STARS

My heels clicking tremendously on the pallid mosaic floor, my heart was

thumping excitedly. The moment I reached the registry table, I let out the most
perfect, professional beam ever then handed over my resume to a thin-looking
blonde.

"So, what's your name?”

"I'm Astar,”

"Excusez-moi? Mademoiselle, I'm asking for your name, not what are you
dreaming of,”

"It's my name! My name is Astar,”

"Mademoiselle, I'm on my working hours right now and I don't accept any
jokes within these hours,”

But, that really is my...”

"Why don't you give your full name,” suddenly, a male voice interrupted our
stiff conversation. Who was it?

"It's... Astar-Laurie Frankel,”

"Okay, Mademoiselle... Laurie, please be seated. Monsieur Rhapsody will be

attending you shortly,”

Okay, so my name is a kind of weird. Astar-Laurie Frankel. However, I

had met many people whose name was a lot weirder and even tacky than me, like
Rhapsody, and even the receptionist own the name of Pomegranate! Later, when
my name was being called, I felt a surge of happiness flowing in me. Oh, finally! My
dreams! My wishes!
 Holding a cup of hot, creamy latte in my dainty fingers, I dawdled
around the La 'Vista Garden. Oh, I just loved the eccentric panorama of the
kaleidoscope of colourful blossoms, budding under the soft tears of the Eye of The
Heaven. I just loved spring, the season of love. As I sat in an ebony gazebo, which
was built under a star anise, a persona suddenly came, and sat beside me. I looked
to my left, and there he was. It was that man! At the theatre!

“Hi, Astar,”

"Hi... how do you know my name?”

"At the theatre, don't you remember?”

"Oh, yes... Oh, yes! Whew, silly me! So, you are...”

"I'm Chevre Lancashire, and you can call me Chevre,”

"Your name... it's a lot weirder than mine, Chevre,” I grinned stupidly.

"I was named after a cheese, that’s why I owned a cheesy smile, see?” then,
he smiled.

"Yes, you do... hey, you know what? Today is really a bad day for me,”

Then, I told him everything. The whole thing about me. How I became
a laughing stock for my name, how I tried on acting on stage, for a character in The
Sound of Music, how my portfolio was thrown away in front of my gob smacked
countenance. Everything, to a complete stranger. It was strange, as I had never
been so friendly to any strangers in my whole life, but this man... he was different. I
felt so easy to pour out my feelings.

"But, the whole pandemonium was, my name! How could everyone...”

"Maybe, because it's the way you pronounced your name,”

"Astar?”

"See? That's the problem. It’s Astar,” he held my hand in his grip. It was hot
and warm.

"Do you want to be a star?”

 “Yes, I do,” I was mesmerized by his fathom stares as he intense his sepia iris
into my glistening violet eyes.

“I will grant your first wish, you know. I will make some stars for you,”

“How come you know... my first wish...?”

“I don't know, but I just know... now close your eyes,” and as if I was being
hypnotized by him, I closed my eyes.

“Now, open your eyes,” and shining in front of my eyes, on his palm, was en
masse of shimmering, small stars, made from crystal. They were very beautiful. I
looked up at him, gazing onto those pairs of cheerful iris, his pale, pink lips, and
those moon crest dimples on his cheeky smile.

“It’s... spectacular,” then, as it happened, his lips curved a little, touching

softly on my rosy, pink lips. Did he just...

“I... I... Chevre, I...” I was entirely flabbergasted. Oh my goodness, how could
I let a complete stranger... to do that!

“Keep these stars, will you? Oh, I have to go now... see you later!” Then he
petered out of my sight.

“Chevre! Wait!” But he had vanished, under sea of people, crowding on the
street.

My pretty iris flicked opened as I was bathed under the morning

sunshine, streaming through the translucent window. Oh, another day, living on my
parent's insurance. One day, the spendolas would definitely vanish from my
grandeur, blue-blooded life. If I did not get a job, it would be the end of me. The only
thing that required my full savoir faire was being a complete prima donna at the
theatre. Being a ballerina was a will-o-the-wisp for me. I was too old to squeeze into
the fuchsia tutu, or into the pale pink leotard. 26 years old, was I too old for that?

