A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…lived a young girl, named Carsana Sim. She was a beautiful girl who had eyes for only one scruffy looking scoundrel of a smuggler, Han Solo. Obviously when this romantic interest began, she was only a young teen possibly fourteen years of age, but Han was already twenty and had had multiple woman by his side at this point in his life. By that time, she had known Han for a while, and knew she did not have to feel jealousy towards these woman, as he would only take the woman for a ride until the woman had either stopped giving him money or until they could not stand the sight of the so called "thief".
Han's story of his upbringing started off not too abnormal, he was orphaned off as a child in Corellia, but with no authoritative figure, he took to a life of crime in order to survive, stealing anything to get him through day-to-day life, in and out of jail, stowing away on random ships to planets he hadn't even heard of. And when he started gambling, his life only took a turn for the worse. If it weren't for Chewbacca, his lifelong companion and his stroke of luck in a hand of Sabacc, that won him his most prized possession: The Millennium Falcon, he wouldn't be half the man he is today.
As Han was growing up he, at the age of sixteen, needed somewhere to stay whilst hiding out in Corellia, and that is when Marsidona Sim felt a pang of sympathy for the young boy and took him in.
Carsana, only being ten years old, did not particularly understand the situation at hand, but after a while started seeing Han as the older brother she never had. He would protect her from the bullies she had at school and in return she would teach him school work, as his situation- living on the street – never gave him the opportunity to partake in school, they became very close, but one day the family woke up to find Han had run away. They looked the best they could all over the city for him, but he was nowhere to be found. Weeks later a knock sounded on the door of the Sim family home, lo and behold Han was standing there, back for a place to stay, the family, distressed at what had happened to him took him in immediately. This ended up happening for years on end, he would stop by for no longer than three months and leave for an undisclosed amount of time, once he was gone only for a matter of days, and other times months went by when his cheeky smirk and wit wasn't present in the household.
That was then, but this is now. Han is now twenty-three and only stops by every three or four months to visit for a day or two, but today is something special for the girl we mentioned in the beginning of the story, today, Carsana, is turning seventeen. In Corellia, seventeen is the age of legality and responsibility, so today Carsana was her own person, she could now do what she liked with her life…
"Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday darling Carsana, happy birthday to you." Carsana's mother and father sang to her as she woke up early on this joyous occasion. In her mother's hands was a small square cake covered in pink icing with seven candles on it.
"Come on, blow out your candles." Her mother whispered. Carsana thought of a wish, as she blew out her candles.
"I can't believe I'm seventeen! I mean I've been dreaming of this day forever, but for it to actually be here…wow." Carsana spoke in disbelief as she sat up in her bed.
"Okay, who wants cake for breakfast?" Marsidona asked with a huge smile on her face.
"I think both Carsy and myself will opt for that, it's the most nutritional thing you've cooked up here in a while." Her father, Karlet joked.
Once the family had settled down in the dining room with their cake slices in front of them, Karlet – with the biggest smile on his face - reached over and grabbed a box, whilst Marsidona had a look of great concern written on her face.
"Your mother did not really approve of this gift, but I thought, with you going into the real world, you might need this."
Carsana carefully undid the bow on top of the box and opened the lid to find a String Beam Blaster inside. "No way! This is amazing. Thank you so much dad." Carsana said as she pretended to aim the gun like she had seen in holograms at the masonry shop.
"Okay, maybe it's time for my present, put the blaster down honey. I know it might not be as exciting as your fathers gift, but I did go to a lot of trouble to get it." Her mother said handing her a wrapped present this time, as Carsana opened it her heart warmed at her mother's kind gesture. There was a leather jacket made from Numatra hide. It was feverishly expensive and Carsana had been eyeing it for months, but never thought she'd ever get it.
"I can't believe you remembered, I can't believe you actually got it for me!" Carsana sprang up and gave her mother a hug.
"Well, it is your birthday, and you're legal now, it's a massive celebration." Her mother laughed, whilst hugging her back.
"and thankyou dad!" Carsy added walking over to her dad and giving him a hug to.
"It's a bad, dangerous world out there, and without us to protect you, you need all the protection you can find." Her father added. Carsana went back to her chair, sat down and ate her cake, smiling the whole time at her new found joy for the gifts she received.
"Okay well, its nine o'clock now, so I should go have a shower now and get dressed," Carsana said getting up and pushing her chair in. "Oh, and again, thank you for the gifts, I love you guys so much."
