The Lucky One (a Star Wars fanfic)

Chapter 15

Anakin's pov

With deliberate slowness, I walk through the halls, trying to stall reaching Shawn's room for as long as I can, not looking forward to this conversation, especially if he doesn't want to become my Padawan.

A part of me hopes that Shawn will agree to becoming my Padawan. After all, Rider is right, Shawn deserves to live a much better life than what he has been the past week, and by giving him this opportunity, that could happen. There is the other part of me though, the part that is afraid of failing another Padawan, that hopes he will disagree in order to save me from having to go through that again.

Far too soon, I stop in front of the door to his room, still not looking forward to this.

As I am reaching into my pocket to take out the key, I faintly hear Shawn talking. A sigh of relief escapes, so thankful that Rider is in there too, knowing that him being there will make this easier.

I put away the key, not needing it since Rider being inside means that it is unlocked.

With a heavy sigh, I slowly open the door, feeling uneasy when doing so suddenly causes them to stop talking about whatever they had been before.

"Hey, Anakin," Rider says, drawing my attention to the corner of the room where they are both sitting side by side.

"Um... Hey. I didn't expect to see you in here. Are you feeling any better than yesterday?" I say a little awkwardly, still feeling unsettled over the fact that they had been talking about something that they feel can't be said in front of me.

"A lot better, actually. That is enough talking about me though, I was informed that you have an announcement to make," Rider says with a small smile, making me feel relieved. Yesterday, despite how he tried to make it seem like he was well enough to be walking around on his own, I doubt that he would have been able to. I would have preferred if he had spent a few more days recovering before trying to walk around, but at least he waited this long.

Not knowing what else to do, I move over to Rider and Shawn and sit down a few feet in front of them as I try to prepare myself for however Shawn may answer.

I open my mouth to speak, but hesitate, worried that once I ask this there will be no turning back. What if I am not ready for this yet?

"You can do this, Anakin. I believe in you," Rider says with an encouraging smile, his words giving me enough confidence to go through with this.

"Shawn, would you like to become my Padawan?" I ask quietly as I look down at the floor, not wanting to see his reaction.

When he doesn't say anything for what feels like forever, in a harsh whisper, I say, "This was a bad idea. How could I have let you talk me into doing this?"

"Anakin, give the kid a chance. The response he gives is going to chance his entire life, at least give him some time to think about it," Rider says, causing me to release a sigh, knowing that he is right.

After some more silence, in a hopeless tone, Shawn finally asks, "Why would you want me to be your Padawan? You are an amazing Jedi, every youngling in the galaxy would love to be your Padawan. There are so many talented younglings at The Temple, so would you pick someone like me. Isn't obvious that I am just an inexperienced Padawan who can't do anything right? Don't waste your time on me, Anakin, in the end, I will only cause you pain, just like I did to my former master."

His words stun me into silence. Does he really see himself this way? Why?

I am broken from my thoughts when I hear several sets of hurried footsteps.