The moment I was gulping down a sip of hot, streaming moccachino,

someone knocked on my door. Hmm... Who could that be? As I opened the front
door, I noticed two letters on the floor. Strange, I mumbled as I tore open the first
letter. It was pale lilac, with a swift rose-scented smell.
 Dear Astar,

I have granted your second wish, to be star.

Who was it? Could it be...? Chevre? I hastily tore the second letter, and
as I read between the lines, my eyes shone with excitement.

“.... with our deepest gratitude, we are indeed very happy and proud to
announce that you are invited to take up the role as Giuseppina Bozacchi if you
have succeeded in the audition which will be held in another two weeks time. The
audition...”

Then, guess what happened? I WAS DANCING AND JUMPING MADLY ON

THE QUAINT CLEOPATRA LOUNGE!

I would be a star. A STAR!

Two weeks later....

“I will be in touch tomorrow for some further details, Mademoiselle Astar, and
again, congratulations!”

“Merci, Monsieur Evan. It's my pleasure to be included in your team. I

promise that I will do my best!”

“That’s the spirit that I want! I believe that you can bring Giuseppina to life,
you know,”

I beamed euphorically as I put down my phone. I was having a castle in

the sky when my hand phone sloshed vibrantly, again... Oh, I really needed to
change that 'slosh' ringtone. It sounded like a toilet flush!

“Hello?”
 “Astar! Did you get it?”

"Is this... Chevre? How do you know about that audition? How... How did you
get my number?”

“I saw you at The Opera during that audition. About your number, a little
birdie told me,”

“Who?”

“Pomegranate,”

“Oh, that birdie. You know what; she did not deserved to be a little birdie.
She's a terrible witch," I murmured.

“Ha-ha-ha... you're right... Astar, do you... do you fancy a dinner with me?”

“Excuse me?”

“Just to celebrate your promotion, actually,”

“Is this a date?”

“...You can say that... maybe,”

“You are nervous, Monsieur Chevre,”

"I... I...”

“What if I don’t want to consider it as a date? You know, if it wasn’t a date, I

wouldn’t interested to go,”

“NO! It is… it is… really, a date. I’m asking you… for a date with me, a proper
one…”

"Stop being edgy, it's hilarious... Pick me at 7 o'clock, will you?” I put my
phone to my chest, and smiled.

My slender, hour-glass body was fitted perfectly into the azure

flannels, my eyelids were smidgen with a stroke of midnight-coloured hue. He
promised me a ride from my quaint maisonette to Sweet William Restaurant. By the
time I laced up my lapis lazuli kitten heels, he arrived, in a... limousine! Wow, what
a night!

"Chevre, a limousine! I didn't expect that you...”

 "You deserved it, don't you? It's your night,”

"Well... What can I say? Merci,”

"You look amazing, Astar. Like... a belle,” His cheeks flushed a little, and I
beamed euphorically.

"It's time for me to make a magic,” I moved closer to him, inhaling the scent
of Hugo Boss from him.

“What kind of ma...” I silenced him with a taste of raspberry from my lipstick.

“Now it's your turn to lose your words, Chevre. You have done it before, now
so do I, “he smiled as he pulled me towards him.

"Can we go now, Chevre?” he grinned like a Cheshire cat, then, holding

hands, we leave.

That night was the most unforgettable, finesse night ever. We were
seated there, on looking at a panoramic view of Viennetta River, with a few quaint
gondolas streaming on the water, witnessed by the shimmering stars on the moonlit
sky. How I loved the scenery! Even our foods were terrific! From desserts like
apfelsrudel and clafoutis, to meals like those divine tastes of fish caviar and roasted
honey salmon, I was pampered with Euros!

“Oi, Monsieur Chevre! Fancy meeting you here!” A feminine, soprano-like

voice gently interrupted our newsy tete-a-tete.

“Lou... Louisa! What are you doing here?” he looked a little bit frantic.

“Having a dinner with Emanuel of course! So, you are having a dinner... with
our newcomer!”

“Our newcomer? What's that supposed to mean?” I mouthed, puzzled by the

drama in front of me.

“Forgive me, Mademoiselle Astar. You didn't know yet about me, don't you?”

"No, I don't know even a dime about you, Mademoiselle... Louisa. Who are
you??”

