Transition Year English Christmas Assessment 2012.3. Three wishes: for Myself, Ireland and the World.

By Aideen Galligan.

The two girls sprinted down the road side by side; best friends since the

age of three. Addie who was much taller than Claire had no problem jumping

over the fence. She hopped over it and waited for her friend who was

struggling to get over. Addie was muttering under her breath about how much

homework they had just received from their French teacher.

“Two essays and a comprehension! I think she thinks we have no life

outside school.” she said. “Why do you always complain to me? I can’t do

anything about it.” replied her best friend Claire who had finally made it over

the fence. “I know but it’s so unfair, with all this homework and study I have no

time for singing and writing songs anymore.” said Addie.” Well you better get

used to it; you heard what the teachers said about third year being hard work.”

“So, where are we going anyway?” “I’ve wanted to show you something

for ages but we never get home fast enough; but today since choir was

cancelled I think we can make it in time.” replied Claire. They jumped over the

small stream and ran trough a field full of long grass and wild flowers. They

turned a corner and a large tree came into view on top of a small hill. “Come

on up here; I want to show you something!” Claire said excitedly to Addie who

was out of breath. They walked up the hill and sat in the shade of the tree. It

was still quite warm but the sun was starting to sink behind the trees. ”Good

we made it.”; Claire opened her school bag and took out a small canvas and

some paints. “What are you doing?” asked Addie. “I’ve been wanting to paint

the sunset here for ages, but with study and all our after school stuff we never

get out of school fast enough.”

“Why do you want to paint the sunset here? You could just look out

your window, instead of us running all the way here.” said Addie who was

slightly annoyed after all the running; she began to rummage in her bag and

she took out her song book and began to scribble in it. “because it looks really

pretty from on top of the hill.” began Claire “My sister told me that when she

was younger she sat under this tree and saw an the most amazing sunset

she’d ever seen; and then she saw a shooting star go over that tree, right over

there” she said as she pointed out a tree in the distance. “And she said that

our grandmother told her the star she’d seen was really special. Lucy said that

our grandmother told her that you can make three wishes on the star and they

will come true. But one wish must be for you, another for Ireland and the last

for the world.

“And you honestly believe her?” said Addie looking up from the song

she had been working on. “Well I don’t know if it’s true so that’s why I’m here;

to see the star and three wishes.” said Claire. “Well why did you bring your

paints if you only want to make a wish?” “Because I came here the other day

to look for the star but it didn’t appear. But I saw the sunset and it was really

pretty so I thought it would be a really nice idea to paint it for a birthday

present for my mum.” said Claire,”Okay, so we are just going to wait here to

see a magical star that you don’t know really exists just so you can make a

few wishes?” said Addie now scribbling out a word. “Yup! That’s the plan

anyway. So will you stay?” asked Claire. “Okay but only because you’re my

best friend.”

So they spent the rest of the evening there under the tree waiting for

the shooting star. After their homework Addie sang while Claire painted;

darkness had fallen and they were using their phones for light.” Hey there’s a

star! That means it won’t be long before the shooting one goes by!” said

Claire looking up at the navy blue sky. ”So what are you going to wish for?”

Addie asked Claire. “I can’t tell you then it won’t come true!” “Doesn’t matter

your probably only going to wish for world peace or something stupid like

that.” ”You know that’s a good idea; I might make that my third wish.”

Just then she looked up and saw the star whoosh by behind the trees in

the distance. ”There it was! Did you see it? Quick make a wish!” said Claire

excitedly before Addie could even reply. Addie thought “who knows maybe my

wish might come true.” So she closed her eyes and wished “I wish that

everyone in town heard me sing one of my original songs.”

The next day in school there was a school mass and the choir was

setting up the microphones before the rest of the school arrived in the hall

when the music teacher called Addie aside. She said that she had heard that

Addie writes her own songs and asked to see them. After the teacher had

read them she asked Addie would she like to perform one at the end of the

mass. Without thinking Addie said yes, when it came to performing she was

very nervous. She felt butterflies as she stepped up to the microphone.

