The Lucky One (a Star Wars fanfic)

Chapter 7

Anakin's pov

"What was that about?" Rider asks in a frustrated tone once the door is closed and locked.

"What?" I ask innocently even though I know what he is talking about. I already asked him if I should offer the boy a chance at freedom if he defeated me, but he didn't agree, both of us knowing that he had no chance at defeating me, but I couldn't help but make him fight against me, not only to determine if he really is a Padawan, but also to see if he is skilled enough to be a threat toward the two of us, which he isn't.

"Why would you do that to him when we agreed that we wouldn't?" He asks as he begins to pace, making me feel worried about him once again. Nothing good happens whenever he begins pacing.

"Why do you care about him?" I ask after a few seconds of hesitation, not understanding why he suddenly cares about the boy when yesterday he couldn't seem to believe that he isn't a Sith. What could they have talked about while I was trying to find him?

"Why don't you care?" He asks in return as he stops pacing, the sharpness in his tone making my worry increase. Did I miss something?

"We don't even know him! Before yesterday we didn't even know that he existed, yet you are acting like he is your new best friend! Why do you suddenly care about him?!" I ask in a slightly raised voice, some of the jealously I feel creeping into my tone.

"I just do, okay?" He asks with a heavy sigh, his vague answer not enough for me. I told myself that I wouldn't push him after yesterday, but I just don't understand why he cares about the boy so much, especially since we don't even know anything about him, including his name.

"Rider, what is going on with you?!" I ask in a slightly louder voice, him seeming like a different person than when I last saw him.

For a few minutes, I just stare at him as he keeps his head lowered to the floor, not meeting my gaze, making my anger turn into fear. What happened to him while I was gone?

"I..... I..... can't tell you," he whispers after another minute of silence, still not meeting my gaze.

"Unbelievable! I thought that we were friends, Rider! I have told you absolutely everything about me, and this is how you repay me?!" I ask as I feel my anger return, this becoming about more than just him caring so much about the boy and not telling me why. Now it is about every time he has refused to tell me something, which is more times than I could even begin to count.

Finally, he looks up at me, but when I see the fear in his eyes I begin to wish that he hadn't, feeling guilty for making him afraid.

"Anakin, I wish that I could tell you, but I just can't. I'm sorry," he whispers while looking down at the floor once again.

I walk over to him and don't stop until I am directly in front of him.

"Rider, look at me," I say in a quiet, yet firm voice, hating that doing so causes him to flinch.

I give him several seconds to look at me, but he doesn't.

With a sigh, I gently grab his chin, raising his head to meet mine.

When he looks up at me his eyes are filled with even more fear than before, making me feel guilty for doing this to him, but my concern for him easily outweighs the guilt.

"Why can't you tell me?" I ask him quietly after a few seconds of just looking at him.

"I am afraid of what you might do to me if I tell you," he whispers after several seconds of silence, his words shocking. What secret could be so bad that he is afraid of me hurting him once he tells me?