“I’m Monsieur Chevre's secretary at The Opera. He's the director of that
theatre. We weren't there during the audition. Monsieur Chevre approved you
through mails from Monsieur Evan, the co-director. You supposed to know that,
don't you? "
 "I didn't, Louisa. I just didn't...” my face was stiff and boiled red with anger.
Chevre seemed to lose his tongue.

"Didn't you tell her, Monsieur Chevre? Oh, dear... "

"Louisa, I'm leaving, and Monsieur Chevre? THANKS FOR THE DINNER, "I rose
from my heels, took my tote and strode out from that lavish, grandeur place before
that moronic liar managed to catch my arms. Tears running down heavily from my
blurry sight. I was stupidly being deceived by him! I walked and walked, into the
gleaming street, and before I realized, he caught my arms. I was pulled into his
deep embrace.

"Please... don't go...” He muttered, he was out of breath.

I sighed. "Why, Chevre? Why?”

"I just wanted you to be happy…”

"Happy?" I pushed him away, staring into his puppy eyes. "Yes, I am bloody
HAPPY!”

"Astar…”

"No, I am! I'm really happy. I'm happy because I have been cheated by a
complete fraud like you! No wonder I got that promotion easily! And, about
Pomegranate, she's not the little birdie like you had said, right? You got my contact
easily, because you know what? You are the Director of The Opera! Because you are
him, you did not have to be there during the audition to know that I was being
promoted! BLOODY LIAR YOU ARE! "

"Astar... "

"And, one thing, I will send my resignation letter tomorrow. Because, outside
there, hundreds of ingénue are happened to be more qualified than me. I would not
accept that promotion. You gave it to me because you are sympathy towards me.
What's the point? I would have to enjoy being Giuseppina, for nothing! For my
wishes, I expected that you paid some stupid spies to watch over me! Don't you
ever try to look for me, okay! I will do everything I can so that I can vanish from
your life and you as well! Do you understand?”

"Astar, please give me... at least a chance to explain. Please,” I pulled a sour,
infuriated face at him.

"Why should I?”

 "Please...” I groaned, and turned to him to ' hear ' his stupid pleading.

"One minute,”

"I chose you... We chose you based on your capability to become Giuseppina.
You can act. You can do ballet. You are the person we are looking for, whom is able
to act and dance at the same time. We chose you because of your expertise in
ballet and acting. We trust you, Astar. We do,”

"Ergo, can you explain why do you keep following me? Why are you
pretending?” he closed his eyes, trying to concentrate on something.

I looked at him, totally scrutinized by his act. “Are you praying a mantra or
something?”

He shot me a quizzical glance, then breathing in and out, as if he wanted to reveal

the nation top secret to me. "Firstly, listen. It may sound awkward, or crazy or
whatever, but I have fall in love with you,”

"You have... what?”

"The first time I met you, when you were almost having a quarrel with that
witch,” I chuckled a little.

"The moment I laid my eyes on you, I knew that, I knew that I have met the
woman that I've been seeking for years. I have met many, but none of them were
as nice and perfect like you. I couldn't afford to lose you... That's why I approached
you mysteriously, because I wanted you to love me back, because of me and not
anything else. When I looked into your eyes, I just, simply knew about what you
wish in your life. Your dreams. Because, you know what?” he stretched out his
hands to reach up to mine.

"I am so deeply, madly in love with you, Astar-Laurie Frankel,”

A few weeks later...

Weeks passed, and my love towards Chevre bloomed like a cherry

tree. Surprise? I have forgiven him, that very night. He promised me that he would
not keep any secrets from me anymore, and I promised to not to get mad at him.
Maman, Papa, I really loved this guy, and nothing could ever separate us apart. I
hoped that both of you like him. Back to the story, my acting had got better ever
since, with lots of training sessions with the crew, and of course, under the eyes of
my beloved. I was praised by all of them for this and that. I felt like I was a bird,
flying freely up to the sky. My life was very delightful, just like in a paradise.

Every single night, Chevre accompanied me back to home with his

limousine, except on one night, when I felt bored of seating on those lavish seat, we
decided to chat and walk to home. That, I thought, was the most romantic night
ever. We were having waltz without music, under the quince tree, before we felt on
my door front, exhausted but elated. Later, he kissed me goodbye, and left. He was
definitely, my soul mate.

