Padme was restless that night. Her mind had betrayed her, and was constantly thrusting images of the past in front of her sleepy eyes while she tried to dream, digging up her memories of ten years prior.
| the girl from harvard |
"Do you really have to go?" Anakin sat on the ground beside her, staring glumly at the ground while one hand picked at a blade of grass.
Padme sighed and placed her hand on the young boy's shoulder, "I don't want to go, Ani," she told him, truthfully, "but my father is insistent. He wants me to get a good education."
The boy pouted. "But your my friend," he protested.
"I'm not your only friend, Anakin," Padme told him. "I am older than you, it's my time to grow up. Yours will come too."
Her kind words did little to reassure him. She couldn't help but feel sorry for him. The two of them had grown quiet close over the course of the year. She felt strongly for him, he was a dear young boy, and a loyal friend. She would miss his company, even if he was much younger than her. There was an air to him that was older than his years.
"Will I ever see you again?" he asked softly, finally looking at her with his crystal blue eyes, dark with despair and anger.
Padme didn't know the answer to that. The future was too difficult to predict, ever changing. She wanted to go into politics; had known that from a very young age. Her career could take her anywhere. And Anakin was still so very young, only nine years old. There was so much for him to accomplish.
"I hope so, Ani. I hope so."
"I made you something," he said after a short while. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a necklace, with a strange figurine dangling from the thin, silver chain. He put it into her hand and smiled shyly at her.
It looked as though it had been carved from marble, and was as smooth as bone. The carvings were elegant swirls of mere millimetre grooves that sliced through the marble delicately.
"It's beautiful."
Anakin grinned at the compliment. "I made one for my mother's birthday, and thought I would make two, one for you as well."
"Thank you."
She stood up to leave, and Anakin hugged her, his head coming to her shoulder. "You won't forget about me, will you?" he asked in a small voice.
Patting his back warmly, Padme smiled. "I could never forget meeting you, Anakin Skywalker."
| the girl from harvard |
Sitting up in bed, Padme rubbed her eyes tiredly and yawned. Her mind had never been this active before. It was making it difficult to sleep. She reached for her lamp and turned it on, the warm yellow glow bathing the room in a dull light. She remembered her last day with Anakin clearly, as though it was only yesterday. It had been a sad day, for the both of them. But Padme had soon recovered. Her new boarding school life was exciting and interesting, and she embraced the challenged wholeheartedly. In a way, she felt a little guilty at having enjoyed herself too much, without giving one thought to young Anakin Skywalker, when it was clear that he had been thinking about her. But she couldn't help it.
Now Anakin was back in her life again, even if only as her neighbour. She was not accustomed to his presence, the feelings he elicited inside her were confusing and intense and she couldn't make sense of them. Sighing, she rubbed her temples, and pulled her chestnut curls back into a loose ponytail. She needed to think, and get some fresh air.
