Hi readers... sorry for my delay, as I was so busy with my studies. One review a reader told me was right: concentrate on my studies.

Anyway, here's Chapter 16 of my story. And I'll be putting two little words at the end that you won't like. But hope you understand, as my studies have to come first.

Chapter 16- Roses and Thorns

Leia stared at the rose charm she held in her hand while she waited for the tram that will take her to school one morning. Ten months had already passed since an old lady gave it to her the day she was about to start the school year. Until now, she doesn't know the idea that came with the mysterious woman who gave it to her.

The tram stopped in front of her. She went inside, along with the other passengers who were with her. Leia sat next to the window, and toyed around with the charm, swinging it playfully back and forth in front of her. I wonder what is this for? She asked herself.

"Hello there, little lady," she heard a gentle, elderly-sounding voice said beside her. Leia spun around and gasped. It was the old lady she met ten months ago!

"Good... good morning. You still know me?" Leia asked, awestruck.

"Of course I do!" The old lady exclaimed in delight. She stared at the rose charm, its thread tied around Leia's index finger. "Glad you kept that. I told you, it'll bring you good luck," she remarked.

Leia grew silent and remembered all the bad things that happened to her at the beginning of the school year, like having to deal with a bully. She managed to get over it, and was glad that Tanya didn't bother her anymore as much as she did before. But she still remembered it from time to time, and was afraid that it might happen again. Certainly, she didn't want to.

"The truth is, I haven't experienced much luck at the beginning of my junior year," Leia mumbled. "Sometimes, I ask myself whether this rose pendant was a jinx." She looked the old lady in the eye and sensed that she didn't liked what she said. She regretted it, and apologized. "Sorry. I know it hurt you, but I didn't know why this has to happen to me," she said sadly. "Being bullied, I mean. A girl did mean things to me before."

The old lady smiled at her, misty eyed. "I understand you, young one. I know having to deal with a bully had hurt you so much, but look at you now. You survived your ordeal."

Leia thought she was right. "Yes..." she mumbled, now knowing that everything fell into its proper place. "I survived."

"And it's because you're a brave girl," the old lady told her. "You're a strong and wonderful individual, Leia. That's why I gave you that rose pendant. Remember this, my child: You can complain because roses have thorns, or you can rejoice because thorns have roses. That's how it is with life. It's how you look at it."

Leia smiled at the old lady seated in front of her. "Thanks... for giving me this. It really is a good luck charm."

The rest of the ride was spent quietly. When the tram stopped in front of the Alderaan Imperial Academy, Leia and the old lady went down in front of the gate, along with the throng of students clad in dark blue uniforms. "It's so nice to meet you, ma'am," Leia told the old lady before she went inside the school gate. She shook the old lady's hand.

"It's so nice to meet you too," she replied. Then without saying another word, she turned her back and walked away. From afar, Leia thought she heard her say, "May the Force be with you, Leia."

She was pretty sure she said that. Leia ran after her, saying, "Wait! Who are you? You haven't told me your name yet! And why do you know my name?" She said this in unison, while she ran fast, dodging after students who were fast approaching. "Ma'am, who are you? Where can I find you?"

Leia still ran until she came to the edge of the school walls outside, near another tram station. But she had lost sight of her. In the breeze, the rose charm tinkled merrily, dangling around her finger.

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An old lady walked slowly along the streets of Althera, Alderaan's main city. She walked on until she came to the fields of Althera greens, and went to stand at a tree nearby. She grasped the low branches of it, and enjoyed the sights at the hill, which overlooked the entire metropolis.

She smiled to herself, thinking of a promise she once made to her mistress. She remembered being a maidservant at the Palace of Naboo years back. After her beloved mistress died from a painful childbirth, she went to her room. While fixing her things, she found a pretty rose pendant. Attached to it was the following note. It was meant for her.

Should something unexpected happen to me, give this rose charm to my future daughter, if ever. Go to the place where she would live, and secretly watch over her. Don't let her know I told you this. I sensed a premonition that I will not last very long. Please fulfill this promise in honor of my memory.

The note and pendant was found in her apartment in Coruscant, after she died. She had never left her mistress, and always watched over her ever since she started out as a young queen in Naboo. When she learned of the whereabouts of her mistress' daughter, she went there immediately, and from then on, had secretly watched over her from afar; from a little girl shopping for dresses at one of the high end stores in the planet, a seven year old schoolgirl starting out for school, and finally blossoming into a young high school girl on the brink of girlhood and womanhood. She never had the courage to approach her, until now.

