Telescope Eyes

“Micah, it’s so hot,” her friend complained, wiping sweat off her forehead.

She laughed softly, her own body glistening with sweat, “Oh crap, should I leave?”

Addison snorted, raising her magazine to shade herself from the sun. “Why are we doing this again?” She groaned.

“Because,” Micah started simply, “Homecoming is this weekend and we need to have a nice tan.”

“Micah, I’m physically impossible to tan,” Addie laughed. “I have two shades of color: translucent, and milk.”

“Who knows, maybe after time your skin will learn to tan,” she chuckled, giving her friend false hope.

“Don’t lie to me, bitch,” she mumbled, a melancholy smile on her lips. “So, John doesn’t want to get married.”

Micah looked at her friend interestedly before rolling onto her stomach and tanning her back. “Well, I mean it’s understandable. He’s sixteen and you’ve been dating for maybe three months,” she laughed.

“No, I mean, like ever. He never wants to get married. He says he doesn’t believe in it.”

She shrugged, “I mean I guess it’s comprehensible. Just because you get married doesn’t mean you’re going to last forever—people get divorces all the time.”

Addison pouted, “How do you do that?”

Micah chuckled, feeling sweat pour down her neck, “Do what?”

“Always just understand him. I’ve known him longer, and dated him, and I still don’t get him,” she commented. “Teach me of your ways, holy one.”

She started laughing, and flipped over to her back once again. “He’s just a lot like me I guess. That’s probably why we argue so much.”

“You two argue like brother and sister that’s for sure,” Addison chuckled. “Over the dumbest stuff too.”

Micah shrugged, “He knows how to get under my skin.”

“He only does that to you,” Addie said, “There are things he’ll say to you that he would never say to other people—and that’s what I don’t get. It’s like you understand him so much more than I do, but I don’t know how. He and I spend more time together, you know?”

Micah could tell that for once Addie wasn’t just trying to shove her relationship with John in her face—she was genuinely confused. But the thing was, was that she and John didn’t have a specific reason they got each other, they just did. From the first time in Mr. Moore’s class when she quoted Beatles’ lyrics to him, he got it. And from then on they just made sense. They didn’t have to explain their jokes, or feelings—the other one just understood.

“I think it’s just because we know him in different ways,” Micah replied. “I mean, you know the soft, sensitive, boyfriend side of John…I just know him as my friend, you know?”

Well, it may have been partly a lie—but what she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her.

“Yeah, you’re just one of the boys to him, I guess,” Addie laughed, flipping over. “It’s kind of reassuring.”

Micah pressed an ice cube to her wrist, attempting to cool her pulse, “And why’s that?”

“Because I don’t feel like I completely don’t understand my boyfriend anymore. He’s just confusing as a boyfriend, I’ll work on him,” she laughed. “Do you want to get married?”

She shrugged her shoulders, closing her eyes to hide them from the sun, “I honestly have no idea. We’ll see when it comes to that day I suppose. I know you do.”

Addison giggled girlishly, “I do. I have it all planned out already. I’m going to go to college, meet a guy, if I haven’t already. We’ll date till we’re twenty four, then get married at twenty five and then have children around age twenty seven so that I can be a hot mom. It’s going to happen.”

Micah felt herself laughing at her friend’s determination, “Well, good luck with that, dude.”

“No luck needed, I am determined. So, how’s Eric?” Addison asked, dragging out the boy’s name.

She involuntarily blushed as she thought of the boy she had been able to call him for about three months now. “He’s good,” she replied simply, hiding her cheeks.

“You two are so cute, it makes me want to puke,” Addie laughed.

“Why? You have an adorable boyfriend too,” Micah chuckled.

Her friend sighed dreamily, “I know. We’re the luckiest girls in the world, Mic. We both have super hot, super sweet boyfriends. Life is great.”

She laughed, agreeing with Addie. Life had been great. John and Micah were fine after the kiss—things weren’t weird at all. In fact, they hadn’t even brought it up. Things went back to how they already were, except now she was officially dating Halvo and he was officially dating Addison.

