As Friday rolled around, Mara found herself looking forward to hanging out with Luke Skywalker. As soon as class was over she had used her phone to creep on his facebook page. He was just a normal kid from a farm area. He liked football, was into MMA, loved guns and played MMO video games. His first car was actually a pick-up - surprise, surprise - and apparently he had been driving since he was fourteen. Mara chuckled. It must have been good to grow up in farm-ville where your uncle played poker with the local sheriff. Luke liked food too - cooking it and eating it.

Mara decided she was going to pick up some sweets to add to the farm boy's stash and maybe get him some cream soda to drink - the old fashioned type stuff out of a glass bottle. After she had creeped on his facebook bio, she looked at his pictures. Man, she was beginning to like what she saw. She went through pictures of Luke doing everything - hanging out with his buddies, standing next to some really nice cars and trucks, standing next to some pretty girls too. She knew for a fact he wasn't in a relationship at the moment but some of the girls he was with were stunning. Mara frowned and made a mental note to make sure she looked really good and to make it look like she wasn't trying to look good.

After stalking his facebook page, she stalked his friends. He had several from before he went to college. One name appeared quite often - Biggs Darklighter. Apparently the man had joined the Marines and become a fighter jet pilot. Others were people she knew a little - Han Solo, Leia Organa, Winter Retrac, Wedge Antilles and so on. Apparently Luke and a select group of his friends had a little group on facebook called the Rogues and they got together and went car racing in the city a half hour south. Mara would make a point to tag along one of the times. It looked like a lot of fun.

Her eagerness increased when she went to the gym to get a workout in and practice her dancing. Mara had grown up learning all kinds of dancing and she loved to do it. When she went, she saw Luke there, listening to music on a cracked Ipod that was several years out of date and working at the weight machines.

He wasn't going for being a body builder. That was obvious. The low weight and high repetition made Mara think he was just doing it to stay in good shape. Well, low weight was relative. Whatever his working out did to him, he hid it under a shirt and shorts that were at least two sizes too big for him. Mara chuckled. A fashion guru, he was not.

Things got really interesting when he went to where the wrestling team practiced. There were some punching bags set up, though not many people ever used them except to look stupid showing off. In the same room was a wall of mirrors and Mara liked to use it to practice dancing. She had been dancing since she was really little and it relaxed her and also just made her feel good. While she stretched, she watched with interest as Luke wrapped his hands and began hitting the bag. Luke wasn't just some idiot whaling on a bag. It looked like he knew what he was doing. Mara found it fascinating. She liked watching MMA but she didn't do it herself. After a few moments, Luke kept getting tangled up in is over-sized shirt so he removed it. Mara cocked an eyebrow. Well... I didn't see that coming.

Luke wasn't huge like a body builder of football player and wasn't lean and wiry like a runner or swimmer. He was somewhere in between. After she was fully stretched out, Mara tore her gaze away from Luke and took a deep breath before going into the opening moves of her dance.

Luke had been unable to shake the feeling that someone was watching him but he wanted to finish his workout. Finally, he looked around. The wrestling team was working over on the mats but none of them were paying him any mind. He looked around until he saw Mara Jade dancing over by the mirrors and his jaw went completely slack. She was wearing gray workout attire that she wore like a second skin - showing off every curve and plain of her feminine body. Luke whipped back to the bag and quickly, though thoroughly, finished his routine before grabbing his shirt, throwing it back on with a blush and heading to the showers before his youthful body betrayed him.

Mara watched as he left out of the corner of her eye and smirked. She was quite pleased that she could throw him off - just another way she could mess with him. She chuckled wickedly at the idea.

When she finished, she realized that there had been several pairs of eyes ogling her while she wrapped up and she was not happy. One of them was Lando. Glaring, she lifted her hands and snapped sarcastically, "Did you enjoy the show?"

There were a number of cat calls, whistles and affirmative reactions. "Glad to hear it, assholes;" she snapped again and gathered her stuff before stalking to the women's showers.


Luke went back to his dorm to find that Wedge was gone. Sighing, he pulled out his homework and struggled through it. The work itself wasn't terrible. In fact most of it was fairly easy but Luke was having the damnedest time getting his mind off of a gorgeous redhead with a body to die for, and eyes to die for, and hair to die for, and... Luke groaned and shook himself. He was getting himself worked up and that was a bad idea since she would be coming over later and he doubted she would appreciate that.

After a couple hours, Luke finished his homework, stood and stretched. He looked around and groaned. Luke himself was pretty tidy. Wedge, on the other hand, was a slob. Luke began throwing clothes into his roommates hamper, tossed garbage into the garbage can and even made Wedge's bed. After a few other things here and there - sweeping, dusting and so on - Luke looked around, satisfied. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. It was Han Solo and he was grinning that big, ridiculous lopsided smirk of his. "Hey, Kid. What's the good word?"

Luke chuckled dryly and said, "How's it going, Han?"

Han bustled on in and said, "I heard through the twittersphere that you and a certain gorgeous redhead are having a date tonight. I thought I'd get you something for the evening."

Han pulled his backpack off and pulled out a heavy something or other wrapped in newspaper. Luke frowned and took it, his frown turning to a scowl as soon as he held it. "Han, is this one of your jars of moonshine?"

The older boy nodded and Luke tried to hand it back. "I'm not going to try and get her drunk, Han. Besides, if we get caught with that I'm gonna be in deep shit."

