Just one look | Reylo selection AU

•Two•

------The day after the ball------

Rey's POV

I sat in my room and buried my head in my hands. What was I thinking? Why would I go and dance with the prince? I don't even know him! Besides, I can't get attached like that to anyone. The fear of getting abandoned again is stronger than me. Ever since my parents left me, I never allowed myself to get attached to anyone.

Ugh.

I stood up, got dressed in a short sleeved yellow dress, because unfortunately, dressed are the only thing we're allowed to wear here, and started walking to the gardens. For some strange reason, I felt that I needed to go there, so I did. As I arrived, I sat on a bench, closed my eyes, and breathed in the fresh air.

"Hello!"

My eyes snapped open, and I saw a woman standing in front of me. She had short black her, dark eyes, and she was quite short.

"My name is Rose," she said. "I saw you sitting by yourself, is everything alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, just clearing my mind." I smiled. "What brings you the Selection?"

"Oh I don't want to be in the Selection." She answered. "It was my only way to see a friend of mine that works here. What about you?"

"My best friend decided that it was a good idea to sign me up for this." I scratched the back of my neck.

"Hold on a hot second... Aren't you the one that the prince danced with last night?" Rose asked me.

"Guilty." I smiled sheepishly.

"You know, a lot of people say that he fancies you. Some even say that you're going to be the future queen!" Another voice said. I turned around to see who said that, and I saw a blond-haired woman, that had dark brown eyes. She was quite tall. "My name is Kaydel, nice to meet you!"

"I'm Rey, nice to meet you too!" I replied. "Who is the prince talking to?"

"Oh, that's Gwen Phasma. I find her quite scary. I have no idea what does he like so much about her. Is someone here jealous?" Kaydel teased.

"What?! No!" I blushed. "I'm going to use the bathroom real quick." I continued, and walked back inside, towards my room. I sat on the bed and groaned. And I thought my life couldn't be more messed up than it already is. Apparently, I was wrong. I heard a knock on the door.

"Come in." I said.

"Miss Rey, all the maidens are required down stairs for the first elimination." A guard said. I stood up, and started walking down the stairs. I was nervous. Really nervous. A part of me wanted to go back home, have some fun with Hera, and just become normal again, yet another part of me wanted to stay here, maybe I could feel wanted, and loved... What's wrong with me? Without me even realizing, I already have arrived, and I sat down. The king called out a bunch of names, and half of the ladies walked out, ready to return to their homes.

The prince and I made eye contact, and a small smirk appeared on his face.

I raised an eyebrow.

He looked like he tried hard not to laugh.

I was about to go back to my room when he grabbed my hand.

"Join me for a walk?" he asked. I nodded, and followed him outside.

"You know, I never really got your name." He told me.

"I'm Rey." I replied. "What's yours?" It was risky, and she knew it. The prince never went by his first name, only by 'the prince'.

"Ben." He answered simply. "I saw you earlier, when I took the walk with Gwen. Stalking a bit now, are we?"

"No. Just came out to clear my mind, and you just happened to come out at the same time." I crossed my arms.

"Well, anyway, I want to show you something." He said, and led me to a... Treehouse? What are we going here?

"I used to come here as a kid." He said, like he was reading my mind. "I never asked for any of this. When I needed time for myself, I ran away from my parents and hung out in this treehouse."

"Can we go up?" I asked, wanting to know how it looked on the inside.

"Sure."

"I'll go get changed first, I don't know how comfortable it'll be climbing up with a dress." I said, and he nodded. I quickly ran up to my room, and changed into a t-shirt and a pair of leggings that I snuck inside, and came back down.

We climbed up, and I wasn't expecting to see what I saw. It wasn't as fancy as I thought it would be. It was pretty empty, except for a little beanbag and a shelf with comic books on it.

"I didn't know you were much of a comic book person, much less into superheroes." I stated.

"Well, you have barely known me for a day, so..."

"That is true." I looked around, amazed. "It's beautiful. It may not be much, but I grew up without much, so for me it looks amazing."

"What was your childhood like?" He asked, a curious look in his eyes.

"My parents abandoned me when I was young, so I grew up in an orphanage. I was always the one that stood out in the crowd. I used to be that loner kid that didn't want to talk to anyone. That loner kid that continued to wait for her parents that she knew that they'll never come back." At this point, tears started forming in my eyes, threatening to spill. "When I finished high school, I moved out of the orphanage to the college dorms, started a part time job to pay the collage bills, and there I met my best friend – Hera Syndulla. The years have passed, and here we are."

Ben smiled at me affectionally. "I know how you feel. My parents and I were never close. When I was a little kid, they sent me to my uncle to learn how to be a king. Of course, at the time, I didn't want to go, so because of that, I hated my uncle, I thought he took me away from my parents, and I was even more mad at them that they let him take me away. Now I love them with all of my heart. Sometimes you can be surrounded by people, yet you can still feel so lonely."

At this point, the tears came down, but I was smiling. I was happy. Those were happy tears. I remembered how I thought that Ben was that selfish prince that just wanted the throne. Now, I went back and erased it. He was an amazing person that just went through a lot, and all he needed was just some love and affection.

"Maybe we should go back to the palace, it's starting to get dark." He said, and I nodded. He climbed down the ladder, and I went after he was on the ground, so I wouldn't accidentally step on his fingers. My foot slipped, and I fell down the ladder. I closed my eyes, waiting for the pain from the fall to come, yet it never came. I opened my eyes to see that Ben caught me.

"I got you." He said. "And I'm never letting you go." I blushed, and I hoped that he didn't notice. He put me down, and I went back to my room.

Thoughts filled my head. Can I let myself fall for him? Maker, I only knew him for a day! What if he was like that with all of the other maidens? Just being really nice and making them fall for him, only to break their heart? Once again, I was too quick to trust. I got changed back into my pajamas, and went to sleep, hoping to clear my head from all the questions that were left unanswered.

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Ben's POV

This girl was changing everything. She went through a lot, she had to start taking care of herself at a pretty young age.

I know, I know. I only knew her for a day, but there was something there, I just knew it. I can wait for two months, until the Selection ends, and I'll see what happens.

She was a little Rey of sunshine.