No, she and John’s friendship hadn’t changed at all. If anything, it got stronger.

*

“Goodness gracious, Micah. You look stunning baby girl.”

She felt her cheeks blush as she looked up at her mother from behind her smoky covered eyes. Her dress was a light grey, with silver studs decorating its sweet heart neckline. Her blonde hair was curled and reached the mid of her tanned back. Micah put some red lip stick on before smacking her lips together overdramatically.

“You sure?” She questioned, her eye brow cocked.

Her mother smiled and wrapped her arms around her thin waist, “I promise you honey.”

“Lydia! Darling, we’re here!” Mrs. O’Callaghan bounded, and Micah could hear her footsteps walking down the hallway to her bedroom. The door opened, “Oh Micah, honey you look amazing.”

Micah felt her smile widen, “Thank you so much, Priscilla.”

“The boys are going to melt when they see you, darling,” she laughed. “Come on, John’s waiting downstairs!”

She followed her mother and Mrs. O’Callaghan down her stairs, praying to God that this wasn’t going to be a ‘She’s All That’ moment where she would completely fall and munch it on her face. She giggled softly as she listened to John and Daniel argue about who was better—the Coyotes or the Los Angeles Kings.

“Gretzsky is a legend dude, you weren’t even alive yet,” John laughed, before adverting his eyes from her brother and turning to her. She watched as he completely started ignoring her brother and started watching her. His eyes started at her strappy heels, went up her legs, pausing at her bust before finally making it to her eyes. His face was blank as he looked at her and she just smiled shyly.

“Hey John,” Micah smiled, stepping up to him. Even with her heels she could fit under his chin. He was wearing an all black suit, with skinny slacks and a black undershirt. She couldn’t help but to laugh at his hot pink tie.

“C-Crosby, you look,” John paused, searching for the right word. “You look amazingly gorgeous.”

She felt herself blush and she knew he could see it. “Nice tie, fag,” she laughed, gesturing to his hot pink tie.

He rolled his eyes, “It’s not my fault her favorite color is pink, okay?”

It wasn’t awkward until their mother’s started giggling and yelling about pictures. John and Micah posed until their jaws hurt and the groaned as they realized that these weren’t even their dates.

“Kiss his cheek, Micah!” Priscilla grinned, holding up her camera.

“Mom,” John groaned, knowing full well how Addie would feel about a photo like that.

“Do it, now,” she instructed pointing at Micah. She laughed before pressing her red coated lips to John’s cheek, feeling his smooth shaved skin under her lips. His hand wrapped around her waist and pulled her against him as a smirk crossed his mouth. “See, was that really that hard?”

“It was horrible, Mommy!” John laughed, receiving a punch in the arm from Micah. He continued to laugh before lowering his voice, “Oh calm down. You know I liked it.”

Her cheeks turned bright red as she looked away and laughed softly. “Let’s go meet our dates, yeah?”

He chuckled, “Sounds good, baby girl.”

The pair hopped in her mother’s car making small talk as they drove over to Eric’s house where he and Addie were already waiting for them. Micah smiled as she saw her boyfriend dressed in a tux, except with a silver tie instead of hot pink like John’s.

Eric smiled and placed his hands on her hips as he looked down her body that was in her tight fitting dress. He looked at her sneakily, kissing her quickly as her mom looked away causing a blush to arise on her cheeks. “You look so beautiful, honey. God,” he sighed, his hands running down her sides.

Micah giggled, “Eric,” she scolded softly. “My mom is right there.”

“Then don’t wear clothes like this, my God,” he groaned, burying his face in her neck and pulling her into a hug.

“Eric, stop touching her there!” John yelled suddenly.

“Where?!” Her mother yelled from the kitchen, being followed by Priscilla.

