The Boundless Jedi (anakin skywalker)

Part 29

Ｔｈｅ Ｃｏｌｏｒ ｏｆ Ｌｅａｖｅｓ
(Season 3, Episode 17)

I was a fool to think his past was filled with glory and  fulfillment, even when I was a child. I had heard of him only by his title, "The Chosen One" or "the boy" yet had never met him myself as a youngling. At least I though I hadn't. I was seven years old when I had first heard of the prophecy, and too young to remember the name who carried it. I thought he was just a boy, and just my only friend. Not a boy destined to change everything.

12 Years Ago (7 years old):

"A new learner, we welcome," Master Yoda begins the lesson. I usually space out in the beginning of his lessons, waiting until I hear the grand master  proclaim that it is time to begin. He tends to speak a lot about nothing, and I don't really understand most of it. But a new student? That sparks my interest.

Switching my attention from the outside view of Coruscant to the petite, green Jedi, I notice an older boy standing behind the master. His hair is a sandy blonde that flows scruffily over his forehead. He's taller than us and clearly a little older, yet he's the one that is staring at the floor with a nervous twitch to his hands.

"Anakin Skywalker, this is," Master Yoda introduces the boy and he glances up anxiously, staring at the various faces around the room. A group of students, one year older than me, look at each other with weird expressions. I, however, stare directly at him, taking his distracted gaze as a chance to examine his eyes.

They're so blue.

I like blue.

I like him.

"By the students, find a place," Master Yoda assures, reaching his cane out towards us as an inclination. Anakin hesitates to find a spot, looking around at the curious students. He catches my eye, and I bashfully look down at the ground with embarrassment. I bite my cheek as a way of comforting myself, after all, I had never liked a boy before. But he is cute, and he is older, and he has blue eyes. He's also shy; I like shy.

And he decides to stand next to me. Suddenly I find myself peeking a look up at him. He's not that much taller, but he's a bit bigger than everyone else. He has his gaze dead set on Master Yoda now, and a building hope makes me wish he would glance at me instead. He doesn't, and I feel sad but relieved. I would probably just embarrass myself anyway. I'm a bit too shy to make friends.

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Master Yoda paired me up with another boy named Frio, but all I could look at was Anakin. The purpose of the lesson was to work with one's partner and lift a leaf from the fountain in the Temple Gardens.  After the partners successfully do it together, then they try individually. That was the part he struggled with. No matter how many times his brows scrunched and his hand shook with concentration, he couldn't lift the leaf.

Help him, my inner voice urged.

You're too scared, it also said.

Help him anyways, it whispered.

I stood up tall, out of my hunched position over the still water. I stare at him for a minute or so, hoping that he'll end up figuring it out himself. It would save me the trouble of trying to form a sentence to him. He doesn't make any progress by the time I decide to stop waiting. I take one step towards the boy, then another until I'm right next to him. He hasn't noticed me yet, though, still concentrated on his task.