Canadian thanksgiving weekend... You know what I'm thankful for? An extra day off classes to do more writing!

Oh dear that sounded ungrateful... Heya folks it's Watermalone here with the FINAL CHAPTER OF THIS STORY! As small as it was, it's the first entire story that I've finished writing front to back and I gotta say, it feel great!

Okay so maybe it's not that impressive of a feat, but as a first time writer, I'm pretty happy with my progress. One thing you should know about me, if anything, is that I'm not a writer. I regret saying this, but I didn't spent a lot of my adolescence reading or writing, and as a result, I'm relatively illiterate compared to a lot of the amazing writers in this community. Nevertheless, I'm forcing myself to become more versed in my writing style, and I've definitely been making an effort in at least picking up one or two books in my spare time.

Alright, enough boredom! You guys obviously don't need to hear my life story, so here are reviews!

An especially special thank you to the one and only EVAunit42: Haha I'm sorry you're gonna have to live without the poofy dress. Oh man, that song so super cheesy, it out-cheeses Marco's nachos! But I love Michael Bublé, his music never does me wrong. Ninja humble bots, activate! *A bunch of mini Canadian ninja robots poof out of thin air* Yeah, I actually have zero knowledge of what goes on during Prom aside from what television and movies have taught me.

xboxrica: Thank so much, I'm really glad you've enjoyed the story up to this point. Here's hoping the aftermath is a hit with you too!

The Unnamed: Haha I love how you caught the reference, I seriously wrote it with the same thought in my head. It's gotta be British. But then again, Ferguson does have red hair... He very well could be Irish! (Dear god what is Irish Ferguson even?)

CelticReaper: *Raises broom in the air* READ ALL THE STARCO!

Guest (1): 'Twas adorable indeed, I'm such a Starco junkie!

Guest (2): OH MY GOSH THANK YOU I LOVE THAT YOU LOVED THIS AHHHHHH!

Guest (3): Haha it was pretty cheesy, but c'mon, when it's a heart-melty moment like that, how can one not use such cheese?

FanfictionForDayz: Spit take win! Haha I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter, perhaps Star was a bit more bold than she thought she was *wink wink*. Thanks for your support!

heaventide: IT'S OKAY THANKS FOR REVIEWING, YOU'RE WAY TOO AWESOME BUT DON'T FALL OFF OF CHAIRS FOR ME THAT'S DANGEROUS. ALSO YOUR SISTER CANNOT JUDGE YOU BECAUSE I HONESTLY DID THE SAME THING WHILE I WAS WRITING AND EVERYONE AROUND ME WAS LIKE "WHY ARE YOU SMILING LIKE AN IDIOT?"

H Mae: Ahhh nooo don't evaporate you still need to read the last chapter! *Throws stacks of paper into the air* Where's Mr. E's vacuum when you need it? Yep she did. Much glob...

acosta perez jose ramiro: Thanks for the support! Glad that you're enjoying the story!

Business matter number two! The stupendous installments of other authors! First of all, a HUUUUUGE must-read would be EVAunit42's finale of If I say I miss you, will you come back? It has been a long journey for him, and it's finally come to a close. If you haven't checked it out already (although I can't imagine why), I highly recommend you do, it's... just beautiful. Also in his arsenal is a new series of one shots in his collection There's always a star and a hoodie. Next up would be PFTones3482, she's got a few more one shots in The Princess and the Safe Kid, not to mention her brand new series Star vs. the Forces of Marco. Third, FanfictionForDayz has got a new chapter going in the series Until You Realize. Also Sir GolfAlphaMike is NOT dead and has come back with another chapter in Starfall. Finally on the chopping block is Irritus185's set of one shots Of Magical Wands and Safety Helmets. All gorgeously written and definitely worth a read for the modern day Starco trash like myself.

And with that being said here is the final chapter of Something New. It's been a long time coming, but, without further ado, I present chapter three; Embers. Relax, read, rate and review.

Okay Disney, so I can't own SVTFOE, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? I OWN THIS STORY SO HA! ... Well that was extremely pathetic. It also somehow made me feel worse about my existence... *sniff*...

An old school janitor lazily swept piles of streamers and balloons to the side, adding to the massive collection in the corner.

