Part 1

                "Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight

                I wish I may, I wish I might,

Have this wish I wish tonight..."

The words of a simple child's rhyme carried in echoes to Cyrus across the dark distance. Then the jumbled parts of words and phrases and thoughts came at him, a barrage of longing and loneliness, louder even than the words of her wish itself.

                He peered down at her, watching her try to express the longing in words, knowing that she would fail, but also knowing that she would ask again. She had been asking again and again for the same wish to come true for years. It had been a long time since she last wished for something else.

                Her wish was embedded into his memory; the innocent purity of her goodwill had endeared him to her long ago, never asking anything for herself.

Now, it seemed, those wishes of peace and happiness were working.

Now it was she who was needed help.

                If only... Cy thought, If only there was some way. Sighing, he closed his eyes, but he could not block out the picture her wish had drawn onto him. Sometimes what people needed most wasn’t what they wished for.

                Sometimes he wondered if she realized she always wished on the same star, but he knew she didn't. She didn't really believe completely that he could help. She didn't know he was real- not that he could blame her, no one was supposed to know.

***

                Relina closed her eyes, trying to find the words to say what she needed because she knew she needed something. She always wished for the same thing, but the words never came out the same.

                She stared, unblinking, at the flickering light high above her and whispered, "Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight/I wish I may, I wish I might/Have this wish I wish tonight," then paused, picking her words carefully, then giving up midsentence, "You know what I mean!"

                Sadly, she looked at the ground, then pushed her short hair back from her face, one that would have been pretty if her eyebrows were not perpetually drawn close, making her face seem too small for her head. The reflection of the street light in her eyes looked like lightning bolts in a thunderstorm.

                Imagine that, a teenager who wishes on stars, she thought. At least I don't think my wishes will come true. And the dark corner of her mind continued that thought so quietly she almost didn't hear it at all, I only wish they would.

***

                Cyrus looked into his bag again checking to be sure everything he needed was inside.

                He smiled to himself; proud of how his plans had worked out. He hated having to do it, but sometimes a little string pulling was necessary for a good plan. After all, he had a job to do and delivery was his favorite part.

                Beaurocratic red tape slowed the process too much and he was impatient, not that he could blame anyone for it.

“All the hardships and no one ever takes one bit of notice,” his sister had always said, but he knew she loved the job as much as he did.

Especially delivery. Even though he knew it was going to be hard he looked forward to this one the most. Something so long overdue and so much needed, just one thing to drop off on his way and he'd finally get his chance.

He picked up the bag and left, shutting the door behind him.

***

                Relina jumped as the locker beside her was slammed shut- she hated that, always slamming, jolting the lockers closed, as if it was necessary.

                “Leena!” her friend ran up to her, “Have you seen him?!”

                “Who?”

                “Ohmygod! He is SO gorgeous!” Diane was jumping and bouncing everywhere and Relina couldn’t help but grin at her friend.

                “Which guy today?” she asked with just enough boredom in her voice to let Diane know she was teasing.

                “He’s in my English class. Ohmygod! He’s a transfer student, I forget from where,” she frowned, “Oh well. Anyway you HAVE to see him. Gorgeous. Beautiful. Maybe he’ll be in one of your classes.”

                “So does gorgeousboy have a name?” she asked, leading Diane away from the lockers and toward the lunch tables, vaguely interested; she’d never seen Diane this far gone over a guy.

                “Yeah, but it doesn’t suit him.”

                “Oh? Explain.”

                “No! I don’t want you to think anything bad about him before you see him.”

                “Only after?” she asked, grinning.

                “Yes, I mean, no! You always do that!” Relina broke down in laughter at her friend’s reaction.

***

                “Right there,” the boy pointed, “The first door on the right, that’s your room.”

                Cy thanked him and went, somewhat nervously, toward the door. It’s not like I have anything to be nervous about, I’m a seasoned professional, he thought.

                Taking a deep breath he grabbed the knob and turned it, pushing open the door. He shuffled over to the woman at the desk and introduced himself, then explained his situation. She said she’d take care of it and went into the back room to find what he would need.

***

                When the bell rang they all jumped from their seats and practically dove through the doorway, leaving the cafeteria and running toward their classes.

Relina took her time, picking up her trash with Diane and chatting a little bit as they strolled toward the door. She was never in any hurry to get to chemistry.

                Once she was out in the hall she wormed her way through the traffic of human bodies, trying not to get stomped on more than necessary. She walked around people hugging and chatting in the middle of the hallway and snuck around the people who were strolling, obviously not planning to get to class on time.

                When she got there she headed over to her seat, one in the back. She was last on the roll alphabetically, so she got the last seat. Actually, second to last; her backpack occupied the table’s extra chair.

                “Relina,” Mrs. Newman called before she could make it to the back of the room. She turned around and went back up to her desk, paying no attention to the boy standing nearby.

Even if she had been paying attention she’d have assumed he was from another class.

“Relina, this is Russ,” she gestured toward the boy, “He’s new here. I’m going to have to seat him next to you. I hope that you’ll make him feel comfortable and explain how we do things in my classroom.”

It was only after Mrs. Newman had mentioned that he was new that she remembered Diane’s new boy and actually looked at Russ. After a few seconds she smiled at him and when he smiled back she decided that she could see why Diane had gone so crazy. Then the bell rang and it was time for them to go back to their seats.

                Not that I agree, she thought, but I can see it.

***

                Cy watched her organizing a few loose papers in her notebook quickly, “Gimme a sec and I’ll show you what you’re gonna need.” He nodded.

                I’ve never seen her looking this happy, he thought a little bit sadly. Then snapped himself back out of his thoughts as she began to speak again.

                “You’re going to need a binder like this, with tabs for assignments, notes, and tests. She does notebook checks so you really do have to have everything in it too,” she looked him in the eye, as if by looking at him she could impress upon him how serious she was being.

Cy nodded again, then decided he’d simply nodded a few too many times and murmured, “Okay,” in an attempt to do something different. I’d never realized just how hard it would be to communicate. She’s so different here.

