's something I want to ask you—"

"Go now," barked Phantom. "You're gonna get hurt if you—"

The monster ghost swiped at Phantom's right side with a clawed hand, tearing his suit and drawing ectoplasm from the fresh wounds. Phantom clutched at his side and grunted in pain, more ectoplasm oozing between his gloved fingers.

Star stepped backward, her back hitting the doors behind her as she gripped the front of her shirt.

The monster ghost spit more books at Phantom, hitting him in his chest and sending him to the floor with a crash. Phantom groaned, still holding his side, surrounded by torn and damaged books. The monster swallowed another line of books off a shelf and turned back to Phantom, whose head was down as he examined his wounds.

"Ghost boy!" shrieked Star.

Phantom looked up just in time to see the monster spit another barrage of books. He held out his hand and directed a blast of ice at the books, freezing all of them in a wall of thick ice. The monster roared and began attempting to punch through the ice.

"You really should get out of here," said Phantom, still sitting on the floor as he turned his head toward Star.

"No," said Star. "I might never find you again."

The monster's fist sailed through the ice wall, splintering and shattering the middle section. Phantom blasted more ice to freeze the monster's fist in place. The monster howled as it tried to free its hand.

"Well, now that we've broken the ice…"

Phantom phased down through the floor and disappeared. Star furrowed her brow and looked up right as Phantom reappeared in the air behind the monster and blasted a concentrated ecto-ray at the back of its head.

"I think it's time to end this," finished Phantom.

The ecto-ray launched the monster forward, slamming it into the ice wall and then to the floor where it lay in a dazed heap. Phantom then unclipped a Thermos from his belt and aimed it at the monster. Star squinted at the label on the device. It did indeed read 'Fenton,' just as Paulina said.

A bright flash of light, and the monster ghost was gone, sucked away into the Thermos. Phantom placed a cap on the Thermos and sighed with relief. He then looked around the library from where he hovered in the air.

"Minimal damage this time," he said as the ghost alarms stopped blaring.

Star also looked around at the toppled bookcases and ruined books scattered on the floor. "This is minimal to you?"

"Well, the school's still standing, isn't it?"

Phantom reclipped the Thermos to his belt and landed on the floor in front of Star. He winced, bending a little at the waist as he placed a hand over his wounded side just above his right hip.

"Do you need to take care of that?" asked Star, noting the ectoplasm dripping down his jumpsuit and staining his white glove.

"What, this?" Phantom scoffed. "This is nothing."

He straightened up and lowered his arm, revealing three gashes that definitely didn't look like "nothing" to Star.

"Now what is so important that you had to risk your life to come see me in the middle of a ghost fight?" asked Phantom.

"Aw, I wasn't in any real danger." Star batted her eyes. "Not with a big strong hero like you around."

Phantom smirked. "I bet you can get guys to do just about anything for you with that kind of flattery, huh?"

"Hey." Star pouted. "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm waiting for you to tell me what you want to say," said Phantom with a small but amicable laugh. "You're Star, right? Paulina's friend?"

"You know me?"

"I've seen you around."

"Hmm." Star pointed to the Thermos on his belt. "Well, I want to ask about that."

Phantom looked down. "What, my Thermos? I use it to catch ghosts."

"Okay, but why does it say 'Fenton' on it?"

"Uh—oh—um—"

"Do you know Danny Fenton?"

"I—no, not at all. Who's that?"

"Don't play dumb." Star put her hands on her hips. "I saw him run out of class right before the ghost alarm went off. He ran out to give you that Thermos thing so you could catch the ghost, didn't he?"

"Uh…" Phantom paused. "Yeah, that's exactly what happened. His parents are ghost hunters, and he sometimes lets me use their inventions to fight off ghost threats." He nodded emphatically. "Right, yes, that's why it says 'Fenton,' no other reason."

"So you do know him," said Star.

"Um…" Phantom rubbed his neck. "Yeah."

"Really well?"

"Well, we're not like best friends or anything. But you know, he's a pretty cool guy." Phantom gave her a sly smile. "But you already know that. I heard you used to date him."

Star fumed. "I did not—" She caught herself, breathed in and blew it out. "Well, if you know that, then you must know other things about him, right? I mean, you trust him enough to actually work with him when his parents have been trying to hunt you down. He could easily give you some invention that actually traps you, couldn't he?"