"Love you too!" her parents said in unison.
By the time midday had arrived, three of Carsana's friends had visited to wish her happy birthday, something that was a big deal to the girls as Carsana was the first out of all them to turn seventeen.
"Why don't we go that diner in town, I mean sitting at home and eating cake is out of the question, we have to celebrate!" Hyan the youngest of the group suggested.
"I agree, and I think Kortessa would agree." Bulaza, Carsana's fellow human stated, whilst Kortessa nodded her head.
"Come on, what do you say Carsana." Hyan pleaded.
"You know I don't like making a huge deal over my birthday, but I guess since this is a big birthday, I think I might make an exception," Carsana said laughing at her friend's joy. "No scenes are allowed to be made, no singing, no screaming, just a civilized lunch, for a now civilized adult." She added.
"Oh god, you're turning into your mother right in front of my eyes." Kortessa, an orange and red Twi'lek, said with fake shock.
"Shut up!" Carsana laughed, and playfully punched Kortessa's arm.
"Okay, let's go!" Hyan said already at the door.
Midway into the walk to the diner, Carsana had loosened up, she had never been the most confident person and often shied away from big social events. She was more of a dreamer than a doer, you could say. She had big ambitions for her future, and was sure to get her goals in life. She just didn't think wasting your youth doing things that were illegal will get you any closer to your aspirations.
"Carsana! Happy birthday!" Karto Juhn screamed from the other side of the street, running over. Once he had started to cross the street, the rest of his posy was soon to follow.
"What is he doing? He's never talked to me in his entire life!" Carsana whispered to her friend as Karto was walking over.
"Come on, give me a hug, it's a big day today!" He said with open arms engulfing Carsana, squeezing all the air out of her.
"um, thanks, haha, um…what are you, um… like doing here?" Carsana asked, whilst her friends face palmed at her nervousness.
"I'm, uh, actually not sure why we came into town today, but I'm glad we did. I'm guessing you girls are out celebrating?" He asked stroking a hand through his thick brown hair. At this action, all the girls standing next to Carsana looked as though they had just fallen in love with him.
"You know Carsana, I'd really like to take you out tomorrow night, what do you say? We can do whatever you'd like, I promise you'll have a fun time!" He said with a giant smirk on his face.
"Uh…" Carsana was shocked, he had never even talked to her before, and now he's asking her out?
"She says yes; you can pick her up tomorrow night at seven." Kortessa added quickly, before Carsana could make her decision.
"Great, I'll see you then." Karto replied with a wink.
"Wait guys! we are celebrating, it's a big day! Why don't you come with us? We're going to the diner right over there." Hyan asked, and pointed to the diner a block down.
The guys agreed and they all started walking towards the restaurant.
"Kortessa, can I speak to you, privately." Carsana asked, dragging her friend to the side.
"Yeah, what's up? Isn't this just great!" Kortessa said smiling the biggest smile Carsana had ever seen.
"Why did you tell Karto that I'd go on a date with him?" Carsana angrily whispered.
"Don't you mean 'Thankyou you for setting me up on the date of a lifetime.'" Kortessa mocked.
"No, I mean, it's not like I wouldn't go out with him, but I'm not majorly over attracted to him like most girls are, he seems okay, but I don't trust a guy who's only interaction with me, was to ask me out."
"Take it as a blessing, not a curse. By the way, you are an adult now, if your date doesn't go well, just don't talk to him again, it's not like you're going to have to see him every day at school. Just live your life to the fullest, forget about your nerves and anxieties." Kortessa said as she ran off to catch up with the group teenagers.
Carsana thought about what Kortessa said and realized that she was overthinking everything, maybe this date is what she needs, albeit she's never been on a date, maybe this is a good change, to get more out there. Everything happens for a reason, well at least that's what Carsana thought…
The lunch happened to be quite fun now that Carsana loosened up. Everyone was having a good time and Carsana couldn't help but feel as though this was one of her best birthday experiences.
"So, Carsana, now that Karto is not alone in the seventeen club, what do you say to getting us some drugs, some Glitterstim perhaps?" Toby, Karto's best friend asked. The whole 'gang' laughed awaiting a usual, boring answer from Carsana.
"You know Carsana won't even say the word drug, let alone even think about buying you drugs." Bulaza remarked.