The teacher was now standing in front of her desk, facing the class. “Anyway,” she said a little more quietly and looked up at Mrs. Newman almost nervously, “I’ll explain more when she’s done talking.”

***

                Diane tackled her just as she was leaving school, “So did you see him?”

                Relina smiled at her friend, “I might have,” and gave her one of the looks she knew drove Diane absolutely crazy.

                “Leena! TELL me!”

                “Well he might just be my new lab partner in chem.”

                “Are you serious?! You HAVE to arrange a study date with him…and maybe you can have it be a study date on which your best friend is invited too…” Diane’s eyes widened into her pleading look as she smiled hopefully.

                “I hardly know the boy, gimme a break! However, I do have to admit he is a little bit gorgeous.”

                “What’s this? Relina approving of my taste in guys?” she put her hand on Relina’s forehead and continued, “Oh, Relina you should go home and rest I think you’re delirious.”

                Relina slapped Diane’s hand away playfully, then stuck her tongue out before saying, “It just so happens that for once you’re kind of right.”

                “Only kind of?”

                “Yes, only kind of right. He is not the most gorgeous guy ever.”

                “You are so kidding me!”

                “’Fraid not dearie,” then she gestured toward the parking lot with a little bow, “Shall we proceed?”

                Diane nodded and they began walking toward her car, still teasing each other relentlessly.

***

                He couldn’t sleep and he spent the night staring out through the window of his house up at the stars. He could see now why she took such comfort in looking up at them- even though they didn’t answer her; they were so beautiful down here. At some point, though, he must have drifted off because he woke up with the sun.

                His first thought was to wonder where he was. Then he remembered. Oh no! What time is it? He looked around for a clock. Only 6:37, at least I wasn’t late for my second day of classes.

                “I need to work on talking more,” he said to himself, trying to practice. He wasn’t used to speaking. “I want to talk to her and get to know her better. She needs to tell me what she needs.”

                He opened a drawer and pulled out some clothing without really looking and put it on. As he was walking out of the room he saw himself in the mirror though, “Who chose this?” he asked, appalled. “Dress pants  and a t-shirt are not a good combination.”

                Immediately he went back and rummaged through the drawer to find some other pants. Eventually he came up with a pair of jeans and made a mental note to arrange his clothing better that night if he was going to be so tired every morning.

***

                “Why don’t you just invite him to lunch?” Relina asked. 

                “I can’t just go do something like that, I mean have you seen him? How many girls haven’t asked him to lunch? Not many.”

                “Well 100% of the girls in this conversation haven’t invited him. Try it. What’s the worst that can happen?” She was trying to be normal but her heart wasn’t in it. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but something was bugging her in the back of her mind. Ah well, I’ll figure it out later, she kept telling herself, but she couldn’t stop wondering.

                “Rejection!”

                “And you’ll live through it, trust me. But somehow I think he’ll say yes.”

                Then she caught sight of him, walking through the hallway. She would have poked Diane and hissed for her to look but there was no need, he was walking right past them.

                Once she peeled her eyes away from him she turned back to Diane, who was still watching. “There’s nothing more to see, he’s gone,” she said, waving her hand in front of Diane’s face. “Earth to Diane.”

                “Hmmmm?” she said, finally turning back to look at Relina.
                “You’ve got it bad. And if you don’t ask him to lunch, I will.”

                “Will you really?”

                “No, because if I said I would you just wouldn’t ask him- and you are GOING to ask him.”

                ***

                Cyrus packed up his backpack and rushed with the rest of the students into the hallways, jamming together like sardines in a can but glad to escape from the classrooms. How can they do this every day?

                "Russ," a tentative voice behind him got his attention and he turned to see who was speaking. "Umm, I'm sure like a billion people have asked you already but I was kinda wondering if you might want to have lunch with me and my friends, maybe?" the words ran together almost as if they were all one. "I mean...it's not like I'm really all that popular or anything but-" he cut her off.

                "I'd be glad to," and he smiled at her.

                "Really?" the look on her face was extremely gratifying and he smiled again.

                "Sure; and I think you're overestimating my popularity. Thank you for inviting me."

                "Oh," she blushed, "You're welcome."

                "You're Diane, right? Sorry, I'm still trying to get everyone's names straight."

                "Yeah," and she smiled brightly at him. At some point they had started walking toward the cafeteria and they'd nearly made it all the way there, and he was somewhat surprised when he saw who he would be eating with.

***

                She sat down in English and pulled out her notebook, she remembered that much of what she'd done. Oblivious to what was going on in class, Relina spent the hour thinking.

                She didn't even really know what she was thinking about. There was nothing to think about. Any idiot could tell that Diane liked Russ. Hopefully he liked her as well. But there's no way to tell.

                He seemed nice enough. He was obviously intelligent. Nevermind that he could probably dance rings around me in chem, she thought, more than a little bit jealous. Just two days in class had shown her that much.

                "You must be pretty smart," he'd said, "because Mrs. Newman assigned you to help me out," he'd said.

                Well she knew that she was mostly his partner because she'd had the empty desk. Still it was nice of him to think she was smart.

It was hard to believe Diane had asked him to lunch but it was nice to talk to them both, and to walk to class with him. He didn't even act like guys would normally act... He even dodged Diane's flirting. She'd never seen anyone do that.

 

 

Part 2

                Cy picked at his lunch, trying not to look at it before he put it in his mouth.

                "How do you eat that? Yuck!" Diane asked him.

                "I don't think he so much eats it as simply inhales it," Relina interjected.

                "I just try not to think about it. I don't have much of a choice," he said, then looked at the food and made a face.

                He'd been here for two weeks and he still wasn't sure how to go about his job. He'd spent too much time enjoying his stay here, getting to know Relina and Diane.

                Every night he kept after himself to get started on the case but quickly got sidetracked. He was beginning to think that he might have to ask his sister for help. How on Earth was he supposed to grant a wish when he didn't even know what the wish was?

                "Earth to Russ? You there?" Diane was waving her hands in front of his face.

