Marco vs the forces of Life

3. Father Time

I grumbled uncomfortably. I slowly blink my eyes open. I take a glance at the clock on my desk. O it's 7:53..... It's 7:53! I jumped out the bed fast and straight to the restroom screaming. "Out of the way! I overslept! I'm gonna be late!" I go through my shelf taking things out and throwing it on the sink counter. I grabbed my toothbrush and brush not realizing I switched them. "Ah! Where's my hoodie?!" I turn to go get it and start putting it on.

"Whoa, chill, Marco. We can still get to school by first period." I throw my hoodie on, but it was backwards. I take the hood off my face.

"This isn't about learning! This is about love. Every day, I get there by 7:55, because at exactly 7:56, Jackie Lynn Thomas gets there." The memory of Jacky comes to mind. "And we share a nod."

"Awww... Wait. A nod? You don't even say hi?"

"I'm working up to that." I take out a folded paper I had from my pocket. I unfold it showing Star my steps.

"See? It's all a part of my 23-step plan. I'm already on step 4: nodding every day."

"Hmm." A laser puppy shoots its lasers at my hands.

"Hey! Down, boy!" One laser's me causing me to fall. "Bad laser puppy!" I glace at the clock on the wall. "It's 7:54! I can't make it! Can't you just... uh, uh, magically stop time or something?" I say hoping Star has something so I can see Jackie. She scoffs then laughs.

"Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Easy Peasy Time Freezie." A magic ticking clock effect appears over Star and me. I look at the clock seeing it froze. I look down at the laser puppies seeing them slow down then stop completely. I went to one of the puppies that shot lasers. I touch it, but instantly regret it, retreating my finger to my mouth.

"Ow! Do you know what you just did?"

"Uh... froze time?"

"You froze time!" I yell excitedly. "Now I can get to school and nod at Jackie! Hurry!" I Say grabbing her arm ready to book it.

"School?" She makes me let go and she grabs my face.

"But it's a freeze day!" She sings. Realization hit me. My eyes widen from excitement. We book it out the house ready to have a freeze day! We spent the time out having so much fun. But finally, we ended back at Echo Creek High.

"That was the funnest sixty hours of my life!" I yell happy.

"Oh, hey, there's frozen Jackie!"

"I better get into optimal nod position." I straighten my hair and leans against the lockers. "Ready."

"Or maybe now's the time to move on to the next step of your crazy plan. You could talk to her...!" I look at frozen Jackie. I started to stammer my words.

"T-The wind isn't right. I've got a pimple coming in. Uh, I'll just do the nod today."

"Okay... Easy Peasy Time Unfreezie!" I wait for Jackie to move again but she didn't. I stay in my position but look with my eyes seeing everyone still frozen. "Huh. Easy Peasy Time Unfreezie!" Nothing changed.

"Ooh." I started to panic.

"Come on, Star. What's going on?" I walk up to her, but she was frozen with a smile. "Star?! Star! Not you too!"

"Ha-ha! I'm just messin' with ya!"

"What to do? Star how do we undo this."

"The spell book! Let's go see if we find how to unfreeze time. One of the princesses must have done it before." We walk all the back to the house and straight to Star's room. I follow her to her bed. She gets on her knees and starts rummaging from under her bed. I get on my knees next to her waiting. She pulls out the book from under her bed.