"Sorry Laza, but you're wrong, I'm an adult now, I was even thinking of getting some Glitterstim tomorrow, I know a guy." Toby's face falls to pure excitement at the thought of getting drugs to experiment with, whilst the girls rolled their eyes at the pure lie that went right over the guys' heads.
All the while, a close friend of Carsana was watching from outside and couldn't believe their eyes.
"You know, I'm going to need to find a job now, I mean I need to start make…" Carsana was cut off by someone putting their hands over her eyes.
"Guess who." Said a male voice from behind her. Instantly she knew who it was, she could recognize that voice anywhere.
"Han!" She shouted, standing up to give Han the biggest and tightest hug ever.
"Happy Birthday, Carsy." He whispered into her hair, sending shivers down her spine.
Everyone was looking at the girl in confusion as to why she literally jumped onto the man.
"Han this is everyone, everyone this is Han, my bestest friend, for about seven years now? Yeah, seven years.
Everyone waved, the girls waved in a flirtatious manner whilst Karto barely even lifted up his hand.
"Excuse us, will you." She guided Han to the outside of the diner so they could talk, "What are you doing here? I mean here in Corellia and here in the diner?" She asked flustered by excitement.
"Well, I'm in Corellia, because it's your seventeenth birthday, I couldn't miss it for the world. Oh an I just happened to need a part for the Falcon from the shop next door, and that's when I saw you in the window, and thought: What a brilliant way to surprise you." He admitted, making Carsana's heart miss several beats, reassuring the faith in her love for him.
"You didn't have to come down here, it's not that big of a deal." Carsana said, looking down at the ground, moved at the fact that he actually made the effort to travel from another system, most likely to Corellia just to say happy birthday.
"I think if I had had half the amount of humbleness and modesty that you have, I think I'd be considered a saint, come on, why wouldn't I visit my favourite girl on this special occasion?" He laughed. The fact that he called her his 'favourite girl' made her whole-body tingle, she couldn't help but blush.
"Thank you, I really mean it." She nervously replied.
"Here's a small gift, it's not much, but I hope you like it. "Han said handed Carsana a small box, for a second their hands touched, making Carsana regain her smile.
"Han, you re…" He quickly butted in before she could finish.
"No, you're not going to ask why I bought you this, you're just going to take it or I'm going to have to burn it and cry over the rejection for months and months, but I'd suggest going with the first option."
"Ok, let me just…" she said whilst opening the box to find the most beautiful necklace she had ever seen. A gold chained necklace with a purple gemstone from Lothal, hanging on it.
"Oh my, this is beautiful, Han, how could I ever thank you." She stated, shocked, giving Han a huge hug.
"No thanks needed, you really deserved it, come on let me put it on you." Han, turned Carsana around and put the necklace onto her.
"You look beautiful," Han said, charming her completely. "It looks like your friends are waiting for you, I'm leaving later tonight, maybe I'll stop by your house before I leave." This was the chance she had been waiting for, she'd planned for the last two months that the next time she saw Han she would ask.
"Han, um before you leave, could I ask something of you?" She asked, hands shaking.
"Sure." He replied calmly
"Well, I've been thinking, I have always wanted to know what space was like and I know you're constantly there and I mean it's probably a stupid thing, well, you'd think it's a stupid thing," She could see him rolling his eyes at her nervousness." Okay, what I'm trying to ask is, can I go to space with you?" She quickly said.
And just as quickly he replied, "Absolutely not."
"What? Why?"
"Well, because you are making a brash decision and you don't even know what you're asking for."
"I do, I'm sick and tired of stupid Corellia, I'm in need of an adventure, and I'd be in perfectly good hands with you, I mean you're the best pilot in the damn system."
"No, no, no, it's not safe whether I was the best or worst pilot, it's never safe, I'd never put your life at risk." Han was shaking his head at the usually clear-headed girl now misplacing her common sense.
"Please Han, vie done a course in nursing, if you get hurt, I will attend to your wounds instead of you having to tough it out, I won't be a nuisance, I promise, I'll sit and read, log our missions and ill attend to you and Chewy's every need, please, just please, let me come with. Oh, I'll even bring a large amount of credits with." Carsana begged.
Han's ears perked up at offer of money. "I don't know why I'm even doing this, you just have this way about you that gets you whatever you want, so if you can bring five-hundred credits with you tonight," He shook his head as he let the next words slip out of his mouth with the slip of a sigh. "I'll let you come with on the Falcon."