                "Sorry. I got spaced out for a minute."

                "Obviously," Relina said, "Care to explain what?"

                "Not important," he shrugged.

                "Aww," Diane pouted a little, "Tell me? Pwease?" He just shook his head.

                He caught Relina watching him and she looked away.

***

                I can't like him. Diane likes him. He's spoken for. I can't believe I'm even considering liking him. If I get any choice I can't like him. These thoughts kept repeating in her head over and over while she stared at her blank piece of notebook paper. She was supposed to be doing homework.

                "Leena!" her mother was calling her.

                "Just a minute!" she shouted back down the stairs as she shoved the blank piece of paper into her textbook as a bookmark. Then she bounded down the stairs. "Yeah?"

                "I need you to take the garbage down to the curb honey."

                Mentally she grumbled but there wasn't a whole lot she could do about it and she knew it. "Okay," she said reluctantly. She found a pair of shoes and grabbed the garbage bags, dragging them out of the house and putting them into the garbage can, pulling the whole foul smelling mess down to the curb.

                When she got down to the curb she looked up at the sky; the moonglow bounced off the clouds so she could hardly see any of the stars. Still, she looked up and began to wish.

                "And please make sure Diane is happy, too."

***

                One thing he most hated about working was missing out on what was happening. He could tell that life was moving forward but he didn't know what he was missing.

                Not that anything interesting ever happens but it would be just my luck to miss it if it did happen. Still, Cyrus thought, it'll be worth it if I get it right. He fiddled with his pen a little, then went back to reading the passage in the Teen Health Magazine.

                Eventually Mr. Weintraub called time and asked the class to discuss the article, "Why do you think they wrote an article like this for teens?"

                One boy in the back of the room raised his hand and the teacher hesitantly allowed him to speak. "Because they wanted to bore us to death!" Giggles were quickly muffled throughout the room and Mr. Weintraub sighed and shook his head.

                "I don't think so, Derrek. Does anyone else have an idea?"

                "To inform us about the problem?" another student spoke up hesitantly.

                "Very good!"

                At that point Cyrus groaned mentally and stopped listening, going back to his thoughts. He stayed deep in thought for the rest of the day, practically walking into walls until an answer hit him.

***

                "Can I ask you something?"

                "Shoot," she said, then looked up, "What's wrong?"

                "I just about failed my math test and I know you did well so I was wondering if you'd come over to my house and help me out a little," he said, brandishing his test.

                Relina looked at the test, then him, "I have to warn you that I have no idea how I did so well on that test, but if you want I'm not going to say no."

                "You're the best!"

                "Naw, I'm just a sucker for you, Russ," she teased.

                "You and Diane, both."

                "She's more of a sucker than I am and you know it."

                "True, true. But she didn't do as well on the math test," he winked at her.

                "That's just 'cause she was so busy sucking up to you," then she abruptly went serious, "You should ask her out. If you like her, at least."

                "I know. Maybe I will," he answered, then he sat quietly in his seat.

                I can't believe I just said that. Diane will kill me. Well, unless he asks her out... She sat down and glanced at Russ, "Are you okay?"

                "Hmm? Oh, I'm fine. Just thinking." She frowned, "Don't worry about it," he said and smiled.

 She practically forgot why she'd been worried about him when he smiled at her like that. Man, I really am a sucker for him.

***

                "You haven't figured her out yet?" Cyrus' sister was checking up on her baby brother and wasn't too happy with what she found. He could see it in the way she stood, one hand on her hip, head tilted to one side.

                "Well... no..." he squirmed under her attention as she sighed. "I'm getting there though."

                "How?"

                "I'm getting to know her- and she's going to come tutor me in math."

                "You don't need help in math."

                "I do now."

                She nodded slowly, comprehending his plan. Then she moved on to the next problem, "You don't think she'd going to figure out there's something odd if there's no sign of a parent?"

                "That's why I invited you over..." he smiled hopefully, "You always said you'd do anything to help your baby brother. Please, Odessa?"

                Rolling her eyes she sighed again, "I guess you're going to whine at me till I agree?"

                "I was kinda hoping I wouldn't have to."

                "Kinda? You've been down here too long."

                "Great, so you agree."

                Odessa glared at him, "As if I had a choice. Just tell me when."

                "Tomorrow night. Be here before I get home from school? She's gonna walk home with me."

                "Kinda," she snorted, "Gonna. I'll be here, if only to get you home faster."

***

                “Nice to meet you,” Relina said formally. I hate meeting parents.

                “Nice to meet you, too,” the tall, pale woman replied, smiling pleasantly. “I’m glad to know Cy has met such nice friends already.”

                “Thanks, I’m glad to know him.” Ugh, totally dorky. But what am I supposed to say?

                “Well, Mom, we’re going to go study now,” Cyrus broke the silence and began practically dragging her out of the living room. Relina followed, relieved to have the chance to end the awkward conversation.

                “Why don’t you ask if she wants something to drink, dear?”

                “Oh, sorry. You want anything, Leena?” Russ turned to her.

                She smiled at them both, “I’m fine, thanks.”

                “Okay,” he shrugged, “C’mon then,” and went back to dragging her toward the back of the house.

                When they were out of earshot she spoke again, “Why do I get the feeling that you don’t like your mom much?”

                “I like her just fine,” he said, opening a door and going into the room, “She just likes to try and intimidate my friends sometimes. Anyway, here’s the desk.” He gestured a little awkwardly toward it.

                “How do you wanna do this?” Relina put down her backpack.

***

                She was sitting there frowning at his math test and chewing absentmindedly on the end of the pencil. Every so often she'd look at her own test, comparing the two, or write something in the margin on his test. Cyrus just watched her, not wanting to disrupt her thought processes.

                "Okay, I think I've figured out your problem," she said, looking up. "C'mere."

                He stood next to her, looking over her shoulder as she started to explain. Suddenly she broke off midsentence, "Would you be more comfortable somewhere where we could sit next to each other so I can show you?"

                "There's no other room except the kitchen with a table and chairs."

