Two Stars
Tess Tyler quietly slipped out the side door, rubbing the sides of her bare arms, trying to warm them up.
She walked until she could see the lake, shimmering in the moonlight.
Tess stood on the grass, admiring the beauty of the lake at night, something she had never really noticed in all her summers at Camp Rock.
Sighing, Tess sat herself down on the grass. She wondered briefly if anyone had noticed she wasn't at the Final Jam after party, before laughing out loud humourlessly.
Of course no one misses me, she thought to herself crudely, I'm Tess Tyler. The one no one cares about, especially not my own mother.
Sighing once again, she buried her head in her arms. She lifted her head once again. She never noticed that there were tears streaming down her cheeks.
Hastily wiping them away, she glanced back out at the lake. Tess liked the way the waves calmly rippled under the moonlight.
She concentrated on the rippling waves while wiping her tears.
A sudden movement in the little waves caused Tess to look up. Out in the distance, she made out a canoe. She didn't have to look closer to see who was in it.
She'd seen Shane Gray and Mitchie Torres out in the canoe before, talking as if they were best friends. Maybe even lovers. Tears began threatening to escape, so she turned back to the lake before her. The beautiful, calm, rippling lake.
She has it all, Tess thought, she has the rock star boy friend, a Mom that's always there, the voice, the friends, everything I don't have. Did I really just think that?
She smiled briefly to herself, before returning her attention to the lake. She couldn't get over how beautiful it was.
Tess found herself fingering her charm bracelet. She quickly unhooked it and twirled it round in her hands.
I'd trade it in to have a mom like Mitchie's, she thought. Why isn't she ever there for me? For the first time I thought she was here for me, to watch me perform, but her career got in the way of that. Again. I bet if I killed myself or something, she wouldn't even notice.
Tess laughed humourlessly again, realising that she was thinking about killing herself just to get her mother's attention.
"Ridiculous," she muttered, shaking her head slightly, "just like I am."
"I don't think you are."
Frightened at the voice, she swiveled around. There stood a familiar looking boy.
"Can I sit with you?" he asked, and Tess nodded.
She gazed back out at the lake as he sat himself down next to her.
"I'm Barron," the boy said. Tess looked at him.
"I've seen you around camp. I'm-"
"Tess Tyler, I already know."
Tess looked back at him, annoyed.
She gazed back out at the lake, intending to ignore him.
"Tess, did I say something to upset you?"
She gazed back at the boy briefly, before returning her glance to the lake.
"You called me Tess Tyler," she whispered.
"Isn't that your name?" Barron asked, confused.
Tess nodded, wiping her eyes.
"Tess, are you okay?" he asked, alarmed.
"It's just-it's just-" she began, but stopped. Did she really want to tell this boy how she was really feeling?
"You can tell me," Barron said gently, as if reading her mind.
Tess nodded. "Everyone knows me as Tess Tyler, T.J Tyler's daughter. Spoiled little rich girl who thinks so highly of herself. I know I'm like that most of the time, but.."
"But its not you?" Barron finished for her, and she nodded.
"Everyone thinks I have this perfect life. My mom is a star, I've got all this money and the designer clothes, but the truth is, my life isn't so perfect. My mom pretty much neglects me. I'm alone most of the time, and I find myself thinking that no one cares about me. A lot of my friends back home only hang out with me because I'm Tess Tyler. They're not interested in knowing the real me. They don't care about the real me. No one does."
Barron remained silent as she rambled on.
"It's like I can't talk to anyone, you know? No one understands. Whenever I try to talk to anyone, they're all like, poor little rich girl, complaining about her oh-so perfect life. But they don't know. No one does. It's not like they care anyway."
By the time she was finished, she was whispering and tears were streaming freely down her face.
"I care."
"What?" Tess asked, looking at the boy next to her.
"I um.. care about you, Tess."
Tess looked at him in surprise.
"Tess, I like you a lot. Ever since our first summer at Camp Rock together. I never had the guts to tell you until now because I knew you'd never like a guy like-"
Barron was cut off with Tess pressing her lips against his. After getting over his shock, he began to kiss her back. A couple of minutes later they pulled apart.
"I like you too, Barron," she whispered, surprising herself and Barron.
"Really?" he asked, disbelieving. She nodded.
He smiled to himself as his hand found hers. He laced his fingers through hers.
"Tess Ty- I mean, Tess, will you go out with me?"
Tess nodded, smiling.
Barron smiled back, and kissed her forehead.
Surprising herself more than him, she leaned her head against his chest and wrapped her arm around him. He reacted by wrapping his arms around her, kissing her forehead again.
"You were amazing tonight," he whispered.
Tess laughed quietly. "Not really. I ran off stage, remember?"
"You were great before that. I also meant how you told Brown the truth, and what you told me tonight. I'm seeing a different side to you, Tess. I like this side and it makes me want to get to know the real you."
Tess said nothing, soaking it in.
At last, she responded. "I'd like to get to know you more too, Barron. We've spent a lot of summers here as campers and we've never gotten to know each other."
Barron merely tightened his grip around her as he stared at the lake. For some reason, the lake looked so much more beautiful, and he couldn't figure out why.
After a while, Barron reluctantly sat up straight. "Tess, we should be getting back. People will be wondering where we are."
"Wondering where you are, you mean," she replied before she could stop herself.
Barron held his hand to help her up. When she was standing, Barron reached out and stroked her cheek.
"Tess, don't be like that. They'll want to know where both of us are, not just me."
Leaning into his touch, she nodded. Barron smiled as he laced his fingers through hers once again and they made their way back to the hall.
We can shine like the sun
If we believe it
Two stars are brighter than one
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A/N: I wanted to try out an unusual couple for my first Camp Rock fic. Please review and tell me what you think about the fic and the pairing!