The act was a hit! People kept praising my performance, and gosh,
they really liked me! Chevre was proud of me. I thought that I was the most
propitious lass ever. However, I did not know that it's not long before my dream
kissed me goodbye. Perpetually.

The night after my first play, we walked together around the garden,
when he suddenly stopped.

"Astar, do you believe in dreams?”

"Of course I do, I mean, we do dreams about all kinds of stuffs. But, dreams
are just dreams. Never a reality,”

"For me, dreams can be reality,”

"Why?”

"I used to dream of my own death. I was in your embrace, under the moonlit
solace...”

"You are talking nonsense! Well, don't talk about it anymore, okay... I don't
want to lose you,”

"It's a fate, Astar, that the Death will separate us apart. You have to be
prepare,”

"Chevre, please... don't bring up this subject, okay?”

"Okay... I won't,” He raised his hand, to make an oath to me that he wouldn't

mention about death anymore.
 "Hey, Astar? I will grant your third wish,”

"My third wish?”

"I'll be a star for you,” then he pulled me into his deep, amorous hug.

Three days later, in front of my doorstep was a letter from him. I really
was thankful to God that I got a man in my life, who was so romantic, and had
promised me a spectrum of colourful stars shining up my life.

Dear my beloved Astar,

I'll grant your third wish, tonight. Come to my house, will you?

I was excited! There were hundreds of possibilities that night, would he

ask for my hand in marriage? If that was what he would do, I would definitely say
yes! Little did I knew, that what I would obtain that night, was not the expectations
that I ever dreamt of getting.

"Bonjour? Is anybody in here?” The mahogany door creaked open, revealing

a sight of a 50 years old woman.

"Are you, Astar?”

"I am her, indeed,”

"I'm Chevre's mother. Come in,”

She held my hand, tightly and brought me towards a vast, green area. Wow,
what a garden!

"Madame, where is he?”

"Please, call me Maman, Astar,” That's... weird.

"Okay... Maman, where is...” she glanced at her left, and I tip-toed nearer to
her to catch a glimpse of what she had been seeing for quite some minutes. When
she realized that I was getting closer a few inches to her, she feebly hoisted her
hand and patted my shoulders.
 "There,” she pointed towards a stone monument, chiseled into a heart shape.
What was that?

R.I.P

Chevre Lancashire

20th August 1979-31st March 2009

A son and a lover

"Maman, I don't get it. It's not Chevre... it's... certainly not him...”

"He is, Astar. He had gone,”

"No, it can't be... it couldn’t be… no! Chevre! No...” she pulled me in her hug.
Her tear-strained face was drenched with droplets of crystal-clear pearls again.

Tiny droplets of sparkling tears rushing down my face. I stood there,

for some time. Chevre had leaved me. He had leaved me! It's... It's not supposed to
happen. Why Chevre? Why him? Why now! I cried. I moaned. I muttered his name
over and over. I darted towards his grave, even managed to goggle it for a clearer
view. I thought that it was a joke. An April Fool perhaps. But, I’d never seen an
authenticity as real as what was in front of my misty iris. I couldn’t find any excuses
anymore. He had died. He really, really had died. I wept again. For one hour or a
century later, I finally... almost stopped. Maman handed me a gold tinted card.

It was from him.

Dear my beloved Astar,

Will you be my soul mate forever, even when I'm no longer

alive in this lovely world?

 I nodded with clear, translucent beads of tears streaming down my
cheeks once more. Slipping the diamond ring which I found together with the card,
imagining that he was there with me, slipping the sparkling ring into my finger,
smiling at me with his deep passionate eyes, I verbalize the spell,

“I do, Chevre. I do,”

"My poor baby, don't cry. He wouldn't like you to cry in front of him,”

"It's too shocking, Maman. One moment I thought he would be here with me,
the next minute, I had to witness... his own grave. Why it was too cruel? I thought
that he was the one who slipped this ring... not me...not I…”

"It was an ordeal, Astar. We have to accept no matter what,” I nodded

obediently, and cuddled into her hug.

“Does anybody know about his death?”

