Chapter 3

New Contacts

Kylo slammed the cab door behind him. "it's trash anyways" he mumbled as he walked away from the cab driver's yells. He entered the giant glass-gliding hotel doors. His pale skin was beautiful under the hotel's lighting. It made nice shadows to define his nose and jaw.

"name?" the desk clerk smiled, clad with suit and tie.

"Kylo Ren"

"ID?"

"Damn it. Um I was here a couple days before, my information might still be in the system"

"I'll check, sir" Kylo tapped on the desk and looked around just in case he recognized anyone.

"You're fortunate, sir"

He rolled his eyes and forcely smiled. He was impatient. He grabbed his key and went up the elevator. His plans were very subtle for tonight, nothing grand, but enough to get information out of a bartender. he wanted to be prudent, yet discreet for once.

She received a text the same day she went to the post office. The small tune of it made her jump. She reached for her purse and digged out for her phone, making the stranger's drivers license to fall out.

###-

"Hey, can we actually go out tonight? I realised that I'm busy the entire week so..."

She stared at the text bubble for a second. She got so distracted by the realization that she still had this man's driver's license that it took her a minute to figure out who her texter was. And when it finally popped up, It was the post office boy, Travis. She didn't have much to do tonight besides the rest of her chores. So, sure.

-"Yeah that sounds great! Where?" She added him as a new contact now.

Travis-

"The new bar downtown. I've been wanting to see how well it turned out"

Travis-

"Tonight at 7:30"

Rey didn't really drink but could take a few sips if necessary.

-"Okay. I'll meet you there"

She had been playing with her new kitty and looking up different types of cat food that she forgot about the world. She didn't even think she liked cats. Rey still had to turn in the driver's license which was now going to be an easier job. She could just give it to Travis to ship it to its owner.

Kylo threw himself onto his cloud-like hotel bed. He grabbed onto the sheets, faced down scoffing onto them. His head overwhelmed with thoughts, he was too desperate to wait. He wanted power.

He digged for his phone inside his pockets.

No new messages, no phone calls. He flopped into his back and drew his thumb across the screen. There were times he wished he weren't so alone, he didn't know if he had the ability to really trust anyone. Or else, he didn't know if he could be worth being trusted. But these thoughts didn't influence his mind almost ever, in fact, they were simply distraction.

He swiped green on Phasma's contact. he waited for her voice.

"Yes sir?" her voice almost muffled.

"How is everything?"

"Fine. Hux came over to help with some small issues, but nothing to worry about"

"Ah, Hux. Tell him to keep his head up"

"Yes, sir?"

"He knows what I'm talking about"

"Right. Until tomorrow"

"Goodbye"

Okay, so maybe he did have some...friends, but they were not as intimate. The only reason he knew Hux was attracted to Phasma was because he noticed Hux's continuous glares on her whenever she gave orders or whenever she did, well, anything.
The day went by slowly for Kylo, he wanted to go to the bar immediately. He could of gone earlier, but everyone knows bars get crowded with rich gossiping much later.

Rey was getting ready by sunset. She wore a bodycon dress, denim jacket, and some comfortable slip-ons. She hoped this was enough for a date. She grabbed her bag And looked at the sleeping kitty on her bed. She thought of taking it, almost. it was tiny it could fit on her purse, so why not? But she shook her head, She could not take it, at least not tonight. She left it sleeping on the bed, it's little purrs disappearing as she got closer and closer to the door and finally shutting it. When she arrived to the bar downtown she saw Travis standing on the entrance, waiting for her. She didn't even realize how long it had taken to get there.
She got out of her car and sort of waved to Travis, it was almost weird because this was the first time she saw him outside that same old postoffice shirt, although; the boy was sure handsome, sturdy jawline, nice hair and all. He smiled and opened the door for her; the voices and some old tune echoed from the bar.

"You look stunning" he approached.

"As you do" she smirked.

"I found a place for us. I hope no one has taken it" he added

"Well, as long as nobody else has come through that door" They went inside. It was almost dark in there, people walked up for drinks, others flirted. She had not seen this side of Jakku. Maybe she needed to attend more bars after all. "

Here it is. I'll get us drinks"

"Oh get something light for me, please"

The light was dimmed, but it fit the entire place. She looked around and heard people's conversations, she enjoyed it.

Kylo could of gone out to find a rental car instead of wasting time in bed, but no driver's license was a good excuse for him. He despised cabs, he always found flaws in other people's driving, but still took one to the bar. He was too excited to care this time. He went in and spectated everyone as he made his way straight towards the bartender, struting with such authority that some even glared at him, he cleared his throat and sat in the stool, silent while listened for anything that he could absorb.

