Life Day Gift

THE PAST

You would never forget the boy. Your own home village was quaint and peaceful. The adults talked worriedly about the empire, but it didn't matter to you. What did matter was that little boy, Din.

You met when an older boy was being far too creepy to you for your comfort when out of nowhere- WHOOOSH! - he was pelted by a rock.

"Hey! Leave her alone!"

Looking into the light from the street corner you were targeted on, he almost seemed to glow. He was small and skinny with dark eyes and dark hair. But despite his smallness, his courage made him stand like he was a giant.

"Or else what?" the older boy sneered.

His answer came in the form of another rock that pelted him so hard in the face that it knocked him down, nose bleeding. You ran away from him, clutching the hand of the little boy.

"Hurry! Let's go!!!" You pleaded, and both of you ran off.

Hardly anyone believed you about the older boy. You were a child, and he was a teenager. The few who did confront him. The older boy cried and said he was sorry, and he was quickly forgiven In the eye of the adults. They patted his back and smiled and invited him to their Life Day dinners coming up next month.

Your own pain didn't matter, but his feelings did. It hurt you so much that you ran outside the house to cry.

"Hey...is that you again?"

You turned your head up to see the dark-haired little boy.

"Yes, it's me..."

"What's your name?" he asked you.

You gave your own, wiping snot and tears off your sleeve.

"And what's your name?" you asked.

"I'm Din Djarin. You can call me Din." He introduced.

"Din...teach me how to throw rocks like you do, can you? Please?"

And that was the beginning of a friendship. You were strangers at school but became thick as thieves. You swapped cookies together. He taught you how to throw rocks and even a bit about how boys would fight and throw punches. It made you feel safer and stronger as that older boy prowled the streets. But Din never left you alone. You scraped your knees, laughed, talked together, and visited each other's houses. His mother would pour out blue milk to sip on. You would take him to your house and read him some of your favorite stories with you doing all the voices. And Din would go into your room to see your things.

"Trinkets?" He would gasp, looking at the shiny rocks and rings.

You nodded your head. "Mmhmm- let me show my collection!"

On your first Life Day together, Din gave you a special gift. From inside his pocket, he pulled out a string necklace with a beautiful stone on it. It was a golden pendant on a leathery string with a bright star in the center.

"Oh, Din! This is the best gift ever! I love it! Thank you!" you squealed.

And you gave him the biggest hug. He always gave the best hugs.

It all seemed so different later. The attack. The separatists. It seemed like one day; you both were running home from school to laugh about the teacher and snack on blue cookies from your mother.

And the next morning when you woke up there were blasts and screams right outside. Your parents rushed into your room.

"Y/N! Y/N! We must leave, please! Now!" your father insisted.