Hours had passed since the music had stopped playing. All the students had been escorted out the gym by parents and staff alike, in anticipation of attending the post-prom party.

Marco and Star, however, had stayed behind, adamant about going to another event, as their minds were still quite muddled by the residual emotions entailed by the dance. Not to mention, the kiss.

Marco looked to his left. There she sat, twiddling her thumbs nervously, still probably trying to comprehend the last two hours. Even he wasn't too sure what had exactly happened.

It was as though his mind wasn't in control of his body. He couldn't understand why, but allowing himself to let go like that felt scary... but at the same time... amazing. The idea of being in love with his best friend was exciting. Perhaps it was because of the countless adventures they shared, or the thousands of hours they had spent, simply enjoying each other's company. Perhaps... it was something even more.

What was it about her that made him feel the way he did? Or rather, rhetorically, what didn't? The way she always saw the bright side of life, constantly trying to spread happiness to those around her, or the fact that she was constantly goofing around, trying to get him to be more outgoing and fun loving, her 'upbeat and lively' personality showing off every time she laughed, somehow always forcing a small tinge of blush to caress his cheek.

She was unbelievably strong; they had faced hard times together, and every time he saw her in pain, his heart broke a little. There was something about her that he lived to protect. From the day they met, he deemed part of his existence to keep her safe, no matter the cost. A promise, that he would sacrifice anything and everything to see her smile one more time...

Marco opened his mouth to speak, but no such words came out. The mind could be quite the cruel mistress.

Star, on the other hand, was faring no better.

She had always dreamed, even as a little girl, to one day meet the man of her dreams. He would be courageous; willing to put his life on the line to defend the innocent. He would be smart, intelligent and freethinking, determined to understand philosophy and purpose. He had to be loving. Show compassion and empathy to the suffering. Also cute, he had to be cute. (She made this list when she was ten, give her a break.)

But what about Marco? She had never considered him to be more than a best friend. For good reason too. They spent nearly four years together. Four beautiful, magical, perfect years. They had grown so much together, physically and mentally, that he felt like a part of her. No matter where one went, the other would always be welcome to tag along. It was out of pure trust that they would never intentionally change anything in their relationship.

And yet, there he was. Courageous; he was always by her side, eager to protect her from relentless monster attacks. Smart? Of course, he always had the top grades in the household, not to mention he could definitely hold an intelligent conversation (she couldn't say the same for any of the princes she had met before). Compassionate? Caring? Kind? Yes, yes, and more yes. Cuteness... Her mind instantly recalled the image of him standing in front of her as they slow danced not more than two hours ago, causing her heart to flutter at the idea. Maybe a little.

He was the very definition of perfection. No matter how many times he felt down and out about Jackie years ago, she always cheered him on because she knew that Marco was a great guy. The only person who didn't believe that was him. And this pained her. Such a pure and amazing soul like his didn't deserve to be hurt. She wanted to protect him. To shield him. As if self-esteem were a physical barrier, she would willingly reinforce it anyway she could. She cared about him too much to see him fall.

Maybe it was out of sheer spontaneity. It could've been just the heat of the moment. Pressing eyes, peer pressure, even social convention... all excuses she framed upon her actions. But one thing she couldn't explain:

Why did it feel... so right?

"Marco..?" She spoke delicately.

He was still lost in thought. It appeared as though he was staring at where they had danced earlier, only, something was different.

Longing.

"Hey, Marco?"

His mind returned to the present. "Yeah?"

"About the- um... y'know.."

"The dance?" She flinched at his bluntness.

"Ahem- yeah... th-the dance."

Marco sighed. He knew it was too good to be true. She would tell him that it was an accident. That she was feeling vulnerable after being hurt by Oskar, that he was a great guy and all but she didn't want to be more than friends. Or the classic 'I'm not ready to move on', and that 'he deserved someone better'.

'Someone better'. An impossibility that he scoffed at. He didn't want anyone else anymore. He wanted her.

Clenching his jaw, he braced for the worst.

"It's n-not that I didn't enjoy it.. Er-rather it was great! I just-"

"It's okay. I understand." He shied away, afraid she would detect the hint of sadness in his eyes.