"Uh…" Phantom's eyes darted around the room. "I guess I know him well enough to trust him, yeah."

"So then you must know that his freckles glow when he gets excited."

Phantom stared at her.

"Do you know why it happens?" Star leaned forward. "It's a ghost-related thing, isn't it? But what is it exactly that causes it to happen?"

Phantom stared at her a couple more seconds. Then his mouth twitched and he burst out laughing.

Star wrinkled her nose. "What is so funny?"

"That's why you're here, that's why you came here to find me." Phantom smirked. "Danny wouldn't tell you, so you thought that maybe I would tell you."

"I—" Star huffed. "Well, yeah."

Phantom laughed some more. Star felt her face turning red as she clenched her fists by her sides.

"Stop laughing!" she snarled.

"I'm sorry, but that's hilarious," gasped Phantom through his laughter.

"Why?" Star tapped her foot and pressed her fists against her hips. "Why is it hilarious?"

Phantom continued laughing. Star fumed more and more as she waited for him to stop.

God, he was just as insufferable as Fenton.

Phantom's laughter began to die. He held out his hands and breathed out in a final, calming sigh. "Okay, okay, I'm good now."

Star folded her arms and scowled. "Are you gonna tell me or not?"

"Tell you what?"

"About Fenton's freckles!"

"Oh!" Phantom shook his head. "Nope."

"Why not?" Star whined.

"Because he trusts me, too," said Phantom. "And if he doesn't want you to know why his freckles glow, then I'm not about to tell you either."

Star groaned and stamped her foot.

"But listen, I can see this is really important to you for some reason," continued Phantom. "I mean, you put yourself in the middle of a ghost fight just to ask me about it, so I don't want to just leave you here with nothing."

Star's eyes widened as she clasped her hands and waited.

"I can give you a hint if you want," said Phantom. "But that's it."

Star scrunched her mouth. "What kind of hint?"

"Well, first, you have to answer just one question for me," said Phantom. "One question, and then I'll give you the hint." He pointed a finger at her. "But you have to promise you'll be honest."

"Only if it's a yes-or-no question," said Star mockingly with a sassy shake of her head.

"It's not a yes-or-no question."

"Then I'm not answering it."

"Fine. Then you don't get your hint."

Star sighed. "All right, whatever, have it your way. What's your question?"

"What do you really think about Danny Fenton?"

Star blinked several times. "Excuse me?"

"Danny Fenton." Phantom folded his arms. "What are your thoughts about him?"

Star glanced up at the ceiling a quick second. "My thoughts about him as what? As my classmate?"

"Just as a person," said Phantom. "In general. How do you feel about him?"

Star squinted. "Why do you care how I feel about Fenton?"

"Hey, you don't get to ask a question right now," said Phantom with a smile.

Star rolled her eyes. "He's a pain in the ass, that's how I feel about him."

"Okay, but what else?" asked Phantom. "Tell me honestly, come on."

Star scrunched her mouth, genuinely confused. "What else, like what?"

"Like, is he nice?" asked Phantom. "Maybe somehow not a total dweeb?"

Star laughed. "No, he's definitely a total dweeb. Gets all dopey about space and planets when I'm just trying to teach him math." She paused, thinking. "But…he can be weirdly thoughtful, I guess. I mean, he bought me orange roses for a total dickhead reason, but he at least remembered orange is my favorite color."

She thought about the way Fenton smiled at her, the flattering fit of his shirt.

"And he's not, like, hideous," Star continued. "He is kind of cute. I mean, you know, his eyes are a pretty blue color, and he's been putting on some muscle the past year, he's not all that scrawny anymore. And whatever cologne he wears, it smells nice."

Star paused, wondering why she was remembering the way Fenton smelled. But then she sniffed the air and it all made sense.

"Fenton really did give you that Thermos, didn't he?" Star leaned toward Phantom and sniffed again. "I can smell his cologne on you."

"Ah—" Phantom stumbled back one step. "So you really don't mind being around him?"

Star shrugged. "No. I guess being close to him isn't, like, repulsive. I really wouldn't mind tutoring him if he would just shut up and focus."

"He can do that," said Phantom with an eager nod. "Definitely."

Star quirked a brow.

"I mean, um—" Phantom cleared his throat. "So, would you ever go out with him on a real date, maybe?"