Micah and Eric shot daggers at him as he started laughing, in turn getting him yelled at by his mother for his immaturity. She convinced her mother that nothing was happening before punching John and walking over to her best friend. Addison was wearing a hot pink, also, Sheri Hill dress. The waist was accentuated with gold threading, making her tiny stomach look even thinner. She was wearing gold accessories and her brown hair was in billowy curls.

“You look sexy!” Micah giggled, hugging Addie tightly. “And, you even look kind of tan!”

“Really?!” The girl squealed, laughing with her. “You look fine, girl, so fine.”

The two girls laughed, before being beckoned by their mothers to take pictures before the rest of the group arrived. They took the awkward homecoming pictures where your date stood behind you, with his hand placed on your hip perfectly. They took couple pictures, best friend pictures, girl pictures, boy pictures, funny pictures, and everything else their parents could come up with. They were on stairs, by the pool, and by the end of the hour long session they were exhausted.

The rest of the group had shown up—Jared and his date Marissa, Garrett and Ellie, Pat and Chanel, and about four other couples as well. They all piled into the party bus their parents had all pitched in to rent before driving to dinner before the dance.

They were a waitress’s nightmare.

The boys were making spit wads and weird concoctions with the condiments on the table. Girls squealed loudly as they gossiped and a few couples even shamelessly made out. They ate their dinner, not caring the dirty looks they got from other groups in the restaurant because of their noise level.

And that was just dinner.

After dinner they went to play laser tag. They ran—even though they were told not to. They screamed—even though they were told not to. The boys put their vests underneath their jackets making it impossible for them to get tagged. And the same couples who were making out at dinner were practically having sex in the dark corners.

They got kicked out early.

The group rolled up to the dance eventually—fashionably late, of course. They took the homecoming court pictures—both Eric and John being voted for princes as well as Addison. Micah was still the new kid and honestly she was okay with that.

She liked the attention—but she didn’t need it. She’d seen what rumors had done to Addie over the summer because of jealous girls and honestly she wasn’t sure if she had the balls to deal with it. Or maybe she had too big of ones; she’d be tempted to punch any girl talking about her straight in the jaw.

Once the group came back they danced playfully to the crappy rap music over the loud speakers, making fun of the kids they didn’t like, and they knew those kids did the same to them. Even though they were only sophomores they were friends with the upper classmen, making the kids their age look at them enviously.

A lot of people didn’t like them.

At first, that really bugged Micah. But over the summer she had realized that if she had lived her life to get everyone’s approval she’d be overwhelmingly depressed. You could never make everyone happy. It was impossible.

Micah felt hands encircled her hips, and a boy begin pulling her backwards onto the wooden makeshift dance floor. She turned in her boyfriend’s arms and wrapped her arms around his neck. He started swaying them to the slow song over the speakers, recognizing the song, which made her laugh.

Eric looked at her determinedly, smiling at her, “There’s a calm surrender to the rush of day, when the heat of a rolling wind can be turned away,” he sang softly.

Micah started laughing, her forehead falling into his chest, “You would know all the words.”

He smiled as he continued, “An enchanted moment and it sees me through. It’s enough for this restless warrior just to be with you,” he smiled. His eyebrows raised, his voice singing loud enough to where people around them started quietly laughing, “Can you feel the love tonight? It is where we are. It’s enough for this wide-eyed wanderer that we got this far. Can you feel the love tonight? How it’s laid to rest. It’s enough to make kings and vagabonds believe the very best.”

“Oh my God,” she laughed, hugging his body tighter to hers. They swayed to the music slowly, just enjoying being close nothing else around them mattering. They sang the song softly to one another, smiles on their lips.

Eric whispered gently against the skin of her neck, making a chill run down her back. “There’s a time for everyone, if they only learn, that the twisting kaleidoscope moves us all in turn. There’s a rhyme and reason to the wild outdoors when the heart of this star-crossed voyager beats in time with yours.” Micah pressed her lips to Eric’s sweetly, enjoying the sweet taste of mint on his breath. His hand snaked up her side and cupped her cheek, his fingertips grazing her hair tenderly. “You’re beautiful, Mic.”

