WHAT DO THE STARS SAY?
Chapter Two

The next day was even more beautiful. Jack lay in the same field, doing the same thing he always did, waiting for Rose. It was the middle of summer and the days couldn’t be more beautiful. Jack worked at the Rocksprings Potato Farm. He would work from five o’clock in the morning to one o’clock in the afternoon. He would be a bit tired by the end of the day. He wasn’t rich, and nothing close to middle class. He was the older of two children; Peter was the youngest at eighteen. They weren’t married, so they dedicated themselves to taking care of their sick mother. She had raised Jack and Peter by herself, because their father had died when they were little kids. They were thankful and loved their mother very much. They worked on the farm, earning about eighty dollars a week each, making a total of one hundred sixty dollars. Her medicine cost about thirty dollars.

Jack lay in the field, wearing a pair of blue jeans and a sleeveless undershirt. Rose was taking longer than usual to arrive. Jack began to worry; he got up and started to walk into town, always looking back just in case she showed up.

As he walked into town, he saw a familiar car in front of Rose’s house. It was Rick’s fancy car. His father was the owner of the potato farm. That was why Rick was so rich. Jack frowned as he realized why Rose had not shown up to their every day meeting place. Jack started to walk to his house, which was very far away, when Rose came out of her house holding Rick’s hand. As Jack saw this, his heart sank.

"Jack! Look who came back!" Rose called in excitement. Excitement that killed Jack’s spirit.

"Hey, Jack. How are you?" Rick asked in a tone of voice that showed Jack that he really didn’t care. "Have you won the lottery? Have the stars talked to you lately?"

Jack just looked at him. Peter had told Rick about Jack’s stargazing passion. He looked at Rick with a forced smile, and said, "Well, they didn’t tell me you were coming. I’m going to have to ask them why tonight."

Rick just looked at him. He knew Jack didn’t like him, and that Jack knew he hated him as well.

Rose didn’t seem to realize this. They were her two favorite people in the world.

*****

Later that day, Rose, Rick, Jack, Peter, and a few other friends went to the lake. They sat next to the lake and talked. Some, like Bobby and Peter, got in the water. Jack was sitting next to Chuck, while Rose sat next to her other friend, Myra, a wild but lovable girl. Rick sat on the other side of Rose. Jack couldn’t stand to look at them holding hands and flirting. Every time he saw this, he felt like his heart would break. He tried his best to keep his tears from falling down.

Chuck slapped him on the back. "What’s wrong, buddy?" he asked. Rose looked at Jack, wondering the same thing.

"Nothing. I just haven’t been feeling well lately. I guess I’m getting the flu or something. I’m not sure," Jack said, frowning and looking down, trying to avoid Rose’s eyes.

"How can you not be sure?" Rick asked. "A real man is always sure about his life and everything around him."

Jack looked at him, and so did Rose. "Jack is just a big baby, but he is an adorable baby," she said. Jack knew she was joking, but it hurt him that she thought that he was just a baby.

"Why don’t you do what I did and join the Army?" Rick asked. "Do something honorable and serve your country. You’ll get a great challenge, Jack. The Army isn’t easy, but it’s an honor, not like picking and growing potatoes. That is why I left the business to my younger brother."

Jack really wanted to get up and punch the cockiness out of him. Rose looked at Jack with eyes that asked him to forgive Rick for his humiliating words. She knew Rick had crossed the line.

"Rick, Jack is a hard worker and a great son and friend. That is very honorable. It is something to be proud of," she said. Jack smiled inside. He loved that she had defended him.

*****

Days passed, and Jack couldn’t stand it anymore, but he couldn’t tell her. He just couldn’t. Jack wished for Rick would leave again soon so he could spend more time with Rose. Now that Rick was back, Rose’s attention all went to him. She and Jack didn’t even see each other much. He worked from five o’clock in the morning to one o’clock in the afternoon. He had gotten a second job helping in the woodshop. His mom’s medicine was getting more expensive. He would work that job from two o’clock PM to five o’clock PM. He was exhausted by the end of the day. Rose didn’t seem to notice much. This hurt him even more.

The day before Rose’s birthday was, luckily, Jack’s day off. He took a few dollars he had saved up and bought her a bracelet. The bracelet wasn’t the most expensive, but it was very pretty. It had the words look up at the stars engraved on it.

