It Can't Be, Can It?

"All I'm saying is that, with the exception of Ceastle, there are no good looking girls here!" Garen banged his fist onto a lunch table as he passed it. Obi-Wan rolled his eyes, and Reeft merely took a bite of his cookie.

"Who cares?" Obi-Wan asked, as he glanced around for his friend, Bant. "We can't date anyway, so what's the point of looking?" Garen sighed and wrapped his arm around Obi-Wan's wide shoulders.

"Obi, Obi, Obi…My very young Padawan. You see, the Code forbids attachment, not observation. And trust me, with some girls…" He nodded in the general direction of Baraka and her friends. They were the…interesting bunch, who always had to be with a guy. "There is a whole lot to observe." Garen finished. Obi-Wan shook his friend's arm off. Reeft still ignored the other boys, nibbling at his sandwich as they all sat down at a table.

"Knock it off, block-head." Obi-Wan rolled his eyes again. "Besides, what do you care if there are any cute girls? You have Ceastle, right?"

"Well…um…No, I don't, not yet, really. I'm working on that. But a good friend finds a girl for his best friends before himself." Garen smirked. "The momma bird doesn't find food for herself until all her babies have eaten. And you, Obi-Wan Kenobi, are my first baby!" He flung his arms around his friend dramatically and a hush fell over his section of the lunchroom as everyone stared at the too-loud Padawan. Reeft's sandwich dropped to the table, and he stared at Garen. Obi-Wan ducked his head, and pushed his friend away. Garen blanched, and dropped his arms. "That came out really wrong." He mumbled.

"Ya think?" Obi-Wan snapped, slouching in his seat and covering his face.

"I don't know you." Reeft said. "I'm only sitting here because it's close to getting more food. That's it."

"Thanks, Reef." Obi-Wan replied.

"Hey, there's Bant!" Garen stood on his chair and waved. "HEY BANT! OVER HERE!" Again, Obi-Wan slumped in his seat and covered his face as Garen continued to jump up and down, trying to get Bant's attention.

"I don't know you." Reeft muttered. Bant jogged over.

"Hey, guys. I want to introduce you to someone." Bant giggled, and waved someone over. Obi-Wan reached for his bottle of water.

"Is this another one of the 'adorable little kids' that so love to climb all over me and pull on my braid?" He asked, taking a swig. Bant laughed.

"No…but you guys remember Siri Tachi, right?" Obi-Wan glanced up at the familiar name, and his eyes widened in shock. He choked on his water, spewing it across the table. Garen thumped him on the back, and Reeft simply picked up his lunch tray, smiled and welcomed Siri, offered her his seat, and walked away.

"I don't know any of you!" he called over his shoulder. "Except the normal ones!"

Obi-Wan ignored his friend, staring at the newcomer. The Siri Tachi he remembered was a little shrimp, rather pudgy with short white-blonde hair and squinty blue eyes, with a scowl that seemed to be permanently sketched onto her features. But this Siri Tachi was…not. She was tall and wiry, thin, but not too thin. Her hair was much longer and thicker, and was braided tightly. It wasn't as white any more, but it was still blonde, just much more…golden. Her eyes had softened, and now they were a clear azure color. Her mouth was turned up in a small smile—Obi-Wan thought that it was the most beautiful smile he had ever seen on a girl—and she turned that smile onto him. She wore a simple tunic and pants, the basic Jedi attire, but it still seemed to set off the curves that were hidden underneath the thick shirt. How did she get so…grown up? Obi-Wan wiped his mouth and offered her a smile. That's can't be Siri Tachi…can it?

Bant, oblivious to Obi-Wan's gawking, waved her hand toward Reeft's back. "That's Reeft. I think you have Drama class with him. The one with the too-long mop of hair is Garen—"

"Hey, Siri!" Garen stood and hugged her. "I haven't seen you in ages!" Siri laughed and hugged him back, and Obi-Wan felt the hair on the back of his neck rising in slight annoyance. What the Force is the matter with me? He's happy to see her again. I'm happy to see her again. Why do I feel like this?

"And this handsome boy over here…" Bant playfully pulled at his Padawan braid. "Is Obi-Wan Kenobi." Siri's jaw dropped, and she stared in surprise.

"That's Obi-Wan?" she asked. He reddened in embarrassment. "But you're so…so…um…wow." She gazed at him and looked down quickly, then met his eyes again.

"Ouch." Garen laughed. "Talk about harsh."

"No, it's just…the last time I saw you, you were… like…short…and not so…um." Siri blushed, and looked down. "I'm just gonna stop talking now." Bant rolled her eyes, and looked at Garen's plate.

"Hey, Gar, where did you get those brownies?"

"C'mon, I'll show ya." He winked and stood up. "I have lunch-lady connections. Anyone else want anything?"

"I'll take an apple." Siri raised her hand. Garen bowed to her.

"One apple for the lady, a brownie for the Mon Cal, and what about you, fine sir?" he asked Obi-Wan, who was staring at his plate. Don't look at Siri, don't look at Siri… "YO, KENOBI!" Garen yelled, waving his hand in front of his friend's face. Obi-Wan jumped.

"What?" he snapped. Garen made a face at him.

"Do you want anything from the lunch line?"

"No." Obi-Wan went back to staring at his plate. Garen rolled his eyes.

"Grumpy-Wan." he muttered, then he and Bant walked to the line. Siri glanced at Obi-Wan as she sat down.

"You okay, Obi-Wan?" she asked. Obi-Wan looked at her, then quickly dropped his head again. Siri frowned. "Are you angry at me?"

"What? No! Why would I be angry at you?" He assured her. I'm angrier at myself for finding you very attractive, and for my heart pounding halfway out of my chest when I hear you, and for getting all tongue-tied like I'm ten years old when I talk to you… "Um, well, how have you been?"

"Great. Well, not great, but not really bad either…um…" Siri flushed, and looked down at her hands. "Good." She glanced up at him. "What about you?"

"Good." Really? That's all I can come up with? "When do you become a Knight?" Siri shrugged.

"I don't know—"

"Siri, we gotta go, or we're gonna be late for class!" Bant appeared, and grabbed Siri's arm. Siri stood up.

"Well, I'll see you later. You guys are coming to the beach after class right?" She asked, her eyes on Obi-Wan. He nodded.

"Wouldn't miss it." Especially if you'll be there…

"Okay, well then I'll see you later." She waved at Garen, and her eyes darted to Obi-Wan once more. Her mouth lifted up in a small smile. He blushed and looked down. Bant tugged Siri away, and Obi-Wan's head lifted, his eyes following her as she walked with Bant out of the room. Garen whistled.

"Wow." He nudged Obi-Wan. "Tachi grew up."

"Pffft, Force, yeah!" Obi-Wan snorted, then flushed pink and cleared his throat. "Um, well, I mean I guess."

"And my first baby has found a girl." Garen wiped his eyes as though he had been crying. "I'm so happy. You grow up so fast."

"Shut up, block-head." Obi-Wan shoved his friend. "Hey, I gotta run. See ya later?"

"Sure. See ya at swimming!"