Star's face warmed. "Would I—what?"

"You're right, sorry." Phantom shook his head. "That's a new question. Forget I asked that."

A green blush flooded Phantom's cheeks. Star tilted her head, sticking out her bottom lip as she studied him.

"So, are we good?" she asked. "Do I get my hint now? About Fenton's freckles?"

"Oh, right." Phantom straightened. "The hint is, his freckles didn't always glow. I mean, he wasn't born like that. It was an accident."

"An accident? What kind of accident?"

"Well, now, I can't tell you that."

Star groaned and rolled her eyes.

"But is that an okay hint?" asked Phantom.

"Will you give me another if I say no?" asked Star.

Phantom laughed. "No, that's all you get."

"Then I guess it's fine."

"But I mean, does it help you at all?"

Star pouted as she studied Phantom, who appeared almost anxious for her approval.

"Yeah." Star nodded. "It does. Thanks, ghost boy."

"You can just call me 'Danny.'" Phantom jerked his head in a quick shake. "Or 'Phantom.' You know, whatever feels right to you."

Star smiled. "Okay. Phantom."

Phantom smiled back. Star couldn't help but notice that his eyes held such a pretty glimmer to them, gently ebbing with a peridot pulse.

And then Phantom hissed and clutched at his side.

"Are you sure you're okay?" asked Star.

"I probably should clean it up," said Phantom, his gloved hand still covering the gashes.

"Right, yeah, you probably should," said Star.

They both nodded, but neither of them moved. They stared at each other, a strange energy in the air between them.

And for a moment, Star understood exactly why Paulina was so enamored with this boy.

But there was something else about him, something that reminded her of a different boy with dark hair and blue eyes that also seemed to glimmer at times.

"Um, so, to answer your last question…" Star wrung her hands. "I guess I wouldn't be completely against going on a real date with Fenton."

Phantom's eyes widened, his snowy eyelashes fluttering a couple times.

And then little spots of green light began twinkling across his nose and cheeks, even brighter than his ghostly glow already was.

Star's mouth fell open.

"Uhhhhhhh," was all she could get out.

"Star?" Phantom frowned, his freckles dimming. "Everything okay?"

"Uh—yeah, I'm fine." Star forced herself to nod. "I, uh—I should get back to class."

"Me too," said Phantom. "Uh, I mean, not class—I mean—I should go, too."

Phantom floated into the air, his legs melding into a transparent ghost tail before he zoomed away, phasing through a wall. Star stared after him, too dumbfounded to move, trying to figure out if she really just saw what she thought she saw.

Because did that mean—?

No, no, impossible.

Or was it—?

Star turned on her heel and pushed through the library doors out into the hall. She opened the door to Lancer's classroom and scanned all the faces, immediately locating Fenton's. He was sitting at his desk, staring at her like everyone else.

"Miss Rainsdon, please take your seat," said Lancer from the front of the room. "You weren't supposed to leave, not when there's an active ghost threat in the school."

Star ignored him and stared at Fenton, meeting his big blue eyes looking as dopey as ever.

He was here, right here in class.

So he couldn't have been out in the library with her just moments earlier.

Right?

Star narrowed her eyes and entered the classroom, studying Fenton as she walked past him toward her seat.

He smiled at her.

Star's heart quickened.

Why did he have to have such a nice smile?

Star sank into her seat and pulled her hair in front of her ears, hoping to hide the blooming flush in her cheeks.

Chapter Text

When the final bell rang, Fenton was quick to leave the classroom with Foley and Manson. Star watched him leave before turning to her own friends.

"So when did Fenton come back to class?" she asked.

"Huh?" Kwan cocked his head.

"When did he come back to class when?" asked Dash. "Today?"

"Yes, today!" snapped Star. "He went out to use the restroom, remember? And then the ghost alarm went off."

Paulina sighed glumly. "The ghost didn't even attack us. No chance for the ghost boy to come save me."

"So when did Fenton come back?" asked Star again. "Was it like right before I came back? Or a few minutes? Longer?"

"I don't know," said Dash. "I didn't even see him come back in."

"How did you not see him?" whined Star.

"Look, I don't pay attention to Fenton every second of the day," said Dash. "I'm not in love with him like you are."

Star blushed. "I am not—"

"He's all you ever talk about now," said Dash with a sneer.