He put the small box, which contained the bracelet, in his pocket. He went to his house, sat down on the grass, and leaned against the same tree he always leaned on. It was getting dark; he had spent the whole day looking for the perfect gift for Rose.

Why do I even bother? Whatever Rick gives her is going to be three times better than this bracelet. He has the money to buy her something great, Jack told himself as he looked at the sky. A few stars started to shine in the night sky. As he was looking at them, he closed his eyes.

"What do the stars say, Jack?" Rose interrupted his thoughts.

Jack quickly stood up. He smiled at her, filled with joy. He could feel his heart pounding. His eyes were so happy to see her. "Someday I’ll tell you," he said, still smiling. "What are you doing here at this time, Rose? If your mom finds out that you are here at this time, she’ll kill me. You know she doesn’t like me," he said.

Rose just smiled and rolled her eyes. "Since when has my mother ever stopped me from doing something? Besides, I choose my friends, not her. I also haven’t seen you much lately. Where you been?" she asked.

"Working. Trying to make a decent living," he said, smiling. "I have also been looking for a gift for you."

"Ah…you actually remembered?" she squealed in excitement. "I thought you forgot!"

"How could I forget something so special, Rose? You hurt my feelings," he said, and turned his back on her, acting like he was mad and crying. Rose laughed and poked his ribs. Jack turned around, laughing as well. "That kind of hurt," he said, grabbing his side.

"Good," she said, smiling. Jack loved the way she smiled. "So, what did you get me?"

"Well, let me just say it’s not that amazing and not that expensive. But I thought you would like it," he said, taking the little box out of his jeans. "I wanted to give it to you tomorrow, since it’s your birthday, but now that we are alone, I have the chance to give it to you and tell you how I feel in person and with no interruptions."

Rose looked at the little box and her excitement grew. "Rose, you are my best friend. You mean the world to me. I don’t know what I would do if I lost you. Whatever happens, promise me that we will always be friends," he said.

"Of course, Jackie. You don’t even have to ask me that. We will always be friends," she said, smiling.

Jack smiled and gave her the little box. She opened it and smiled as she saw what it was. She hugged him with joy, thanking him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and lay her head on his shoulder. He hugged her back, putting his chin on her shoulder. He closed his eyes and felt like he was in heaven. He could smell the beautiful scent of her hair. He wished so much that he had the courage to tell her how much he loved her, how much she meant to him, and that she was his world.

*****

Rose’s small birthday party was a lot of fun for her. And like Jack guessed, Rose spent all her time with Rick. He just sat in a corner, looking at her. Rick gave her a huge diamond ring. Jack just nodded. Damn, how I wish I had money, he thought to himself.

When the party ended, he started to walk home. There was a sign that stole his attention.

SERVE YOUR COUNTRY. BE HONORED. SHOW YOUR PATRIOTISM AND JOIN THE ARMY. AND GET PAID GOOD MONEY.

Jack looked at it for a second. He would do an honorable thing and he would get paid. Maybe if he joined, he would get paid good money and it would give him the courage to confess to Rose how he felt. Jack grabbed a paper and took it home.

For the next few days, Jack disappeared. Rose couldn’t find him or Peter. She felt sad that Jack did not even bother to call her.

*****

She was walking with Myra to the lake when, all of a sudden, she felt a hand grab her. When she looked up, she saw that it was Jack.

"Where the hell have you been? You have had me worried sick!" she said angrily.

"I’m sorry, Rose, but I had to do something out of town and I didn’t get the chance to tell you. But now I will," Jack said.

Rose was concerned. His tone of voice was scaring her. "What is it? What did you do this time, Jack?" she asked.

"Rose, I have been thinking lately, and I feel like a nobody. I want to do something you can be proud of, something that I can be proud of," he said.

"What in the hell are you talking about, Jack? Get to the point. You are already something to be proud of."

"No, Rose, I’m not. That’s why my brother and I joined the Army. That is why we both left," he said.

Rose’s mouth fell open in shock. So did Myra’s. Rose couldn’t speak.

"Are you nuts, Jack? You going to get yourself killed!" Myra yelled. "You had a draft deferment because of your mom!"

Tears started to fill Rose’s eyes. Jack had never thought she would react like this.

"Jack, you can’t do this to me. You just can’t!" she said, crying.

"Rose, I thought you would be proud of me. I’m tired of picking potatoes, so I joined the Army," Jack said.

Rose just looked at him with the eyes he had always feared to see.

Chapter Three
Stories