The two girls, Addie and Claire, go to a hill near their town where Claire wants to paint the sunset. Claire believes an old story that if you see a shooting star there, you can make three wishes - one for yourself, one for Ireland, and one for the world. That night, Addie sees the shooting star and wishes she could sing one of her original songs to the whole town. Soon after, her wish comes true. Later, Addie wishes to sing for people around the world, and that wish also comes true, leading to her fame and trips to America. However, she becomes homesick. Claire then wishes for the world to forget about Addie singing online so she can come home for

1. 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.”

2. “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

3. 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

4. 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!’”

5. “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.

6. 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.