The A-Listers began to gather their things and stand. Star watched them, still baffled.

"You really don't remember when he came back in?" she asked, rising to her feet and scooping her things into her arms.

"He was just kind of here again," said Kwan.

"Yes, the ghost alarm went off and Lancer started his lecture again and then…" Paulina puckered her lips in thought. "I remember you coming back in. That's all."

"Fenton must've come back in when the ghost alarm was going off and we were all too distracted to notice," said Kwan with a shrug.

"Come on, I'm starving," said Dash, leading the way out of the classroom. "I gotta eat something before practice."

"Yeah, don't want you passing out on the field again," laughed Kwan.

Dash shoved him. "Shut up, I didn't pass out. I just tripped."

"And didn't get up for a whole minute."

"It was not that long!"

Star trailed behind the other A-Listers as they entered the hallway, their chattering getting lost in the cacophony of all the other voices as students scurried past, laughing and shouting and gossiping. As she opened her locker and took out her backpack, she could see Fenton down the hall at his own locker. He caught her eye and smiled.

Star narrowed her eyes as she studied him hard. Fenton's attention was quickly pulled away by his friends, and then he shut his locker and disappeared around a corner.

Fenton and Phantom were at least somewhat close to each other, that much she knew for sure now.

But how close?

In the tutoring room, she took a seat and looked over the list of students signed up for math help that afternoon. But as she tried to concentrate on helping students with quadratic formulas and coordinate planes and differential equations, she found that her mind just kept turning back to Fenton and Phantom.

What do you really think about Danny Fenton?

She had thought it was a strange question for Phantom to ask in the moment, but it seemed even more peculiar now. Was it some kind of wingman routine? Did Fenton ask Phantom to ask her what she thought of him? But how did Fenton know that she and Phantom were going to meet? Was it really just a coincidence?

It had to be, yes. Because it made much more sense than the alternative.

Fenton and Phantom…

They couldn't possibly be the same person. That made absolutely no sense.

"Did I do it right?" asked Gina, the girl Star was tutoring.

"Huh? Oh, yeah." Star blinked and looked over the problem Gina was working on, then quickly shook her head. "Oh, wait, no, no. This is all wrong. Sorry, I'm a little distracted…"

She took an eraser and rubbed out Gina's mistakes, almost all of her penciled calculations. Gina looked at the mostly empty space and sighed.

"You had the right idea," said Star. "Just, uh, just try again."

Star tapped the empty space a couple times with her manicured index finger. Gina sighed again and started a new attempt to solve the problem. Star tried to focus on the movements of Gina's pencil, the numbers being written, but her mind would not stop wandering.

"So, um…" Star hesitated, clearing her throat to stall a moment. "Just out of curiosity, um… What would you do if you thought the ghost kid was a student at our school?"

Gina looked up from her paper, her eyes becoming quite round. "The ghost kid? As in Danny Phantom?" She grinned, somewhat dreamily. "I'd definitely try to get his autograph. And maybe his phone number. I mean, if he has a phone number." She scrunched her mouth. "Do ghosts have cell phones?"

Star glanced down at her phone in her lap as she thought about the times she had seen Fenton using his own phone.

"Maybe," she murmured.

…

The next day, Star watched Fenton closely, keeping her distance as she tried to covertly follow him as much as she could.

But of course, all of the A-Listers noticed.

"You're really taking this breakup hard, aren't you?" asked Dash with a laugh.

"We did not—we were never—" Star groaned and gave up as she followed the group to their next class.

"When you and I broke up, it was easy," said Kwan. "You must really like Fenton to be this hung up on him."

"I am not—"

"I think he might still like you, too," said Paulina. "He's looking this way!"

Star blushed and turned her face just a little to find Fenton indeed looking at her. Their eyes met for a small moment before Manson took Fenton by the arm and pulled him away down the hall.

"You really are out of his league, Star," said Kwan. "But hey, it's your life."

Star was about to turn her face away from Fenton when she saw him stumbling as he tried to keep up with Manson's pace. He clutched his right side, hobbling a few steps before righting himself and walking straight.

Star blinked several times, trying to remember Phantom's wound from the day before. Which side was it?

She remembered the library, the monster ghost baring its claws on one hand and taking a swipe at Phantom. The monster's claws tore through Phantom's suit and there was ectoplasm bleeding out, oozing between Phantom's gloved fingers as he pressed a hand to his side.