Your mother must be so proud of you now, my little princess, she thought to herself as tears filled her eyes. If only she was here.

She breathed heavily. Now that I have fulfilled my promise, I can finally rest in peace. She slumped back against the knobby trunk of the tree, and closed her eyes slowly.

Milady, I'll be coming soon, assured that your guidance will be with her always. With that, she finally breathed her last, drifting towards an eternal, peaceful slumber.

Later on, some citizens found her there and thought she was asleep, but upon learning that she was gone, they buried her properly, right under the tree. A large stone was marked.

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"Hey, Bearwin, this place is so beautiful," Leia said in amazement as she and Bearwin went to the top of the hill overlooking the entire city. "How did you know about this?" she asked.

Bearwin leaned against the tree trunk, his arms folded, and with a smug smile on his face. "I thought of bringing you here after our last class for this school year. I thought you would love to be in here."

"Oh sure I do!" Leia exclaimed. "Thanks!" With that, she gave him a bear hug.

Bearwin was taken aback, but he returned the hug. "Glad you did." He thought for a while, and soon asked Leia what he had been dying to ask her ever since. "Can I ask you this question?"

"Sure, why not. What is it?"

"What are we, really?" he asked shyly, yet with a tone of confidence.

"Friends," Leia answered back without batting an eyelash.

It struck him. Friends are all we ever could be. It was painful, knowing that the girl you love only saw you as a friend. He had loved her for a long time since his childhood days. This was reality. And he must accept it.

"Oh, why the sad face there, huh?" Leia asked him jokingly as she pinched both his cheeks. "Stop looking at me like that! You're becoming ugly."

"Get your hands off me, 'Ness!" Bearwin exclaimed as he pushed her hands away.

"Stop calling me 'Ness!"

Both laughed and joked around for some time, and Bearwin realized he was having the best day of his life. He realized that he wasn't willing to lose their friendship for the sake of love. Leia was one of the best people I met. I'm glad I'm her friend. Even with a million and one heartaches, I wouldn't trade my friendship with her for anything, even with love. Oh well, I'll still meet a lot of girls later on.

Later on, they sat under the tree. "So, how are you and Prof. Westenro?" Bearwin asked.

"Aw, he still haven't asked me yet," Leia replied candidly.

"Why are you crushing on him, anyway? There are a lot of guys your age you can crush on."

"He's cute," Leia said smilingly. "Like the guys in soap operas."

"Soap opera guys don't exist, Leia," Bearwin reminded her tactfully.

"I know," she shot back. "They act so debonair because everything they do is scripted. I know that, and I won't be pinning my hopes on the man of my dreams. I have to accept someone real."

"You're right with that," Bearwin agreed.

"That's why I'm cutting down my soap opera intake. What do you think?"

"That sounds nice."

Both spent a moment of silence under the tree. Leia felt something behind her, and when she brushed away the grasses, she found a medium-sized rock.

"Hey, look, it's like a stone marker," she motioned Bearwin to look. Bearwin ran his hand across it, and said, "Do you think someone's buried there?" he asked.

"Why did you ask that? Maybe..."

"I kinda felt something underneath there."

"Oh, you're being Force-sensitive again, Mr. Krugg!"

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This is my last entry for my life as a junior year, Leia wrote later on in her diary. A lot of things happened, both good and bad. But somehow I learned from it, and gained insights.

I know I still have to face a lot more challenges later on. But the old lady was right. You can complain because roses have thorns, or you can rejoice because thorns have roses.

Life may be thorny, but it's still beautiful!

-Leia Organa

-The End-

A/N: So, here's the end of my story. Hope you guys like it!

I might not be able to post another story for a long time, because I have to concentrate on my studies, and my mom told me that I'm getting obsessed with Star Wars. I didn't realized that was so, because I felt sad in class for not having many friends, and this was one way for me to forget the loneliness that comes with having no friends in class. I wanted so much to gain their approval, but I realized the painful truth: Not all people will like you.

I was trying so hard to fit in, that I realized that in doing so, I got overboard with my Star Wars obsession, and I started to neglect my studies. Now, I'm doing my best to get my sense of self back, and I realized that in not being friends with them, my classmates, nothing was lost in me. I learned to surrender everything to God, and to learn to be friends with people who'll appreciate me as I am. So, this explains everything. If you want, you can email me about this and I'll tell you the whole story. It helps if I get this off my chest, knowing that there's someone out there who'll be listening.

Anyways, to all those who read my story, thanks a lot! God bless you all!

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.

-Maiden of Endor