And then, that day came. 

“Where are they? It’s almost nine. They were supposed to be here 20 minutes ago.”

I said that while looking at Jay. He didn’t seem bothered about it. 

We were waiting outside the main entrance of the school. 

It was almost December, one could tell by how cold the days were starting to be. Winter was just around the corner. And I really thought about it, because, for the longest time, it had been my favorite season. And I don’t know why. Maybe it was because snow always seemed so distant to me that I felt like it was the only thing that I could always look at without ever having to get hurt. Something that would not make me have to elucidate about every little detail. 

It is simple… and that’s why it’s so beautiful. 

It just passes by. Nowhere to be found, nowhere to be seen. 

“Can you just calm down? They’ll be here any minute.” Jay said. 

I didn’t answer. He was probably right. That’s why I just sat down and let time go by. 

They arrived 10 minutes later. 

“Hey, guys! Sorry for being late. Hal forgot her phone at her house.” Said Claire.

“Yeah, my fault. Sorry about that.”

I couldn’t help staring at Claire. I don’t know how, but she seemed even prettier than before. Jay noticed and looked at me as he grinned. 

I noticed and looked at him too. 

I just sighed.

“Something wrong, Ethan?” Claire asked. 

“No, nothing. It’s all good” I said. 

“Ok. Let’s get going, then, or we won’t be able to get there on time.”

“Is it too far?” Jay asked.

“Hmm. Not too far. You guys just follow us.” Hal said.

Jay and I looked at each other. We just nodded and followed them as they said. 

✑

“So, where is this place we’re going to?” Jay asked. 

“It’s up the hill in the north. The one where couples usually go and… you know…”

Jay looked a bit confused. Hal laughed while looking at his face. 

“You really don’t know?!”

“I don’t get it.”

“You’re so innocent, dude.”

Well, they seemed to get along.

Meanwhile, Claire and I walked beside each other. 

“You know? I’ve noticed how you are always writing on that little pad you always have in your bag, especially when we’re at the club. I didn’t know you were into that kind of thing.” Claire said that with a faint smile on her face. 

I could see it as I turned to look at her. 

“Yeah, well. It helps me calm down and keep my mind off things. I’ve always liked it.”

That was true. 

For as long as I can remember, and, especially, since mom died, letting my emotions out became more and more difficult. That’s why I started writing. Because it served a much easier way to just get rid of all those painful memories and sad feelings. 

“What do you usually write, then?” She asked. 

“Poetry.”

“That’s nice. I’ve always wanted to write poems, though it was never something I was really good at.”

“Well. That doesn’t really matter.”

She looked at me a bit puzzled. 

“Most of the time, it’s just about letting yourself go. I feel like sometimes my hand moves faster than my brain when I write. And that’s nice. Makes it all the more natural.”

Claire then chuckled. 

“Wow. You really are… interesting, Ethan.”

I didn’t know what to say. 

I immediately looked away so that she couldn’t see me get all flustered. I think she did see me blush anyway. 

“Something wrong?” She asked, as if trying to ease the situation. 

“No. Everything's fine.” 

I just pulled myself together and kept walking. 

I think thirty minutes went by as we walked up one of the hills located on the outskirts of the city. To be honest, I was starting to feel a little tired. I think Jay was, too. 

“Hey. Where the hell is this place you talk about? We’ve been walking for more than half an hour.” He complained. 

“Stop it, crybaby. We’re almost there.” Hal said. 

She was quite straightforward. Unlike Claire, she spoke openly and didn’t even think to measure her words. 

“God. You got quite the temper, don’t you?” Jay asked her. 

“Yep. Sorry. We’re almost there.” She responded as she smiled ironically. 

“Jeez. Cut them some slack, Hal. You’ve just met them.” Claire reproached her. 

“Okay, okay. Sorry.”

Those kinds of interactions really warmed my heart, even if I wasn’t a part of them. It just seemed so natural; it almost made me feel at complete ease. 

“Alright. We’re here.” 

And as Hal said that, just as we passed the last tree, we could see that landscape unfold before our eyes. The wind breeze felt magical. I could feel its gentleness caressing my skin, but, truth is, I couldn’t really pay attention to that feeling, ‘cause my eyes were completely fixed on that image that I never thought I’d get to see. 

Its brightness reflected on my pupils as its beauty captured all my senses. 

So close, and yet, so far away. Never in my life would I have thought that something like that would make my heart flutter that way. 

At the bottom of that cliff, and all along that landscape, a large lake stood there in grace. The shine of the stars reflected on its crystal waters was just as beautiful as it seemed to be, and the rest of the forest that surrounded it made it just as incredible. 

