He was but the young man who saw this life as nothing more than a swinging vine, swinging his heart across the line--for him, life was simple and straightforward. To make it in life, you had to be successful, and to be successful, you had to make it big; change the world. And that was exactly what he was going to do.

In his face were flashing signs, to seek out and find a way to make his dreams and ambitions come true.

He was old, but not that old, yet he lacked a great amount of things a young man his age should've had while growing up. He lacked empathy, and it was quite hard for him to try to sympathize with another person. His views and opinions in life were very narrow and limited. All he knew that was most important from his upbringing was that if you want to be loved, you have to make it big.

While in another side of our spectrum, was a woman. Young, but not that bold. She too, had big dreams of her own, but she found it easier to let those dreams stay that way -- nothing more than dreams. But she was happy with her simple life nonetheless, as she found it easy to be happy in even the smaller things life has to offer.

One day, these two different, yet strangely somewhat alike stars, came across each others' path.

And it was nothing short of... an event; a fateful happening, an alignment -- it was an experience.

And the young woman saw the young man's flaws, his shortcomings, and even his equally flawed perspectives. But she didn't think that he was sold to these things, only as that he was doing what he was told in this cruel world.

Then a day came where the young man was met with a choice, a decision between his dear mother, and a newly-found friend whom he had made a promise to. Even though he should've known better, he felt something so right in doing the wrong thing, and that wrong thing was to break that trust and promise to his friend.

Yet he would've felt something so wrong in doing the right thing, as his mother--his mom, his parent, the reason he was here and in this world--would've been so disappointed and sad, and how he hated to see her with a frown. He would do anything for his mother, just to please her; just to make her happy.

All these conflicting thoughts and emotions killed him, yet he couldn't lie, if that was everything that kills him, then he'd never felt so alive. Because for once in his life, he has never seen his mother so happy and proud of him; and he has never felt so successful in his life. His dreams were starting to come true. He was starting to become truly happy.

But amidst all these happenings, he's noticed that lately, he's been losing sleep. Kept up dreaming about her, and the things that they could be. There was a new woman in his life, someone that made him feel different, but it was a good different, an amazing different even.

And she felt the same towards him, but she also became aware of his mother's influence on him. But all she can do is pray hard, and to help him realize that instead of counting dollars, he could be counting the stars instead.

And so time passed, and the two grew closer and closer, with the boy who only saw and gave importance to the big things in life, began to slowly learn from the girl who saw and loved the smaller and beautifully intricate things in it.

But as the young man's dreams became closer and bigger into the picture, the two started to slowly grow apart. They felt the love in the short moments that they would touch and see each other again, but they could feel it burn down the river every time as the young man became too busy with his new, successful life. Leaving little time for them to mingle like they used to.

Even though hope was the young woman's four-letter word, she couldn't help notice the changes in the quirky, adorable boy that she had felt immense emotions for. He was making money for both his family, and for himself. And she feared the most that she might watch him burn with it.

Old, but not that old still, the young man started to become consumed by greed, by all the fame, money, power... and acceptance that his newfound success was giving him. And his lack of empathy only made the future more bleak for him, as he was failing to see the negative outcomes that his actions are causing.

Young, but not that bold still, the woman still believed that the boy she loved was not sold to these things; that he was still seeing the horrible effects of his actions and thinking about them, maybe even finding ways to make things turn around for the better for everyone. But she knew that behind those curtains, he would only be doing what he was told. He's unable to escape his chains from his mother, and to be quite frank, he was probably never aware of them in the first place.

And so after a long, long... long while...

The young woman left.

Then one day, the one day that was only needed, the consequences of the young man's actions started to fall all over him, all at once. And it was then that suddenly, he felt something so wrong, so horribly, horribly wrong with doing what he had thought was the "right" thing.

His whole world was crashing all over him; his dream was turning into a nightmarical clutter of regrets and mistakes. Those mistakes of which, where he couldn't lie, that he was actually aware of. They were all his choices, all his faults; he had people who were willing to guide him and warn him of what would happen if he continued down the road where he was trodding miserably at now, but did he listen? No, he was too busy with everything -- his fame, luxury, all the rewards of his work. He was drowning in it all. He felt as though his success, everything that he was drowning himself in, made him want to fly.

But it now became far too late for him to realize that he was drowning in the watery grave that he made for himself.

Lately after his fall, he had been losing sleep once again. But this wasn't the usual sleepless, work-filled nights, this was a familiar, more pleasant insomnia.

He began dreaming about her again, and all the things that they could've been. But he was too busy, too caught up in his own selfish little world. It was as if all those times they had spent together meant nothing to him at all. Regret immediately overtook him once again, and tears were streaming down his cheeks, and he was a sobbing mess. He knew that she would most likely never forgive him after all he has done, but that didn't stop him from praying hard, hoping that he could fix this mess, that he could fix his relationship with her, and that he'd finally stop counting dollars, and start counting stars.

