Miss Skullnick droned on and on about stuff no one cares about, and no one is going to use. I may sit in the front of the class, but I don't need eyes on the back of my head to see that everyone is just bored.

Then when I'm taking notes, pretending to pay attention to keep up my appearance as the 'Safe Kid', I hear the faint sounds of bullying in the classroom. Nothing too loud, wouldn't want to get caught after all, but just loud enough.

When I hear the empty insults, the petty justifications that fuel them, and the target that would get hurt; hearing the faint reaction of the victims in my classroom would allow me to learn what sets them off.

Usually, it would be Star who would be the target of this, but not that girl she sits next to in class. Janna Ordonia, a complicated female, but nothing special despite her occult-ish hobbies, and has bully-like personality as she would always tease and rarely use physical force.

The one thing that separates her from the rest of the bullies here is that she knows when to stop. It could be why she and Star are friends; even I find a little comfort in her presence.

Janna is one of the few people I can tolerate, not because that she is cunning and can actually think for herself, but it is because of her macabre hobbies.

A part of me is glad that there is someone with similar hobbies as me...and that ruins everything. It's not that I feel competition or challenge, it is simply the degree of how extreme our fascination to the things that give off a grim and ghastly atmosphere.

When I think of macabre-theme stuff, I imagine my classmates with their skin evaporating, their large intestines nothing more that scarfs that spew excrement while the wails of the damned sing a jolly tune.

But Janna? It's just nothing more than Hollywood quality murders, paranormal topics, and supernatural arts. Don't get me wrong; Janna can pick a lock and pickpocket like a thief. But that's only because she has easy targets here at the school.

At the freshmen assembly to greet the new students, we were told to properly place our valuables in secure locations- like our lockers. Of course everyone would rather text on his or her phones, or play on some new app, rather than listen.

I don't need that pig of a principle to lecture me on common sense while sweaty, hormone-raging brats surround me; I know to keep my money somewhere safe, you don't need to be a genius to figure that out.

And yet to a degree of stupidity that no one will notice but me, theses idiots just casually leave it loosely hanging out of their pockets! Perhaps they wanted attention- they certainly got Janna's, but I always remind myself that the student population would follow the dumbest trends, never thinking on their own; at some time ago, for example, eating laundry detergent.

"Class dismissed," The teacher announced, the troll lady made a few quick scribbles on the chalkboard before she glanced at me. "Except for you, Mr. Diaz."

A following of "Ooh" came from my classmates, mocking and condescending as if they have never got in trouble before.

Of course I never did, no one ever suspects that Marco Diaz pushed Brittney Wong down the stairs. Or put small doses of rat poisoning in the cafeteria food when I volunteered to work there.

And that is what makes this all great; I just exist. I'm the Safe Kid, and nothing more. Not malicious, popular, or the main target for being bullied. I'm just average and invisible.

And of course the school never went public about the rat poison, they wouldn't want their precious funding to go away if word got out. It's why Brittney gets away with the things she does here at school; her rich family helps fund the school with large donations.

In the end, the lives of students are worth nothing. I disagree! People's lives are worth something: my comedy material; a set-up for the punch line, and the feeling of stamina fading from the body after a good, long laugh.

I watched my classmates shuffled out of the classroom as the bell rang, excited that the final class of today was finally over. After talking with the teacher, I walked out of the classroom to be greeted by a smirking Janna.

"Sup, Diaz," The girl greeted me, who stopped leaning against a nearby trashcan to walk along with me. "What did the old troll-lady want with you?"

I turned to her, a fake smile on my face as I play my role as the Safe Kid. "Oh just a talk about Star." I lied, I just wanted to watch her body tense as her eyes took on a look of guilt; she hid it well, but I always notice.

"O-Oh," Janna's composure faltered for a moment before regaining confidence as if what I said didn't affect her. "What was it about?"

"Something private," I lied again. In truth, Miss Skullnick just wanted me to go to the principle to discuss my upcoming absence this Friday; there is someone I need to see at the cemetery before I go to the hospital. "Apparently, Star has been going through some issues at school. I wonder why?"

"Yeah," Janna looked downcast. "I wonder why..."

But I know why, I always know why. Janna would tense a bit when Star's name was mentioned, either by me or by the gossip around the school. She would try to hide it as act like she doesn't care.

However, I was there, watching in the distance when Janna's suicide joke made Star break down and cry. I remember my face hurting so much from my efforts to hide my laughter. Can you blame me? It was a really good joke!

And of course, people gathered at the scene like flies on a homeless child who starved to death. They were all looking, pitying, and laughing, at Star and none of them helped. Since she didn't know what to do, Star just away, leaving a stunned Janna behind.

Star became a hot topic of gossip after that scene, but Janna was never mentioned since all the drama was focused on Star. And if I'm being honest, I think the only reason why Janna even bothers being nice to Star is because she regrets what happened.

Janna may be a lot of things, but heartless isn't one of them. Yet her motivated is tainted with self-interest, trying to atone for what she's done.