                "That wasn't what I asked. I could lean on a book or something to show you this stuff but I know that if it were me standing there I would not be learning anything, so I was asking."

                "We have a couch in the guest room..." Cy said hesitantly, very confused.

                Relina sighed, "I'm not asking for me. I'm asking for you. If you're fine standing then we can stay right here."

                Just then there was a knock on the door. "Yes?" he said. The door opened and Odessa stuck her head in.

                "Cy, hon, I just got a call. They need me at work, is it okay if I leave you two here?"

                "Fine with me," he said and turned to Relina, "What about you?"

                "That's fine."

                "Thanks," Odessa smiled at Relina, "Sorry I have to go, it was nice meeting you."

                "It was nice meeting you too," she replied.

***

                The phone rang and Relina dived for it, "Hello?"

                "Okay, spill!" Diane's voice crackled excitedly over the phone line.

                "Hi, Diane," Relina laughed.

                "Seriously, Leena, I'm dying of curiosity. Spill!"

                "Okay, okay! Chill! There's really not a lot to say."

                "You spend an entire afternoon with the most gorgeous guy I've ever seen and you tell there's not a lot to say? What is wrong with you?"

                "What happened to Jordan being the most gorgeous guy you've ever seen?" Relina teased.

                 "I didn't say that about Jordan after I met Russ, it was before I met Russ."

                "Well we went over his math test. It wasn't that interesting."

                "All you did for 3 hours was math? I can't believe that."

                "Well, we did have a few digressional discussions, but nothing really important. Just we started talking about what we want to do, I mean, as a job. Stuff like that. Boring. Nothing you didn't already know about me."

                "Didn't he tell you anything about himself?" Diane prodded.

                "Come to think of it," Relina slowly replied, "not really."

***

"She's pretty."

"Hmm?" Cy snapped out of his reverie.

"I said, Odessa paused for emphasis, "that she's pretty."

"Oh. Yeah she is," he frowned.

"What is with you?"

"Just thinking."

Odessa watched him for a few minutes. "Well, I hope you learned something worthwhile. I'm leaving. I was assigned elsewhere." Cyrus sighed. "You are paying me no attention, Cy."

                "What?" he blinked and looked up.

                "You like her," she said, incredulous.

                "I do not!"

                "Okay," she said, though he could tell she didn't believe it for a second. "My point was that I'm going to have to leave you here on your own. I have an actual assignment to go take care of. So I hope you can figure her out on your own, or at least hold your own for a while." She saw now why he'd wanted this job so badly when he didn't even know what he was supposed to give the girl.

                "I really don't," he protested, "Bye though. Come see me when you're done."

                "No problem, baby brother," she ruffled his hair, "See you."

                I hate it when she does that, he thought as he stuck his tongue out at her, then waved.

***

                She grabbed her jeans and threw them on quickly, then rifled through her closet looking for her favorite shirt. Finding it, she put it on and ran her brush through her hair, then dashed downstairs. "Mom, I'm going as soon as Diane gets here."

                "Okay, sweetie. You're going to the movies, right?"

                "Yeah, and the mall. I'll be back at about 6."

                They heard Diane's car pull up in the driveway and she kissed her mother on the cheek before rushing out of the house.

                "Be careful!" she heard her mother call after her and shouted back that she would before she closed the door behind her.

                A full day of freedom. I love school holidays.

                "You know where to go right?" she asked Diane.

                "No, you've only told me the directions to his house 12 times in the last 4 times we've spoken."

                "Well, I don't want you to get lost."

                "Leena, you're sitting right there. I'm not going to get lost."

                "Right."

                "Now calm down!" Diane smiled.

                "I'm calm."

                "Yeah, about as calm as I am when I start talking about a guy I think is hot."

                "I get the point. I'm calm. You're driving."

                "Good. 'Cause if I didn't know better I'd think you and I had switched bodies or something."

***

                “Ooh, look!” Diane squealed and ran over to the poster hanging in the window. Sheryl and Marnie quickly followed suit and stood, drooling, with Diane.

                Relina looked around quickly then leaned close to him, “What do you say we go to the bookstore while they drool?”

                Cyrus shrugged, “If you want.”

                “Guys, Russ and I are going to head over to the bookstore. Meet us there when you’re done, okay?”

                “Mmm hmm,” was the best response Relina got from any of the other girls and Cy was suddenly glad to be able to get away.

                “They’re going to be stuck there for at least ten minutes. They’ll probably end up with at least one of them buying a poster if they’re for sale.”

                “What’s so special about those guys on the poster?”

                “Depends on who you’re asking,” she grinned, “Personally, I don’t think there is anything special. Some people are under the impression that they can sing.”

                By then Relina had led them into a bookstore and directly to the Science Fiction section. They were alone and surrounded by shelves of books in the back corner of the store, but he'd never seen her act this way before, touching books lovingly, even come that she didn't pick up and look at.

Cyrus felt more than a little weird sitting in an area dedicated to people's guesses about his reality.

***

                Home, she thought, I love it here. Relina sat down on the floor and began to browse the lower shelves. Russ looks kinda uncomfortable…she thought about that for a moment, “You don’t have to just stay with me you know; you can go look around.”

                “Oh,” he said, looking a little startled, “It’s okay.” He sat down next to her. “You read this stuff?”

                “Yeah, some of it. It’s better than trashy romance novels anyway.” She didn’t know why but she could sense some sort of dislike from him; she felt she had to defend her choice of reading. Russ just nodded.

                “Really you don’t have to stay here,” she tried again.

                He smiled at her, “Don’t worry about it. You just never struck me as the type to read this stuff. I always thought you would read something more like those lawyer books.”

                She made a face, “Yuck!” and Russ smiled again, this time as if he was trying not to laugh.

                “I guess I was wrong.”

                “Just a little bit.”

                Relina went back to perusing the shelf, occasionally pulling out a book and looking at it, then putting it back carefully. Sometimes she would look up and see Russ looking at her, frowning a little.

                “What’s wrong?”

                “Hmm? Oh, nothing.”

