Daylight

5. He Showed Me Kindness

It's been a week since I last had been around Ben. Sure, I saw him in the halls as we passed each other from sessions to training and vice versa. Yes, I also saw him during breakfast and dinner but not once did he ever come over to talk or even say hi. At some point, he had returned my songbook to me with a note explaining a few songs he liked and wished to hear, but that was the only time he gave me anything. I made sure to keep myself busy and not worry about it since he could feel my emotions and hear my thoughts through our bond in the force. But what made things slightly worse on my end was that for the past three nights, I'd been heavily dreaming of him. 

I did what I could during my time away from my hut and my alone time to avoid thinking of him in any way that seemed forbidden to most but hell, with hormonal young adults that get away with it most of the time, why would they control me. Heading into one of my favorite rooms for a favorite lesson, Master Suran stood in the middle of the room as various students walked in after me and sat down around where I did. What surprised me was that Ben had entered as well, followed by a few of his close male friends as they sat across from me. A few of the girls in my class shrieked when Ben sat down as they moved their chairs towards his, making me roll my eyes discreetly. As Suran got what he needed ready, I flipped open my usual songbook and wrote down a few words that repeated in my head for a few hours now as the faint melody played with my thoughts.

Suran started the lesson for today. I closed my book as it caught a few stares and glares as Suran spoke about our lesson, which involved us in using a force projection trick to ease our way into another room inside the temple. Various hands shot up instantly as Suran answered each one the nest he could. Some related to where we could go and places where we were forbidden to go, which included a few chambers at the temple base where Luke kept hidden artifacts of his travels. I understood the basic rules of force projecting to another place as I did have the control to do so but thought it would be boring to project to another room here. Why did we have to stay inside? What if I wanted to project to a random ocean or a beach? You know, someplace warm. I looked up long enough to see Suran looking down at me as giggles and chatter filled the room as he gave me a questionable expression. Oh boy.

"Amara, why don't you go first for this lesson today. I'm sure you have a few places in mind already?" I could hear the mocking and amusement in his tone as I sweetly smiled yet felt annoyed; I had to go first. Getting up from my seat as I stood where Suran wanted me to, he gave me a couple of tricks to ease my way to where I wanted to go as it might help to keep my eyes close and then once I was in my destination, to turn around and open my eyes.

"Now, what place do you have in mind, Amara?" He asked as he crossed his arms over his chest as everyone behind him leaned in their seats, minus Solo.

"Um, well, I was thinking of the music room." I mean, I was half-honest because technically, I was thinking of a few different places at once but thought the closest room was safer for my first force projection. A few laughs erupted into the room as a few of Ben's friends spoke terrible things as Suran instructed me to only listen to him as he told me to close my eyes.

Closing my eyes but not tightly, I focused on the force around me. I almost expected this to happen either quickly or slowly as I felt myself slowly seeping into my thoughts as I pictured the music room but felt something else. It was a magnetic pull, a strong and powerful one as I changed my mind at the last minute to follow it, making my head tilt in a way. I couldn't hear Master Suran's voice anymore as I turned my body around and opened my eyes to see nothing but darkness. Why was it so dark? I heard something move behind me as a large figure that looked human sat against a wall, crouched in a position. Something deep inside me told me it wasn't someone nice, and as they stood against the wall, the clothing stood out. He stood out, and the longer we stared at each other, the longer I chose to stay still as he approached me like a demon.

"You're stronger; I can feel it. You've changed since I last saw you. I bet you still look pretty, Amara Djinn." Bex's voice was suddenly in my ears and my head as I didn't have anywhere to go backward as I shook my head.

"You're still scared of me? How amusing. There hasn't been a day since I've thought of you, my revenge against you!" He suddenly was in front of me as I felt something sharp slice through my skin as I placed a hand against my cheek and was pushed against something hard, maybe a table.

"Bitch, you're mine!" When he lunged for me again, I felt something warm, like sunlight, embrace me as I used the force to expel the force projection away from me as the walls of the classroom came into my vision. Master Suran walked up to me as Ben walked around the right side of my body as they both examined me. Ben carefully moved my hand away from my left cheek that I was still holding as my skin burned.

