Author: To_Kiss_A_Frog
Rating: Teen
Disclaimer: Don't own anything you recognize
Summary:Maria and Michael are acting on their attraction. Liz and Max are clearly headed towards coupledom. Alex just wants some happiness of his own. Set during Heatwave. Based on the song Someone Else's Star by Bryan White.
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Someone Else's Star</center>
Alone again tonight
Without someone to love
There are nights, like tonight, when the darkened sky is lit up like day by a blanket of shimmering stars. Burning brightly in the distance, it’s nearly impossible to imagine that any of them are already burnt out, remembered only be the light traveled across the expanse of space and time.
When I was young and couldn’t sleep, I used to sit by my window and open the glass wide enough to have an uninterrupted view of the wondrous sky. It intrigued me, even then, to see the thousands of pixels of light. A reminder that that there was more to the world than good grades, name calling and two female best friends who were stronger than I was.
The stars are shining bright
So one more wish goes up
Once, when I was in the seventh grade, we took a field trip to a planetarium. Everyone in my class wandered around, glad to have a temporary reprieve from square roots and pronouns. They passed each exhibit with no more than passing interest and as much as I wracked my brain for the answer, I could never find an explanation as to why they weren’t as awed by the constellations and astronomy as I was.
Didn’t they see the wonder and brilliance each individual bulb of light provided? Didn’t they understand how magnificent it all was?
I never really got a good answer to either of those questions but I guess it didn’t matter much in the grand scheme of things. Liz understood though, even if she didn’t see the beauty I saw with every glance at the fiery stars. She was a romantic, always has been so she told me about a little rhyme her grandmother once taught her about wishing upon stars.
“I wish I may, I wish I might, I wish I have this wish I wish tonight.”
Oh I wish I may
And I wish with all my might
Back then I wished for an excuse to get out of gym or an A on my latest test. Now I realize I wasted thousands of wishes on insignificant things that I could have accomplished on my own. Now my wishes have changed. Now there are other things I wish for help with.
I finally found a beauty that rivals the numerous and uncountable white stars in the dark velvet sky. The funny thing is that I still find myself asking the same questions I did back in the seventh grade. Whenever one of the guys on the football team or even the average Joe, walk by her and stare at her body, I find myself wondering why it’s perfection is the only perfection they can see.
Don’t they see the sadness in her eyes? It’s carefully masked and lingers for only moments before it’s replaced by laughter, amusement or even annoyance but it’s still there for anyone to see. It’s just that no one is looking.
Don’t they see that the frosty façade is merely self defense. She’s scared, though of what, I have no idea. She’s hiding herself because she thinks she won’t be accepted. I can’t help but wonder why she fears. Doesn’t she realize that beneath the makeup and perfectly coifed blonde hair, she’s still the most beautiful person?
It isn’t about images or saying the words or keeping the right appearances. There’s something inside of her, something truly beautiful that radiates outward until all anyone can see is beauty. I only wish that she could see what I always see.
For the love I’m dreaming of
And missing in my life
What is it about the Evans siblings that interest and elude at the same time? Liz sees it but in Max Evans. She openly cares about him, obviously finds something special about him but he seems to hold the same fears within.
He stares at her when he doesn’t think she’ll notice. His eyes follow her every move as though she’s the most fascinating and beautiful creature in the world. It’s why I don’t understand why he also tries to keep his distance from her. It’s almost like he’s afraid of hurting, whether it’s that he’ll hurt her or that she’ll hurt him, I’m not sure, but there’s definitely fear.
You’d think that I could find
A true love of my own
It happens all the time
To people that I know
Then there’s Maria and Michael. His fear is a little more hidden but still visible if someone was willing to look hard enough. It makes me wonder what happened to these three that banded them together and holds them apart from everyone else.
Maria seems to have broken through his defense though and she seems happy. I’m happy for her and despite Liz’s secrecy, I’m happy for her too because it’s obvious how much she and Max care for one another. I only wish that I could find my own happiness. It doesn’t have to be perfect, I wouldn’t want it if it was, I just want my years of wishing the same wish to finally come true.
Their wishes all come true
So I’ve got to believe
“I wish I may, I wish I might, I wish I have this wish I wish tonight. I wish to find someone who makes me happy.”
There’s still someone out there who
Is meant for only me
There are nights when I open my window and wait for the first star to appear, only to later wonder what the point was. All around me, everyone pairs up for a night or for a week or for longer while I continue to sit on my own, wishing for something that seems impossible. I can’t help but wonder if maybe they wished more times than I did or if they wished it before I did.
Is that why their wishes come true and mine always seem to elude me?
I guess I must be wishing
On someone else’s star
It seems like someone else
Keeps getting what I’m wishing for
There’s a guy on the football team who always stares at her in the morning. She walks in, never sparing anyone a second glance and his eyes follow her all the way down the hall. I never thought she noticed him but I guess she did because she agreed to go out wit him.
