Hello!

My first attempt at a Reylo fic... I haven't been writing much lately, but this pairing has consumed me after TLJ and I thought I'd try something new and see if I can get going again.

For my Klaroline readers, I promise none of my other stories are abandoned, they will be finished, and soon. Night Garden new chapter is almost ready.

This will be a dark fic, with plenty of angst and drama, so fair warning if that isn't your thing.

This is a completely new fandom for me... Hello nice to meet you! I hope you enjoy my little contribution.

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The cafeteria was deafeningly noisy, and crowded. Rey wove her way through half pushed out chairs, stepped over bags and avoided elbows as she searched for a seat. Her eye alighted on a free space, and she went for it, her skinny body shooting between the gap of two others both converging on it at once. She sat down and stretched her arms over the polished wood, baring her teeth at the two other students who stood regarding her with distain. To make them shove off faster, she added a little snarl.

The students exchanged looks, hardly flattering, before giving up, and Rey settled herself back happily. Fishing out a brown bag from her backpack, she plopped it on the table, and opened it. Ignoring the, at times covert, other times blatant, stares she received, her modest brown lunch bag a far cry from the trays surrounding her, holding sushi, pasta and gourmet salads, all freshly made by the school's personal chef team, she pulled out her PBJ and smiled.

As she chewed, she looked around in interest. The solarium above was light and airy, high ceilings reaching up in to the blue skies. There were fresh flowers, and even a tree growing in the middle of the space, not that the other students who were deep in their vapid conversations seemed to notice.

Of course, she wasn't like other students. She was the resident charity case, the niece of the long serving janitor who had caught the eye of a human interest piece when his estranged sister had turned up dead in a bedsit, and she hadn't been alone. Rey herself had called the police from the payphone on the corner, and then went back to wait with her. She hadn't been scared of the police getting her, she'd had nowhere else to go. As far as fairy tales go, she supposed she'd been lucky.

Rescued from a life of darkness and fear for a sudden uncle figure and a school that only the top elite of the city attended. Once attention gathered from the media, some plucky reporter uncovering the link between her and her uncle, and his link to the school, practically anything about St Augustines was gold as far as paper sales were concerned. The school had stepped in and offered her free education, in recognition of her uncle's long service, and of course, unspokenly, because of her horrendous past. Charity and pity seemed to stop at the administration level however. The other students at St. Augustines hadn't been very happy to have their elite little bubble burst by a homeless, penniless and wild little urchin, who seemed to watch people too closely, laugh at all the wrong times, and generally make a nuisance of herself.

The students at the table next to her stood up to go and refill their drink, and Rey, drawn as always to opportunity noticed the open bag left on the floor by her foot. Her fingers itched as she casually glanced down, her eyes scanning over the contents.

Her other hand, holding her sandwich made the tiniest movement, one you wouldn't have seen if you'd not been watching very closely, and sent her apple rolling to the ground at the same time as she exclaimed and leaned forward, her half shrugged off backpack falling to the side. Once she was floor level, she was quick, her fingers deftly reaching for her chosen treasure, quickly into the backpack and then she was leaning back up, brandishing her falling apple. She looked around, and met anyones look who'd happened to glance over. It was important to brazen it out, she knew that better than anyone. Eyes could give you away, or acting too guilty. Smiling with satisfaction, she bit into her apple, a sweet jet of juice filling her mouth and leaking down the side, and chewed with determination. As she did, she began to feel aware of another pair of eyes, warming the side of her face. Refusing to be intimidated, she turned her head around and met them full on.

Her eyes were full of challenge, ready to fight, to scrap and claw, no matter who watched her. His were altogether different. They held silent amusement, perhaps even enjoyment and appreciation at her gall. She ran her eyes over him, as he watched her, placing him to be older than her, and vaguely familiar.

