Resistance University and First Order Law Firm

Resistance University: Chapter 3

The next morning she woke up with butterflies in her stomach. She was feeling more nervous than she was the night before, with no liquid courage today. She spent some extra care getting ready this morning. She did her hair more carefully and went through 4 or 5 outfits before settling on her favorite pair of capris and a cold shoulder shirt. She started her walk about 10:15, it was about a 10 minute walk to the Dunkin Donuts. She put her headphones in and started her playlist. She loved music. She had about a billion playlists set up on her phone. She opted for an old school playlist filled with old Panic! And Fall Out Boy. She was happily singing to herself and bopping her head during her walk. When she arrived, she walked in and got in line to order a coffee.

Ben was already there, but she hadn't spotted him yet. He took the liberty of ordering her a coffee. Her opted for a medium iced caramel swirl. He watched her bop to her music for a second, smiling. He seemed to do that a lot around her. He went to that bar last night to drown his sorrows. He had just lost a pretty big case and was feeling down. He was instantly attracted to her and watched her all night. When she left her phone behind it felt like a sign. He hoped she'd text him. He smiled when she did. Smiling was not something Ben did often.

He finally pulled his phone out and texted her.

Ben: "Cute dancing"

Rey saw her phone light up and checked her text. She looked around until she spotted Ben. He held her coffee up. She got out of line and walked over to his table.

"What'd ya get me?" she asked, taking the coffee from him and sipping it. "MMM! Caramel swirl!" He smiled again.

"So, Rey," he started as she sat down, "tell me about yourself."

"Wow, that's open ended. Um, I'm an engineering student at RU, I have 3 friends, and I love caramel swirl coffee! Your turn!" she answered.

"I'm not very interesting," he replied.

"Well tell me something then," she said, she'd figured she's at least get some of her questions answered, "How old are you?"

"I'm 30," he replied, "you?"

"I'm 21," she said. "Do you want to runaway from me yet?"

"No," he smiled back, "but it sure helps explain all that youthful energy," he said, wishing he hadn't when he realized it made him sound over the hill.

She smirked over the top of her coffee. "Do you work?" she asked.

"Yes," he replied, but he offered no more details.

"Wow, mysterious" she answered. "I do too. I'm an assistant to one of the engineering professors on campus. I run his copies and help with his personal jobs, too. It's not ideal, but it pays!"

"I'm a lawyer," he stated, very matter of factly.

"Ok, I'm a lowly 21 year old engineering student with a part time job and you are obviously a well educated 30 year old lawyer," she said aloud, wishing she hadn't. "You don't have to stay and finish this coffee," she offered him an escape.

"I'm enjoying our coffee date very much," he said, smiling at her. His smile melted her. Everytime he did smiled at her, it looked a little different, like he was practicing a new skill. It made her think things she wished it didn't.

"You have a nice smile," she blurted out, again, wishing she had more of a filter.

"Thank you," he responded, with another new smile she hadn't seen yet.

"So Mr. Big Shot Lawyer, what kind of law do you practice?" she asked him.

"I work at a firm in the city. First Order. We are defense attorneys. It sucks" he said.

"Well, if it sucks, don't do it!" she replied.

He chuckled out loud, "That easy, huh?" he said to her.

"That easy," she replied back. "I bet you could find another firm."

"I'll look into it," he assured her. Their conversation remained easy and before either of

them knew it, it was almost 11:30. "I better get back to the office," he said.

"Yeah, I have homework," she replied, again realizing how childish she sounded.

"Thanks for the coffee." She smiled at him, a very sincere smile.

"I'd like to see you again," he said, surprising her. "How about dinner next time?"

"That would be nice," she said and they walked outside. "I'll text you to firm up plans?"

"Perfect." he said. They stopped outside the building, neither of them quite knowing how to end the date. He leaned into her to hug her. He realized how much bigger he was than her when she reciprocated the hug and wrapped her tiny arms around his waist. He never wanted to let go, but he did. He immediately walked over to his car, which Rey noticed was a nice Ford Mustang. She plugged her head phones in and headed back toward her dorm room, smiling and singing to herself happily.