                Disbelieving, she decided to play along, “Well, if you ever want to talk, you can let me know.” Then she got up and took his hand, pulling him up and leading him to another part of the store where, hopefully, he wouldn't look quite so upset or worried.

***

                Sometimes he wished she weren't so nice. If she weren't as nice he wouldn't feel compelled to go out of his way for her. The problem was that she went out of her way for him. She went out of her way for everyone.

                He'd only just begun to see how much her friends relied on her. No wonder she always wanted them to be happy, she got to hear all their problems and all their triumphs. How does she do that? She lives her life almost entirely for other people.

                He looked around his bare room. Dresser, desk, bed; he was glad she hadn't seen it because it definitely didn't look like a real teen's room.  At some point in his reverie he drifted off to sleep. That was when they contacted him.

                "Cyrus, you have had nearly one month to complete your mission. How much longer will you be?" the disembodied voice asked disapprovingly.

                "I am profoundly sorry, sir, at the exorbitant length of time I have consumed in this mission. I hope to rectify the situation in a more timely manner from this point on. I feel that I am making headway," Cyrus replied in his most formal tone. He would have bowed if he had had his body but he was forced to make do with what he did have, his words; that was the problem with dreamspeak.

***

                "Hey, Russ, wake up!" she hissed at him, shaking him gently.

                "Hmm?" he looked around groggily, then as he realized where he was he snapped into alertness, "How long was I asleep?" His voice was a quiet whisper seeking not to be heard by the teacher.

                "Not long. Don't worry, she hasn't been paying attention. She's about to give the assignments though."

                "Oh, thanks."

                They were both quiet for a few minutes, scribbling the assignment down furiously into their notebooks. Relina's neat though hurried script filled the lines in her planner, I hope I don't get anymore homework today, I don't know where I'd write it.

                Russ yawned next to her but managed to smile sleepily as she glanced over. "You're awfully tired today."

                "Yeah," he made a face, "I had a not so great night's sleep last night."

                "I'm sorry."

                He shrugged, "It happens,"

                First he seemed worried in the bookstore, now he's not sleeping right. I wish he'd tell me what was wrong. She just frowned a little at him. She knew better than to push people into things like that. She'd likely find out eventually. People told her things like that.

 

 

Part 3

                When the phone rang at first he paid it no attention. He wasn't interested in telling telemarketers that he was not interested in their products or services or surveys. Then he remembered that he'd given Diane and Relina the number.

                He dove across the living room in time to catch it just as it was starting to ring for the fourth time.

                "Hello?"

                "Hi, Russ?" he smiled when he heard Relina's voice.

                "Hey, Relina. How are you?"

                She sounded genuinely concerned when she replied, "I'm okay, you?" and he kicked himself mentally. I keep worrying her. I need to be more careful.

                "Other than just being a little sleepy I'm fine."

                He could tell he wasn't convincing her but there wasn't a whole lot else he could do. There's no way he could possibly explain his problems to her.

                Actually... What if I did explain it to her? Maybe that would help things. Of course, he'd have to do it tactfully in case he got caught. But he could try it. They're already on my case for how long I've been working, this will speed it up.

                "... Are you listening? Russ?"

                "Sorry, I kinda spaced out there. Actually, I would like to talk to you about something, but now isn't a good time. What about tomorrow, after school?"

                After only a second's hesitation she said she would ask her parents.

***

                "Listen, Diane, I'm not going to ride home with you tomorrow."

                "Why's that?"

                "Russ said he needed to talk. He's been really out of it lately."

                "I noticed," Diane said quietly.

                "So I'm going over there and... well... I don't really know what's going to happen."

                "Okay," again Diane was unusually quiet.

                "What's wrong?"

                "Nothing."

                "You're upset that I'm going to his house? I'm not trying to take him from you, you know that."

                "He likes you. That's why he's been acting so oddly," her voice was flat.

                "He does not," she said.

                Diane sounded like she was about to cry and Relina wished that her reassurances would do her friend any good, though she knew they wouldn't.

"Yeah, he does. It's okay though. You deserve a good guy."

                "Maybe he wants to ask me if I think you'd date him," she tried again.

                "Don't be silly. He knows I would."

***

                What is with them? I've never seen them so uneasy. Something's wrong. Cyrus sat in silence, watching his two friends across the cafeteria table. Diane was eating less of her food than usual, if that was possible, and Relina was just staring mournfully at the table, occasionally blinking and looking around.

                Finally he couldn't take it any longer, "Did you two fight?" Diane just looked at him, Relina shrugged. "You two shouldn't be angry with each other."

                "I'm not mad at her. She didn't do anything," Diane finally replied.

                "Who did?" he was becoming more confused by the second, she was so angry.

                "Like you don't know!" she got up and stalked away. Immediately Relina stood up, made a few hand gestures to indicate she was going to follow Diane, and left, calling over her shoulder that she'd see me in class.

                And so here I am, alone. He looked at his lunch tray and pushed it away.

                Cy stayed just like that for the next five minutes, when the bell rang and he had to go to class. Maybe Relina could explain. He rushed to class, hoping to talk to her before it started.

***

                She hated to leave Diane but what could she do? They both had to get to class. The only hope she had was that being in class would give her a chance to cool down some, but the morning classes certainly hadn't helped any.

                As Relina shoved her way through the halls she thought about the dilemma. How could she choose between friends? Boyfriend, she reminded herself. Friend and boyfriend.

                He was waiting for her, brimming with questions. What happened? What was Diane upset about? What had he done? Could he help?

                "Russ," she said as soon as she was calm, "I need to know something. It's really important."

                "Yes?"

                "Do you like me?"

                "Yeah, of course, you're my friend." He looked confused again.

                "No, I mean were you planning on asking me out tonight?"

                "Oh... no." She could see it right when he caught on. The look on his face changed slowly from confusion to understanding. "No, oh wow, I'm sorry."

                "No, it's okay. You just have to not ask me out while I'm over." She knew she looked relieved, but she didn't care. She wouldn't have to choose and she wouldn't have to risk losing a friend.

