★ SPARKS FLY★
TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR

         he was so damn tired. His hand hurt from drawing, but he had to finish. The client wanted the drawing tomorrow, there was no more time. Kaveh reached for the cup only to find that it was already empty. He sighed. Without coffee, he would not be able to do it.

»You're still awake.« Kaveh immediately had to smile. Only one person had that soft voice. Harleen.

He turned to her in the chair. »I'm almost done.«

»Hmm.« She looked at the old alarm clock that was on the dresser. »It's already past midnight.« Harleen raised her hand and ran her fingers through his tousled hair. »Come to bed.«

»Just ten more minutes.« He leaned his head against her hand, she stroked his cheek. »Then I'll come.«

Harleen shook her head. »You need sleep.« She grabbed his hand and tried to pull him off the chair. She was so incredibly sweet, with her small hand, her tired voice. »Come on.«

Kaveh laughed wearily. »Harleen, ten more minutes.« He gently grabbed her hips and turned her towards him. »Ten minutes and then I'll come to bed, I promise.«

»Really?«

He nodded. He put his right hand under her chin and pulled her towards him. »Promise,« Kaveh said wearily and pressed a kiss on her lips.

He woke up in shock. He was so hectic that he fell off the sofa and hit his head on the floor. What was that? Had he really dreamed about Harleen?

     »What are you doing?« Alhaitham. His roommate. He was standing right in front of him. »Who is Harleen?«

     »What?«

     »You said her name several times.«

     Kaveh buried his face in his hands. He was embarrassed. Not that Alhaitham saw him like that. He was embarrassed that he was dreaming about Harleen. That she already had a special place in his head.

     »Someone from the academy,« he answered shortly.

     Alhaitham nodded. »Harleen... the crazy star lady?«

     »S-she's not crazy.« Kaveh got up from the floor and rubbed his head. »She's nice.«

     »Sure.«
   
     »What?«

     »She must be pretty nice.« He grinned. Wow. Alhaitham grinned, that was rare. »If you say her name so often in your sleep.«

     »Oh, shut up!« But of course Alhaitham was right. Kaveh would just never admit it. He preferred to gather his things together so he could continue working.

    »On the way to Harleen?«

     Kaveh gave him an annoyed look. »None of your business.«

     »That's another sentence for yes.« He would have liked to say something about it, to argue about it, but he let it go. Kaveh had to work and he couldn't really put down what Alhaitham said. Because he was right.

When he arrived at the academy, Kaveh was almost the only one there. But that didn't surprise him. Many were preparing something for this evening, others stayed away from the city and preferred to study at home because of the many people who would be out and about after sunset. But Kaveh couldn't work in peace when Alhaitham was there too.

So he threw all his stuff on the table and pulled back his chair. He was almost finished. He just had to change a few things and the best time to do that was in the morning, in silence.

Time went by pretty quickly and when Kaveh looked up briefly it was already midday. He was finally finished. He could finally present everything to his client. Yawning, he laid his head on the table. If he hadn't told Harleen that he was coming to her shooting star night, he would definitely have gone to sleep.

Harleen. Oh crap. He had to look for her! He had to show his clients everything now, before the shooting stars, and he needed this star map. He hadn't thought of that. But that wasn't so bad. He had no problem seeing her now, going to look for her now. He just didn't really know where to look.

»Exactly the blond-head I was looking for!«

Kaveh winced in shock. He raised his head and yes, it was Harleen and she looked pretty. Her hair was curly and there were small glittering stars between the curls.

»I thought you might need this sooner.« She handed him a rolled up piece of parchment. »This is the most beautiful star map I could find.«

Kaveh smiled. He really had to grin. She had thought of that too. »Thank you, Harleen!«

»So are you finish with the drawing?«

»Now that I have the star map, yes, everything is ready.«

Harleen nodded. »But you weren't awake all night, you still had nice dreams, right?«

Oh, his heart was pounding. Fast and hard against his chest. He was so glad that Harleen didn't notice. He couldn't tell her that he had had a nice dream... about her. About her taking care of him, about them both kissing. Oh, when he saw her pink lips now, he would like to.

