A/N: Thanks for all the reviews. You are encouraging me to continue writing this story. I have to remind you that this isn't the typical "I love you/I love you too/let's get married and invite Yoda to the ceremony" story. I'm trying to work more on the characters than the plot, but don't worry, you can expect some VERY interesting twists…

Enjoy.

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"Are you sure you don't want to come? I could use having a friend around…", Caleb asked for the fifth time. Anakin smiled and shook his head.

"No, just go and have fun", he said. Caleb arched a skeptical brow and Anakin laughed. "Seriously! Go, I'll be fine", he insisted, hoping to sound truthful. Caleb shrugged and grabbed his bag.

"Okay", he sighed. "I give up. I'll be back on Friday. If you need anything…"

"I have your comm. link code, don't worry!", Anakin interrupted. He rolled his eyes and playfully pushed his roommate to the hall. "Go, or you will miss the transport". Caleb laughed good-naturedly and fixed his robe.

"Take care, Anakin", he said as he extended his arm. Anakin shook it and tapped his shoulder.

"You too. Give my best to your family". Caleb turned his head and looked at the stairs. He smiled and gave a short nod.

"Do it yourself. Here comes Padmé".

Anakin's heart skipped a beat. Slowly, his eyes followed to where Caleb was pointing. There, eating up the distance, Padmé's legs moved towards them. Anakin couldn't help to notice her lovely green dress, specially with that cleavage! He forced his eyes back to Caleb and kept a straight face, showing no emotion at the sight of Padmé.

She didn't show anything either. Her eyes fixed on her brother once she was standing next to him.

"Caleb, are you ready?", she asked all seriousness. Caleb nodded and gave Anakin a quick hug. "Good. Let's go". She was turning to leave when she was dragged backwards by an insistent arm.

"Hey, aren't you going to say good bye to Anakin? You might never see him again", Caleb mentioned, his last sentence cutting through Padmé's defenses.

Never see him again. Anakin's eyes drifted to the floor at that outcome. Before he could give it another thought he felt Padmé coming closer to him, stopping in front of him. His eyes raised from the floor to lock on Padmé's. They were dark and hard, obviously in response to being forced to say good bye to him.

"Good bye, Anakin. It was a pleasure to meet you", she said, her voice lacking of emotion. Anakin nodded and reached for her hand. A little gasp escaped her lips at his touch, somewhat confusing Anakin.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, too. I…"

"Yes, yes", she interrupted, pulling her hand out of his grip and picking her bags from the floor. "Now we have to go. Hurry up, Caleb, we're running late"

"Okay, okay. Bye, Skywalker. See you on Friday!", Caleb smiled enthusiastically. As soon as he turned, Anakin locked himself in his room to avoid the sight of *her* for longer than necessary.

Once in the safety of his chambers, he lied on his bed and released a deep sigh. What was it with Padmé? He really liked her and thought she felt the same for him, at least that was what she had showed on their last meeting in the auditorium. But he hadn't showed anything, at least not enough to let her know that he cared about her.

//Maybe I messed up//, he thought regretfully. He sighed once again and turned to his side, staring out the window for some distraction. All he found there were space shuttles and transports, creating a massive amount of traffic.

He wondered what Naboo looked like. He had heard his meditation teacher, Obi Wan Kenobi, talking about the planet and its fantastic landscapes. Naboo was supposed to have the greatest variety of wildlife in the galaxy, and Anakin could only imagine how different form Tatooine it had to be. In his mind he pictured Padmé laughing and running across an endless green meadow…

"Stop it!", he spat at himself, pulling a pillow over his head.

***

Padmé gazed absently at the stars shining behind the glass of her window. She admitted she had been a little too hard on Anakin when they said good bye.

//He deserves it…//, she thought bitterly. Her teeth found her bottom lip and scraped it, then chewed and bit it. She winced in pain and released her lip, covering her eyes with her hand.

Why couldn't she get him off of her mind? She closed her eyes and there he was. Smiling. Making her mad. Falling to the floor in the nightclub. Walking her to the hotel. Offering his jacket. Looking into her eyes. Tightening his arms around her. His lips, just inches from hers. Those eyes… Haunting her.

He made her uneasy, uncomfortable, awkward. Padmé shifted on her seat and sighed thoughtfully. She really liked him, but did he like her as well? Hours ago she was certain that he did, but after thinking a lot about it, she concluded that maybe he didn't. maybe she was just a distraction to him, someone to spend time with, someone to…

…hold him when he felt lonely. He had trusted her with things that no one knew. Was he using her or he really wanted to share his thoughts with her?

Frustration assaulted Padmé and didn't leave her during the entire flight.

***

"Okay, Padmé. You won't reject me again...", Caleb ordered as he offered his arm to his sister. Padmé shook her head and giggled. She took her brother's hand and followed him to the dance floor.

"Don't step on my shoes", she warned. Caleb chuckled and guided the dance.

The wedding was beautiful, the food was delicious, the music was fantastic and Padmé had never been so bored in her life. Anakin's memory still lived in her thoughts and it looked like it had no intentions to leave. She imagined how he would've danced if he were at the wedding with her and Caleb. A frown fell to her face. He wouldn't have danced like he did that night in the club with Nad… Nady… that girl, right? Her family would've killed her if they saw them dancing like that. Suddenly Padmé realized that she would've danced with him would he had attended the wedding.

***

Anakin dropped his light-saber on Caleb's chair and collapsed on his bed. He yawned and scratched his stomach lazily. He was bored beyond his wits. Caleb wouldn't be back until two days and his other friends were visiting their families. The only familiar face he saw on the Jedi Academy was Kody, and there was no way in the seven sith hells he was going to talk to him. Not after he had abandoned Padmé on the club and left with Nad… Nadye… the other girl.

Padmé again. It was always about her. During his time alone Anakin had the time to do some thinking, and he had come to the realization that Padmé was a spoiled brat. She always wanted things be done her way, always getting her way, always doing whatever she wanted.

She had used him. To make fun of him, to entertain herself, to keep her busy. He was her new toy, and Anakin wasn't going to allow that. He wouldn't be some 'entertainment' to a little arrogant girl. He decided that if he EVER saw her again he wouldn't be as polite as he had been before.

With that in mind he closed his eyes attempting to sleep and secretly hoping he wouldn't dream about her again.

***

Jedi Academy.

Saturday afternoon.

Padmé walked through the Jedi Academy's halls, furious at her brother. While on Naboo he had performed another of his little practical jokes and had caused a lot of damage, more like loss of dignity, to his 'victims'. Padmé's mother couldn't find a better solution than sending Padmé over there to lecture her brother. As if he ever listened to her!

At least she wouldn't see Anakin. Earlier that day she had checked his classes and he would be busy until midnight. A big burden was lifted from her shoulders when she had learned that information. Caleb on the other hand would have only morning classes and would be free for the afternoon.

Padmé arrived to her destination, Caleb's room and took a long steadying breath. She held the knob in her trembling fingers and opened the door. Stepping inside she realized that the room was completely empty. She sighed in relief and closed the door behind her to then sit on Caleb's bed. The sooner she talked to him, the sooner she could leave.

The door to the fresher opened and Padmé gave a little jump.

It was him.