Anakin spent Thenksgiving day with his mother and stepfather Cliegg. Stepbrother Owen came with his wife Beru as well, so it was nice to celebrate with the whole family, eat, drink, talk. His mother Shmi noticed that Anakin was somehow different, as well as absent, serious, a little bit sad. She asked him about it, but he assured her everything was fine. She knew he was a good student, so far, she never worried about his performance. She was afraid that maybe his health was somehow wrong, but he was a healthy athlete, he would have said so. Then it could be something else entirely, as a mother she had the right instinct and decided to ask.
"Tell me Ani, is there perhaps a woman who is causing your strange mood?"
"You have no idea…"
"So bad?"
"More than that."
"Tell me about her."
"She's beautiful, the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, Mom, but I can't have her now, and I won't be able to have her later."
"Is she a princess, or queen, or something like that?" she laughed.
"No, she's my professor for management, Padmé Amidala Naberrie." He was looking at the ground beneath his feet. Embarrassment, shame?
"Isn't she the wife of Boston councilor Ruwee Naberrie?"
"No, she is his daughter."
"Oh Ani...but it is better than if she was his wife."
"Anyway, she is forbidden fruit." He spoke, but didn't look at his mother.
"So theatrical, Ani? Look, you're a handsome young man, you can have every…..."
"Mom, please...I know I can choos, but I'm not interested...no more."
She looked at him, he seemed desperate. "I've never seen you like this brfore, Ani."
"...and I've never felt like this before."
Shmi watched her son and feared, that he was so bad in love that his studies might subside, that graduation was in danger. He looked over at her and as if he could read her worries and thoughts, he said:
"Don't worry Mom, I'll graduate."
Padmé was worried too, but about herself. What did that cheeky boy to her? OK. , he wasn't a boy anymore, he was a young man, capable to love and physical love, sure...but it wouldn't be right even if she wasn't his professor. …and why not? She was only five years older... and what are five years? When a man is as much, or even older than a woman, that's normal, even expected. Wrong world.
She thought of him more and more often when she was alone, wished for his touch, imagined. Is he like...tender, or too passionate? She would like either...like he said...and I was just thinking about how much I would like to have you between my sheets. I would fuck you to oblivion and back, I'm good in it.
Damn, just what she would need right now. Her last relationship is already...oh no, she didn't want to think about Clovis, never again. What was after him? Jimmy...two weeks? ...or Joe, a whole month? ...and Thomas, yes, three weeks. And in between...when you're so desperate? Shit.
Dormé would laugh herself to death, but at the sight of the beautiful student, even she would drool. She would definitely tell her to grab him. She would, but she can't, she can't get involved with a student. He was forbidden fruit...Garden of Eden...Adam and Eve...1. Book of Moses...and everything else she thought about...oh, dear God ! If he doesn't graduate soon and leave, she'll lose her mind. In love? No ! Don't fool yourself, Padme.
Padmé spent Christmas with the family. Her parents, Jobal and Ruwee, always wanted to gather the whole family around them for holidays; Padmé and her older sister Sola, brother-in-law Darred and two little nieces, Ryoo and Pooja.
Those days were full of joy, how could they not be, they all belong together.
She's heard a lot lately, she should finally settle down and start family, after all she was twenty-six, the best time to get married and have children. She also had a good job and the prospect was good of becoming a full professor one day, that was the path.
She couldn't tell her family when she wanted to settle down, she didn't know. You don't marry just to marry and fulfill one's biological purpose. You do it for yourself when you have found the partner for life. You should love him and be loved by him.
Padmé hadn't found anyone like that yet. Anakin...the beautiful student? Did she already love him? Possibly...or was it just lust, just her body's desire? He just wanted sex, that was all he wanted, nothing more. Forget him Padmé, she told herself often, very often and more and more often.
The holidays kept coming, Thanksgiving, Christmas and now it is New Year's Eve, the evening to go out with friends, eat, drink, dance and welcome in the New Year.
There were a few colleagues she had arranged to go out with. They were all singles like her. Jocasta Nu and Ben Kenobi were also there, old acquaintances, as well as four collegues she met at the beginning of Fall Semester. As first, hey reserved at 8:00 pm. at Ocean Prime to eat fish. From there they wanted to walk to the Grand Boston nightclub, have a drink, dance and toast each other with champagne at midnight, hug and wish each other well.
The evening started nicely, a few cocktails, dancing and easygoing conversation. They had resolved to talk as little as possible about the work, they should actually succeed.
Padmé wasn't dancing although the new colleagues were nice, they were only talking. They were all older than her, Ben was even eleven years older…what hadn't stopped him from having a crush on her, so it had been rumored.
Anakin always spent the holidays with his family, too, but New Year's Eve was reserved for friends. He really wanted to celebrate with his roommates Rex and Cody this time, or rather to try to celebrate. They made a reservation at Grand Boston nightclub and after dinner at home they wanted to be there around 10:00 pm . Rex and Cody were in company with their recent conquests, but Anakin had no company and he didn't want any. He had no idea who he would meet at the nightclub.
