Disclaimer: 它不属于我. Whoa, I really hope that will turn up. If you haven't guessed yet, today's feature language is Chinese!
A/N: Much love and gratefulness to all. Thank you so, so much.
Filthy Mushi: Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. That about sums it up. I appreciate your constructive comments and criticism and ideas and faithful reviews SO MUCH. The chapter where Ali screws up will be dedicated to you, because of the ideas you contributed to make it happen.
Audra Laudarque: I never knew she existed, lol. I swear I didn't mean to copy Ali's look off her, I just always thought that red hair and green eyes were a gorgeous combination (and from Anne of Green Gables, hehehehe). Thanks for reviewing!
AneleTiger: Sorry about the Spanish stuff, I'm not very good at it. Actually, it's my worst class in school, lol. Anyway, I'm glad you like both Ali and Ryan—I'm not going to let Anakin get his girl that quickly! Thanks for the consolation about volleyball, and good luck in tennis! About King Tyrannus—here's a spoiler for you since you're such an awesome author and great reviewer—he does have a LOT more to do with the story…in dark ways (he's a bad guy, basically, and he WILL get his revenge on the Jedi). Mwahahaha, you're going to have to read to see what happens!
Fell Dragon: I have an AIM screen name, but I literally never use it. It's asianpsycho08, and if you ever see me online (unlikely, lol), you are VERY welcome to talk to me: ) Thanks for the review.
Arein: OH MY GOSH I LOVE ANNE OF GREEN GABLES! She reminds me of me—except wittier. The way she rambles and daydreams and…and…it's SUCH a good book. A true classic. Anyway, thanks for your condolences and your review! They were truly missed.
Sweet'Lovely: Padme will be coming up in about…four chapters? Three? Something like that. I don't know, I plan to make this quite a long fic, lol. Thanks so much for the review, I missed your comments and input too!
Legolover, MissRyss03, Allied to Darkness, Celtic Cross, Kitty-Kat 26, and Piper331: THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR ALL THE REVIEWS AND POSTIVE INPUT! Sorry I'm not replying to each person individually, but I'm kinda short of time (my parents think I'm typing a summer assignment for US History, lol). But I still greatly, greatly, GREATLY appreciate everyone's input. Thank you so much, once again. Hope no one's offended.
PART ONE: BUDDING
Chapter Eleven
Anakin sighed. The past week had brought extreme frustrations to him. Everywhere he turned, it seemed like a certain redhead was accompanied by a tall, handsome brunette. She was always smiling with she was with him. Always. It seemed like Ryan had infinite jokes to tell in that smooth accent of his, a plethora of witticisms that could make her laugh. Anakin scowled. It seemed to him like the two were more than friends. He had confronted Ali about this, but she insisted that there was nothing between her and Ryan but comradeship. Time and time again she staunchly declared her relationship with Ryan to be only platonic. But despite her protestations, Anakin couldn't help but feel…suspicious. And frustrated.
It was worry driving his irritations, he kept telling himself that. If she got too intimate with Ryan, she would be kicked out of the Temple. He simply didn't want her to be expelled, that was all. No good friend would want their friend to be expelled. Perhaps, Anakin thought, if he repeated that logical explanation to himself often enough, it would rid his soul of the dark feeling he got whenever he spotted Ali and Ryan walking through the halls together.
"Hey Anakin," A soft, feminine voice called from behind him. He tore his gaze away from Ali and Ryan. They were together—once again—and talking in a small corner of the hangar. It was Flight class, an optional period open only for those who had performed exceptionally in the mandatory Piloting sessions. Every other day, from 1900 to 2030, these selected few Padawans would take out practice fighters and train with them in the skies.
"Hey Sera," Anakin replied politely. "I haven't seen you in a while." She had changed a lot in that while, too. Now that he saw her, it wasn't so hard to believe Ali had been knocked out by Sera's breasts. She had developed quite a set of curves on her. Anakin allowed his eyes to rake over her body once.
"I know it," Sera grinned, flipping her hair so that it caught the light and shone brilliantly. "What with the mission that you and Master Kenobi had to complete in Wyrn, and studies, and flight class, and that lightsaber competition coming up, I haven't talked to you in forever. How was Wyrn?"
"The usual," Anakin replied. "Here, have a seat," He said, patting the space on the bench next to him.
"Tell me all about it," Sera said excitedly.