"Y-you do?" It was hard to believe he understood all the things that she didn't say.

"Yeah.. I mean... I guess I was expecting a bit too much, and I didn't wanna put you in an awkward position, and I swear this will never happen again. I was just..."

She was afraid of where this was going. "Marco... I-"

"No it's cool... I get it. Honestly. You don't have to console me or anything. If anything, I'm always happy for you. And... this won't change anything. I'll still always be there for you."

Her mind was a melting pot of raw emotions.

"No... you don't understand..."

"Understand what?" Rage bubbled in his voice. "That I'm an idiot for thinking that I had a chance with you? That I had the audacity to- to... do... what I did back there? No. I completely get it and..." He choked on the last words. "I'm sorry... Alright?"

Every word punctured her heart. "Stop! Please, listen to me!"

He remained unresponsive, unmoving.

"Marco!" Grabbing his shoulder, she forcefully twisted him around his seat, focusing his field of view on her.

"Wha-" He protested.

"No! It's not like that at all!" She was on the verge of tears. "I wanted to say that I'm just..." She couldn't bring herself to say the words. It was too much.

Marco saw the water forming between her eyes instantly felt his expression soften. Placing a hand overtop hers, he nodded for her to continue.

She drew a deep breath. It was like the clichéd 'ripping-off-a-bandaid' moment. Take the brunt of the pain and suffering for a few moments rather than torture yourself by slowly dragging it along... Right?

"I'm just... SO CONFUSED!" Her sudden outburst slightly offset him. "I don't know what I'm feeling Marco, I-I know we're best friends, a-and, I'm afraid! OK? I said it.. I'm scared!" She didn't mean to sound upset, but this was no longer her mind in authority.

"Marco, I think... I think I love you.." She continued before he could process that statement. "I do... I really do it's just... I want this to work... So bad because... You're a great guy, and even though I never thought about you in that way before... Being with you... Feels so... Perfect..."

Marco was stunned by this sudden turnaround.

Star's tone grew in confidence. "But after what happened with Oskar, and then having this sudden revelation, I'm scared that I'm just going to get hurt again. I'm not even sure if I should love you! Is-is it wrong for best friends to be in love..?"

This was something he definitely could answer.

"I honestly don't know. But... all I know is... after dancing with you, and y'know, the other thing, I've never felt so alive before. It's like I've been living encapsulated my entire life, never once seeing the light. And when... that happened, it was like opening my eyes for the first time. I've never understood love, but I know first and foremost, I care about you. A-and I could never er- I would never do anything to hurt you."

Her lips curled into a smile. "Really?"

He nodded. "Yeah... Really."

"Thanks.. Marco... You don't know how much that means to me to hear you say that."

"Um... Don't mention it." Giggling, they shrugged off some tension. It was regained by the following awkward pause.

"So..." Star began, "I didn't know you were *ahem* such a good kisser."

This sent Marco's cheeks in a heated frenzy. "Y-yeah well... Beginner's l-luck I sup-p-pose... Um... You were very good too... nice... technique and... stuff..."

"Too soon?"

He coughed out a breath of relief. "Too soon."

They glanced in opposite directions. More awkward silence.

Star looked back in his direction. Why was she so confused? Wouldn't it just be so easy to just tell him she loved him? Why did she have to go and say that there was a part of her that didn't know? She knew full well her current feelings for him. So where did this doubt stem from? It didn't take a genius to understand that Marco obviously felt the same way about her, there was no need for this drama. If she wanted to she could just lean over, grab his dorky plush face and smooch him up, right then and there.

Well.. why not?

"Hey, Marco?"

He turned to face her. "Mhm?"

"Can I see something?"

He stood up. The last time she said that she turned his head into a dog's head. It lasted for a week.

"What, exactly?"

"Oh nothing bad," she lifted herself off the chair as well, holding her hands behind her back, legs crossed, innocently gazing at the floor, "I just wanna test something."

This piqued his interest (and fear). "What did you have in mi-"

Lunging forward, she grabbed his cheeks with both her hands, smushing his lips together as she planted hers on his. Resisting at first, he slowly gave in to this sudden act of romance, sliding his arms behind her back.