When her song ended the school erupted into applause and Addie went

back to class very satisfied with her performance. At lunch nearly her whole

year came up to her to tell her what a good job she did. When she went home

Claire texted her to tell her that someone at the school mass had recorded her

and that there was a video of her on the school website with a couple of

hundred hits.

By the next week everyone in the whole town had heard her sing and

as she and Claire walked to school she received lots of compliments. When

Addie noticed how much people had heard her sing she realised that her wish

had come true. She told Claire that her wish had come true and a few days

later they ran back to the hill after school, where they each made another

wish. Addie wished “I wish that the video of me on the school website was

seen all over the world!” she thought as the star shot by.

A few weeks passed and Addie thought that her wish was not going to

come true. Just when she was about to give up hope she received a phone

call from the Music Internet Award in America. They said that they seen her

singing on the internet and wanted her to open the awards show by singing.

Addie, who was very nervous at the time, agreed to sing.

A few weeks went by and everyone had heard the new that Addie

would be singing at the awards show. She couldn’t go anywhere without

people pointing at her and asking her to sing for them. She owed all her fame

to one tiny star in the sky. She couldn’t believe that people on the other side

of the world had heard her sing. Time flew by and before she knew it she was

on a plane on her way to America for the show.

Claire who was not allowed accompany her best friend to America

because she had to study for exams rang Addie as soon as she was finished

school.

“So what’s it like there?” Claire asked Addie. “Its really cool but I’m not

allowed leave my hotel room; when I got off the plane there was hundreds of

people waiting in the airport for me, they had signs with my name on them

and loads of them asked for autographs. I didn’t expect many people to

recognise me.” said Addie. “I’m sure it’s not that bad” said Claire at once. “Its

terrible people in this hotel are crazy; so random kid just ran up to me and

gave me a hug and said that we were best friends! And I was all like ‘I don’t

know you!’ and she was all ‘well I know everything about you!’”

“Okay that was a bit weird; but look on the bright side your coming

home in two days!” said Claire.” I don’t know Claire, I’m a pretty big star here;

people are asking me to sing on talk shows and everything! I don’t even know

if I’m going to be home for Christmas; imagine us not spending Christmas

together!” Addie said miserably over the phone. Claire who noticed how sad

her friend sounded said “Its okay you’ll be home for Christmas; its 3 weeks

away.”

But according to Addie’s Mam she was not going to make it home.

Everyday Addie spoke to Claire on the phone telling her how miserable and

home sick she was and how she didn’t want to be famous anymore. One day

on the phone Addie said “I wish I wasn’t famous anymore!” and Claire had an

idea. She had been so distracted with Addie being gone and studying that she

forgot about the star; she still hadn’t made her wish for the world yet.

A few days later; a week before Christmas, Claire ran from school to

see the shooting star. ”I wish that the whole world forgot about Addie singing

on the internet so she can come it home for Christmas.” she thought to herself

while she shivered under the tree on the frosty ground.

The next day Addie texted Claire saying that all her performances were

cancelled and that she was going to be home the next day. When she arrived

home Claire was waiting for her. Addie looked really confused and when she

asked Claire what she thought about all her performances being cancelled,

Claire told her what she had wished for.

“Thanks so much! It was horrible being famous. I glad you wished for

what you did” Addie told Claire. “Good, I was really worried that you would

hate me for wishing away you fame.” said Claire relieved. ”No I’m glad you

did, I probably would have driven me crazy if I had to stay there any longer.

And I’d never hate you we’re best friends forever! Addie said emphasizing the

forever part. Claire who didn’t really know who to rely to that said “so

Christmas as usual then?” “Yeah!” said Addie. And when Christmas arrived a

week later they spent it as they always had since they were three years old;

together.