Amidala

In Love with You

We arrive in my neighborhood about thirty minutes later. This area of Theed is completely populated by rich families, mine included. It should be the safest part of town, but we do have a problem with thugs who come late at night, looking for the odd house who forgot to set their alarm.

Anakin looks out the windows of the train, his mouth hanging slightly open, wonder in his eyes. I suppose he hasn't seen a neighborhood as well-kept as this. It's easy to understand his wonder. Thick drapes of ivy twine and crawl down the walls of buildings, over the reddish cobblestones. Fountains of water spill over stone displays, and thick lawns of lush, green grass spread along every lawn. The streets are lined with black durasteel light posts, with off-white orbs of bright light hovering over their posts.

"This place is amazing," Anakin breathes.

I shake my head. "I forgot you grew up in the opposite part of town."

"If by opposite part of town, you mean the slums, then yeah."

I shrug, and stand up. He follows me, and I lead him off the train and through the station. R2 whirrs happily as we dismount the train. I suppose he didn't like that very much. Anakin, on the other hand, is quite the opposite. He looks up, his mouth agape with awe as we pass under the skylights draped with ivy vines, and through the rose garden which surrounds the paths.

"You coming," I call.

"Yeah," he mumbles, absentmindedly.

R2 bumps into Anakin's legs, making him stumble, and beeps angrily.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming," Anakin grouches, and runs to catch up with me. I roll my eyes.

We make our way through the winding streets, avoiding the odd speeder, and jaywalking across the road more than anyone should. My house is near the lake, which is a ways away from the station. Anakin doesn't complain, but he doesn't really pay attention to walking either. It's more like he's following me mindlessly, like a monster. Finally, the house comes into view, and I smile.

"There's my house," I exclaim, and Anakin whips his head around to look at it.

My house is the oldest one on the street, and the most beautiful. The ivy on our house almost covers the entire wall, and there are several pools of water on the front lawn, with tiny fish teeming inside. Anakin is silent as he follows me up to the front door, trying not to stare and seem impolite. I ring the doorbell, and musical tone rings throughout the house. I hear the familiar thumping of my father's feet running across the halls, trying to get to the door as fast as he can.

The door swings open with a gentle squeak, and behind it waits my father, a wide smile on his face.

"Padmé! Welcome home!"

"Hi, dad," I smile, and wrap my arms around him.

"Who is this, he asks, one eyebrow lifted."

I turn around to see Anakin, with a stupid grin on his face. R2 stands behind him, whirring angrily.

"This is Anakin," I explain. "He's my Jedi protector."

"Ah," my father smiles. "Always nice to meet a Jedi!" He extends a hand, and Anakin takes it.

"It's nice to meet you, too," Anakin says with a grin.