Despite Star being the aggressor, she found herself slowly losing control over the situation. Her mind numbed completely to the point of being left helpless in his arms. Eyes fluttering shut, it was Marco's turn to take charge.

He pulled her right up against his body, feeling her heart beat into his chest. Allowing his hand to roam free, it eventually felt its way up behind her neck, cradling her head between his fingertips. Her cheeks emanated a warm glow in his direction, providing positive feedback for his actions.

The way he had advanced into the situation was more than what she needed. His hand stroking the back of her neck only sent chills down her spine, causing her to arch her back, surrendering her position to him. But it wasn't enough. She wanted more. Parting her lips, she heard a soft moan escape her lungs. Primal adrenaline blitzed her mind, stimulating the feeling of pleasure and excitement that she could only describe as pure love.

He could sense the animal lust in her tone for more. Responding immediately, he glided his mouth above her upper lip and tasted her sweet lipstick, tracing his tongue along her teeth.

Gently biting her lip was enough to drive her over the edge. She gathered all her leftover energy for one last push. The world around them stilled. Her heartbeat reminiscent of a fireworks display.

Shewas definitely satisfied with these results.

Blood rushed back her face upon feeling his breath tickling her nose, indication that the moment was spent.

And thus, they slowly reopened their eyes, hesitant to face reality and accept the consequences.

To his surprise, her cheek's hearts were pulsating between a soft pink and a deep red. Without thinking, he dragged his hand along her cheek, realizing it was burning hot. Instinctively, she withdrew her hands from his face and let it brush along his arms, eventually arriving at his wrist.

He dropped his arm, however she did not let go. Instead, she cupped his fingers in her palms, still nervously shaking, and stared directly into his solemn brown eyes.

Marco's breath still weighed heavily in his lungs. This was still pretty much his first experience in any form of romantic interaction and it was... intense, to say the least. Upon letting go of reality, he felt controlled by a strange entity, allowing himself to be guided. Even stranger, he had no qualms against this invisible force.

Star's mind remained in a clueless puddle. Hearing Marco's voice aligned the pieces of actuality before her eyes.

"Was that... Er- did you find what you- you were looking for..?"

She blinked twice. "Um... Actually.. I did."

He swallowed the lump in his throat. It fought back.

"And... was it... to your liking?"

A small grin pushed its way onto her lips. He was such an adorable little gentleman.

She responded a bit too nonchalantly, "Well..." Uh-oh... here it comes.

"I mean I'll have to think about it.." Did he mess up? Was he too forward? Maybe it was a bit aggressive on his part..

"But so far I'd say..." No. He didn't want to hear it. Tightly forcing his eyes closed, he could hear almost hear this thoughts thrashing against the interior of his mind.

"It was perfect." His muddled brain had a hard time accepting what she said.

"Wha?" He carefully opened one of his eyes, the other still tightly locked shut.

"I said," she swam her arms underneath his, hooking around his shoulders and pulling him downwards, her lips less than an inch away from his ear. "It was perfect."

Her whispers were barely audible. But nothing compared to the feeling of pure joy when she pulled him close, faces practically touching.

Like an overflowing dam, his chest burst in relief, hours of trapped breaths escaped his lungs, relaxing every tense fibre in his being.

She giggled at the sound of his sigh. He had clearly been holding back a lot throughout the entire night.

"Good... I was afraid I had messed up there."

"What do you mean? I would be more worried about how you seemed a bit too experienced for this sorta thing." She slid him a sly glance, impressed that he seemed to know what he was doing during the miniature make out session.

"Experienced?" His face was colored with fear and anxiety. "I-I mean of course. I've- done that- with tons of girls before."

She released him, eyes fully widened at his words. His heart plummeted upon seeing her reaction.

"N-no! I mean I've never had... Erm- I actually don't even like the thought of-"

She raised an eyebrow. Shoot! He hadn't intended it to sound that way! He rubbed the back of his head in frustration.

"I-I didn't mean that either! It was good, actually it was amazing and I hope that we could... do it again sometime...?"

Her eyes narrowed at him, staring daggers into his soul.

