Darkness Has Fallen

1

"Ben!" A giggling girl of 16 chased her best friend. "Come here Ben!"

The dark haired 17 year old laughed over his shoulder.

"You can't catch me Lani!" He zig zagged along with a bright smile.

"Oh yeah?" Leilani's feet felt like they were flying through the air towards him.

She caught up with him and grabbed his back. The two rolled across the ground before stopping, Ben had Leilani pinned to the ground, her arms level with her head. His hips keeping hers on the ground.

Their breath was heavy as they tried to calm it again, the cool oxygen of the outdoors burned their lungs. Ben felt his heart racing but it wasn't from the exercise.

"I'm going to miss you." He said, black curls falling to his face.

Leilani didn't say anything, she turned her head away from his gaze.

"Look at me." Ben was stern but Leilani could hear the kindness in his voice. "Lani, look at me please." His grasp on her wrists softened.

"Yes?" She looked at him again. Her  raven hair fell in a halo around her tanned face.

"Will you miss me?" A gentle red tint appeared on Ben's pale skin dotted with a few freckles. "Will you wait for me?"

"I might." Leilani said rolling from under him. She sat against a miss covered in the forest they were earlier running through.

"Lani. I'm being serious." Ben sat across from her against a rock.

"I am too."

"Maybe this will change your mind." He leaned over to her. Their faces mere inches apart.

Ben's lips floated above Leilani's for a little bit, their eyes meeting and kissing in their own way. His breath was shaky and warm on Leilani's face, it smelled like mint and the sweet fruits they had at his home.

Leilani felt her heart pound like a giant drum. He came closer, his eyes closing, Leilani panicked. Ben had kissed lots of girls, almost every girl in town, Leilani had never kissed anyone, except for that one time when she was 2 but that doesn't count.

She waited for the impact and for the fireworks to explode as she closed her eyes to match Ben. His lips met hers in a quick kiss.

He pulled back and Leilani blinked a few times. That was not a goodbye kiss. She was a little disappointed but didn't know how to express that without hurting his feelings.

She didn't look at Ben, who's brown orbs looked all across her face, he smirked knowing that she was disappointed and frankly surprised at the lack of pizazz.

"I'll take that as a yes. You will wait for me." Ben stood up.

"What? I'm sorry but that kiss was barely anything. I know you're a better kisser than that, I've heard all the stories from the girls." Leilani crossed her arms.

"But the girls aren't you Lani. I want your first meaningful kiss to be me." Ben bit his lip and smiled.

"Then give it to me!" Lani spoke up, a little embarrassed at her choice of words after she spoke them.

"You'll have to wait for me princess." Ben strode off pleased with himself.

Leilani stood in the middle of the forest frustrated with her best friend, and first kiss.

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"Goodbye Mother." Ben hugged Leia Organa Solo tightly, he pecked at her check and she became teary eyed.

"Tell my brother I miss him, and that he should visit more often." Leia said as she went back up towards the house to wave at him from the front door.

"Goodbye son, and good luck." Han hugged his youngest son with a slap on the back.

"Bye Lani." Ben said with an awkward wave, Han and Leia watching the two of them from the front of the house no more than 7 feet away from where Ben and Leilani stood.

"Be careful." Leilani smoothed his shirt. "Please come back Ben."

"I promise princess."

"Really promise?"

"Really promise."

Leilani threw her arms around his neck tightly, he dropped his bags and hugged back.

"Don't do anything stupid!" She called to him as he got on his ride off the planet and halfway across the system.

"I'll try not to!" He called back waving away.

Leilani watched as he disappeared. Her vision clouded with tears as the ship took off.

She heard Leia stifling sobs behind her, Han comforting his wife as they entered their house.

They were so scared, the powers of the Force were dangerous if not used correctly. Leilani knew why Ben's parents held him back from training in the Force for a long time.

They were afraid, afraid he would become like his grandfather, a lord in the Dark Side.

Leilani feared the same.