Bitchin' Mara Jade

Chapter Nine

It was graduation day for Mara.

"Do I have to do this?" Mara asked as she adjusted her cloak. "I look stupid."

"Yes Mara. You do. It's only for a few minutes."

"I don't want to do it. I look stupid." she hissed.

"Mara. There's a seating order. Luke stop encouraging students to ruin it." Leia scolded as she began to drag Mara away.

"Smile." Luke called after her. She drew him dagger glares back.

*

29th May

Mara sighed as she cleaned the dishes in the kitchen at the restaurant after closing time. "Your birthday is in less than hour. Then you truly be adult woman." Niko, the chef said and smiled as he did kitchen stock inventory. "I bake you a beautiful cake."

"It's no big deal." Mara smiled at him. The guys at the restaurant were the closest things she had to friends. In fact they were her friends. "School finished. I passed my tests. I turn 18. Time to grow up and work. Nothing much to it."

"You going to college?"

"Ummm this is my empire now." Mara told him. "Duh. Like I'm going to college. I've had to endure school for the last few years, I'm so not going to college.... because I can't afford."

"This is why you have boyfriend." Niko stated as Dimitri walked in with Randy.

"I don't have a boyfriend to pay for my education. I have him because we have an emotional connection. If I wanted a man to pay for things for me, I'd get a man to do that. Let's face it.... I'm beautiful. I could pull it off. Luke is not my personal bank."

"Girls...too independent today." he commented as he started to count his tips next to his brother.

"Watch it Niko. This independent girl watches Quincy! I've learned what not to do when killing someone."

"I'm sorry Mara." Dimitri apologised. "I make joke."

Mara yawned and finished washing the dishes. "Don't worry I'll get these dried and put away." Randy told Mara.

"I wasn't worried." Mara stated and sat down on the floor.

"Where is your boyfriend today? He not wait for you like always?" Niko asked.

"I told him not to. I have to stay and do the books anyways. Hey umm.... should I be accommodating for your pot?"

"Nah. I've decided to stop." Niko responded. "It isn't turning a profit anymore. I'll have to give up on nice big house for family."

"Don't give up. This restaurant is popular. It's the most popular restaurant here in the town."

"It's only restaurant in town." Niko stated. "And can you call this town? It's more like village."

"I can't argue with you on that." Mara sighed. "But being the only restaurant in the nearest village to several facilities such as the high school, the hospital, the fare that comes in a couple of miles away in the summer, we could even have the circus one day. Rumours are circulating! Not to mention they're opening a riding centre up at the spare land about a mile East from here. This would be a great stop after they've made up some hunger from riding. Thirsty too. We might be in an isolated area but we're in an isolated area with people who're sick of hospital food, kids get sick of the same crap every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It's the most prime isolated location to have a restaurant. Be more optimistic."

"Maybe one day we can afford another waiter so that myself and Dimitri aren't ran off of our feet. Or maybe Mara could help us more." Randy remarked.

"Oh yes I'll stop greeting people at the door, doing the books, speaking with the health and safety investigators, managing everything, cleaning up, and also acting as security guard to give you guys a hand. Come on there is barely anyone in this freaking place, it shouldn't be that hard. Oh. Dimitri. Randy. Could you do me a favour and actually lift up the chairs onto the table like I asked you to last night and clean the floors with a mop please? And remember, the cushion bit touches the tables not the legs, otherwise they'll scratch."

"Mara you overwork us all." Niko cried out.

"Do you want a successful business Niko? Do you want a home for your and your family? Then start earning your keep!"

She grabbed a mop and handed it to him.

"Yes Mara." they all said in unison.

*

Mara was packing a bag in her room back at school, the following morning. All her t-shirts and blouses went into one case, the jeans in another, the trousers in another and she kept toiletries in a smaller one. She had one jacket - a black leather one.

There was a clearing of a throat suddenly and arms wrapped around her. "Hello." a voice whispered.  It was Luke. "Do you need a hand carrying these to the car?"

"No. Niko is stopping by and picking them up. He's letting me sleep in my office at work. It has a nice sofa, it works out well."

"Mara you're not living at the restaurant. You're coming home with me." Luke told her firmly. "No objections."

"I'm not moving in with you." Mara told him. "Our relationship isn't at that stage."

"You sleep every night in my bed." Luke told her.

"Well that's because I have a single bed here and you can't stay here for more than just that reason....It doesn't matter. I'm not moving in with you. Not today."

"Okay then." Luke uttered sadly.

"Don't be like that. I mean it. It's nothing to do with you. I'll move in with you when I can afford to pay for my share of the bills in that big house."

"I'm sure you've seen bigger." Luke stated.

"Well....most women haven't - that's just a lie." Mara said teasingly. "Anyway. I'm eighteen. Which means I'm legal and I'm leaving this place, so it's about time you took me out on a date somewhere nice."

"When you're always working?" Luke responded. "Although you get that five minute break between 1955 and 2000 hours."

"Great idea. We can have cake." Mara responded.

"I have your birthday present by the way." Luke stated.

Mara sighed and looked at him. "I told you not to get me anything."

"I didn't get you anything. This was your work." he said and handed her a parcel. She opened it up and looked to see a book. The title was the title of a story she'd written, it had Mara Jade in the author's name section. "I got it published for you. You have writing..."

"You should not have done this." Mara swallowed and put the book down.

"Mara?" Luke asked worried. "Mara?"

"I wrote those as a hobby. You had no right. I trusted you not to show anyone else and what do you do, you get me published, behind my back. Thanks for that. And you wonder why we shouldn't move in together."

She closed over her cases. "Get out. And take that book with you."

"Mara! Please.... I didn't think that..."

"No Luke. You didn't think!" Mara responded and lifted one of the cases out and into the hallway, close to the door to her dorm. She opened the door and gestured for Luke to leave.

"Mara I'm sorry...I just...wanted to do something nice for you."

Mara folded her arms and looked at the floor. Luke swallowed as he stepped outside. Had he blown their relationship because of his stupidity?