Seats assigned to them ensured a good overview of the visitors who slowly filled the room. They ordered their Whiskey on the Rocks, cocktails for the ladies, and Anakin remarked:
"Rex, your nightclub choice was quite expensive, I was annoyed at first, but people with money and names run here. I just saw Tom Brady."
"You see ghosts, Bro. Have you also seen Professor Naberrie?"
"Oh boy, in fact...take a look, she is it..."
"You're the lucky one."
"Really?" He looked at where the group was going, if they were staying close, if she had noticed him yet...? questions upon questions. Professor Kenobi was there too. You can't believe everything that is told, but you can see them together pretty often. Are they dating or are they just friends? Should he ask her for a dance later, or better not? Wait first.
Padmé and her colleagues were in a good mood, she wanted to start the evening off right and ordered different cocktails. Padmé ordered a Mai Tai, one long drink with a lot of alcohol, that she intended to sip on until midnight and then a champagne, but she felt the effects halfway through the glass.
"Sorry friends, I can't dance...I'm slightly tipsy."
"Take your time, Padmé, or have another one."
Anakin watched rather uneasily as Padmé drank, talked, and didn't dance. He didn't know if he should ask her for a dance, but when the song I Put a Spel On You sounded, he gathered all his courage, got up and went to the seating area where she was with her colleagues.
"Good evening. May I ask for this dance, Ma'am?" and looked at Padmé.
She turned her head in surprise. "Mr. Skywalker !? …uh, I don't dance with my students."
"Aaaa, the students go out so late?" Ben Kenobi joked.
"I'm not a freshman, Professor Kenobi. As a senior of legal age, I can afford to go out in the evenings and this evening is a special evening anyway. May I Ma'am?" he held out his hand.
"Go on Padmé, what's up, it's just a dance." Encouraged Ben Kenobi.
She smiled and shook her head, took Anakin's hand and stood up. It was crowded on the dance floor, so he took that as an opportunity to hold her tightly.
"The song choice is tendentious."
"I found it fitting."
"I'm slightly tipsy." She said after a while.
"Don't worry, in my arms you are safe."
She leaned against his chest and listened to his heart. "I can feel your heart pounding against your ribs, what's wrong with you? Are you thinking of me between your sheets?"
"If you keep talking like this, you won't feel just my heart."
"You better take me to my seat then."
"Let me hold you in my arms for a few minutes more...please."
She looked up at him, looked into those blue eyes, he looked deep into her brown ones, and she was afraid, he would discover her secret.
"Please don't look at me like that."
"Why not?"
"Because I'm uncomfortable."
"Sorry Milady."
"Milady?"
"Lady of my heard." He smiled.
"Stop flirting, it's inappropriate and you know I can't replay."
"I know you can't replay, but you should know how I feel."
"Oh please don't go on, I want to go back to my place now."
"Fine, I'll take you back and won't bother you anymore."
"It's not bothering, it's…. only….."
"Good thing, if it only an +only+ is..."
He smiled at her and she smiled back. She was convinced that he had read her mind. She planned to dance with her colleagues as well, but something in her resisted this intention somehow. Still fresh memory of his warm body and the pleasant scent of his perfume, reinforced her decision to remain seated.
She stayed seated until midnight, drinking, maybe more than she intended, but that felt good. She hoped her colleagues would not notice how often her glances flew in direction where Anakin was sitting with his friends.
Anakin was deep in conversation with Rex and Cody, even missing a request for a ladies' choice dance. Whiskey on the Rocks or intention?
"That's rude, Skywalker."
"What?"
"A young attractive woman asked you for a dance, did you even check?"
"…uh...that must not have been the right one."
"You know it's hopeless."
"The hope dies as last."
The twins just shook their heads and let him wallow in his hope and whiskey daze.
As the countdown began, Anakin's eyes sought out the person he was dying to wish Happy New Year. But first there were hugs and pats on the back to Rex and Cody, as well as kisses on the cheeks from the ladies with them…cheers with a glass of champagne. Then he got up and walked towards the seating area where Padmé was.
"Honorable professors, let me wish you all the best in this New Year, also on behalf of my fellow students over there..." he pointed to Rex and Cody and shook hands with Jocasta Nu and wished, "Best wishes Ma'am." He took Padmé's hand in his and brought it to his lips. "Happy New Year, may all your wishes come true." his eyes never left hers.
His blue eyes, that sky in him, almost made her forget to answer. "Thanks. May your wishes come true, as well."
"Thank you...and maybe we have the same wishes." He reluctantly left her hand and shook hands with other professors with the usual New Year's wishes.
"You're quite taken with our Professor Naberrie, aren't you?" asked ben Kenobi.
"Who wouldn't be, but I'm sure you'll understand." ...he said softly and grinned. Kenobi understood. He nodded his goodbyes and left.
Another drink followed and Padmé and her colleagues decided that was enough for the night. They will sleep into a holiday, but sleep has always been in short supply.
Anakin and the twins stayed for a while, but for him it was kind of irrelevant to stay sitting there now, there was nothing worthy of his gaze. He said goodbye politely, they wouldn't go home together anyway, they were going in different directions.
.
Best regards from Germany