Mutualism

Everyone deserves a friend, 2010

Everyone at the program at Skywalker Acres had to take classes. Just because you're a juvenile delinquent doesn't mean you suddenly get to skip out on school - or else everyone would do it. Or at least that's how Rey thought about things. The classes were online and you had to report to Ahsoka or Poe or Maz or whoever was on duty that day to let them know you were finished and on track to complete the course on time.

It wasn't too bad on Skywalker Acres, despite still needing to take classes. The other teenagers were friendly enough. Seemed that a lot of them calmed down once they got here. Probably because the alternative was worse.

For Rey, the farm was the best place she'd been in by a long shot. Hopping from foster home to foster home and running away in between, it was nice to be in a place where she could run away and still be on the grounds. Sometimes when she needed time she could go to the pond or to the animals or hide in the barn. She could leave her current situation without actually leaving the property and that was a real treat.

Hux told her about some of the best hiding places when you just needed to be alone, but Rey found some of her own. One of her favorite hiding places wasn't even really a hiding place at all. It was hanging out with Ben.

Ben Solo was quiet and a little rude and impatient but he meant well. Or at least that's what Rey told herself. None of the other kids in the program really paid him any attention. He was about as interesting to them as one of the farm animals, which meant that Rey got to explore her new friend all on her own.

Rey was pretty sure Ben liked her. She did manage to figure out his milkshake recipe and he seemed a little impressed by that. Rey got the impression that no one ever tried too hard with Ben. Rey knew what that felt like. No one ever tried too hard with her either. Usually it was just time to "relocate" once she made trouble. It was sold as something exciting - a new family, a new place - but it never was that exciting. It was just something new to run away from.

But maybe Rey could try hard with Ben and he might try hard back. Maybe she could break that vicious cycle of just being shuffled around or put in the corner. Rey just wanted someone to pay attention to her, and not just because she was acting out, but because she deserved attention just like everyone else. Just like Ben did.

***

One of the first people Rey really liked on the farm was Rose. She was bubbly and fun and said what was on her mind. That was nice. A lot of people lied to you to make you feel better but Rose had no problem saying exactly what she thought.

Rose was the same age as Rey and she had a sister, Paige. Paige had aged out of Skywalker farms already and she said she'd come back for Rose when she could take her of her. Guess that hadn't happened yet because Rose was still here. That was sad.

Sometimes Rose cried about missing her parents or Paige. Rey cried with her even though she didn't really have anyone to miss. She didn't even remember what her parents were like and all of her foster parents had been mean or nasty or treated her like a maid or servant. Maybe she cried because she didn't have anyone to miss. That was sad, too.

Rose and Rey often did their classes together because they were the same age. Ahsoka said group work was a good way to stay motivated while doing online classes. Rey just thought it was fun, and Rose did, too.

When they finished they had to do some chores around the property and then they got to explore, unless they had to go do group sessions or individual sessions where they talked about their feelings and thoughts and planned for the future. Boring things like that. Rey would much rather be out doing whatever it was she wanted to do. She didn't really understand why they needed to know all about her feelings.

On this particular day, Rose and Rey didn't have any sessions and they'd finished their work and chores which meant their time was their own. They decided to spend it hanging out with the two dogs, Artoo and Threepio.

Threepio was a retired greyhound from a nearby racing track that was filled with so much anxiety that he often shook like a leaf and Artoo was a Jack Russell Terrier with an attitude problem. They were somehow polar opposites yet the best of friends.

It was with them, laying on the grass and petting their soft bellies and heads, that Rose asked Rey about Ben. It came out of nowhere and startled Rey a little, her face scrunching up into a scowl as Rose asked, "Do you like Ben or something?"

"Of course not."

"Are you sure? You're the only one who pays him any attention. I think you might be bothering him, actually."

"No, I'm not. We're friends."

"Are you?"

"Yes."

"Hmm."

"We are! We have secrets." A secret Rey forced out of him, but Rose didn't need to know that. Rey was the only other person alive who knew that milkshake recipe. He had said so, and Ben didn't seem to be the type to lie.

"Oh."

"Don't you want to know what they are?"

"No, not really," Rose answered with a shrug. "Are you really really sure you don't like him? It's okay if you do... I think Hux is kinda cute."

"Ew? Hux?"

"Don't be mean."

"Oh, sorry. He's mean to me, though... sometimes. He sucks."

"Just because he's mean doesn't mean you have to be."

"You're right," Rey nodded, scratching behind Artoo's ear as he licked her wrist. She looked around the open field they were in for a moment, thinking. "I just think Ben is lonely. And he needs a friend."

"But he's old."

"Old people deserve friends, too. And he's not that old."

Rose made a humming sound which Rey took as acceptance and they sat in silence for a few more beats before Rose started detailing what it was about Hux that she found so great. Rey listened because she's a good friend but she really didn't have any interest in Hux or his "nice hair" and "handsome features". Rey wasn't so sure she agreed with Rose but that's okay. They didn't have to think the same thing all of the time.

That night, Rey thought about that conversation, knowing that what she had said was true. Everyone deserves a friend, even grumpy older people like Ben and annoying little boys like Hux.