"Augh! No, it's just... How-.. How about I shut up before I somehow make this even worse." His head hung in shame.

Seriously Diaz? He internally chastised himself, You couldn't even try to sound smooth? I swear I've got to be the biggest idiot ever.

The biggest idiot ever was certainly surprised when he felt the girl's soft skin wrap around his, catching him in a hug.

"Yeah, 'cause if you keep talking, we can't keep kissing." Her voice calm and seductive.

This nearly brought Marco to his knees.

"Well... We probably could, although it would be really difficult to breathe, not to mention not much would get across since it would be-" he stopped, realizing Star's unimpressed expression. "Ahem- shut up?"

Content, she smiled back sweetly. "Shut up."

Once again, they closed their eyes as their lips drew near, warm breaths tickling each other's noses, hearts beating in sync.

"YOU KIDS GET OUT THE GYM THIS INSTANT! THIS IS A SCHOOL NOT A 'LOVE FACTORY'!" The elderly janitor's shrieks shook the floor, startling the two.

They stared at the old man, his eyes ablaze in fury.

"I NEED TO GET HOME IN TWENTY MINUTES TO FEED MR. MITTENS (his cat?) AND I AM NOT WAITING FOR YOU TWO TO GET MARRIED FIRST!" He lifted his broom menacingly, ready to strike the couple.

Star and Marco exchanged glances before they booked it out the gymnasium, hands linked together, shoes thumping on the wooden boards, and an old janitor in hot pursuit.

"Marco- Marco wait, my heels!" Star cried, her tired feet in extreme pain from sprinting.

Marco halted in his tracks, determined to be the hero. "Here, hold on tight!" He bent over and hoisted Star onto his back, carrying her piggyback style.

"WOO! YEAH THIS IS MUCH BETTER!" Star shouted atop Marco. "HI-HO DIAZ!"

Marco glared back defiantly, standing completely still.

"Please?" She retracted slightly, scared that he might put her back down.

Instead, he rolled his eyes and began dashing, barely missing being swiped at by the broom.

The two busted their way through the main school doors, laughing and screaming like hyenas.

The old man stopped, gasping for air. "Darn kids, always... being so young..." He turned back towards the building. He had lots of cleaning left to do.

Marco, still carrying Star, hadn't noticed that they were long out of range of the old man, however he kept going, with the girl clinging to his back en route to their suburban home. In the midst of all the chaos, they had forgotten Marco drove there.

But the moment was too perfect to be concerned with such trivial details.

Down the street they went, the moon brilliantly lit the bleak and dark pathway before them, illuminating the peaceful setting of Echo Creek in a soft warm glow. Their laughter pierced the night.

So, there you have it. The final chapter.

Okay so maybe I made that sound a lot more drastic than what it was worth, but honestly, after all I've gone through to get this done, I feel amazing! A gigantic thank you to everyone! This story meant a lot to me, but it meant even more that all you who read, faved, followed and/or reviewed this story enjoyed it just as much as I did.

So before I kill myself with the sappy vibes, I will make mention of a few important matters. First of all, this story being done marks my comeback to this community. This means that I will most likely resume with updating again, not too often, but on a pretty decent schedule. That being said, I have a couple of new projects lined up for the future! As you may know, EVAunit42 had asked me to write a short little scene for his grand finale of If I say I miss you and, by accident, I thought he wanted me to write him an entire one shot. So I wrote a one shot, but then condensed it because it was too long, and he proceeded to use what he needed from it. I, however, know of exactly what he left out, and have plans to finish it, if not, expand on the entire story itself. It will be a one shot, of course, but look for that in the near future.

Also in the works is a... brand new type of series I'm working on. This one is different, but it's been in the back of my mind for a while now. The idea is ambiguous, but I was fortunate enough to ask for the helping hand of one awesome author who was kind enough to offer to help give me tips, edits and maybe even belt out a few lines for the story. Again, Mr. EVAunit42. A wonderful author and I can never thank him enough to agreeing to this.

And as always, reviews and comments are deeply appreciated. Thank you all for joining me in this incredible ride, if anything, I'm most thankful for you, my audience, for supporting me and bringing me confidence to continue writing. I hope to see you all soon, Watermalone out. :)