***

                He growled at himself mentally for not realizing it sooner. Of course that's what it looks like. I've just been so lost in my own world that I didn't bother noticing. Sloppy, sloppy work.

                Still. There was almost a moment of disappointment on her face between the worry and the relief. Maybe I'm just imagining it. I've been down here too long.

                How do I tell her now? How can I let her know, after today. How can she believe me?

                It's not like I have any other choice, though. He fiddled with his pen, chewing on the cap- a bad habit he'd picked up from Relina.

                Maybe straight out is the best. Still, do people ever really know what they want? He was beginning to realize how hard it was himself. How can you choose when there are so many choices, so many options?

                There was only one more thing today that needed to be done right. Hopefully, he'd be able.

                And he just had to hope she knew exactly what she wanted.

***

                She'd been worried the whole way back to his house that he might not really have been telling the truth earlier, about not wanting to ask her out. Eventually, though, when the subject didn't come up, she relaxed a little.

                They chatted a little bit uneasily, neither one wanting to bring up the subject of what had happened earlier or what was going to happen when they got to his house. Relina knew he was just biding his time until they got inside; she could tell he was preoccupied.

                Suddenly they had arrived. She could hardly remember getting there. Russ let them in to the front door and closed it quietly behind them, then he turned to speak to her.

                "This is going to sound very crazy, I'm warning you."

                "No crazier than what I've been through today," she tried to sound reassuring. It didn't work, she came out sounding quiet and nervous.

                "Crazier. You're going to want to sit." And so she sat down on the comfortable, off-white couch. Everything in the room looked comfortable and off-white except for the two of them.

                He took a deep breath. "I'm not exactly... Russ. See, I'm a real person, but I'm not exactly... human."

                She opened her mouth but he cut her off and quickly tried to explain again, "You wish on stars. A star, actually. Me."

                "Why, how?"

                "Each star has a spirit, each spirit learns a trade. I'm a wish star."

                "Why are you telling me this?" She finally managed to get her brain to put together a sentence.

                "I need your help."

***

                That was awful. I can't believe I just blurted it out like that. She was just sitting there, staring at him.

                "You know," she said slowly, "You're right. That does sound really crazy." She smiled and laughed a little nervously, "What's even more crazy is that I believe you."

                "I'm sorry, I don't know how to explain it better. I need your help though. I needed to try and explain," he stopped, frustrated at his own inability to remember all the nicely thought out phrases he'd planned. I didn't mean for this all to sound the way it did."

                "But why do you need my help?"

                "I can't figure you out."

                "What?"

                "You make wishes, but they get garbled before they get to me. I managed to get myself assigned down here to try and figure out what you want, but I can't."

                Relina almost laughed. "What is it you do get from me?"

                "Honestly, most of what I hear is feelings. You project them really well sometimes... almost too well. And I had to come and fix what was making you so sad," he looked sadly at her, "I just thought you deserved a chance to really be happy."

***

                Cyrus spent much of the night explaining to her. He told her about the other stars and his job. And he asked her why she believed. She said she didn't know how not to.

"Why 'Hmm'?" Relina was curious.

                "I've never done this before. We're not supposed to tell."

                "Then why did you tell me?"

                "My time here is running out. I had to find out what you wanted. You've wished for it for so long..."

                He looks so sad, she thought, It's so sweet of him to want to help me. "You'd never be able to pull it off. I never wished thinking it would come true."

                "Tell me," his eyes pleaded with her.

                "It sounds so silly, though."

                "Everyone thinks their wishes sound silly," he said reassuringly.

                "I thought you weren't allowed to tell people," she teased a little, "So how would you know?"

                He stuck his tongue out at her and laughed, "You've got me."

                She looked down at her hands, smiling a little, trying to convince herself that it was okay to tell him. When she looked up he was watching her. "I can't even try unless you tell me," he said quietly and took her hands in his.

                I wouldn't want to have made him waste all his time for nothing. That would just be rude.

"I just, I always want people to be happy. To live good lives. Or, mostly good anyway." She spoke all in a rush.

                Russ half smiled, half frowned, and shook his head.

***

                That's so much like her. But it's not at all what she really needs.

                "What's wrong?" she looked confused.

                "That's not at all what I hear. That's probably why the message gets garbled. You wish one thing and another at the same time."

                "Oh." There was a long silence. Finally Relina said, "What is it you hear, then, if you don't hear what I say?"

                "I hear your feelings. I hear you being lonely... and sad." And that's why I wanted to help.

                "I'm sorry."

                "Why?" it was Cyrus' turn to be confused.

                "Because I'm so much of a problem for you."

                "No you're not; I liked being here. I liked getting to know you." I like you, he thought.

                "That doesn't mean it wasn't a hassle."

                "Don't worry about it."

                They sat there for a while, silent again, before he suggested that they turn on the TV. At least that way it wouldn't be completely silent.

***

                It felt so weird, knowing that someone knew more about her than she had ever purposefully told anyone. No one knew she wished on stars, and no one knew what she wished for.

                Suddenly she realized that she didn't know anything about Russ anymore, not if he wasn't human.

                "How old are you?"

                "What?"

                "If you're a star's spirit then you have to be a lot older than I am. How old are you?"

                "Oh. I'm about equivalent to 16 physically, but we age slowly. I've been around since there were people to wish on me."

                "What's your real name?"

                "Just Cyrus, we all have different names."

                "Who was it that was your mother when I was here helping you with math?"

                "My sister," he blushed a little as he spoke and ducked his head shyly, "Sorry."

                "Don't worry about it," she said, copying his tone and smiling so he'd know she wasn't mad.

                I'm probably just in shock. Later I'll be really annoyed about this all and not want to talk to him.

                "How do you usually help people?" she asked, "and why choose me, really?"

***

                Why her? Because... Well because it's always been her. And that was what he told her.

                "Silly, I haven't always been around. There must have been other people before me."

                "Not in the same sense there haven't."

