Chapter 8
Gracelin stood and looked out of the balcony on the back of her house. She stood there and starred at the lake. All of the sudden she felt very uncomfortable. She felt like someone was watching her.
She turned to see who it was. Jacen. She looked back out at the lake. She cleared her mind and threw her emotions into the Force. She started to connect with the Force but was quickly interrupted.
"What are you doing?" Jacen asked from in the house.
"Thinking." Gracelin said without turning around to him.
"No, you're not. Are you, meditating?"
"Well, I was until someone interrupted me."
"I didn't know you were Force sensitive."
"That's the way Nomi wants it. She doesn't want me to learn the ways of the Force. I do it anyways but…"
All of the sudden Gracelin sensed something coming in her direction. She quickly caught the disk. "What are you doing!"
"I wanted to see how well you've done on your own."
"So? Do I pass your test?" She asked threateningly.
"There's no passing or failing."
Gracelin turned back around and continued to look at the lake. She felt his eyes on her again. It made her feel uncomfortable. "Please stop that!"
"What?"
"Stop starring at me, please." Gracelin said before she turned back to face him. He was blushing a bit, for being caught. She turned back around.
"I'm sorry." He said before retreating from the room.
Jacen couldn't sleep; he had tossed and turned all night. He finally decided a glass of milk would to him much good. He walked down the stairs and into the kitchenette. He turned on the lights and heard a yelp.
"Jacen Solo! You about gave me a heart attack." Gracelin said sitting on the counter in front of the cabinet with the glasses in them.
"Sorry, it was dark."
"It's okay." She said as she sipped from her water. "What are you doing up?"
"Couldn't sleep. You?"
"Same."
"Well, I came to get a glass of milk." He walked over to her and then reached for the cabinet door. She let her head block the way.
"Come on, Gracey you can do this tomorrow. I'm tired."
"I'm tired too."
"Please, Gracey. Just let me get a glass, we can fight about this in the morning."
"Why do you keep calling me Gracey?"
"I don't know, it shorter than Gracelin."
She kind of squinted at him, "that's not it."
"Gracelin let me get a glass. Please?"
She sat forward so he could open the cabinet door. It wasn't until he had his glass and went to look at her did he realize how close they were at that moment. He knew he needed to back up, but it was like someone had their hands behind his back pushing him forward.
Gracelin felt a pull toward him. She wanted to sit back but she couldn't. Her body wouldn't let her. They stayed a few inches apart for a minute or two before it happened.
He leaned in one more inch toward her face, and she met that one inch. They kissed, their lips locked only for a moment. They both pulled back and tried to process what had just happened.
Gracelin was surprised but however not shocked. She had never been kissed like that before. She had felt a tiny spark the second their lips touched. It was a soft kiss but it left her out of breath.
Jacen was just as confused. He had felt a surge in the Force the second their lips had met. He wondered if it was good or bad. At the moment, though, he wasn't too worried about. He kept thinking, she kissed me back.
"I'm um, uh, I'm going to bed now." She said with a smile on her face.
He watched speechless as she hopped down and left the room. He watched her retreating form go up the stairs, still not sure what to think of all that had just developed.
The next morning Jacen woke up early, knowing Gracelin would be up. But to his surprise Ramey was standing in the kitchenette.
"You sleep hard, you know that?"
Jacen wiped at his eyes, "I do now. I didn't sleep well last night I had something on my mind."
"Stand up."
"What?" Jacen asked him.
"Stand up and spin in a circle."
As Jacen did it he said, "You're crazy you know that, right?"
"I know why you couldn't sleep."
"How would you know?"
"That is the, 'I met a girl on Naboo' sleep walk. I've seen it a thousand times."
"What are you talking about?"
"Just promise me it isn't Gracelin's evil little friend Kristea. I can't stand her."
"No, its not her." Jacen said as he ran his hand through his hair.
"Good."
Jacen could only smile to himself. Maybe, it was the Force. We both couldn't sleep. How is it that she just happened to sit on that counter? She could've hopped down when I went for the glass. He had been thinking about her all night.
Gracelin didn't want to get out of bed. She knew what today was and couldn't forget. She, even thought it had been a few months, couldn't forget. She decided to call in sick at work, so she could stay home. She stayed in bed and thought about the kiss she had shared with Jacen that night.
It felt weird to her. She felt herself getting close but she didn't want to. She had learned her mistake once before. She had lain in bed most of the day. The day seemed to go by quickly. She knew that everyone else would be working so no one would know she had been home.
Ramey was leaving day after tomorrow. She hated his short visits. There wasn't anything she could do to make him stay. He loved his job and even though he went away for long periods of time, she was glad he was happy.
But tonight was about her. Gracelin knew that Jaina had fallen asleep in the common room. She reached under her bed and pulled out a bottle of liquor. She opened it up and lay down. As she was taking a sip her bedroom door slid open.
"Gracelin! What are you doing?"
"Just go away, Jacen." He did the opposite and entered the room, standing at the edge of her bed. Gracelin sat up, "I said get out!"
Jacen grabbed the bottle from her hands. "Where did you get this?"
"None of your business!"
"Why are you drinking this? You don't need this! I've seen what alcohol can to beings. I'm not letting it happen to you!" Jacen walked to the balcony and threw that bottle outside. He then walked back beside her bed.
Tears were welling up in her eyes. "I need that." She stated instead of yelled.
"No you don't."
"Yes I do." She whispered as her voice cracked.
"What happened?" Jacen asked as he sat at the edge of the bed.
The tears started rolling down her cheeks. She put her hands to her face. "It was an accident. He got mad."
Jacen put his arm around her shoulders. "Who?"
She got a far away look in her eyes. "Bow. He got mad. He grabbed my shoulder and slammed me on the couch. He told me I was the reason my father left."
The bruise. "No, no, no. Your father did not leave because of you." She started to wipe her eyes and sniffle a little bit. He knew there was more to the story that she wasn't telling, but he also knew now was not the time. "This didn't happen today, did it?"
"No, three months ago. I keep having these nightmares. It feels like yesterday." Her tears came back and quickly escalated.
Jacen gathered her in his arms, "Shhh. I'm not going to let him hurt you anymore."
Gracelin put her head on his shoulder. She had forgotten how much crying takes out of you. She soon started to drift off to sleep.
Jacen laid her down on the bed. She had a tight grip on his hand. He tried to pull his hand away without waking her.
"Don't go. I don't want to be alone," Gracelin said sleepily.
"No, I'll stay as long as you want me to," Jacen said as he pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. Jacen lay down beside her.
"Thank you." She said before she fell back asleep.
Gracelin lay in bed with her eyes closed. She desperately wanted to go back to sleep. She went to roll over but something was prohibiting her from doing so. She opened her eyes to see Jacen lying on the pillow next to her. He was still asleep; he looks so peaceful. Gracelin then realized that it was his arm around her waist. He stayed with me all night. Shouldn't I be mad? Strangely enough, I'm not.
She moved his arm and looked at him again. A smile came to her lips. She pushed a piece of his brown hair away from his sleeping features. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. She got up and started getting ready for the day.
A/N: Dont forget to review.