CHASE ME | DISCON.

TWO

Andromeda

It feels like forever since I saw him. It feels like a lifetime since I saw his smile, heard his voice, ran my fingers through those messy curls as we sat by the tree...

Poe's been gone for a year now- Birthdays have come and gone, holidays celebrated much more lonely than they should. I've had nothing to do but wait for him to come back, and my chances of that actually happening are becoming slimmer and slimmer as time goes on. Maybe he's forgotten us, forgotten me. It sounds selfish, but that's what I'm afraid of.

I stare out the window of our house, bored as hell. I see Dad and Kes sitting outside Poe's house. Usually, I'd be there with them, but I don't feel like it anymore. With each passing day, I get more and more lonely. Poe was the only friend I had, and I'm nothing without him. What if he's just too busy to visit us? What if the Republic took a lot more work than he thought...

It's possible, I tell myself, but how likely is it?

Very likely, I remind myself again.

My fingers drum the window sill, and I can barely stand the boredom that sets in. There's nothing to do, there's nothing to do, what's a lonely girl to do?

I need something to do with my life, I can't stand this waiting any longer. I'm never getting out of this hole unless I make myself useful. There's no ship in the sky, there's no one to save me now. Poe's not coming back soon.

I can't tell if I'm angry, or sad, or just... empty, but as I step away from the window, I finally know what I have to do.

*****

The sun is still high when I finish packing. The relatively small bag in my hands is crammed with clothes, food, some money, and a few small sentiments I couldn't leave behind. Slipping on my jacket and shouldering the pack, I open the front door slowly.

The sky is slowly being taken over by clouds. They're grey, holding the threat of rain high above our heads. It's so different than the day Poe left. It was sunny, then, beautiful and warm. As I look around now, I see nothing but cold, dreary, rain.

"Andi?" Dad sees me as I approach, "What's all this about?" He stands up, walking over to be at my side. Mr. Dameron joins him, in front of me.

"Dad," I can barely get the words out, "I want to leave."

He spots my bag, and his face falls, "Now? Don't you want to consider the options? Weigh the risks? Where will you even go?"

I shrug, having no real answer to give him, "I don't know, the galaxy's a big place, I'll find somewhere safe."

It's clear he's about to say no when he opens his mouth to speak, but Dameron interrupts him, "Before you say anything, I think it's time she moved on. Poe has, and now it's her turn. You gotta see that, Keel."

"You're right, Kes," he brings his hand to my shoulder, "it is her turn. Go ahead, Andi."

"And what if he comes back?" Mr. Dameron asks quietly, concerned, "What do we tell him?"

I know exactly who he means, and smile solemnly as I reach into the pocket of my jacket and pull out an envelope, "Tell him I left, and that this is for him." I hand it to him, and he traces his fingers over the name on the outside: Poe. I had written the letter while I was packing, pouring my thoughts onto paper. If I was going to leave, Poe deserved a reason why.

I throw my arms around Dad for quite possibly the last time, "I love you," I whisper to him, "never forget  that." 

"I'll miss you." He answers, pecking me on the cheek.

Mr. Dameron claps me on the back, "I'll miss you too, kid."

- finally get Poe's POV next chapter...