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Chapter four
Make a Wish
9th Grade
It’saroundoneinthe morning on my fifteenth birthday. Sarah insisted we stay up until midnight so she could be the first one to wish me a happy birthday. She’s done that since my twelfth birthday. Of course, back then we had to pretend to be sleeping until Mom and Dad were asleep, and then she’d sneak out of bed, and we’d sit in my room watching trashy shows on MTV, and she’d wish me a happy birthday.
I just got back in my room after making cupcakes with Sarah because she insisted I have a candle to blow out. Honestly, she could have stuffed it in a tub of frosting, and I’d have been as happy. Frosting is the best part of cake, anyway.
I’m about to try to get some sleep when there’s a knock at my window. Confused, I slowly roll out of bed, pull the shade up, and see Aaron smiling at me.
I shake my head at him in confusion.
He pokes the window, so I unlock it and open it slightly. He pulls it all the way open, and a blast of the cold night air hits my face.
“What are you doing here?” I whisper, rubbing my cold arms.
“Why are you whispering?” he whispers back to me.
“Because, I don’t know, it’s late. You’re at my window. It feels whispery.”
He shakes his head. “Put some sweats on and get out here,” he says, taking in my tank top and short pajama shorts.
“Ace…” I whine. “It’s freaking cold.” I stick my bottom lip out. I don’t want to be out in the cold.
He sticks his arm through the window and pokes my bottom lip.
“Put that away. Now, trust me. If it’s a really cold night, what does that mean?”
“We’ll turn into human popsicles.”
He narrows his eyes at me.
“Think,” he says, pointing upward.
And then I get it.
“Stars?” I ask, suddenly excited.
Looking at the stars has always been a special thing for Aaron and me. When he was eight, he got a telescope for his birthday, and we learned about constellations. After that, as often as we could convince our parents, we’d stay up late and look through his telescope or lie on a blanket looking up at the sky. And wealwaysmake wishes on the brightest star we can find. We hold hands and silently take turns making our wishes, never telling the other what they are, unless they come true.
“It’s gorgeous out. Sweats. Grab a blanket. Come on. We’ve got wishes to make. And since it’s your birthday, I bet yours will be extra powerful.” He gives me a megawatt smile. And I can’t help it, I’m super excited now.
I throw on some sweats, grab an extra comforter from my closet, and climb out the window.
I lay the comforter down, then we both lie down on top of it and pull the other half of it up over us. Aaron extends his arm, and I snuggle tightly against him as we stare up at the glowing night sky.
“You’re right,” I whisper. “This is perfect.”
“You’re whispering again,” he says softly.
“It feels appropriate.”
He shakes his head at me and then kisses my forehead.
“Happy birthday, Beautiful.”
“Thanks,” I say with a smile. “What made you decide to come over?”