The young woman in the meanwhile, had been losing sleep herself. She just couldn't stop dreaming about the things that she and he could've been. She was so in love with him, that it just hurts now. The man she loved had burned away into ashes. But when she heard of the news -- of how the young man's business had abruptly fallen, she wasted no time in getting to her feet; but it wasn't to laugh and point and say any "I told you so's," no, that never crossed her mind. She knew just how important it was all for him, and she heard of how he was left all alone, even by his own family. It broke her heart all the more. She didn't care anymore if he'd still remember her or not, all that mattered was that she would be there by his side in his time of need. But of course, there was still hope in her, praying hard that maybe, just maybe, since there's no more counting dollars, they'll finally start counting stars together again.

The young man on the other hand, had wiped away his tears and fixed himself up; walking through the empty halls of where he once took up all the money he had and burned them all on luxuries, both for himself, and for the people that really didn't matter. And where he sank in the river the lessons that he had learned from her, and from his true friends, and oh how that money had burned him so, consuming him with the flames of his own greed.

But now, there was a determined glint in the broken man's eyes. He was going to set things right. Let all his money and luxurious possessions burn, he wouldn't care less anymore. And all the toxic lessons that he had learned, all from his very own mother and from all his other corrupted influences, they'll be the ones to sink in the river this time, trashed; and hopefully in due time, forgotten.

He was then outside, ready to plead and beg by her doorstep, but to his surprise--and to her surprise as well--they two were meeting each other, only a few meters apart. It had been so long since they were this close, and the young man was finally able to get a good look at her again.

And it was at that moment that he realized just how much he loves her, and how he was so scared at first when they met. And in all honestly, he still was and is. Because just the sight, thought, presence... everything about her stirred up all these strange, suffocating, yet simultaneously wonderful and ecstatic emotions in him. He had never known what real, genuine love truly felt like all his life because of his abusive mother and family, but that all changed when they met--no, when they started falling in love with each other. Falling in love with her was strange and new and it kills him so to feel these things and yet... it was then and there that he realized that it was her--everything that kills him--that makes him feel so alive. Because it was with her that he actually felt like he was a valid person, that his emotions mattered; that his thoughts mattered, no matter how silly or serious or just downright crazy they were. She was there and she cared oh so much with unconditional love, and oh God did he mess up so badly that right now, just the thought of losing her aches his heart more than it already is.

The young man started to cry again, but this time there was a small, hopeful, and familiarly goofy smile on his face, "You know... I've been losing sleep lately... just dreaming about the things that we could be... because oh God, I've been praying so hard... just for you to forgive me... for me to see you again because... because I'm just so in love with you, Norma." 

Then the young man proceeded to tell her everything, everything that he felt about her, and why he had come to love her so, so much. He did it all with tears still streaming from his face, but he was returning back to his happy, cheery, jumpy old self. And this was making Norma cry too. She had missed this side of him so, so much, and she was so happy; she was so ecstatic to hear him say all those things to her, and the sight of him being his old adorable self again practically made her bawl.

The distance between the two slowly closed until they were only a few inches away from each other. And that was when...

"I love you, Norma," he told her.

She wiped away her flowing tears and calmed herself down before replying in the brightest smile she ever had in a very long while, "I love you too, Once-ler."

After which they both started giggling, and Once-ler hugged her tightly and spun her around, at which she hugged back just as much. It had been so long, and even though things were looking grim as the way they are now, they both had newfound hope that they would be able to fix all this, they would be able to make things right, together.

They embraced each other for a long while -- neither of them wanted to let go.

Once-ler pulled away first, and he cupped Norma's cheeks in his hands and looked at her in those eyes that he found so beautiful and mesmerizing.

"I love you, Norma," he told her again, "I really do; thank you so much and I'm so sorry and I just--I just love you so much..." at which he began tearing up again.

Norma giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck, and pecked him lightly on his cheek, whispering back a soft, "I really love you too,"

Then he pressed his lips gently against hers, and she kissed him back. And on that moment it felt as though every little trouble they had was gone, they were together, and despite everything, they were still in love. It was as if they could accomplish anything, just with the other beside them.

And oh how the young man missed the scent of her hair, the feel of her skin, the warmth of her breath... he had to bend fairly low just to meet her height and hug and kiss her like this and it pains his back somewhat, but he honestly didn't care, nor did he notice.

And the young woman's heart was fluttering, and she could easily picture fireworks showering around them. Her eyes were tearing up again at the thought of her prayers being answered. She just felt so indescribably happy, and he was basically her whole world right now, and she was his.

When the two let go of each other, he looked at her, his true ray of hope and sunshine, and said, "I promise... from now on, no more counting dollars,"

"We'll be counting stars?" she said with tears and a hopeful little smile.

"Yeah," he nodded, smiling back as well.

"We'll be counting stars."