His dark hair was almost black, and he wore it long, too long, she thought critically. He looked tall, even sitting, though the rest of his body didn't seem to have caught up. His shoulders were wide, his limbs a long and gangly mess, elbows and knees and an adam's apple that stuck out a mile. His face wasn't bad, but not really great either, she thought critically. It was too sharp and too soft all at once. Sharp cheek bones and jaw, with a puffy soft mouth, and a too long nose. Winged brows fleeing across expressive eyes, a dash of black against the paleness of his skin. Dotted with beauty spots and a rash of acne on his chin, which was also sporting the dark shadow of stubble, too dark through that translucent skin. He was a man boy in an expanding body, stuck between everywhere and nowhere. Hit fitted school shirt billowed on his reed thin body and then she noticed his ears. Jutting out at an awkward angle, they were hard to ignore, she thought uncharitably.

His eyes were concealed, behind thick glasses, light reflecting off the lenses, hiding his expression if the overhead lights caught him in a particular way. All she could make out was his generous mouth, and the way the full lips seemed naturally to turn down. At her scrutiny one of the corners tugged upwards, for a brief flashing moment, before he was pushing up from the table in front of him and she felt his gaze turn away.

It seemed he had noticed her light slight of hand, but didn't seem about to tell anyone, which suited her fine. She turned back around and glanced down at her left over lunch, a half eaten apple and a smear of peanut butter on the cellophane of her sandwich. Biting off a piece of apple, she took it carefully in her fingers and scooped up the left over peanut butter, popping it in her mouth and enjoying the sweet and salty contrast. Beside her she heard a retching sound and slid her eyes to caught a female student, lustrous locks no doubt washed by the most expensive shampoos, petal like skin only touched by the most expensive moisturiser sticking her fingers down her throat to emit the vomiting sound, she broke off and the group of clones around the table all laughed at her joke.

"That was truly disgusting, are you some kind of scavenger stray? Licking scraps from the floor?" the girl addressed her, her beautiful face frozen in an ugly sneer. Rey shrugged, refusing to let her cheeks redden from the attention they were attracting.

The girl however, was clearly not finished. Reaching over with her salad fork, she dropped a cherry tomato onto the floor by Rey's foot.

"Here you go doggie, a treat for you" she said maliciously, and leaned back, basking in the shocked laughter of her friends as they watch Rey's reaction. Rey locked gazes with the girl, and held her blue eyes in hers. She watched as the girl's bravado started to slip away under the long scrutiny. She held it longer still, tilting her head, inquisitive like a sparrow, inspecting a worm caught under its foot. She saw finally a bloom of red blossom in the other girl's cheeks. She was young, probably 16, the same year as Rey. The other student's eyes darted to the side, growing aware of the swelling silence. Finally, her eyes dropped in defeat as she crossed her arms over her chest and shrugged irritably.

"Whatever freak" she said as she turned back to her friends, the earlier atmosphere lost. Rey stood up, balling her cellophane and brown bag in a ball in her hand and hoisted her bag on her shoulder. Stepping between the tables, her eyes still fixed on the lowered head of the bully below her, she shouldered past and walked away. She felt a momentary tug at her throat, now the confrontational atmosphere had passed but kept her head up, sailing through the crowd like a queen leaving her throne room.

Her favourite thing about the school was it's location. Although it was technically in the city, it bordered a massive woodland on its outskirts, and Rey loved to wander in the trees. The outdoors smelled fresh and clean here, unlike the refuse and urine stained concrete deserts of her childhood. She was able to walk the fresh dirt paths, lightly compacted from wear dusted with a coating of needles and if she found a good spot, climb up to the higher branches of the magnificent old trees that graced the forest. She was usually alone there, just as she preferred, and could wile away many an hour out in the open air, her school books forgotten at the bottom, staring out into the leaves and letting her mind wander.

Today however, she realised as she settled into her usual perch high up amid the leaves of a giant beech tree, she was not alone. She heard the faint drift of voices approaching her and shifted in her seat to get a better look. She wasn't shy about eavesdropping, sneaking around undetected. Nothing in her previous life had ever taught her it was wrong, and in fact it had turned out to be useful on occasion. She glimpsed legs coming toward her, a girls, slim, in the uniform skirt, through a lot shorter than Rey's was. The girl stood into the clearing under the tree first, and spun around, her liquid gold hair spilling over her shoulders with such precision it could only be a practised move. She stood with her arms crossed her chest, her expensive loafers tapping with impatience. Slowly, another set of legs, then a head appeared. A guy, in less of a hurry, judging by his causal stroll, hands in the pockets and nonchalent air. As he stopped below, black hair standing out against the shadows of the trees, Rey realised it was the same too long hair from earlier, the older student from the cafeteria. He leant against the trunk of the tree while the blonde girl paced in front of him. They seemed an unusual pair, Rey thought, moving closer to try and hear better. She carefully slid onto the next branch down and was rewarded when the blondes voice drifted to her clearly.