                "Oh," Relina was quiet and she looked thoughtful, worried almost. "I shouldn't believe any of this, you know. I don't know why I do."

                Right then was when Odessa made her appearance. She walked right in the front door like she really did live there. Probably she figured she was needed to put in an appearance. Either that or she just wanted to pop in and noticed that Leena was here, he thought.

                "Believe what?" Odessa asked.

                "Nothing," he answered quickly, shooting Relina a look he hoped would stop her from saying a word about it. This was what he had to watch out for. No one could find out he'd told her. No one.

                "Can I talk to you in the kitchen, Cy," her friendly smile had been replaced with another look entirely and he wasn't sure he wanted to find out why. He followed her anyway, what else could he do?

                She shut the door before she began to rip in to him, "You told her. You know the rules! You know what they're going to do to you! How could you do something like that?" Odessa's hissed diatribe continued for several minutes.

                "Odessa!" he finally interrupted, "What else could I do? Nothing was working. I asked for this assignment specially, I couldn't fail to complete it. I had to do something."

                "You didn't have to do that!"

                "Then what could I do?"

                "Ask me for help if nothing else!"

                "And what could you do?"

                "Excuse me," Relina broke in.

***

                I can't believe I'm doing this. I can't believe I'm having this conversation. I'm going to wake up any minute now. These thoughts ran through her mind as she spoke, "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry that I've caused so much trouble. I didn't know that I was doing anything, I mean, I didn't know that you..." she trailed off, gesturing instead of using words to complete her sentence.

                "You didn't do anything wrong," Russ said at the same time as Odessa's, "No one's blaming you."

                "I know, I know. But I feel bad, you chose to do what you did because of me. I couldn't help but overhear a little bit of what she said..."

                "Listen, this is my problem. I can't ask you not to report me, Odessa, but I can't take back my choice," Russ said, adding, "I wouldn't anyway," in low tones. "And Relina, you really can't do anything for me. You're not supposed to know, but they'll know you do."

                Relina sighed and wished there were some way she could fix things. Then wondered if he could hear that wish.

***

                He just wondered how long it would be before they came. He knew Odessa had to report him; he would have had to do the same if it were her. How soon they came was another story. And the worst part was, he was hardly one step closer to figuring out her wish.

                His days went by as a jumble of thoughts and moments, moving from one to the next and not really experiencing any. He tried his best to act normally, but how could he when he didn't know what his life would be in the next second?

                He still ate and chatted with Relina and Diane, but they were both a little distant.

                Relina hadn't been the same around him since she found out; she was wary, watchful of herself. She tried not to say too many personal things and, when he managed to feel anything about it, he was hurt; it was almost worse than being cut off from her completely.

***

                Diane meant well, she knew, but it was hard to be around her anymore. She was always talking about her new boyfriend; "Matt says this," and "Matt does that."

                When Diane wasn't talking about her own boyfriend she was talking about how to find Relina one. As if that's my goal in life.

                Worse yet, eventually Russ' name always came up.

                It was hard to know that someone would risk himself so completely for someone he hardly knew. He didn't even know why he was taking the risk. His sister knew, though, and so did she when she would let herself admit it.

                And how do you talk to someone who knows more about you than anyone should know?

                She never let anyone know that much about her. They just let her know about them.

***

                Eventually Cyrus' waiting came to an end. He was given a message in dreamspeak.

                Short and to the point, the message didn't put any energy to waste in telling him when and where his hearing would be held. He wouldn't need to go far.

                That day, when everyone who was anyone showed up, he knew it would be the end. Some of them were his own age, most were older, a few younger.

                As they appeared, neglecting to use the house's door, he noted the few who appeared sympathetic; Odessa and the rest of his family made up the majority.

                Both he and his thoughts were silent as they read him the rules he had broken and the list of possible punishments. "Do you refute any of these charges? Do you have any information you feel to be important as we consider this case?" He simply shook his head.

To his surprise, Odessa spoke up. "If I may?" she paused for approval, then made her plea. 

                "It was I who reported Cyrus, but I did so not because I felt what he'd done was wrong but because it was my duty. I know him and I know why he broke these rules. If he won't speak for himself then I must speak for him.

                "First, he was simply trying to speed up what was clearly going to be a long process. He was being rushed. He was doing his best.

                "More importantly, though, is the reason he took on this problem. The girl, Relina, has been haunting him for years. He was Assigned to her. These Assignments do not happen without reason and we are not to question Assignments such as these. He is a bit young for such a responsibility but he has done his best. I believe this was meant to happen. He was meant to love her."

                The room gasped all at once, all except Cyrus. He was staring at Odessa, stunned and annoyed.

***

                The desk felt empty. Relina knew something had to be wrong, Cyrus wouldn't just stay home from school and he hadn't gotten in trouble yet. She hoped he wouldn't have to leave without saying goodbye.

                Somehow the desk was colder and further from the rest of the class than it had ever been.

Lunch had been long and tedious but at least Diane hadn't spoken about Matt a lot. She asked what was wrong but there wasn't anything Relina could say. She'd wondered where Cyrus was, but not for very long; everyone has to get sick once in a while.

But Relina knew.

                He wouldn't stay home unless something important had happened.

"Leena; Relina?" she was being called on.

                "Sorry."

                "Are you feeling well, Relina?"

                She shook her head, then thought again and nodded. "I'm okay."

                "Well then please keep up with the class."

***

                What on Earth was she thinking? First of all, I don't love Leena. I like her, but I don't love her. Second, she can't just announce something like that to these people. Third, we don't fall in love. We help love, but we don't fall into it. We just don't. She knows that.

                "Are you sure, Odessa?" one judge's voice rasped.

                "Very, Your Honor."

                "Does the girl know about this?"

                "I don't know, Your Honor," she ducked her head each time she spoke.

                He thought about this for a moment, then rasped something quietly to the other judges. After a moment they stopped talking.

                "We have come to the decision that we shall need to speak to this girl."

                "Relina," Cyrus snapped out of his reverie enough to speak, "Er...Your Honor."

                "What?"

                "Her name, Your Honor. It's Relina."