Personally, I don't even bother with all of the 'atonement' crap that religious students talk about because, for me, atonement not a time machine.

We can never undo what we've done. We just make excuses to comfort ourselves so we can sleep easier at night and forget about the consequences. That's why I make every action count.

"How is she?" Janna asked in a tone that seemed casual, but I know she's concerned and feels guilty. "Is she...?"

"She's having a rough time," I gave her a look of concern. "You know, with school and her family."

Janna just let out a frustrated groan. "Okay, look, I didn't come to you to bring up Star," Janna leaned in close and gave me an excited smirk. "Did you hear about the fight going down between Lars and you're fat friend in the parking lot today?"

Just like that I'm already bored. I just mentioned about how I don't know anything about Star's situation at school, yet I revealed about she is having a hard time here and with her family. Janna sees Star as her friend, and vice-versa, but she doesn't even bother to notice when something is wrong. Or maybe it just has to do with me being the Safe Kid, the person that no one suspects to do something dangerous as lying.

I'm a hypocrite for that. I don't care too much of my friends, or my family, but it's good when friends have something in common.

"Ferguson?" I knew whom she is talking about, but I had to make my face see like I was shocked. "Shouldn't someone tell someone? Like a teacher?"

Janna rolled her brown eyes. "Yeesh, I forgot how much a stickler you are for the rules," She gave me a teasing smirk. "Right, Safe Kid~?"

"Hey!" I pretended to be offended. "I'm a misunderstood bad boy!"

We stopped walking when I approached the Principle Skeeves' office. Janna's eye widen slightly. "Wow, heading for the principles office; didn't see that coming."

"Listen," I began as the seriousness in my voice caused her to pay attention. "There is something I'm going to do this Friday, can you watch Star for me?"

"Watch her?" Janna asked in confusion. "You make it sound like she's a pet."

Everyone is a pet in my eyes. Animals that I wish to run over with my bike in a unique way. Imaginary corpses, with their organs shove out of their mouth, watching to see them choke on their own beating heart as the ants come by to eat them from the inside out.

And I just wish that Janna could see that, but the closest thing she can enjoy is demonology and witchcraft, an interesting subject, fun even, but nothing for a strong bond to form.

"I have something important this Friday," I explained, no lying, no fake emotions whatsoever. "And Star could use some company after school."

And speaking of Star... there she is! Star Butterfly, walking around school with her head high and a straight back; tears are dried, her clothes are straightened out- I wanted her to jump off the roof, but I'm still impressed that she managed to walk around with a joyous smile. She rejected defeat, rebelling against the expectations of mean-spirited student populace, and moving on. Wonderful.

Janna had a relieved expression when Star saw us in the distance, and made her way to us. "Well, I guess I could hang out with her this Friday." Janna looked at me, talking herself into it. "Yeah, I think it'll be fun."

"Okay, great!" I felt relieved that I wouldn't have to keep an eye on Star. "I'll let my mom know you're coming over, and Star should let you in since my mom is out at work."

"Oh, don't worry about that," Janna smirked, jingling a set of keys in front of me. "I can let myself in."

"You still have my house keys?!" Although I could care less, it's not like she's going to watch someone as they sleep, unlike me.

"Copies of your house keys," She corrected as she walked away. "See you later, Marco."

At that moment, Star ran up to me. "Hey Marco!" A smile plastered on her face, couldn't even tell that Brittney and her girls hours ago bullied her. Even her long-sleeved, blue shirt was changed into a joyful pink sweater. She even wore a sky-blue skirt to match. "Can we, you know, talk... privately?"

I looked at the door that leads to Principle Skeeves' office, the one person I need to talk to for my absence this Friday. I felt a grip on my left hand, and turned to see Star's pleading eyes.

To choose over something that means dearly to me, something I've been waiting a long time for... or Star? Its moments like these in life where a one feels the pressure of making a choice, which anxieties building up before flooding out after you've choose. Everyone not afraid of choice, they're afraid of what happens after that choice. It's not a phobia either, it's natural for any conscious being.

But I felt nothing, I'm already sure of what I wanted, and with my choices, I did the latter. "...Sure." I said as I followed her, I knew it was irrational, but I'm human after all.

A/N: At school, my friend asked me, "Do you have suicidal thoughts?" And I just smiled, shrugged, and said, "Kind of."

Confused, she asked me to elaborate. "I do have suicidal thoughts," I explained, barely containing my laughter. "But I have thoughts of other people committing suicide. Not me." And I broke out laughing, she didn't like that however. But like any good friends, we didn't let something like that split us apart.

Then we watched the latest episodes of Star v.s. the Forces of Evil. Damn, what a great season! The creators also had a little scavenger hunt, and the prize was trading cards of all 13 queens of Mewni! Good to know, I have a lot of things planned. As for my friends... well, it's hard being the only starco shipper, when everyone else is either tomstar or jarco!