Learning

Chapter 5: Dinner Time

This was a nightmare. A legit nightmare. Ahsoka was sure that at any moment now, she would wake up. Maybe after everyone she knew at this restaurant did a big musical number that ended with her dad kissing her mum? That would be terrifying! Alas, the world continued to spin in reality as all remained oblivious to her crushing inner turmoil. Lux, her new friend, and his mother in front, Mr Skywalker, her new teacher, and his wife behind and her parents, who went through an ugly and traumatic divorce, at her table. All she needed was Barriss, her best friend, to sit down on the table next to her. Barriss would be bestowed with the wonderful honour of being the only one who knew how distressing this situation would be for her.

She'd been there for Ahsoka at school when she'd stayed awake all night listening to her parents scream at each other over who got custody over her, possessions and money were stored quickly, their daughter was the issue. The catalyst as well. Although people always sat that the kids aren't to blame, Ahsoka knew she was. She was the one who discovered that Hosin was cheating on her mother. If she hadn't, who knows, it may have only been a matter of time...

"Ahsoka?" Her mother's voice broke her train of thought and brought her back to the present. She caught Lux's head rise at her name and eyes widen as he realised who it was. Ahsoka noticed that he got his phone out under the table and started typing, moments later Ahsoka felt her bag vibrate. As the dress had no pockets, she'd also been compelled to being a small, chocolate-brown, leather purse that contained her phone, keys, phone charger and mini first aid kit.

Ahsoka smiled at her mum. "I'm here, what did you ask?" Suruptously, she pulled her phone out and checked her messages. "You look nice, really nice." Lux had texted which caused Ahsoka to grin, surprised by the heat that rushed to her cheeks. It buzzed as another message came through. "Is that Mr Skywalker behind you? Who is that with him?" Ahsoka looked up at him and gently pointed to her ring finger. Lux's eyes lit up with understanding. "Oh! His wife! That makes sense. Who are you with?" He nodded his head slightly towards her parents.

The teenage girl smiled, she wondered if Lux understood sarcasm. As she started to write a reply, Ahsoka's phone was suddenly pulled out her hands which caused her to look up at her parents, completely startled. "What's so important on this little device that you're ignoring your family, Hija?" Her dad asked, infuriating her at his use of Spanish and abduction of her phone. Hosin had been born in Columbia while Ashla was from Spain. They'd lived in England though for over a decade before Ahsoka had been born so raised her to speak English as a first language but also taught her Spanish as a priority secondary language.

'People who compliment me and know me, people who care about me. Unlike you, abandoner, cheater, divorcer. Like I would ever want to pay any attention to you.' Ahsoka thought bitterly before reaching her hand out to her phone. "Hey! Don't start reading! That's an invasion of my privacy!" She shouted at him as she reached across the table.

People from across the restaurant looked over at their table, eyebrows raised and lips drawn tight. Ahsoka felt her cheeks flame once more however this time it was from embarrassment. "Ahsoka!" Her mother hissed. "Keep your voice down! Hosin, give your daughter her phone back, she's right you shouldn't read her messages." Ashla snapped at them both before smiling at the people around them.

"Thank you Mum." Ahsoka noted through gritted teeth, glaring at her dad.

She looked over to see Lux looking at her, concerned. 'Sorry.' He mouthed, fearing he'd gotten her in trouble. She smiled and shook her head slightly to show that she didn't blame him.

"What did you ask me?" Ahsoka asked as their starters arrived, her's looking like something that she would never eat. Some weird black peas that was served in a fancy dish.

Ashla and Hosin suddenly looked rather uncomfortable and very interested in their also weird starter. "Um well, you see sweetie, your Dad has wanted to get back in touch with you again for a few years. We've put it off because of... Well you know, never a perfect time. However you're older now and everyone needs a dad in their lives so we're thinking, why don't you see about spending every other weekend with him. That would be nice right?" Ahsoka felt her mouth actually fall open. This was a nightmare.

She looked her mum dead in the eye. "Please tell me you're joking? He left us Mum. He doesn't care. You want your only flesh and blood to go away from you and spend time with his new family? That's ridiculous. I'm not going, I'm willing to go to a dinner like this every few years if I really have to but I'm not going to be a part of his life again. He gave us up. Traded us in. Wanted an upgrade. How can you not remember that?" The late night shouts echoed in her head as Ashla lowered her head, causing guilt to seare through her heart at upsetting her mother.

Hosin looked at her sadly. "I know us splitting up was hard on you Ahsoka, it was hard on us as well but it was for the best. I really do want to get to know you again. Besides, your siblings deserve to know their really cool big sis." Ahsoka heard her fork clatter to the table, the legs of her chair scrapping the floor, the sound of her shoes squeaking as she stood up, the protests of her parents before reality snapped back into focus.

Steeping back from them, Ahsoka looked her dad in the eye. "They deserve nothing. I don't card if they waddle up to my front door and beg to get to know me, I can't love them. Do they know why they're alive? What you traded for them? Does your wife? Oh wait, I'm sure she does. She signed the divorce for you." Ahsoka held up her hand to silence his protests. "Don't defend her, it only proves my point. I will never be apart of your life again, you don't get back what you traded in." She hissed, feeling her anger and betrayal swirl around inside her. Ahsoka turned to her mum. "You're a fool to welcome him with open arms. Maybe you can't help it and if that's the case then more blame on him. However if you willingly let him be with you then you're not only a fool but selfish. For it will be me that has to pick up the pieces of you once your broken and put you back together. Do neither of you care how any of this affects me? I doubt you do." Ahsoka glared at them both once more, feeling every eye in the restaurant staring at them. She didn't care. "Adiós, familia." Then she stormed out the restaurant in a hurricane of fury.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, you did get a bit of Luxsoka which I enjoyed. Today was my first day back at school after Christmas. Waaah! Nevermind, these updates will still very much be daily. I will try. Bye, bye.