When Star and Sky arrived in their second period study hall that day, Sky looked at Curt’s empty seat worriedly. Easily catching the look, as she too had noted Curt’s absence, she gave Sky a questioning look as he spoke, “Curt’s not here?”

“Shouldn’t that be cause for celebration? Not...panic?” she asked warily as she looked at him.

Sky took a deep breath before lowering his voice, “I think we’ve got some new problems. And I’m really not sure which is the worst.”

“Goodie. After having an amazing weekend, I was so hoping for more problems. Just surprised they’re arriving on a day that the cause of most of our problems is absent” she furrowed a brow.

Sky sighed as he looked around as the teacher still hadn’t arrived as usual. He then reached for her hand and led her out of the classroom with him.

Star followed him to the car with an even more confused look then, “so the one day Curt’s not actually here to torture us and that’s the day you decide to skip second? Interesting.”

Once they were in the car once more, Sky finally spoke, “problem one: Kole asked me about going back in time, to fix things.”

“He’s not gonna actually try that, is he?” Star replied with her own worry then.

“Assuming he even could” Sky shook his head, "I explained to him that it most likely wouldn’t work out the way he wanted it to” he sighed sadly, “he obviously didn’t like that answer.”

“Wouldn’t he lose whatever powers he might even have if he did manage to go back?” Star asked warily.

“I told him that that was exactly what would be likely to happen. And explained that he probably wouldn’t even remember this life and have no clue what he even went back there to fix. And that he’d probably just have to re-live it all again.”

“Yeah. Guessing he wouldn’t like that answer” Star agreed sadly. “So, did he go off on you or...?”

“Think he was mostly sad more than angry. Didn’t really have a lotta time to discuss it though after the cops showed up and took him to the station.”

“What? He’s not eighteen yet” Star replied with her own panic, “and Nickels never saw the knife” she added.

“Don’t think it was about Crista or the knife” Sky returned as he gave another worried look to where Kole’s car was still waiting next to theirs.

“Then... what was it about?” Star questioned.

“Assault?”

“What?”

Sky sighed again, “and before the cops showed, Kole said something about shattering Curt’s arm... with his mind” he added pointedly, “and, Curt’s not here. Hence, panic” Sky finished as he sighed heavily.

“So they do have powers without us?” Star swallowed. “I mean, I’m assuming he was with Crista and it wasn’t just some hardcore witch thing?”

“You know as much as I do now” Sky shrugged as he continued to watch Kole’s empty car.

Star took a few breaths to order her thoughts then, “well, if he did actually shatter his arm, with his mind” she shook her head, “then that’s a bit hard to prove in a court of law, right?”

“I’m hoping. Cause if he gets taken to some lab... I don’t even wanna think about what all that could lead to.”

“Well, first, we should wait to see what actually happens with the cops, right?” Star stated, though her voice lacked much confidence in that plan.

Though second period wasn’t even over before they’d have a chance to find that answer. An unmarked police car pulled in behind them before the bell to end the period even rang, and Kole got out. The driver was a woman in her early thirties who then handed him a card, shook her head, and pulled out of the school lot once again.

Kole shook his head down at the card and shoved it into his pocket before moving back to his car to gather his bag for the day ahead. He startled a bit as Sky rolled down his tinted window and called over to him, “care to explain?” he asked pointedly as Kole slung his bag over his back.

“Yay another interrogation” Kole mumbled, but made his way over to their car as Sky opened the door and leaned forward in the seat to allow him to get into the back.

“Considering you have our DNA now; I think any crime involving you also involves us” Sky told him with obvious worry as the two turned in their seat to await his explanation.

“They didn’t charge me with anything, obviously. So relax” Kole sighed as he stared out the window beside him rather than looking at his two companions.

“A few more details would be kinda nice here, Kole” Star prodded gently, “especially ones that might explain why Curt’s not here today” she couldn’t help adding.

“Cause Curt was at the police station. I’m guessing anyway. Thankfully I didn’t have to see the little prick again” Kole muttered.

“Again, with the lack of details” Star stated, attempting to keep her tone light despite her ever increasing worry about what had actually happened.

Kole sighed again then, “on our way home last night, we stopped at the mall, Curt was there. He was an asshole, as always; and now he’s an asshole with a broken arm” Kole shrugged.

“Yeah, still gonna need a few blanks filled in” Sky added, “like ones about how his arm got broken, perhaps?” he asked more loudly.

Kole then allowed a more defeated sigh, “He gave me shit. I called him out for raping Sammi in front of all his little friends. He got more pissed. He shoved me. Then he grabbed Crista’s ass. And then I got pissed. Really pissed. And all I could think about was the shit he did to Sammi... and to you” he added as he looked back at Sky, his voice breaking slightly. He then quickly moved on, “and it just had me so fucking pissed off that he got away with what he did to you, what he did to Sam, and that he’d probably get away with tryin shit with Crista too. And then every bone in that arm of his that reached for her; it shattered. That enough detail?” he added under his breath as he looked away again.

After a long pause, Star spoke again, “so you and Crista do have powers too now?”