I don’t claim to be Prince Charming but I know I’ll treat her better than he will. Again, it isn’t about beauty and perfection, it’s about viewing things without rose colored glasses. The beautifully hued tint hides flaws and allows you to see what you want to see. I’ve never looked at her with those glasses on because I can see the carefully hidden cracked veneer beneath the surface of manicured beauty.
Why can’t I be as lucky as those other people are
I guess I must be wishing
On someone else’s star
“I wish I may, I wish I might, I wish I have this wish I wish tonight. I wish to find someone who makes me happy.”
The crickets are my only company tonight as I observe the darkening sky light more wishes. A wish for happiness… for health… for love… and even for good grades and excuses out of dodge ball. Some people are wishing to get their braces off sooner and some want the boy in the fifth row to notice them. Others hope to see the light of the next day while more just wish to find something, anything special that’s worth living for.
I wonder how many people have their wishes come true. I wonder how long it’ll be before mine comes true.
I sit here in the dark
And stare up at the sky
But I can’t give my heart
One good reason why
There’s a party at the old soap factory that everyone’s excited about. I see Vicky and Kyle holding hands and making plans for the night. I turn the corner and then there’s Tommy with Vanessa. She’s smiling up at him and he leans down to press a kiss to her lips. Her smile grows and I feel like I’m intruding on this single, perfect moment for the two of them.
They’re all coupling up, making plans for the party. Who’s going to drive? What time will they meet? How long will they stay.
Everywhere I look
It’s lovers that I see
There goes Maria and Michael. She’s looking all around while he drags her into the eraser room.
Shaking my head, I keep walking until I reach the library. There’s a book I need but when I walk in, nestled away behind a couple of shelves, I see Max and Liz. The two of them talking, lost in their own world and oblivious to everything but each other. She smiles at him and the corners of his mouth twitch upwards before he returns it.
Her eyes are bright and happy. His have stars in them as they stare back her. He looks at her in wonder, almost as though he can’t believe she’s sitting there with him. I know the look, I’ve given the look, I’ve just never seen the look returned.
Maybe some day, I can’t help but think and decide the book can wait.
Seems like everyone’s in love
With everyone but me
“I wish I may, I wish I might, I wish I have this wish I wish tonight. I wish to find someone who makes me happy.”
I dreamt about her last night. We were in this ballroom lit with candles while the fragrant scent of flowers filled the air. A band played in the background but I hardly noticed.
She wore red.
Her blonde hair fell in soft waves across her back and she looked beautiful but it wasn’t her appearance that struck me. For the first time, ever, there were no traces of sadness in her eyes. She looked at me and held the same awe in her gaze that I feel every time we’re in the same presence.
I guess I must be wishing
On someone else’s star
It seems like someone else
Keeps getting what I’m wishing for
We talk about how scary it can be to show people who you really are. I told her she could show me. She wanted to, I know she did, but I never pressed it.
We danced but I don’t remember the song. Her hand fit in mine as naturally as grass is green and the sky is blue. It wasn’t something to think on or wonder about, it just was. She held me close to her, almost as if she didn’t want me to let her go. Then everything faded into the background while her eyes held mine.
Why can’t I be as lucky as those other people are
I guess I must be wishing
On someone else’s star
Today, couples are still walking around in some sort of daze that I’d like to believe is caused by the heat. What is it about heat waves that drive people’s impulses? This year’s feels hotter than all the years before and I wonder if that means something.
There’s Max again… going into one of the science rooms, no doubt to find Liz.
Looking around, I see Maria and Michael fighting. Their voices aren’t raised but their bodies lean towards each other while expressions of anger cover their faces. She’s gesturing wildly with her hands until his come up to grasp them in his. They look around again, then he drags off her into the wood shop building.
Why can’t I be as lucky
As those other people are
I can’t believe it’s this hot. An orange soda sounds perfect right about now.
I guess I must be wishing
On someone else’s star
“Hey, Alex” Isabel greets and I nearly want to look behind me in case there’s another guy named Alex, standing there.
“Uh uh hi.” It’s not the smoothest greeting but then again, I wasn’t exactly prepared to have Isabel Evans talk to me. Dreams are one thing. The right words come easily when the setting is perfect and there’s no one around to see me fumble. This is reality and a very different setting.
“You look good today” she says and I’m awe struck by the amusement in her eyes and the genuine smile on her lips.
“I do? Oh, thanks.” I want to return the compliment but I’m sure she already hears it more than a dozen times a day.
“So, tonight… that party everyone’s talking about, you interested?”
“Yeah. Yeah, sure. Tell me how it goes.” I’m prepared to walk away but her words stop me and once again, I find myself a bit awed that I’m here with her right now.
“Interested in going?” she corrects and as gentle as the breeze against my skin, her fingers flick the top button of my shirt open while the ghost of her smooth skin touches mine. “Meet me there at 8:00”
I guess I wasn’t wishing on someone else’s star after all.