»Kaveh?«

»Oh, yes! Yes, I wasn't awake all night.« He sorted his things almost frantically. »See you later, yes?«

Harleen tilted her head to the side. »Is everything alright?«

"Of course!" Kaveh picked up his pad, the folder with all the drawings and the case. Harleen looked up at him, confused. Somehow he liked it when she looked up at him like that. »I'll be there on time, I promise.«

She nodded and smiled, and somehow he couldn't help it. He no longer had control over himself. And it was all her fault! Kaveh smiled and pressed a kiss to her hairline. »See you later.«

     He was in a good mood. Even if his client was still not satisfied, nothing could change Kaveh's mood. No matter how he reacted, his smile would never disappear! But his client actually liked the idea.

     He liked the new stairs, the balcony, the huge windows and, best of all, he liked the starry ceiling. Kaveh was overjoyed. Without Harleen, he would have spent months working on this project and now? Now he was finished, got a little more money and was rid of the client in a few weeks.

     Kaveh immediately took the drawings to the building authority and then set off to buy all the sweets for Harleen. He was really looking forward to the shooting stars, no, actually he was just looking forward to spending time with Harleen. And when he had made it through the crowd and bought the two full bowls, he walked to the hill that he had accompanied Harleen to on the first day.

     She didn't even notice when he arrived. She was standing at a large telescope and turning it around, probably setting it correctly. »Aaaaand how did it work?« Oh she did have seen him coming. Harleen looked up and grinned at him. »Tell me!«

     Kaveh walked towards her. »Oh it was great.« He put the two bowls full of sweets on the blanket that was lying on the grass.

     »Really?«

»Yeah, he really liked all those new ideas.« Harleen looked happy. She really wanted it to work. »I.. I am really grateful for your help«

Harleen shrugged and smiled. »Oh it was nothing, it was kind of fun. But you look tired... don't you want to go to sleep?«

Kaveh thought it was incredibly sweet that she was worried about him. But he certainly wouldn't leave her alone now. »Nonono! I'm good, I'm watching the stars with you."«

»Great, sit down!« She sat down on the blanket and pointed next to her. »I have coffee and a lot of candy.«

»Oh right I bought some of the things you mentioned.« Kaveh sat down next to her and opened the two bowls. »So how long exactly do we have to wait now?«

     »Not too long, they should come any moment,« she said, putting a piece of candy in her mouth. "And remember! When you see one you have to make a wish, very quietly."

     Kaveh nodded, amused. »Of course.. do you already know what your wish is?«

     »Yes, but I won't tell you.«

     »Of course not, otherwise it won't come true.«

     She looked at him almost proudly. »Exactly!« And then Harleen raised her index finger. She pointed up to the sky and as if she had sensed it, the night sky was filled with shooting stars. It looked beautiful. The shooting stars twinkled and flashed past them quickly, as fast as Kaveh was sure there were several hundred at once.

     But what was even better was Harleen's joy. She looked up at the sky, completely fascinated, and her eyes sparkled almost as much as the many shooting stars. She scribbled something on her notebook every now and then, looked through a small telescope instead of the one she had specially set up, and Kaveh found himself giving her all his attention instead of the shooting stars.

     Of course the shooting star night was great. This probably didn't happen very often, but Kaveh couldn't take his eyes off Harleen. She, her enthusiasm, her company was much more interesting and nicer to watch.

     »I was pretty stupid, right?« She turned to him and her bright eyes met his directly. Kaveh noticed that everything in his stomach was tightening. He was nervous. Too nervous.

     »W-what do you mean?«

     A gentle smile appeared on Harleen's face. She raised her right hand and stroked the blonde strand of hair behind his ear. »Tell me if I'm wrong, but is it possible that you like me?«

     He never thought she would say it so directly, she never seemed really confident. But yes, she was right. More than right. Kaveh liked her. He liked her very much. Actually, it was more than just liking. He had a bit of a crush.

     »It's totally fine if not , I'm just wondering why you behave like you do.« Harleen's fingers tentatively stroked his cheek as she let go of his locks of hair. Kaveh got little goosebumps. »And because I do like you«

      Kaveh was sure he was grinning like the biggest idiot. And he was sure his voice would shake if he said something, but he still wanted to answer her. »I like you too.«

     Her eyes widened and Kaveh could see joy. Was she really afraid it wouldn't be the case? Then why would he have spent all his time with her? Because he just saw her as a good friend? But before Kaveh could add anything, she kissed him.

     Like in his dream. Her lips were soft, slightly sweet from the candy, and he felt her smile as he returned her kiss and placed his hand on her cheek. »Actually.. that was my wish.« Kaveh whispered.

     Harleen's nose gently bumped against his. »I told you the stars work!«

     He nods, laughing slightly. »I never doubted it.«