Padmé stilled the staccato tapping of her heel against the gray stone restaurant flooring. What was she thinking suggesting that they meet? What if he saw her and changed his mind and left? What if he stood her up? Or what if Anakin was right and her date turned out to be a Wookie or something worse?
Impossible, she thought. A Wookie wouldn't be using an online dating service, would he? But then a few months ago, she wouldn't have believed a Galactic Senator would be either.
For the third time in the last few minutes, she checked the chronometer on the wall. He was late.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the computed voice of the droid waitress. "Another cup of java?"
"Yes, thank you." Padmé replied, grasping the book in front of her and opening it to the creased and worn pages in the center.
Her eyes scanned the familiar words she found there.
…The night is shattered and blue stars shiver in the distance. The night wind revolves in the sky and sings…
She closed the book, running her hand in a smooth caress over its worn burgundy leather encasement, a small smile appearing on her face. This was the reason she was here. These words that bound her to a man that she was meant to be with. She knew that, somewhere down deep within herself.
"A Book of Shimona Poetry. How quaint." A vaguely familiar voice spoke out above her.
Padmé lifted her eyes, her brows immediately creasing to a frown. "Master Kenobi." She said with a slight nod of acknowledgement.
"Mind if I have a seat?" He asked, his hand already reaching for the back of the chair.
"Actually, I do." Her words faded away and her brows lifted in surprise as Obi-Wan sat down directly across from her. "I'm expecting someone." She said quickly, wondering if he was even listening to her.
"Someone you know? Or would like to know?"
"Someone I know." She responded, eyeing him critically in the blue glowlight that hung over their table. "And what business is that of yours anyway?" Padmé grimaced as the words slipped from her. She had no right to be rude, even though the man had basically made love to her and then ran off without even saying goodbye. But that was a long time ago and she was already over him, or so she thought.
"I'm just trying to make conversation." Obi-Wan glanced down at the book, and quickly picked it up off the table, thumbing quite roughly through the pages. "Do you actually read this stuff?"
"Yes, I do." Padmé reached out and grabbed the book away from him. "And if you had an ounce of compassion, you could appreciate it as well. But Jedi aren't allowed to feel compassion are they? They aren't allowed to feel anything. To hate or to love. You probably aren't even allowed to be happy."
The words were bitter on her tongue, but she had kept them inside of her for so long that they erupted in a fury and she couldn't stop them. She could feel the blood rising to her cheeks as she spoke, but along with that, she felt a sort of vindication from the possibility of hurting him as he had hurt her all those years ago. He had used her and then abandoned her.
"I've been happy before." He stated quietly, his solemn gaze rising up to meet hers.
"Oh really? When? Whenyou wereon some outer rim planet seducing an innocent and naïve young girl, all in the name of the Jedi Order?" She smiled inside herself as she noted his eyes squinting in pain. Her words had hurt him, so she must have said something laced with truth.
"No." Obi-Wan replied softly. "Actually, about seven years ago, when I met a beautiful young woman on Naboo with eyes as dark as night. I was happy then, until I discovered that she wasn't who I thought she was."
Padmé gulped as the color once more rose to her cheeks.
"Obi-Wan." She replied in a voice just as low. "I apologized to you then. I was young and naïve. If another apology would fix things, I would gladly give it, but I don't think it would do any good, would it?"
The man seated across from her sat still, his eyes moving back down to the book that she held in her hands on the tabletop. "Probably not." He said right before her stood up. "Good night."
Padmé watched him leave the restaurant with mixed feelings. She had finally said a few things she had wanted to say, but discovered that instead of feeling better, she actually felt worse. She was acting just like the selfish young queen she had tried to explain she no longer was.
And now she owed him an apology for her behavior. She hadn't meant to be so rude, but he had started it.
There probably wouldn't be a chance to apologize anyway. After this meeting, she doubted she would ever see him again, but that was actually a good thing. Obi-Wan Kenobi obviously brought out the worse in her.