“Wow.” I said without even realizing. 

“You like it?” Claire asked. 

“Ye-yeah. It’s amazing.” 

I think I saw her smile as I answered. I guess she was happy I could see the beauty hidden in that image. She was probably able to grasp it as well. She had probably done it a long time ago. 

“Claire and I discovered this place three years ago, just after the town’s festival.” Hal said.

“Why did you even decide to come up here, anyway? Can’t blame you, though. This place is awesome.” Jay asked. 

“Well, it’s just…”

And as Hal hesitated…

“Hal saw the boy she liked kissing another girl on that festival night. She felt disappointed and tried to run away. I saw it and decided to follow her. That’s how we ended up here. We were so saddened that we didn’t even realize how beautiful this place we found was until we could calm down.”

“Ye-yeah. I guess that’s what happened.”

Hal felt a bit embarrassed. Claire laughed at her expression. 

“I guess she wasn’t really used to getting dumped so hard. Boys are usually head over heels for her.” Claire remarked. 

“Shut up, Claire! You’re one to talk…”

“Yeah. Sorry.” Claire said as she smirked. 

That really made me think. To be fair, they were both really pretty. It wasn’t a surprise boys would be attracted to them. But, even so, in that moment, and as I could see both of them smile, I couldn’t really think about that. All I could think about was how natural they seemed to be, how joyful those exchanges were… and how much I wanted to be a part of them, too. 

“Why don’t we go sit by the edge?” Hal suggested. 

“Yeah. The sky looks even prettier when you look at it from there.” Claire said as well. 

We then did as said and sat by the edge of that cliff. I could see the lake just below my feet. Its surface shone as brightly as ever. 

“I never thought I’d get to be in a place like this.” I said almost unconsciously. I was so immersed in the lights of the sky that I had almost forgotten they were there, too.

“It wasn’t that far away, though. Was it?” Hal said. 

“Yeah, I guess.” I responded. 

“Do you usually come here anyway?” Jay then asked. 

“Not that often, but we still come here from time to time.” Claire explained. “The shine of the stars always makes me feel at ease.” 

“Quite the sentimentalist, aren’t you?” Jay asked her a bit ironically. 

“Yeah. Maybe that’s why I like books and stuff like that so much.”

I looked at her a bit surprised. Seeing how openly she was able to talk about what she liked made me think about how insecure those things actually made me feel. Even if there was no reason for them to. 

“Oh, that’s right. You two go to the literature club at school, don’t you? Claire told me about it.” Hal asked me. 

“Ye-yes.” I said somewhat embarrassed. 

“Man… I didn’t even know that club existed anymore.” Hal remarked again. 

“Well, I had always been the only member.”

“Must have been sad, then.” She continued. 

“I got used to it.” I answered coldly. 

That was the only thing I could say. It was true, nonetheless. Lying about that wasn’t even worth it anymore. 

Claire looked at me a bit sad. I think she was trying to empathize with me. She had always been like that. But she didn’t really have to. After all, something like that didn’t really bother me. That’s why I just shrugged off and smiled at her to let her know it was all right. 

She felt relieved. 

“Not gonna lie, it feels a little weird seeing you two hanging out with us.” Jay said. 

“Why is that?” Hal asked. 

“It’s just that… you really are popular. Whereas us two… well, I was just wondering. Forget about it.”

And then, suddenly, Hal stood up. She smiled at Jay, as he could see the shine of the stars reflected on her eyes. It was weird. She seemed… truly happy. 

“You know… I just broke up with Patrick.” Hal then said. 

“Do-doesn’t that sadden you?” Jay asked, a bit surprised. 

“Hmm… not really. He was an asshole anyway. I’m sure he cheated on me more than once. Well, doesn’t really concern me. I’ve never really been lucky when it comes to boys.”

And, despite saying that, her expression seemed so indifferent. 

But I knew, deep inside, she was hurting. Because I had been there as well. Putting up a front when, in reality, I was truly sad, was something I was already used to. 

“But, when you think about it, it doesn’t really matter, does it? Eventually, you’ll find another one you’ll hook up with at some random party. Or even lose your virginity ‘cause you’re too drunk to tell and some asshole just wants to take advantage of you. 

Jay’s expression stiffened. Claire seemed a bit concerned. I think we all knew what she was referring to. Even so, I was too afraid to ask. Even Jay was. Claire probably already knew about it. 

“Wh-what are you saying, Hal?” Jay then asked. 