His right side.

Star looked over at Fenton again, who was still walking straight but she saw him clutching his right side, yes, definitely his right side.

It's your life, Kwan had said.

But at this moment, Star was far more interested in Fenton's life.

Chapter Text

At lunchtime, Star sat with the A-Listers but could not stop herself from stealing glances at Fenton as he chatted with his friends at their own lunch table.

"Star, you down?" asked Kwan.

Star jolted and turned her face to him. "Hmm? What?"

"We're making plans for this weekend." Dash stuffed the rest of his burger into his mouth, not bothering to swallow it all before he spoke again. "And we are not going to invite Fentnerd, so if all you want to do is keep staring at him, you're gonna have to do that on your own."

"I'm not staring at him!" said Star, her eyes involuntarily darting in Fenton's direction.

Dash batted his eyes. "You're totally hypnotized by his pretty freckles."

"They're not pretty, they just glow!" whined Star.

Dash snorted. "Whatever."

"I can still get all the cheerleaders together to get back at him for humiliating you, you know," said Paulina. "Just say the word."

"He didn't humiliate me!" bleated Star.

"But he must've broken your heart," said Paulina. "Why else would you keep looking at him?"

Star shook her head and tried to think fast. "I'm only looking at him because—um—" She glanced at Fenton again, hoping to get an idea. "Because—Falluca asked me to tell Fenton that he needs to sign up for more tutoring."

"Then go." Dash used one hand to shoo her away. "Go have a nice chat with your lover boy about tutoring."

Star stuck out her bottom lip and tilted up her chin. "I will! I mean, he's not my—but I will talk to him. About tutoring. That's all. Because it'll look good on my college application."

"Yeah, that's the reason," laughed Dash.

Star glowered at him, but she could feel the heat in her cheeks. "It is!"

She jumped up from the table and left in a huff, stomping over to Fenton, who stopped talking the moment he saw her approach. Manson and Foley were also watching her.

"Hi?" said Fenton, one eyebrow quirked.

Star was at a sudden loss for words as she looked back at him. His puzzled expression was just so cute and she had not been prepared for it.

Shut up, how could she possibly think he was cute!

She shook her head and regained her composure, putting on a wily smile as she took a very deliberate seat to Fenton's right. "Heya, Fenton."

"Hey, Star!" said Foley brightly from across the table. Beside him, Manson narrowed beady eyes at her.

"Hey," said Star flatly, waving a hand in Foley's direction more to dismiss him than to greet him. She then sweetened her tone and propped her elbows on the table, clasping her hands under her chin. "So, Fenton, what are you up to?"

Fenton eyed her warily before gesturing to the lunch tray in front of him. "Eating?"

Star wrinkled her nose at the mashed potatoes and crispy chicken covered with gravy on his tray. "Ah, yes. I can see that."

"Do you need something, Star?" asked Fenton.

Star glanced at the A-List table. The A-Listers were all turned in their seats, watching her.

"As a matter of fact, yes." Star cleared her throat. "Mr. Falluca asked me to ask you why you haven't signed up for tutoring lately."

Fenton squinted one eye. "Why doesn't he just ask me himself? He's my math teacher, I see him literally every day."

"Uh, well—" Star shrugged. "He thinks I'd be better at persuading you to sign up again."

"Because we used to date?"

"Yea—no!" Star growled. "We weren't dating!"

"Then why do you care if I sign up for tutoring again?"

"I don't!" snapped Star. "I'm just asking for Falluca. It's part of my responsibilities as a math tutor."

"So do you want me to sign up for tutoring with you?" asked Fenton.

Star blushed and flicked a dismissive hand. "It doesn't have to be me. It can be any of the math tutors."

"But do you want it to be you?" cut in Foley.

Star shot Foley a nasty glare, but then she tried to relax and laugh it off. "Look, all I'm saying is, we all know that this guy—" Star elbowed Fenton just below his ribs, the same area as Phantom's injury. "—needs all the help he can get when it comes to math."

Fenton grunted and stiffened, seemingly trying to pretend that it didn't hurt at all. Star hid a smirk by scrunching her mouth into an innocent pout.

"Oh, do I now?" said Fenton through clenched teeth, his lips curved into a strained smile.

"Well, sure!" said Star. "I mean, you don't want to fail math, do you?"