***

                She was waiting for Diane when the man approached her. As he walked she realized how much like Cyrus he looked and realized he must be family.

                "Relina?"

                "Yes?" She was suddenly nervous, "What happened?"

                "The judges wish to speak to you."

                "Now?"

                "Of course now."

                "I need to call my parents, and let Diane know. If I'm not going to ride home with her?" It was more of a statement than a question, but she needed the answer.

                "They've been taken care of, don't worry."

                "What do you mean?" Several meanings for the phrase "taken care of" flashed through her mind.

                "Everyone else believes you had plans to visit him after school."

                She let him lead her across the parking lot, then, suddenly, they were in Cyrus' living room. Relina blinked, taking it all in. Maybe 25 people all sitting, talking quietly. They stopped as they each realized she had arrived and turned to look at her, one or two at a time.

                Odessa came over and quickly explained the situation and said that the judges had decided that they wished to speak to her personally. She also pointed out that Cyrus had insisted that they wait until she was out of school for the day. "Did you know he loves you? No, don't tell me. The judges will want to know though, be prepared. I don't know what else they'll ask you.

                When Odessa left, Relina was alone. She was stuck facing who knew what and she didn't know what she was supposed to do.

***

                He heard her speaking in the next room but he was not supposed to see her. Some sort of rule, stopping him from making things worse. It was understandable he supposed. After all, maybe she thought it all was a dream.

                Still, Cyrus thought, she doesn't really know what's going on. She shouldn't be involved. I don't know what Odessa was thinking.

                He kept coming back to that thought- he didn't understand why Odessa insisted on that stuff.

                It was Odessa who led him out of the room after the judges were done talking to Relina, though. She said she thought things were going well but that was all she would say. She just smiled and kept walking.

                Relina must have said something wonderful. Not surprising. But what if Odessa's just guessing?

                He sat, quietly, staring at the ceiling, for what seemed like forever. The judges deliberated. Relina was nowhere in sight.

There was a water stain in the far right corner. The wallpaper didn't quite meet up right in the closer left corner.

He was starting to see pictures of things, and Relina, in the swirling brush strokes in the paint on the ceiling by the time they finished.

Again it was Odessa who let him know. He followed her into the living room and looked around, no one met his eye.

***

                There was nothing more she could do for him. She had done all she could.

                It was hard for Relina to convince herself of these things, though, because she couldn't even remember the questions she was asked, or her answers. She hoped she'd done well. He deserved it. But nothing could stop the sinking feeling that her best wouldn't be good enough. As if I even know what good enough is.

                She waited in the kitchen and wondered what was going on, how he was getting through this. She knew he must be somewhere in the house but she had no idea where, she hadn't seen him since she walked in.

                I wish I could talk to him, explain maybe. Not that he'd want an explanation. I wish I could tell him I did my best and wish him luck.

                A hushed voice in the next room gave her the impression that he might have been there all along. Not that it would have done her any good to know; she wouldn't have known what to say if she had the chance. She just wished she'd had the chance.

***

                "We have come to a verdict." The abrupt voice cut deeply into the silence. Cyrus hardly wanted to listen; he knew what it had to be. The only real difference would come in the punishment if it came at all.

                "Guilty as charged for divulging illegal information to a charge in his care. There is, as yet, no proof of an Assignment in this case." People around the room nodded, almost apologetically, at him.

                The pity will kill me before the shame will. I don't know how much more I can stand. I chose, don't they understand? I knew what I was choosing, but I accepted it. He wanted to shout that at them, make them understand.

                Instead he stood and waited for them to sentence him. And waited. And waited. Until finally he looked up at them, confused.

                This seemed to be the cue he was waiting for, "We have one last question to ask of you."

                "You may ask me anything you wish to ask," he inclined his head again respectfully.

                They asked if there was truth in the things she'd said.

***

                Cyrus came into the kitchen and she knew it had not gone well. Still, she had to know.

                "What did they say?"

                "This is the last time I'll get to talk to you. They're sending me back home and I'm to go through some re-training sessions. But I wanted to thank you."

                "Oh... any time," she didn't know what to say.

                "You didn't have to come here. You weren't supposed to, except Odessa used you as a kind of defense for me," here he frowned and looked back over his shoulder. "She should not have."

                Relina almost whispered, "If I helped at all, then I'm glad she did."

                He just looked at her, then shook his head slightly. "I'm to tell you..." he paused, "You will have a sort of job offer some years down the road. The next new star... you're the prime candidate... because of all this..." He realized he wasn't making much sense. "I mean, there will be a new star in a few years and every new star needs a soul or however you want to put it. They will ask you if you want to, because you know. But you don't have to take the offer." He couldn't tell her about the Assignment, there would be no way to even begin to explain.

                "I would get to talk to you then? If I were a star?" she was only a little surprised at the thought, but she wasn't sure if she was right about it.

                "Yes, but that's not a good reason for the choice."

                The door opened and Odessa peeked in, "Sorry to interrupt but you must leave, Cy."

                Again, he frowned, but quietly only said, "Thank you, and remember what I said, you don't have to accept. Goodbye..."

                Relina knew it never made it easier for anyone to leave when there was someone crying, so she tried to keep it inside, invisible, as she replied, "You're welcome, I'm sorry... Goodbye."

 

 

Epilogue

                Cyrus walked away from her knowing that she was still, after everything, still giving her best to him. She always gave her best to him.

                "You know, she might not even believe it was true anymore by the time they ask her," Cy remarked to no one in particular. And as he walked back to his home in the stars, no one in particular responded.

The myriad, faceted voices bounced around him, breaking and shattering on one another. He had to try not to listen for her voice, he knew he would not hear it.

                Well, he thought to himself, a little time off never hurt anyone. This will just be a lot of time off. And they'll let me back to work eventually. But mostly, he knew, he was just trying not to think of her.

                He would not hear her voice again until she was given her choice; he knew she would make the right one. He knew she would remember. He did not want to think of her.

                He could not stop thinking about her... until she made her choice.

o