"I'm sorry, Astar. We... had the ceremony this morning. It was his request for
you to not to be there,”

“He… he did that? But, why?”

“It was his wish. Before he was in comma, he said that if he died under the
moonlit solace, he did not want you to be by his side, because you’d told him that
you didn’t want him to think about his death in your embrace and all that. He knew
that if you were there with him, you would have crying and not smiling just like
what he had dreamt of. He had weird instinct, and it was very peculiar, because
what he always dream or hope would become a reality. Maybe, because he was
dying, he thought that what he had dreamed wouldn’t come true. Yes, I couldn’t
deny the truth. He died in the right atmosphere, but the missing key was, you
weren’t there,”

“Oh my God… I... I... I understand. Maybe he could not withstand to look at
my tear-strained face. I bet everyone at the theatre knew about him, but they were
prohibited earlier by his will to not to utter a word about him to me, is it?”

"Yes, he had done that. He didn't want you to be sad. He wanted you to move
on, that’s why he had dreamed that he saw your smile before he closed his eyes,” I
nodded again.

“Which apparently in his dream, my smile indicated that I would move on,
without him. But, when he saw my reactions about his becoming death, he was
aware that I couldn’t move on if I saw him dying. Am I right?”
 “True. He told me that. He didn’t want you to cry before he closed his eyes.
He wanted to die in peace,”

“He was very plain stupid. I wanted nothing but to see him for the last moment!
Anyway… yes, he was right too. I might get crazy if I saw his ashen-looking face. His
act was right. He’s right…”

“One thing, before he departed, he managed to write two letters, one was the one
that I had mailed to your house, and another one…is the one in your hand,” I
nodded and pulled the letter towards my chest, feeling his writing, his last request,
his love in my heart.

"Astar, you are supposed to know about this,”

"What?”

"He had suffered for cirrhosis for years. That illness of him cost him his own
life. So, that's the reason of his sudden death,”

“He never told me that he had sick for years, he kept his sickness to himself,
not even a word to me!” Tears flooding again.

"I would be missing him like crazy,” I told her, my cheeks burned a little for
my unexpected words.

"I understand, Astar. As his mother, I am truly sad,” We hugged again, in

sorrow.

"When did he die?” I quizzed her when I remembered that I didn't even know
when he breathed his last breath.

“Yesterday, but he had been in comma for…last three days,” I stared into her
weak eyes. I was totally bombed with shock and confusion. Last three days? LAST
THREE DAYS?

“You mean, comma, means that he was on his deathbed, without any
movement, last three days? Never get up at all; he just stayed on his bed for the
last three days??”

“Though today is an April Fool, I’m not lying or joking, dear. He only moved a
bit, just his eyes and lips, for a few hours, enough for him to told me about his
wishes, for him to halt me from calling you, getting the crews and the workers to
visit him before he passed away,”

"Whaa... What? It couldn't be!” My eyes lucidly staring on Mum's, totally

disbelieved with what I have heard.

"Why?”
 "He was with me that very night! Last three nights! That very, very night!!”

I stared boldly onto the lines, penned on the card. What was going on?
Did I just see his… spirit? His… ghost? It was later then I finally noticed a few words,
which revealed the whole Encil'lada about my third wish, about the enigma of his
eternal siesta.

"I have granted your third wish, my dear. Look up to the sky, and you'll

see me, shimmering brightly, and I'll always be with you, forever, "

I look up to the moonlit sky, quickly, and for the first time in my life, I
saw a sparkling star, shining luminously as if it was dancing in the dark midnight. At
that instance, I knew. It was my beloved. It was him.

"Do you believe in dreams?”

I reminisced his words in the tacit atmosphere. Then, I smiled. YES, it

was really him. It was his soul, coming to me, to tell me, to ensure that I would carry
on with my life. He was there to be with me for the last moment, even though it was
only his soul, before he would disappear from my sight, to watch over me from the
sky.

"What's the matter, Astar? Did you see him?”

"Yes, I did. I saw him, Mum. I saw him. Now, he was up there. He's a star,” he
really granted my third wish. He really did.

STARS
COMPLETED ON 18TH OF DECEMBER 2009

8:01 AM

WRITTEN WITH LOVE,

Irma Idayu bt Md Akir (Purple_IERYU)

17 years old