“All I’m saying is… fuck it all. It doesn’t matter whether we’re popular or not. We’re here right now, and maybe that’s all that matters. I don’t think you have to give so much thought to such meaningless crap.”

And then, for some reason, she started undressing. 

“Woah, woah! What are you doing?” Jay said surprised. 

Hal smiled at him again. She was now wearing just her underwear.

“You know? Sometimes, you just have to let yourself go.” 

She backed down. Started running and jumped off the cliff.

She landed in the water as her figure vanished for a second on the depths of that lake. 

I turned to see Claire, but, to my bigger surprise, she was also standing up, only wearing her underwear, too. 

“Hey, Claire. What are you–?” But there was no time to finish that sentence, as she also got herself to jump off that cliff. 

Seconds later they both removed their heads from the water. 

“Cmon’, you pussies. Get down here!” Hal shouted from down there. 

“Are they nuts, dude?” I tried to ask Jay, but as I did, he also started undressing. 

“Wait, Jay, you can’t be thinking about–”

But his decided look said it all, and, as well, he jumped off. 

“Cmon’, Ethan! It’s just you! Jump!” Claire insisted. 

“Are you serious?! The water must be fucking freezing cold. And the jump is so high as well.”

“Don’t be afraid, man. You got it!” Hal said, trying to encourage me. 

“I-I don’t know–”

“Ethan!” Jay then shouted. “You remember our promise, right? You can’t back off now, dude. Get rid of that fucking fear and just come down here! The water’s amazing!”

And those words resonated with me. ‘Cause it was true. My life had always been so plain. I had never tried to achieve anything, and nobody had ever expected something from me, either. But, now, I was there. And they were with me. They were waiting for me. And I couldn’t let them down. 

I then started wondering… that maybe, just maybe… I could look at the world from another perspective from down there. If they were with me… if they let me see it alongside them… then maybe it was possible.

And that was the only thing that mattered. 

Hal herself said it. I chose to believe those words. 

“Hey. He really is gonna jump.” Even if he had been encouraging just before, Jay was still doubting I was really gonna do it. 

How ironic, he was the first who pushed me down in the end. If it weren’t for him, I don’t think I would have even been there. 

And as I was just in my underwear, I backed off, started running, and without even thinking about it… I jumped. 

Midair, all I could see was the moonlight mixing with the shine of the stars all along the sky. I think that was the first time I had ever seen something that beautiful. 

Maybe those fantasy stories and magical words were not real, and maybe those fairytales hadn’t still become true, but, then and there, I think I was one step closer to finding where they were truly hidden, and how I could find them. 

And even if they were just resting on the surface of all those stars, I would have still thought that, someday, I’d be able to reach them. 

The moment I splashed into the water, those thoughts became real. And I realized something that had always been there, but I had never been able to grasp. 

The thought that, perhaps, dreaming was also within my reach. 

“Woah! Nice jump there, Ethan!” Claire said. 

I knew Jay and Hal also wanted to praise me, but seeing my face must have surprised them even more. Seeing me cry like that was something they would have not been expecting. 

“Hey, Ethan. Are you okay?” Jay asked, concerned. 

But, actually, everything was fine. It was all so very fine. And that was the main reason I started crying. ‘Cause, for the first time ever, everything seemed so perfect. For the first time ever, I didn’t have to worry about anything. For the first time ever…

“I’m glad to be alive.” 

And they all smiled at me. I don’t think I’d ever been able to forget those expressions. They were just seeing me for who I was. They accepted me. And that was all I needed. 

“Hey. Look up!” Hal shouted pointing her left arm to the sky. 

“It's the meteor shower!” Jay remarked. 

We all raised our heads to the sky, and there it was. 

All those beams of light rained down the atmosphere as they flooded the sky and overshadowed all those stars that had been able to make me cry not long ago.

I looked at their faces. They all seemed dazzled, truly amazed. 

I understood all those expressions. I was probably making the same one.

Because that night sky was the most beautiful one I had ever seen. And I didn’t have to take any pictures to know I wouldn’t ever forget it. 

Because I know I wouldn’t even forget those tears I shed under the moonlight or the banal stories I shared with them while laughing out loud at their own stupid misery.

I was happy to be with them. And I think they were happy to be with me, too. 

And even if I had to expect the cruelty that awaited me in the real world I lived in… 

I just wished I could spend more time in that fantasy. 

The fairytales Claire made me believe in had never seemed so beautiful. 

It was true. It was all true. 

Thank you for letting me see, even for a split second, how amazing the world can be.