Permanent Mark

Chapter Nine

Note: In the last chapter, Rey said she had already started school. I went back and changed that because I had wrote this. Oops. Thank you to all of you who have liked and commented!

Rey starts school today. 

She's excited. And scared. 

"You ready?" Han asks. He has been home now for several weeks. A new record. Leia and him had discussed it, realizing the impact that his absence has had on their son. He can't do anything about the past but he will try to do better in the future. Rey is a sweet young child who is quite fun to be around. He enjoys it. 

"Ugh...do I have to wear this?" Rey fidgets, pulling at her skirt, trying to cover her legs. 

"All the girls have to wear it, Rey. I've told you," Leia says. "You look adorable."

"I don't want to look adorable. I want to look like me!" Rey protests. 

"Well, come on. Don't wanna be late your first day, do ya?" Han says, grabbing her hand and pulling her out of the chair. 

"Are you sure I'm ready?" Rey asks. 

"Yes, your reading skills are on par and you've excelled past the math skills for your grade. You're very smart, Rey. You'll do well." Leia tells her, checking her braid one last time. She hugs her. 

"Try to have some fun. I told you about the mechanical engineering class? You'll like that." 

Rey pouts.

"I don't need a class, Han can teach me about mechanics. He probably knows more than the teacher."

Han grins in agreement. "The kid is smart."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Go show them your stuff anyways. Make some friends!" Leia encourages her. 

Rey reaches for Han's hand, grabbing on and gripping tight. Han looks at Leia in surprise. Ben hasn't tried to hold his hand since he was three. Han is still getting used to having a daughter. It's much different. 

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"Students, this is your newest classmate, Rey Organa. Today is her first day. Please make her feel welcome."

Rey had immediately liked her teacher, Miss Daisy. She is a friendly lady in her first year of teaching. 

The kids, however, Rey wasn't sure of. They eye her suspiciously, wondering what to make of her. 

Rey walks to the back of the room, sitting next to a blonde girl with pretty blue eyes. 

"Hi, I'm Kaydel Connix. But you can call me Kay."

Rey blinks, unsure of what to say. She's never even known a girl her own age.

"Hi. You can call me Rey."

"Where are you from, Rey?" Kay asks innocently. But Rey is immediately suspicious. 

It was the question she'd dreaded the most. And right out the gate, there it is. 

Leia had taught her the art of fabrication. Twisting the truth just a bit without full-out lying. Leia had prepared her. 

"I'm from Niima"

"Niima? Never heard of it."

"It's a planet a long ways from here."

"Oh. Well, that's cool. You can sit next to me everyday. I like your freckles."

Rey smiles. Maybe this won't be so bad, after all. 

"I like your hair, Kay."

Class was interesting to Rey. She'd never been in school and she hung onto Miss Daisy's every word, taking meticulous notes and absorbing everything. She noticed the other kids yawning and it bothered her.