I rub the back of my neck, which is now sweaty. I shouldn't have worn my cloak. The forest is hot and muggy today and the heat is slowing me down. At this rate I'll probably miss supper, depending on how long I hang out with Rey. I shouldn't have told her to come all the way out here just to meet me, but Hux is looking for my secrets and she's one of them. I couldn't risk meeting her in the hallways.

The forest is still, not even a light breeze moves through it. My boots crush the leaves on the ground as I go, but there are no other sounds. No one is following me. I stop abruptly every once in a while to listen, but I'm alone.

When I get to the place where I first met Rey and she isn't there. I look around at the trees. Did she decide not to come? Or maybe she didn't hear my mind communication after all. I'd never done it successfully with anyone other than my mom before.

I head through an opening in the trees.

"Rey?" Why does she have to be so annoying? If she'd just leave me alone at the school then I wouldn't have to meet with her in private. She's going to get us both in trouble.

"Rey?" I call. There's no response so I keep walking. I'll call one more time and if she doesn't respond I'll leave and go back for supper.

"Ren!" Rey's tiny voice sounds from far away. I head in that direction.

"Ren... Ren...!" She keeps calling. Then I see her running through the trees and I hold my breath, she's going so fast I'm worried she'll trip and fall. I start running too, to close the distance between us so she won't have to run so far. As I get closer I see that she's been crying. She throws her arms around my waist as soon as I reach her.

"I got lost," she mumbles into my cloak. "Let's not meet in the forest anymore."

"Okay," I pull her back and kneel down so I can give her a proper hug.

She sniffles and wraps her arms around my neck. "The forest is scary."

"Yeah," I say, holding her close. Her tiny shoulders relax. I close my eyes and a soft breeze blows over us. Rey's heavy breathing slows a bit.

"Now I don't have time to play," she says, her breath staggered as she tries to speak. "I have to go back for supper." I pull back and she looks so sad that I can't stand it.

"I'll come and play with you after supper then," I say, hoping to get a smile out of her, but she only drops her head.

"That's what you said last time," she mumbles. "But you never came."

"But I'll come this time."

She lifts her head. "Promise?"

I nod. "Come on, let's walk back together."

I get up and start walking. Rey hurries to keep at my side. We walk in a companionable silence for a moment and then she takes my hand, holding only two of my fingers because her hand is too small to properly hold mine, which is massive compared to hers. She tugs on my fingers to help her balance as we make our way over the roots on the ground. Her grip is strong, crushing my fingers. I smile.

At the edge of the forest a large field of grass spreads out before the school buildings on the other side. Rey lets go of my hand and runs ahead. I slow down. I can't walk back to the school with her, but now that the buildings are in view I don't have to worry about her getting lost. She stops and looks back to see if I'm coming. Then she spreads her arms out wide and falls onto her back in the tall grass. The grass is so high that I can't see her anymore once she's lying down. I walk over and look down at her.

"What are you doing?"

"Laying in the grass," she says with her eyes closed and a big smile on her face.

I sit down too, looking up at the clouds. Rey hums a tune and I listen. I can't remember the last time I heard someone hum a tune, or even sing.

"What are you singing?" I ask.

"Something my mom used to sing to me. Want me to teach it to you?"

"No."

"It goes like this. Let the sun shine in, face it with a grin. Smilers never lose, and frowners never win."

I laugh.

"What's funny?" Rey asks, looking over at me.

"Your song is."

"Why?"

"Sith Lords don't smile. And they always win."

"They smile!" Rey sits up. "They have evil smiles, like this."

She tries to give me an evil smile, tilting her chin down, narrowing her eyes and looking up at my from under her lashes. I push her forehead playfully and she falls back onto the grass. She kicks my shoulder with her foot and I grab it. She tries to pull it away, squealing and kicking. I lift her up by her ankle and she squeals even louder, reaching her hands to the ground.

"Oh, no," I set her back down gently.

"What?" Rey asks, trying to get back into sitting position.

"I didn't really do my test today and I have to go see Master."

"What test?" Rey crosses her legs and tilts her head to one side, looking at me.

I shrug. "I'm supposed to practice reading someone's mind."

"How do you do that?"

I look at Rey. "Can I read your mind?"