"Wait, are you failing math, Danny?" asked Manson with a frown.

"Not last time I checked," said Fenton.

"Well, maybe not now," said Star, "but a lot can happen before the end of the year!"

"A lot like what?" Fenton's eyes lidded.

"You know." Star shrugged with her palms raised. "Things just come up, right? Things that distract you. Family, hobbies…" She paused, turning her head just enough to give him a side-eye. "Ghost fighting."

Fenton stayed completely still, but his eyes widened just enough that Star noticed. Foley and Manson exchanged glances that appeared quite nervous.

"Ghost fighting?" echoed Fenton.

"Yeah," said Star. "Ghost fighting's pretty big in your family, isn't it?"

"Uh…yeah," said Fenton. "My parents are into it."

"But aren't you too?" asked Star, twirling a lock of her hair. "I remember that whole thing with the pirate ghosts that took all our parents."

She also remembered just how good Fenton looked in that tight orange jumpsuit that perfectly accentuated his—

"I mean, you seemed to know what you were doing," squeaked Star, trying her best to banish the image from her head.

"But it's not a hobby for Danny or anything," said Foley.

"Yeah, he just naturally picks up on ghost-hunting tricks from his parents," said Manson.

"Is that so?" Star simpered. "Well, considering his grades, it's good to hear he's a natural at something. Right, Fenton?"

She elbowed him in the side again, this time a tad harder. Fenton's body bent with the force, a strangled sound coming from his throat held in only by his tightly pressed lips.

"I wouldn't say I'm a natural," breathed out Fenton, his voice crackly and tight.

"You're so modest," purred Star, lightly smacking his shoulder.

Manson made a face, poking her tongue out just a little through her teeth. "Okay, so are you done here now? All you wanted was to tell Danny he should sign up for tutoring again?"

"Will you?" asked Star, looking at Fenton.

"Do you want me to?" asked Fenton, sincerity in his sky blue eyes. His tousled hair seemed to float around his ears and over his forehead, looking so tuggable and soft.

Star felt warmth blooming in her cheeks as her eyes roamed his face, the thick shape of each eyebrow, the sharp jut of his nose, the sweet color of his lips—

Star forced herself to laugh, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "Hey, I don't really care. It's your math grade on the line, not mine."

Star elbowed him again, even harder than before. Fenton yelped and jumped up from the table, cradling his side with one hand as he backed away from her. He froze, then laughed, dropping his hand.

"Okay, well, maybe I'll see what's open," said Fenton, his lips twitching into a tense smile.

He stared at her, and she stared back. The image of Fenton in that tight orange jumpsuit popped up in her head again. He and Phantom had such similar physiques, but it just couldn't be, could it?

"You, uh—" Star cleared her throat. "I still get to ask you one last question, right?"

Fenton's expression turned serious. "Yes," he said softly. "Did you want to ask it now?"

Star breathed in, her lungs shaking with a feeling she didn't quite understand.

And then she heard snickering from the A-List table behind her. Her face and neck burned as she shook her head.

"Uh—no, I gotta go," said Star. "Later, geeks."

She stood and headed for the cafeteria exit, too embarrassed to return to her friends.

Chapter Text

Star held her locker open, staring at the bouquet of orange roses inside. Or what was left of the bouquet, anyway. The roses had died from lack of sunlight and water, their golden luster dried up, nothing but wrinkled petals now.

And yet, she couldn't bring herself to throw them away. Not just yet.

"Hey, Star," said Paulina, coming up behind her.

Star quickly shut her locker and whirled around. "Oh, hey," she said, tossing her hair over one shoulder.

"Why'd you run out of the cafeteria?" asked Paulina, holding her books to her chest as she leaned against the lockers. "The boys ended up eating the rest of your lunch."

"I, uh…" Star scratched the side of her nose. "I just forgot that I was supposed to talk to my economics teacher during lunch," she said, choosing a teacher that she knew Paulina was not familiar with.

"You sure that's it?" Paulina pouted and tilted her head. "Or did Danny say something that broke your heart again?"

Star could feel warmth in her cheeks. "He didn't break my heart."

Paulina raised a brow, a knowing smile on her freshly glossed lips.

"Look, the guy's a weirdo," said Star, trying to sound convincing. "You know that. I can do better than him."