There was a certain mannish satisfaction in talking to the blonde beauty. She hung on his every word, gasped in horror and laughed out loud in all the right places, and just generally soothed his hurt ego. He had almost persuaded himself that he preferred Sera's mindless, blatant admiration to Ali's fun filled banter until the redhead herself arrived upon the scene, Ryan not too far behind.
"Hey Anakin, Sera," Ali greeted, her eyes shifting from one to the other. Anakin realized how it must've looked, him and Sera sitting so close. A flare of anger burst up inside Anakin. She should've realized how things looked with Ryan! "Anakin, I was wondering if you would like to be my flight partner today?" There weren't enough training fighters to go around, so thus the Padawans had to buddy up and fly in pairs. There hadn't been a single practice session in which Anakin hadn't joined up with Ali, but she still asked every time as a way of courtesy.
"Sorry, but I already have a partner," Anakin replied coolly. "Sera and I are together." The blonde beamed happily. Not once did Sera suspect Anakin was using her as a way to get revenge on his best friend.
"Oh," Ali said softly, blinking twice. A flicker of hurt flashed through her eyes, so quickly that Anakin had to wonder if he had imagined it. "Well, then. You two have a good flight. See you around." She turned around sharply and went off to find Ryan, probably to ask him to be her flight partner.
Anakin loved flying. Whenever he was in the skies, the heavens seemed so tangible—like if he just opened the cockpit and reached up, he could touch them. There was an aura of peace, harmony, and tranquility in the air when he was soaring up so high. It soothed his nerves, and calmed him. He loved the skies—he had, after all, been piloting and flying since before he could remember.
But today, the heavens did not offer their usual oasis to him. Instead, Anakin was distracted and frustrated still. Sera was, quite frankly, annoying. It wasn't that she was a mean person, or had bad intentions. She just had these aggravating habits—such as laughing too loudly, or trying to hard to impress him, or reaching out and stroking him whenever he said something funny. He positively twitched with irritation when she touched him. Sera complimented him too much, and just overall came off as very desperate and fake. It was also very boring to talk to someone who agreed with you on everything, and egged you on endlessly.
He was ecstatic to be rid of her at the end of flight class, and after landing the ship nicely and getting off board, looked forward to walking Ali back to her room. It was a ritual that the two friends did every night—Anakin and Ali would proceed back to their sleeping quarters, slowly and leisurely, chatting the entire way.
But today's conversation was less engaging than it usually was. She seemed quiet, subdued, and wouldn't look up from the floor. He seemed to be brooding and in a bad mood, his brow furrowed as it always was whenever he was deep in thought. There was a silence and a tension between the two as they started walking back. A silence and a tension that usually never existed.
"Anakin," Ali said at last, breaking the horrible pause. He looked at her expectantly, noticing how she refused to meet his gaze. "Are you and Sera…together? As in…more than friends?"
Anakin tilted his head to the side, trying to determine how to best answer the question. Should he try to make her jealous by saying yes? Or should he be honest and say no?
"We're as 'together' as you and Ryan are," he answered coolly. Deep inside, a small part of him clapped his hands together in glee as he watched Ali try to decode the cryptic answer.
"Oh," Ali said in a small voice, still staring determinedly at the ground. "Well then." Anakin nodded in response, and the awkward quiet fell between the two again, neither willing to break it after that disastrous last conversation. They continued to walk, faster now, towards Ali's room, until at last they reached the wooden door.
"Thank you for walking me home, Anakin," Ali said quietly, not looking at him.
"No problem, Alianne," Anakin replied just as stiffly. "Good night."
"Good night." And she turned inside her room and shut the door, gone to him until tomorrow.
Anakin proceeded to walk back to his dorm, rethinking the night's events in his mind. He sighed. His best friend hadn't called him 'Ani' once in the entire day. And, Anakin thought as he later lay down to sleep, she had been only courteous to him, never friendly. Despite his efforts to get back at Ali, Anakin still fell asleep feeling as frustrated as he had when he had woken up.
A/N: Alright, so that was a rather depressing chapter for Anakin, and Ali. Things will perk up for both of them, don't worry. Just give them time. Anyway, while we're waiting, could you PLEASE read and review? PLEASE?
P.S. I might not update for a while, seeing as how I have summer assignments to complete and only five days to do it. And seeing as how the greatest system of torture that exists will be starting in five days.