She blushed as she gave him one last kiss, “You too, handsome.”

“Can I cut in?”

Micah and Eric looked away from each other’s eyes and to the boy who was standing there with a grin on his lips. “You sure know how to ruin a moment, asshole,” Eric laughed, smacking his friend on the head. “Where’s that girlfriend of yours?”

“Right here, Halvorsen,” Addie smiled, holding her hands out to him.

“Let’s go make love on the dance floor,” Eric laughed, giving Micah and John playful dirty looks.

Micah giggled before looking up at John. He took her hands in his and placed them around his neck, his hands resting on her hips. They started swaying as a new song came on.

“God, what is this? Ridiculously cheesy love song hour?” John laughed.

“Hey!” Micah laughed, “Don’t hate on Smokey Robinson.”

“How do you even know who he is?” He laughed.

“I used to listen to him with my dad,” she said softly, looking away to where Eric and Addie were laughing, trying to distract herself. She missed him so much.

John’s lips were soon at her ear as he began singing to her, “Honey don't go don't leave this scene, be out of the picture and off of the screen. Don't let them say we told you so. Don't tell me you love me and then let me go. I heard the warning voice from friends and my relation. They tell me all about your heart-break reputation.”

Micah felt comfort in his voice, she closed her eyes and he continued just as quietly, “I don't care what they think about me. I don't care what they say. I don't care what they think if you're leaving. I'm gonna beg you to stay. I don't care if they start to avoid me. I don't care what they do. I don't care about anything else but being with you being with you.

“People can change, they always do. Haven't they noticed the changes in you? Or can it be that like love I am blind? Do I want it so much 'til it's all in my mind? One thing I know for sure is really, really, real. I never felt before the way you make me feel.

“I don't care what they think about me. I don't care what they say. I don't care what they think if you're leaving. I'm gonna beg you to stay. I don't care if they start to avoid me. I don't care what they do. I don't care about anything else but being with you, being with you.”

“Mind if I have my boyfriend back?” Addison asked, appearing with a bright smile and Eric’s arm around her.

Micah lifted her head from John’s chest, giving her a forced smile. Eric smiled as he kissed her temple and placed his hand around her waist. “You okay, baby?”

She watched John kiss Addie gently before they locked eyes again. She looked back to her boyfriend, nodding her head, “Never been better.”

*

Micah looked at the rep cup in front of her, her mind completely focused. She dipped the ball in her hands in a cup of fresh water, shaking the excess water from it. She took it between her thumb and pointer finger, raising her hand into the air. Eric watched next to her with a smile on her lips as she tossed it, bouncing off the rim of the cup in the front and landing in the one behind it.

He raised his hands in the air as the ball sunk into the cup before wrapping his arms around her waist and lifting her into the air, giving her a sloppy kiss on the lips. “Suck on that O’Callaghan,” Halvo grinned, looking at her with a proud grin.

“Is that an offer?” He asked, with a wink.

Micah threw a ball from the table, laughing as it hit him in the chest. “I’m the BP champ. I feel awesome.”

Eric pretended to hold a microphone in front of her lips with his hand, “Micah Crosby, our new Beer Pong Champion. Is there anyone that you would like to thank?”

The room laughed as they looked at her, “Well first, the Lord above for making beer. And my parents for having sex and making me!”

Eric smiled and kissed her lips, “You’re so silly.”

She giggled softly, “I’m going to go get some air.”

Everyone cheered and she laughed as some of her school friends patted her on the back. She excused herself from the house they had all pitched in to rent for the night. She stepped onto the back porch before seeing a ladder on the side of the house. She kicked off her heels and left them by the door before walking over to the ladder and climbing it. She found herself on the roof, seeing a telescope sitting on a ledge.

She walked over to it quietly, sitting just behind it. She pressed the lens to her eye as she looked into the dark sky. It wasn’t focused on anything really, but the stars were enough to take her breath away. There were just so many. With all the lights in Vegas and Phoenix one couldn’t eve really see the stars at night, but here she was—staring into the mysterious night.