Han took it and immediately stashed it behind some containers and a pitcher in one of the cupboards. "I'm not suggesting that you try and get her drunk, Luke. Just tell her that a friend dropped it off and ask if she wants any. Make it casual. I'm not telling you to force feed it to her."

Luke gave him an exasperated look. Han's lopsided grin returned and he said, "According to Talon Karrde, you two aren't really doing homework either. He seems to have the idea you two are watching that Knight Falls show and doing dinner."

Luke blushed and managed to suppress a groan. Instead he shrugged and said, "Well what does Karrde know?"

Han burst into laughter and replied, "Karrde knows everything, Luke. He knows how to get the scoop better than anyone I've ever met. He's almost as good at getting you good stuff as I am. Anyhow, the jar is really the only reason I came. Talk to you later, Junior."

Luke chuckled and shook his head as Han left. Suddenly, Luke's phone buzzed. It was a text from an unknown number. Opening it up, Luke saw the following message:

Hey, Farmboy. It's Mara Jade. I got your number from your roommate's girlfriend. I was wondering if you were planning dinner or should I go to the cafeteria?

It gave Luke a great idea. Friday was supposed to be Mexican food night but by the time the staff was ready to serve, it was hardly recognizable as food at all. He replied to the text:

Hello Mara. Why don't we do dinner? I'll use the kitchen in the bottom floor of the dorms and we can have some actual Tex-mex food - not the slop they serve in the Cafeteria.

He was surprised to find that he was anxiously holding his breath, waiting for her to reply. It came quickly:

You better not let me down then. If I have to go hungry tonight, you WILL suffer my wrath. You wouldn't like me when I'm hangry, Farmboy.

Luke chuckled and replied:

I haven't gotten any complaints yet. Gotta go. Need to grab the goods to make this stuff. See you around seven-ish?

He texted Han asking for a ride since freshmen didn't have their own cars on campus - though Luke kept his in a storage locker. His phone buzzed twice as he walked down the hall. One was Han saying that he would give Luke a ride to Walmart while the other was Mara again.

What? You're not going to come and pick me up, Farmboy? :(

Luke blushed and chuckled.

Sure but it's a bit of a walk from your dorms to mine.

He hurried out the door and Han rolled up in a Chevi Cruz - blue with red racing stripes. As he sat down, Luke's phone buzzed again. As casually as possible, Han said, "That your girlfriend?"

Luke glared at him but then chuckled, "I sure hope so - at least in the future."

Han slapped his shoulder as he drove. "That's the spirit! Come out of that farm boy shell of yours. Alright so what are you getting from the store?"

Luke hadn't even thought of that. He pulled his phone out and read the text real quick.

(Sigh) I'll just walk by myself the three quarters of a mile across the dangerous campus.

Luke chuckled and typed up a quick list of items he was getting from Walmart before answering her:

Hey now, I said I would but that means you'll have to wait a little longer for dinner.

They pulled into the parking lot and ran inside. Han raised an eyebrow when Luke grabbed a cart and started heading down the isles, grabbing everything he could. Han tagged behind and asked, "How do you pay for this stuff?"

Luke gave him a wink and just kept going. Han raised his eyebrows higher. The idea that Luke was into anything less than legal was a new one. He just seemed so straight laced. When Luke had gathered everything he needed, he headed to the electronic entertainment area and picked out a couple things. "That's not for your date;" said Han.

Luke just shook his head. When they got to the cashier, she gave Luke a smile and a wink. It was another student, Deena Shan. Han had the feeling that Luke and her had a secret business arrangement but that was none of his business. When Luke pulled out his wallet, Han was shocked to see at least four debit cards. What the hell was he into? Luke selected one and paid and they headed back to Han's car. Luke's phone buzzed again. The message said,

It's alright, Farmboy. I'll be over there around six-forty-five. You'd better have tacos ready for me to make up for not walking over here to get me or else I'll make you pay.

Luke chuckled and replied:

Soft or Hard? I can do burritos too. And just about any other kind of tex-mex type food.

Han was grinning and asked, "So... what are you talking about with her?"

Luke shrugged. "Just dinner. I'm making mexican food."

Han looked at him sharply. "You can cook? You've never offered to cook for me."

Luke grinned and said, "You're not a gorgeous redhead, are you, Han?"

Han pouted and said, "No, just a gorgeous male specimen, though you wouldn't be interested in that, thankfully. Anyhow, one of these times, we're getting the guys together and having a guys night in the game room."

Luke nodded. It sounded fun.


Mara was trying to pick out an outfit. She wasn't going to wear anything too special - probably just some yoga pants and a tanktop but which ones? It was important to try without looking like it. Suddenly, she stopped and frowned at herself in the mirror. "Why am I trying so hard to look good? This isn't a date. We're getting together to watch tv and eat tacos, mostly so that I can avoid going to a party at a frat house."

She grabbed a pair of black yoga pants and a black cami before throwing a sweatshirt on. She looked at herself and put her hair back into a high pony tail. "There. Casual and comfortable."

Quickly, she texted one of her friends who had a car, asking if said person would be willing to pick up some candy and soda for her. After receiving and affirmative, she grabbed her backpack and her purse. It was almost six fifteen and she grinned at the idea of Luke looking surprised that she had showed up before he had food ready. As soon as her friend dropped off the goods, she headed across campus. This is going to be so much fun; she thought to herself with a smirk.

Updated 10/15/2018