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ARABELLA KYBER CLOSED HER EYES AND DREAMED OF BETTER DAYS.
She was a child again, curled up in a ball underneath the Solo's kitchen table. The room was silent, as she bit on her index finger to stop the high-pitched giggles escaping from her mouth.
She heard the boy call her name from the hall and let out a small laugh. With a snap, she clamped her hand over her mouth, but it was too late. Silence fell over the room and you could have heard a pin drop in the absence of noise.
Suddenly, the dining room doors burst open and Arabella saw Ben's black sneakers walk along the marble tiles.
"Come out, come out, come out, wherever you are," Ben said, a smile playing on his lips. "Oh Arabella. If I don't find you, I guess that's just more wookie cookies for me."
"I want cookies!" Arabella exclaimed and the boy froze before crouching down. He looked under the table and smiled at the brunette that was hugging her knees.
"There you are!" He beamed at the small girl who smiled in return, for his gleeful expression was infectious. "I win, you lose...again."
"You tricked me!" The girl exclaimed before murmuring "cheater" under her breath.
"Come on," Ben said and the girl looked straight into her eyes. She was only a child, but it was the first time she felt the pain of love seize her small heart. "Let's go down to the beach."
Arabella took ahold of Ben's outstretched hand and together they walked down to the shore of Naboo the Solo's large house sat on.
The beach was quiet with only the peaceful movement of the small waves falling onto the sandy shore. A soft breeze swept through Arabella's dark brown hair, and she squeezed Ben's hand, feeling as if she didn't hold on, the wind would take her away with it.
"I can't believe you go tomorrow," Arabella whispered, breaking the silence shared between them. Ben stopped, looked over at her with a sadness in his dark eyes. "I feel like you only came back yesterday."
"You don't have to worry, Bel. I'll be back before you know it," he sent the girl a comforting smile which only made her heart bounce like a bungee jump.
"I love you, Ben," she said before her brain could stop the words tumbling out of her mouth.
He smiled, looking down at the girl, who had the sun in her eyes. "I love you, too."
______
She lifted herself from her memories, waking up to find herself strapped to a dentist-like chair in a room of grey. Her heart pounded violently against her ribcage like a prisoner trying to break free.
She did try to break free, but the binding was too strong for her, so all she could do was fall back against the cool metal and try not to give up.
Alone in the room, Arabella thought about Ben, and how much she had once loved him—how much she still loved him. Seeing him again like that, falling into his arms only an hour ago, had given her a strange sense of euphoria.