"What may I get for you, sir"

"an old fashioned"

"Coming up, sir"

The clanking of glasses was nice to hear with the rushing alcohol sloshing to the bottom of glasses.

"people are sure enjoying themselves tonight" Kylo approached the bar tender.

"Yes indeed! I'm glad, I am glad this new bar looks like it will be a success"

"Oh it is new? That's a big deal. Do you know of other places being built"

"Quite. Jakku is big. Everyone is trying to make a business. I guess i should be a little careful with competition" Kylo nodded. This seemed almost too easy, in fact, he could ask the man about anything. "Competition, that's nothing new. I wonder what other things we could even care to worry about. Jakku is quite peaceful" Ren raised his eyebrow as he took a sip of his whiskey.

"You seem almost new here" the bar tended chuckled.

"Well I have been caught up in so many things, sir"

"We are still a tad afraid, despite all our successes. I guess being busy like you is a good thing. You forget about the past, less worries about what might happen…"

"Ah, right you are. What happened was disgraceful"

"Yes yes. But not to worry! We got general leia and supervisors to check on us! Ah everything is great here indeed and I'm proud how far we've come!"

"Yes, as you were" Kylo stood up and smirked to himself. It was time to meet the rest.

"Oh god!"Rey made a sour face. "This is still so strong!?"

Travis chuckled. "Yes, I apologize. Would you like some milk instead?" he kept chuckling

Rey laughed and stared at him. Then it snapped. The license, she had to give him the license. "Oh I got something for you"

"Really?"

"Yeah. I mean is not a present or anything. Is a license I found. I thought you could ship it to its owner?"

"Yes of course"

She looked for it in her purse, but she had an influx of papers in there and the dim light did not help. She grunted slightly "I'll go to the bathroom and look for it there, I have a mess in here"
"Okay" he smiled. The boy looked head over heels for Rey.

She stood up and shuffled through her papers as she made her way to the restroom. She looked up when all of the sudden a body slammed into hers.
The drink spurted onto his collared shirt. "DAMN IT!" he yelled as he looked down to the mess on his shirt "WATCH WHERE YOU ARE GOING ARE YOU INSANE?!"
Rey looked stunned, and so did the people around them. He looked up and noticed her lady figure. He quickly felt stupid for yelling at her specially infront of Jakku's residents. Rey squinted. He knew his face. He scoffed "...sorry" he mumbled as he encountered her face.

Could it be?

"Kylo Ren?" she wondered. He looked at her with widened eyes and shut lips. The people now turned to their own business as they assumed they knew each other.

"How do you know my name?"

"I found your driver's license" Kylo hesitated to react in great wonder.

"Where is it" he hurriedly asked.

"You're welcome?" she crossed her arms and sniggered.

"Right...th-thank you" Kylo sucked at being polite.

"In my purse, but it is a mess I need light to find it"

"I'll be back" she assured. Rey moved to the restroom. She looked at the mirror almost proud of herself for finding the man, even though he yelled at her like a madman. She scrutinized her bag, once, twice. It must of gotten real deep in that thing. Three times, it wasn't there. She looked at the mirror again feeling dumb now. "Fuck!" she cursed under her breath. She walked out with a faster pace now, that was her signal that she was angry. She passed Kylo "Give me a minute, Kylo"
She sat in front of Travis again. "I saw what happened, sorry I, should of come to help, but you seemed to know him. I-"

"It's alright" she interrupted. "I forgot the license at home"

"It's fine" they held a pause

"I think is getting late. It's been a great night too. Thank You, Travis"

"No, thank you for accepting Rey"

"We could do this sometime else, if you'd like" Rey recommended.

"Yes! Of course" he happily responded. "You look beautiful, Rey"

"Thank You, Travis" she smiled and made herway to Kylo who took a quick, furstruated shot of whiskey.

"Sorry, I...forgot your license. Um do you have a ride?" she tried to look happy infront of his angry rudied face, maybe that would make him feel better?

He tried to keep his cool. "I'm taking a cab"

"Oh..." she looked around for a second, trying to think of anything that could help.
"I mean, You could get a ride with me! If you really want your license now we could drive to my place and I could give it to you there"

Kylo looked surprised because she would take a stranger in her car, at the same time he didn't know if that was a good idea. He didn't want to get himself too involved with this person.

"Umm"

"C'mmon is really close by. I don't think it should take anymore than 10 minutes to arrive there. I feel bad for not bringing it anyways so, why not a free ride? I'll drive you back home, too" She really felt bad. She imagined all this time this poor man walked by foot and spent money on cabs.

"I suppose" Kylo agreed

Notes: I apologize if it has taken sometime to update, I've been nuked with AP exams, finals and stress the past weekdays.

But as always, thank you for reading!