“Either that or your DNA gave my witchy ways one hell of a fucking boost” Kole stated, “jury’s still out on that one I guess.”

Sky then sighed with continuing worry, “whichever it is, you obviously can do shit. Serious shit. Even without us.”

“But they didn’t charge me for ‘glaring with intent’” Kole scoffed, “they actually want Crista to press charges.”

“What?” Sky and Star asked in unison as they turned back to him.

“Yeah, they actually want her to file sexual assault charges, against Curt” Kole took a deep breath, “a seventeen year old boy, who grabbed her ass. And the one they want to convince her is me; the seventeen year old boy who was fucking her just this weekend. Not ironic and hella uncomfortable at all” he added sarcastically.

Star shook her head then, “what you did to Crista was worlds away from what Curt did” she attempted to assure.

“No shit” he scoffed as he looked away again.

“No I mean” Star sighed, “Crista wanted you to. Really wanted you to” she added. “I’m pretty sure she didn’t want Curt’s hands on her at all, in any way, ever.”

“Oh we’re talking consent then?” Kole retorted.

“Of course we are” Star affirmed.

“Well, according to the law; Crista is not capable of giving consent for another two years” Kole stated as Sky sunk slightly into his seat then too, “And you know they’ll ask her all about her ‘sexual behavior’ and all that shit. So is this a slippery slope any of the three of us wanna go anywhere near, really?”

They were all silent for several moments then; Sky and Star feeling like criminals once more, though for the first time in this life, anyway. Star sighed at last, “so he just gets away with it again?” she whispered, her voice breaking.

“At least what he’s getting away with with Crista isn’t near as likely to result in her killing herself or having PTSD. Small blessing I guess” Kole mumbled.

“It’s still wrong though” Star sniffled.

“Don’t have to convince me” Kole mumbled, sadly looking through the window once more, seeming to be lost in more than a few memories once again.

After another long moment, they were jarred by the bell ending second period. Then Sky spoke, “well at least if his arm is broken, maybe the faculty will all stop treating him like his ass is golden. He’s just as useless to the school as the rest of us now, right?” Sky scoffed. Though they still all looked rather despondent as they exited the car to continue their already eventful day.

As Star took a seat in her third period English class, she couldn’t help scowling at Brandi and Regan as they sat chatting before class. After all, she had heard that Brandi was apparently dating Curt this month, and that somehow made her even angrier than just the usual cruelty and entitlement displayed by the queen bees already did most days. She just couldn’t fathom how any girl could ever trust Curt at all, let alone want to date him.

As their names were so close in the alphabet, Star usually had to endure all their mindless chatter most days as their English teacher was famously tardy. Regan was the one currently speaking, “can you believe that shit at the mall last night with those freaks” she then glared at Star, “those other freaks” she clarified.

Brandi looked a bit distracted then, which was saying something. She then looked up at Regan’s expectant face, “yeah, I mean. That was intense” she agreed, the distraction still obvious in her voice.

“And Curt’s fucked for the entire football season! Maybe even college. They should have fucking murdered that purple haired freak, and his little slut too. Curt’s life is now ruined because of their kind. Yeah, your friends” she bit out as Star couldn’t help looking their way at the sound of the conversation.

“They didn’t actually even touch him though” Brandi stated warily.

Regan just scoffed, “then how the fuck did he break his arm?” Regan bit back.

“No idea” Brandi mumbled as she looked down again.

“What is with you today, Brandi? You’re dating him and I’m the one who seems more pissed” Regan glared at her ‘friend.’

“I know it sucks about his arm but...” Brandi began warily.

“But what?” Regan scoffed as she moved to touch up her pretty pink lips. “I think Curt’s arm and his ruined life are pretty much the headlines here.”

Brandi took a breath before looking back at the redhead, “but what about what Kole said?”

“Kole?” Regan scoffed again, “you’re now on a first name basis with the asshole that pulled a knife on your boyfriend and then did... whatever he did... to his arm last night? Maybe you’re the one who wants some strange” Regan snickered as she continued her glossing.

“And that too” Brandi added with a bit of her own annoyance.

“What too?” Regan just shook her head back at her.

“He hit on that little blue-haired freshman right in front of me, twice!” Brandi complained.

“Please. Curt hits on everything in a short skirt, obviously. Why do you think he asked you out?” Regan chuckled again.

“Ha ha” Brandi glared back.

“Again, his arm is the point. Not him treating that little freshman like the whore she is. I bet all those freaks fuck each other constantly. You heard the purple haired one” she grimaced.

“But what about the other thing K---the purple haired one said?”

“What other thing?” Regan scoffed again.

“About Sammi” Brandi whispered. That of course caused Star to pay even closer attention then.

“About some dead bitch?” Regan retorted, “some dead, freak bitch? Please.”

“He said Curt raped her” Brandi whispered.

Regan just glared again, “and you seriously believe that Curt would ever have to rape anyone? Let alone some freak? He can have any girl in the school in case you hadn’t noticed. So maybe you should think twice about repeating that shit. You’re pretty replaceable” Regan told her pointedly.

Brandi just scoffed then, “well something made her kill herself, didn’t it?” and with that the blonde girl got up and left the classroom.