"Amara, where did you go? I felt your mind change direction, and then I felt you being pulled by the Dark Side." Master Suran spoke with concern as I felt Ben's fingers hit my skin, making me wince in pain. Why did that hurt so much? I went to explain as Ben put more pressure on my face as I growled in pain.

"Stop touching me! That hurts!" I yelled into his face as I whimpered. Man, even talking, made it hurt.

"Amara, what happened?" Suran asked again as I shook my head.

"I opened my eyes after my destination changed, but only because I felt a magnetic pull towards it, and when I opened my eyes, I saw nothing but darkness. And then there was a figure of a man I used to know, and he suddenly attacked me and why does this hurt so much!?" I half-yelled as I clutched my cheek to ease the burning sensation. It felt like a creature used its claws to scrap my skin. Why does all the bad stuff happen to me?

"I felt a disturbance in the force, Suran. Is she okay?" I heard a new female voice walk into the room as someone prettier than I walked behind Suran and Ben as her blue eyes found my violet eyes.

"Oh, you're Amara Djinn. Honey, I'm going to need you to remove your hand so I can assess the damage. Did a force projection go wrong? What happened?" I nodded to her first question as Ben stepped away from her as she gently peeled my hand off my cheek as I watched her eyes widen at my face as Suran explained what happened.

"I see, wrong place, wrong time scenario. This is only going to take a few minutes. You're going to feel the burning a little longer, but it should ease up within a few hours. Suran, I believe your lesson is done for today. We need to make sure that disturbance is gone before she attends her next training session." Her tone was authoritative, like a leader's as Suran did as she said and cleared the room of its students, a few here and there taunting and chatting about how I ruined their day. Sadly, Ben didn't leave.

"Mr. Solo, that includes you too. I can already feel her nerves and anxiety sky-rocketing and-"

"I'm not leaving her side, Master Mina." He spoke back like he was angry that she asked him to leave in the first place as it threw her, Suran, and me off. Was this because of our bond again? He didn't need to do this every time I got hurt or something. Dropping her head and thinking that she wouldn't use the force to heal me, I leaned forward to grab at Ben's arm as he dropped his gaze down to my sitting form.

"Please leave Ben. When she's done, I'll come to find you." I said with assurance even though it was a lie, and I did try to hide that. Grabbing my hand from his arm, I watched as he squeezed it tightly in his large hand as it kind of hurt but not really before hesitantly letting go.

"Fine." That was all he said before rushing out of the room with his things as he vanished from my sight. Turning my body back towards Master Mina and Suran, they both looked at each other, nodded, and then looked back at me. Grabbing an empty chair, Suran sat next to Mina as they both stared at me, but it was Mina's smile that made me freeze.

"Did I do something wrong?" I asked as fear spread through my body like wildfire as she shook her head.

"You're not in trouble unless Luke finds out, but we can keep it a secret. Suran, this is amazing. I've never seen this kind of bond before, have you?" My mouth dropped open with pure shock on my face as I forgot my cheek burning for just a second.

"Do you-do you two know-" I couldn't even form the question as they both nodded. Oh no.

"Amara, it's nothing to be ashamed or scared about. Force Bonds happens more often than you think, but it would seem that you and Mr. Solo have something a little deeper than just a normal one."

"We both have been watching Ben and you together, and although you may not have seen it the way he did, we did see it before Ben saw it. He's very protective and caring for you." Suran spoke after Mina did as she placed her hand against my burning cheek.

"He showed me kindness. That's all that I thought this past week was."

"We've never seen Ben act like this with just anyone. The way he wants to be near you more than coming to his lessons shows us there's a bond between you two, and from what happened to you a few minutes ago, something else showed with it. He felt more than just protective of you. I could feel the emotion and the power radiating off of him with your cheek was slashed as he jumped to embrace you. When you expelled the projection, Ben was still holding you, and I felt a strong surge of power coming off the both of you, and it made me see that you both of something called a Dyad Force Bond." Master Suran explained enough of what he could share as Mina took her time to heal my cheek as I listened in to Suran's words.