Paulina's mouth puckered. "If there's anything I've learned from listening to all the girls on the cheer squad, it's that you really can fall in love with anyone."

Star frowned, genuinely puzzled. "Even you?"

Paulina shrugged. "Even me. I fell in love with a ghost, after all."

A ghost. She meant Danny Phantom.

Star again remembered her encounter with Phantom in the library, his wounded side. The way Fenton jumped up from the cafeteria table when she jabbed him in the same side.

It made no sense and yet it made all the sense in the world.

The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch period. Paulina and Star began heading for their next classes.

"But how would you feel if you found out the ghost boy wasn't who you thought he was?" asked Star. "I mean, what if you found out he's really just…a freak? A loser?"

"That's not possible," said Paulina.

Star waited, curious.

"He's saved our town so many times," Paulina explained. "He's even personally saved my life. Someone like that just has to be…" Paulina sighed, looking up at the ceiling. "Wonderful."

Star sucked the inside of her cheek.

"And he's super cute; I've seen him up close. You can't fake good looks." Paulina scrunched her mouth, her brow furrowing. "Well, boys can't."

An image of Fenton smiling entered Star's head, so genuine and kind and yes super cute, she could not deny it.

She felt a blush rising up her neck and fought it off as hard as she could, turning her face away so Paulina wouldn't see it.

…

Throughout the second half of the day, Star kept her eye on Fenton, watching him in the hall during passing periods, waiting for some kind of sign, a signal, no idea what but she was sure she would recognize it when she saw it.

She watched him from a distance, careful to stay hidden so he wouldn't see her. Because if he turned his face in her direction and actually smiled at her, she was sure she'd fall apart, melt into a puddle, unable to reform.

But this was so stupid, this was Fenton, the biggest loser in school. Well, maybe that was being hyperbolic, maybe not in the school, but at least their grade. Well, okay, maybe that was also an exaggeration, maybe he wasn't the biggest loser in their grade, but he was definitely certainly absolutely not in her league and there was no good reason why she should be feeling so weak in the knees when she caught sight of his dopey blue eyes and his doofy soft hair and his dumb muscle-toned arms and his—

His side—

Fenton was gripping his side with both hands, fingers splayed, slightly bent over. Star knew exactly which class Fenton had next—English with Lancer, same as her—but instead of going to class, Fenton was heading for the nearest restroom, grimacing and digging his fingers into his right side. He pushed open the men's door and disappeared inside.

Star glanced down the hall in the direction of her next class and made a split-second decision, barreling toward and through the men's door before she could change her mind.

Inside the restroom, Fenton was standing in front of a sink, using one hand to lift up his shirt. He was inspecting three scabby gashes on his right side.

Star froze. The gashes looked an awful lot like claw marks, claws like the ghost monster in the library had.

Her body tensed and shook as she stared at the wounds, fluid leaking between cracks in the scabs. Fenton jumped when he caught sight of her and dropped his shirt, his eyes wide as he stared back at her.

Silence stretched between them. Star breathed deeply, again and again, her heart racing.

"I want to ask my last question now," she said, her voice wobbling.

Fenton turned so he was facing her more fully. "Okay," he said just above a whisper.

"And—and you have to be honest."

"I know. I will."

Star pulled in another breath, bracing herself. "Are you Danny Phantom?"

Fenton did not answer for many long seconds. When he finally opened his mouth, the door to the restroom swung open. Dash barged in and groaned when he saw Fenton and Star.

"Can you two maybe wait to make out until after I piss?" grumbled Dash, making his way to one of the urinals.

Star's face burned and she sprinted out of the restroom, down the hall and toward her next class. Her legs ached and sweat dripped under her shirt but she did not stop until she reached the classroom door, panting and choking on her spit.

She swallowed and entered the classroom, taking her normal seat next to Paulina. Paulina gave her a curious look but thankfully did not comment on her haggard appearance. Dash entered the classroom just as the bell rang, but Fenton was not with him.

Lancer stood at the front of the room and was counting students with one finger, silently mouthing to himself.

"Mr. Fenton is tardy again, I see." Lancer clicked his tongue in disapproval as he bent over his desk and wrote something down on a sheet of paper.

Star watched as Manson and Foley looked at the empty seat between them and exchanged confused glances with each other. She clasped her clammy hands and breathed in to quiet her thudding heart.