Written In Starlight (A Reylo Modern AU)

Year Two |5

Ben's Point Of View

Uncle Luke and I were sitting at the table having breakfast when there was a knock on the door.

"Do you mind getting that, kid?" Luke asked me.

I shook my head and went over to the door. I opened it to see a girl with shoulder length black hair, and brown eyes. She looked at me through her glasses. It had been a long time since I had seen her, but I recognized her, she was my cousin Leona. She is my grandmother, Padme's great niece.

She owns a bookstore in the city near the Alderaan University, the Academy funded by my parents. My uncle used to work there as a professor, but there were too many painful memories so he moved to the country. I sighed inwardly, she probably saw my parents more often than I did. I haven't seen them since they came to visit last year for Christmas.

"Good morning, Leona it's nice to see you again," I told her, hugging her briefly before I opened the door and gestured for her to come inside. "Uncle Luke is in the kitchen."

She smiled and followed me inside.

We went to the kitchen and my uncle smiled at her. He seemed a little happier than usual, but as always his smile didn't reach his eyes. I sighed inwardly, I miss the Luke I knew as a child. He was always laughing and joking around, I wish there was some way that I could lift his spirits. Perhaps having a visit from our cousin would help a little.

"How have you been?" Luke asked her as he gestured to one of the empty seats.

She sat down. "Great," she replied. "I wanted to tell you that your book sold out over night on opening day!"

"Really?" I asked, surprised. Leona's bookstore was the first to sell my first book, and she had helped me promote my second. My first book didn't sell very well, and I definitely think that I did a better job on the second because I stopped caring what everyone would think. I only wanted to write it to make Rey happy, as sad as my life seemed to be, I knew that hers was far worse. Her parents abandoned her, at times I felt abandoned by my parents too. When I was younger I didn't understand, but I do now, they only left me hear because my uncle needs me. But her parents left her because they didn't care about her, and I wanted to give her something that would take even just a small amount of that pain away.

"Yes," she answered, pulling me from my thoughts.

"I didn't think it would sell very well after the first one had such bad reviews."

"Don't listen to the reviews, I think Rewrite The Stars is going to be a best seller," she answered.

Luke nodded. "It was a really good book," he admitted.

I was surprised by the compliment from my uncle. It was the first time he had ever complemented one of my books.

"Why don't you come to my bookstore for a book signing?" Leona suggested

A book signing? There was no way I could... would ever do that. I know that it's something that most authors look forward to in their careers, but not me, I don't think I could face my readers in person.

"I don't know, Leona..." I said.

"Why not?" she asked.

"I don't want to face my readers, I'm afraid. I wrote my books for people to enjoy, not to become famous."

"But don't you want to meet your readers?" Leona asked confused.

"No... the only one of my readers that I want to meet is Rey, she doesn't judge or criticize me."

"I saw that you dedicated the second book to her, who is she?" Leona asked.

"This girl who's a fan of his books, she wrote him a letter last year, and now they keep writing each other and Ben won't stop talking about her. That's pretty much the only thing he's talked about for the past year, he even wrote the book for her," my uncle explained before I had a chance to say anything. He lowered his voice and leaned closer to Leona. "Personally I think he has a bit of a crush on her."

I felt my cheeks go red, and my mouth dropped open.

"Is that true?" Leona asked.

"What? No. She's just my friend...." I answered quickly, but somehow "friend" didn't seem like a strong enough word. "...well more like my best friend, the closest friend I've ever had."

"Well why don't you invite her?" Leona suggested.

"I..." I began, still not comfortable with all of this, I didn't want the publicity.

"You want to meet her don't you?" Leona continued.

"Yes," I answered. "But... can I think about it first?"

Leona nodded.

~~~ The Next Morning ~~~

Leona spent the night in the guest bedroom of Uncle Luke's house, since it was a long drive back to the city.

"Did you think about it?" she asked.

I nodded. "I'll try," I replied. "But I can't promise you that I won't chicken out of it."

"Great, I'll put up some signs," she said ignoring my last statement.

That can't be good, I thought. "I hope there won't be too many people there," I said.

She smiled. "I'm sure that you can handle it.

"I hope so," I answered. Then I hugged her. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Ben, I'll see you in a few weeks," she answered, then she got into her car and drove away.

Author's note: OC Leona belongs to Alm344 . She asked me to add her to this story, I hope I did a good job on her, I'm sorry if this wasn't what you wanted me to do with her character but it was the only way I could fit her into the story that I've already plotted to the very end.