"So, having this kind of bond with him isn't dangerous?"

"Oh, it is but for you both right now, especially safe in this temple, it's not. Please do what you can to keep it from Luke. We don't need to see you be thrown out by Luke just because you started to fall for Ben Solo, not that your bond won't strengthen that affection for him." Mina said as she added her opinion in but what intrigued me was that she said I had affection towards Ben.

"Everyone likes Ben that way."

"But he's the only one that will give you that affection back differently. We've seen it."

"Oh, no wonder people hate me then," I said as I dropped my head at hearing all of this.

"Is there any way he can have this bond with someone else that people don't hate and threaten? Can you guys take it away for me?" I suddenly asked out of pure fear.

"There's nothing that we can do for you two. Your bond with him is now permanent. And with it, your feelings for each other will grow but be cautious, Amara. Deeply rooted emotions like love can be a good thing, or it can lead to something like heartbreak and anger." Mina said as she pulled her hand away from my cheek as I felt my smooth skin again. The burning was slightly still there, but the sharp lines were gone.

"I suggest if you truly want to be with him as he does with you, to keep it a secret. Master Luke cannot truly find out about this, but you will be able to stay friends." Master Suran spoke with such calmness, as did Mina, as if they knew I could trust them to help me. And they were right. I did start to have feelings for Ben, and apparently, so did he. But, could I trust them to keep our secret?

"Yes, you can." They both answered as I smirked at their attempt to read my last thought. A silence went by as Mina knew something else troubled my mind, something that did involve Ben.

"We could really hurt each other if this bond went South, right?" I knew this wasn't the right time to ask, but it was weighing my mind down.

"Yes, you could. But it would seem like Ben would fight for it, which we never thought Ben could do but truly cares for you. And honestly, in my opinion, I'm glad he's bonded to you, Mara." Mina joked lightly to ease my fear as Suran nodded to agree with her. I gave her a questioning look as Suran leaned into her.

"We hate how the students treat you too. It's not right, especially after the loss of your parents, hon. It's so terrible, but luckily, Suran and I have a plan for the next few days. Also, Suran, should we tell her about the bonfire?"

"Bonfire?" This was the only thing that caught my interest since I loved being around anything hot.

"Look at that; she's already interested. Usually, we try to have it a few times a year, and luckily, it falls around the time when you gain two levels of your Jedi training, and we would like to invite you to join the fun, and the food and unwind." Mina said with excitement as we all stood from the seats we sat in. Suran rolled his eyes at her over-the-moon joy-filled voice as he left the room, but when he did, I felt a strong magnetic pull in the force as I turned to the door to see Ben, leaning casually in my direction.

"Both of you don't forget the bonfire tomorrow night. Also, Mara, if the burning feeling should happen to come back for any reason, this is my room number. Feel free to come in any day. It was nice to meet you." Mina said she gave me a card before leaving Ben and me alone, and honestly, I didn't mind it now. Walking into the room now, he swung around a few chairs and tables as he towered over me, but not by much now. He didn't seem like a giant anymore.

"Are you okay?" He asked as his voice dropped an octave like it was possible as I nodded and grabbed my stuff.

"Yeah, and my face is fine too." I didn't know if it was okay to tell him Suran and Mina knew of our abnormal bond, as he chuckled lowly. Oh no, did he just-

"I've had a hunch for a while now that they knew Amara, and your thoughts for the last ten minutes were deafening about it. Although, if you trust them enough to keep it a secret, then I will trust you with it. Look, I know how new this is for you, and I'm willing to give you the space to think about it. Give it until the end of tomorrow night to let me know what you deeply want. for now, go eat something, and we'll see each other soon." I gazed at him as he took a few strands of hair and brushed his fingers against the silky texture before giving me a warm smile and leaving me alone in the room with my thoughts.

"So to accept my feelings and just take it head-on or hurt his feelings?" Yeah, what a great choice.