"With the ski trip, and then St Barts, it's just not enough. And I'll need new clothes, if I don't have a new wardrobe what will everyone think?" she demanded.

"That clothes perhaps aren't the be all and end all?" he asked blankly, and she sensed a coldness coming from him. The girl looked furious at his answer, and then seemed to reign herself in, stepped closer she touched his arm lightly.

"Ben, you know what I mean…"

"Why don't you use your reputation and sway to change how people think? Stand out from the herd, be an original" he suggested further, his disdainful tone implying that she was anything but.

"Please, I am not some ugly spinster, I'll hardy have to rely on my personality to find myself a good match or remain on the shelf. You know this is important to me" she softened her tone again, before stepping forward closer and brushing her hand over his cheek, as he watched her, unmoved. Rey watched in confusion. They hardly seemed a couple, his disapproval of her was evident, as was her superior looks and social standing. They didn't even seem to be friends strangely.

"It's not like you don't extract your pound of flesh" the blonde's words were so quiet as to be almost inaudible as she put her mouth to his ear and nibbled it. He remained unmoving, arms crossed over his chest.

"Are you suggesting we renegotiate the terms of our agreement?" he asked, in a voice of stone. The blonde sighed and stepped back.

"Fine, I want my allowance increased. And in return, you can have…" she trailed off, thinking furiously. He watched her, his head to the side.

"Do you seriously want me to believe you didn't come to this discussion with your terms already decided. Just spit it out Eliza." He said quietly, watching as a red flush mottled the girls pale throat.

"3 months. Every 3 months" she finally said, her eyes raised meekly to his, with a submission there, and a hint of something else, a want, a desire, subconscious enough the girl no doubt had any idea it was there at all.

"2" He countered.

"Fine, 2" she agreed quickly, and Rey watched as the girl permitted herself a small triumphant smile as she turned to go.

"When will the money be there?" she asked over her shoulder.

"Don't worry yourself. I'm good for it." He replied, his head tilted downwards in thought as the blonde moved quickly out of eyeshot. He didn't move however, just continued his contemplation of the forest floor, as Rey shifted uncomfortably above.

"You can come down now" he said suddenly into the silence. Rey froze, her heart rate racketing up a few notches. And if she were in any doubt of who he was talking to, it was soon put aside as he looked directly up it the tree and her.

Exposed and uncomfortable she started down, slipping lithely from branch to branch before landing just before him, pulling her skirt back into place and her shirt down over her tummy. She pushed the escaped strands of hair from the 3 buns dotting the back from her forehead and adopted a deceptively causal pose.

"I was planning on coming down now anyway" she muttered, her cheek beginning to pinken under his long gaze. His eyes drifted over her, dishevelled uniform, bedraggled hair, her high cheeks bones and androgynous shape, narrow hipped and flat chested.

"You must be Rey, Old Jack's niece" the boy said, making no move to straighten up or introduce himself.

"Well, who are you then?" she asked, disliking how infamous she already was at the school

"I'm Ben. Ben Solo," He said quietly before glancing up into the tree.

"You're quite the climber" he remarked and she wasn't sure if it was a compliment or not.

"Climber and thief, interesting combination." He finished, and her eyes swung back to his face. She tensed to run away, starting to hate the smirk that whispered across his lips as he took in her clenched fists.

"It's nothing that those people would miss… its just garbage to them." She argued and flushed at his raised eyebrow.

"With quite the temper, I see. No need to worry, little scavanger, I won't tell anyone. I might be the only person at this school who thinks less of the miscreants who go here than you."

"Do you include yourself in that?"

