I'd Follow You Anywhere

Rewriting Endings

They quietly started reading. After a few minutes Santa and Earth slowly looked at each other before looking to a smug Director Lee. The pages before them sounded all too familiar.

"What..." they both said at the same time.

"What is this?" Santa shot out first.

"It's a great love story. One of strength, adversity..." Director Lee began.

"Is this some sort of joke? You found out what happened to us and you thought it that funny or what?" Earth fumed. Santa placed a hand on his knee and squeezed.

"Ah, on the contrary Earth." Director Lee defended himself.

"Then what? I trusted you. I confided in you and you've thought it that... that... I don't even know." Santa rambled on, "how could you think I would be okay with this?!" He resigned in the end.

"Can I explain?" Director Lee asked. Santa and Earth scoffed as if there could be any explanation, but they didn't protest any more. "Thank you. You guys have seen how people react to the shows they've been watching. They have compassion, care, understanding for the characters that they love. And in turn they love the people who play them." He explained, "I'm not saying this will get people to change their opinion of either of you. But, what I do want is to show them the repercussions of their actions. The only way they're going to fully see is through watching." Director Lee took a small pause to see if Earth or Santa wanted to say anything. They didn't so he continued.

"The fact is, they hurt you. More than they could ever know. So why not show them, with some minor exaggerations, exactly what they did to you. Show them how much you were hurting. You can hide in real life, but these characters can be the perfect representation of you. I believe in your story. Do you?" Director Lee finished and his final words hung in the air.

Santa and Earth didn't know what to say. A perplexed looks on their faces. They were stuck. What Director Lee said was true and they knew it. They had experienced it first hand.

Earth had reservations. Santa was 19 now but that didn't reduce the age gap. Earth had also aged another year. They had just started speaking and their relationship was still in the air.

As he looked to Santa for answers Santa simply shrugged and raised his eyebrows as if to say why not.

With words still unspoken, Earth leaned forward and continued reading the script. Santa smiled and followed him.

As they read the memories of everything played out in their minds. They re-felt the pain that had been caused, blushed at the tender moments and cried at the parts they didn't know.

They reached the final part and there were no words. Just a question mark (?) in place of the title.

"What is this?" Earth asked perplexed.

"Ah." Replied Director Lee, "well that part hasn't been written yet." He said frankly.

Earth frowned but Santa was the next to speak, "why?" He asked.

"Because the story isn't over yet. Only you know the ending." Director Lee gestured towards Santa and Earth. "So what is it going to be? Who's going to win? Them..." he pointed at the script, "or you?" He pointed back at Santa and Earth.