The stars always made her curious. She always found it odd that miles and miles away her old friends in Vegas could be staring at the same night sky. It was weird that from different places on the Earth people could see Orion’s Belt. The moon provided light to so many places at once. It put everything in perspective; no matter how small the world seemed—it was so much bigger than just her.

Somewhere, there was a girl just like her staring at the moon—possibly even wondering the same things. And no matter if Micah thought about this girl or this chance, she would never know for a fact whether there was someone staring at the same night sky. It was an empty assumption. But with the world being as big as it was, it was possible.

With so much wonder and space on earth and its surrounding territories—anything truly was possible.

“Mind if I join you?”

Micah shook her head as John’s scratchy voice filled the night that was much quieter than downstairs. The boy took a seat next to her, pressing his own eye to the telescope and looking at the sky.

“Are you okay, Crosby?” John asked softly, loosening his tie and throwing it on the tiled roof next to them.

Micah nodded her head silently, just staring at the sky. “Do you think he’s proud of me, John?” She asked softly, staring upwards.

She could hear a smile in John’s voice, “How could he not be, Crosby? He has a beautiful, smart, sweet, innocent, daughter. How could he not be proud of that?”

“I’ve been lying a lot though lately, John. Especially to my mom,” she said sadly. “Even tonight, she thinks I’m at Addison’s. My dad wouldn’t have liked that.”

His hand closed over hers softly. “Micah, you’re a teenager,” he laughed softly. “I think he would understand—sure he may not approve, no parent would, but he has done the same thing I’m sure. Besides, if lying about a party is the worst thing you ever do I’m pretty sure you’re okay.”

She laughed softly, agreeing with the boy, interlacing her fingers with his. John smiled and pulled her over into his lap, letting her sit between his legs. He put the telescope in front of them to where she could see perfectly through its lens, after moving it to a certain star that he seemed to have memorized.

“My grandma died a few years ago from cancer,” John began softly, looking up at the sky himself. “My grandpa bought a telescope about a month after the funeral. He looked at it every night for a year. We would have dinner with him every Friday night—we still do, but I used to wonder why he would just sit out there for hours at a time instead of conversing with us. I mean, I understood he was sad, but he still had a family, grandchildren, who loved him.

“So one night I got mad. I told him to put away the ‘stupid telescope’ and play cards with us after he denied my mother. He went home that night and didn’t come to dinner next week, but two weeks later he did. And he fell back into pattern—looking at that damn telescope. But this time, he told me to come with him,” John said.

He continued, “So we went into the backyard one night and we sat there silently. After about an hour of nothing he let me look through the telescope and he pointed it at one star. He told me that my grandma and he had named a star when they were in high school. When my grandma got sick she told him to look at the star when she was gone—and she’d be there. She told him that she was the star, and that she would be there, with her own telescope looking down at him. And then I understood—for an hour every night he had her again. Even if she wasn’t really there he could pretend she was, and that was enough.

“He had a reason to live again. He lived every day just so that at night, he could see her again,” John said simply, looking at the star he had found moments earlier. “Your dad is with you always, Crosby. You just have to believe he’s there. You may feel alone sometimes when he’s not there, like today, but he’s watching you. He’ll always be watching over you.”

Micah smiled softly, listening to the honesty in his voice, “Thank you, John.”

He nodded his head with a small grin before moving to adjust the telescope a few more times to another spot he seemed to have memorized. “My grandpa got me my own star a few weeks ago, told me to show it to someone special—someone I’d never forget.”

Micah smiled at him as he gestured for her to look through the lens. She did and grinned as she looked at the bright white light in the sky that seemed so much closer. “Have you shown anyone else this?” She asked softly.

John shook his head ‘no’, “I haven’t named it yet either.” He smiled at her tenderly, “What was your dad’s name, Micah?”

She grinned as she looked at him admiringly, “Colton.”

John looked back up at the sky and pointed to the star, “Then we’ll call it Colton.”