Jedi Night

Chapter 2

Spicy noodles and a side of potato cakes. Best way to end a messy night out on the Sith side. I try not to slurp, staring at the strange Jedi over the edge of the bowl.

The enforcer's gaze is on his food, but I'm pretty sure he's clocking every movement in the room, including the cockroaches.

All tables are quiet. First time ever. The silent, simmering panic has me low key stressed. Enforcers are the stuff of legend, twisted AF bedtime stories to keep Jedi kids in line.

I wonder if he's sucked The Force out of anyone yet. Is someone in the city in trouble?

Wait, being Force-free makes me invisible so I'm not in danger. Feeling cheered, I eat the last of the noodles in one giant mouthful.

...Well, until word reaches mom. Then I'm grounded.

Those wolf-like grey eyes lock on mine, freaking me out. It's as if he sees inside my head. 

"What's your name?"

"Jak. Yours?"

"People call me Red."

"Oh, cause of the jacket."

"Sorta." That slight smile again.

Smiling makes me look younger. When this guy smiles, the vibe is bad boy Jedi. So cool. Our lives couldn't be more different.

I'm probably annoying him, what with the staring. He must think the locals have no chill.

At least I got to eat, and none of my fingers are broken. That's a win. Plus, he beat up the sucky Sith crew. Seeing that almost makes getting grounded worth it.

"Thanks for the thing with the Sith." I smile brightly. Maybe I can convince him to keep his mouth shut. "Could we keep it between us?"

Picking up a potato cake, he gives a small grin. "What's in it for me?"

Sighing, I take the last potato cake. "A trade, then. Name your favour." Stomach jumping, I wanna take the words back. What if he asks for a kidney?

"I don't know the city. Walk me to my hotel. Calm Oasis."

The relief is real. "Sure, sure."

Gulping down the last of the food, we head to the counter. Junior is freaked, waving me away as I try to pay.

"Can I take you to your rooms enforcer?"

"The kid will take me."

Junior's eyes dart between us. If my folks find out he let me leave with an enforcer, he's toast. Legit toast. Mom will cook him with The Force like a Jedi marshmallow.

"Anyone here would be happy to walk you."

"Just the boy is fine."

Junior looks like he might throw up. "Then they can accompany you and the boy."

Tilting his head to the side, the enforcer's eyes narrow, and The Force crackles in the air around him. Uh oh. "Are you saying the boy isn't safe with me?"

That escalated quickly. Junior looks ready to drop and roll.

"Don't freak, Red. He's worried you'll feel insulted. I'm Force-less, remember? People here don't like me."

"That's not true," says Lisa, one of the oldest Jedi in the city. "They can't see your value. Jedi's are limited to understanding the simplest version of power."

Her kind words might get us killed. Red seems to have a temper.

Surprisingly, he smiles. "Wise words."

She smiles back. Guess enforcers don't scare her. "Jak will be fine with his new friend."

Junior nods. What else can he do? Reaching across the counter, he offers the enforcer a special Jedi sweet, one he keeps for important people.

Red takes the peace offering with a nod. "Let's go."

I follow him, eyes on the ground till we hit the street. The scared looks are creeping me out.

Red's eyes dart around as we walk, doing recon. I look up at the moon. Big and wide and close tonight. I bet even the moon has more Force than me. A sigh slips out.

"Worried I'm here for your parents? Or your friends?"

"Wow, you must be fun at parties. No, they never do anything wrong, and I hardly have any friends. Nobody cool enough to make it on your radar."

"Don't think cool is the word." He opens the sweet in his hand.

No way. He's doing it.

The Force seeps into the dried ball in his palm, slowly bringing it to life. Petals unfold, shimmering in the moonlight.

"Incredible," I breathe. "I saw one bloom once but nobody would explain it."

I don't tell him it hurts, being reminded all the time you don't belong.

Maybe he hears it in my voice. "It's a rare desert flower, one of the only living things that reacts to the Force this way. Encased in sugar and alcohol. When you eat it, you taste the Force, or an idea of the Force, I guess? Something in the flower and the sugar seem to hold your Force and then give it back to you... Amplified."

No wonder they shut me down. "Jedi's think they're kind but they're mostly cruel."

He stops, a scary feral look in his eyes. "Truth."

Taking a deep breath, he holds the flower up to the moonlight. The bloom shines, reminding me of a prize from a human game. Out of place in the real world.

The petals are awesome, like bright swirling mist. "Can I taste it?"

I want to take the words back so much, the shame might kill me. Why would a freak with no Force ask to eat a Force-filled flower?

Eyes widening, Red stares at my face like he's going to swallow me whole, before shoving the bloom in my mouth.

I almost spit the strange thing out. Is it—moving? Biting down, the petals turn soft.

"Yum!" A blush creeps across my cheeks. Way to sound like a kid. "Come on, the hotel's not far."

We walk in silence. Either Red has stuff on his mind or he's bored with me. The flower doesn't take long to finish. I don't taste any Force. But would I know if I did?

"What does it taste like?"

I answer without thinking. "Sweet anger."

He sucks in a sharp breath and then frowns, as if facing an unexpected problem.

Why do I keep embarrassing myself?

Reaching the hotel is a relief. I pause across the road, shivering. Shoulda worn a thicker coat.

"Here."

Red pulls a cool black scarf from inside his jacket. The soft fabric almost slithers with wild detailing. Hella expensive. He wraps it around my neck carefully, as if wrapping me in cotton wool.

"Thanks, I'll give it back when I see you." What am I saying? My parents will never let me leave the house. "If I'm grounded, I'll get someone to leave it at the front desk. Enjoy your visit."

Shouldn't have said that. He's probably here to punish someone.

"Jak." The look on his face is strange. "Trust me, okay? Whatever happens."

Huh? "Sure."

Without another word, Red makes a break for the hotel. Probably relieved to escape the local weirdo. Knowing I'll never see him again makes me kinda sad. Tonight was fun.

Heading for home, I think about the assignment I should have done tonight—unaware The Force is busy messing with the rest of my life.