"Undoubtedly." He said, with that half smile again. She let the tension release from her fists. He didn't seem about to tell on her, though exactly why he was spending time chatting with her in the woods was anyone's guess.

"Who was that girl?" she asked bluntly.

"Eliza Montgomery"

"Is she your girlfriend?"

"What do you think?" Rey shook her head slowly.

"She's the most popular girl in school, not that I'd expect you to know that yet, outcast as you are."

"I don't care what anyone here thinks about me" Rey stated hotly. He nodded quietly

"That I can see."

"So, if you're not her boyfriend then why were you meeting?"

"We have a business arrangement of a sort. We help each other out in a mutually beneficial way"

"What does she do for the money you give her?" Rey asked, unable not to cutting to the quick of what she'd seen. Her direct question seemed to take him of guard, but it didn't anger him.

"Does she sleep with you?" she continued, and flinched as his grey eyes narrowed at her.

"You ask a lot of questions" he said tightly. She shrugged.

"Is that it? Sex for money?" she pressed, folding her arms across her chest.

"What would you know about it?" he asked, arching an eyebrow at her.

"More than you'd guess, I suppose. Anyway, It's not a big deal, probably quite a normal arrangement." In her mind's eye, her mother smeared lipstick and acrid smell of stale cigarettes lingered, along with a light of triumph in her tired eyes, and the feeling of food, a full belly and deep sleep.

"Not at St Augustines" he frowned as his eyes rolled over her again.

"How old are you anyway kid?"

"I'm almost 16, and I'm not a kid." She said, standing up straighter and pushing her chin out. He inspected her then, his cool eyes assessing her defensive stance.

"Next time you want to eavesdrop on people up a tree, don't forget your books" he said, casting a glance at her backpack laying forgotten at the trunk of the beech, he turned to leave.

"See you around, kid" he said with a last half smile in her direction.

Rey unlocked the door of her uncle small caretaker's cottage, not too far from where she had met Ben in the woods. The smell of dinner greeted her, and felt a pang for a moment that she hadn't made it back before to be more helpful. The small cottage was cosy and warm, her uncle having considerably more nesting skills than her mother had had. She placed her bag in her room, by the bed and changed out her school uniform, hanging it up carefully. She only had one, unlike other students who seemed to use them disposably.

She pulled on comfortable leggings and a long t-shirt, the clothes hanging off her slender frame as always, before opening her bag and pulling out her ill-gotten gains. A hairbrush with a back of silver, if she wasn't mistaken, and she rarely was. Pulling out a concealed panel in the floor, she added it to her collection, mentally tallying up her rainy-day fund. Something losing her mother had taught her was to plan for the day when you were on your own. It'd only be a matter of time, and she didn't ever intend to be so vulnerable again. Sensing her mood spiralling downwards, she pulled her books out her bag and cracked them open. The downside of spending afternoons roaming the woods was that there was still a lot of homework to do, the upside of not having any friends was she had a good long while at night to do it. She had a lot of catching up to do, another poorly anticipated result of the schools offer. Her attendance had been spotty at best at her school in the city, and her mom hadn't been much for making her go. In fact, if she was free, she often persuaded Rey to stay at home with her, and they would go on one of her crazy adventures. A hard lump of sadness pressed down in her throat as she thought of her, her red lipstick and skinny jeans, charging along in front of her, making the dirty sidewalk seem like a yellow brick road in Oz, and every random weirdo they passed a charming village character. Those were the good times, and she would always cherish them.

Pulling out an art book, she opened the pages, and felt the memories of her mother increase ten fold, a stream became a river as she looked at the canvases. Those had been the most special of the adventure days. Days they would catch the train to the museums, and spend a whole day wandering around the bight, air-conditioned building, while her mom told her stories of the people in the pictures. And it seemed her legacy had lasted, as Rey loved art. In the art class, all the street cool and fierce nonchalance fell away, and she was a little girl standing beside her mother, gazing at the purest form of beauty she could imagine.

From the kitchen, she heard the sound of cutlery clanking and reluctantly shut the book. Time for dinner and more awkward getting to know you chats.

Comments are love. Let me know what you think!