She pulls her knees up and hugs them. "Will it hurt?"

"Not if you don't resist."

"What does reesis mean?"

"Just... when you try to stop me from doing it."

"Okay," Rey says, giving me a cautious look.

"Okay, what?"

"Okay. You can read my mind."

I shift my sitting position to face her and hold out my hand near her head. She grabs my hand and lays her cheek into my palm like it's a pillow. I'm about to object but then just decide to let her do what she wants. I'm always giving her rules and it's getting annoying. She closes her eyes and rests heavily on my hand. I move closer so I can lean her against my shoulder instead of just holding my arm out. Then I close my eyes and concentrate.

The first thing that hits me is how tired she is and I instantly want to make her comfortable so she can rest. I pull her up into my lap and hold her with one arm so she can rest, then set my other hand to her forehead. I start with her surface feelings. She feels safe in my arms and completely content when I'm holding her, like she would if she was at home, with her parents. There is still a lingering fear left over from being lost in the forest earlier. She doesn't resist my mind reading at all, so I search further.

She's thinking about her Rock and how he's going to be lonely if she doesn't get back to her room soon. Her thoughts are quick, jumping around to different subjects. She thinks of her mom and dad, feeling abandoned by them. Her greatest fear is that she'll never see them again somehow, or that her mom will forget about her. She had a dream last night that they left her to stay with Oktar. He's a big Crolute alien, brother of Unkar the Junkboss on Jakku, and he's a partner with her dad in his trading business. They tell her he's like her uncle, but he's not. Her images of him are scary and he makes her feel uncomfortable and nauseous...

I pull my hand away, afraid of what else I might see. The feelings coming from her remind me of how Hux used to make me feel, when I was younger and smaller, and he would hold me down on the ground.

"You love Mr. Rock a lot don't you?" I say.

"Yes," she says, breathing softly.

"You shouldn't, because it's an attachment."

"What's an attachment?"

"When you love something too much."

"Are you my attachment?"

"No."

"Why shouldn't I love something too much?"

I think about this for a moment.

"Because," I say. "If you lose it you'll be too sad."

"But I want to keep Mr. Rock, forever."

I look out at the setting sun. Supper is probably over by now. Will Rey's grandfather be looking for her? I should tell her to head back, but I don't want to let go of her just yet. Holding her is like drinking water when I'm thirsty. Probably because I'm not allowed to touch anyone. But even when I didn't have that rule, no one ever came close to me. Not until now.

Rey's breathing becomes heavier and I can tell she's falling asleep in my arms.

"Rey?"

"Yes?"

"Why are you scared of Oktar?"

"He yells at me and makes me clean robot parts," she says with a sleepy voice, "in green water that makes my hands turn red and it hurts. And he..."

"And he what?"

Rey doesn't answer.

"Are you sleeping?" I ask her.

"No."

"Oktar does what?"

"I can't say."

"What can't you say?"

"Oktar said that if I ever tell anyone then I'll never get to see my parents again. He'll trade them to aliens who will take them away."

My heart clenches. Oh no... not you too, Rey.

I move her hair away from her face and tuck it behind her ear.
She's frowning now and her cheeks are pink. Is she too warm with my cloak surrounding her?

"Is it okay when I hold you?" I ask.

"Yes. You're not mean or scary. And I love you. You're my attachment."

I keep my fingers on her hair and glance into her thoughts. I've made her sad by talking about Oktar and her parents. And she's thinking about night time coming and how she'll be alone in her room. She doesn't believe I will come play with her even though I promised. And she does love me, as much as she can understand that word. It's such a pure and definite feeling inside of her that my heart clenches. Suddenly I can't breathe and I let go of her thoughts.

"I really am going to come to your room tonight and play with you," I say, breathing again. "And with Mr. Rock too. Okay? He'll have fun too."

Rey jumps up and throws her arms around my neck, pressing her cheek against my ear as she squeezes me tight. "Okay!" She stretches the word out really long and squeezes my face until she's done saying it. Then she lets go and looks at me with her big hazel eyes. "Are you telling the truth Master?"

"Yes." I smile. "And I'm not your Master."

"I know."

"I have to go see my Master first, but then I'll come and visit you after."

"Okay." She pushes her palm to my forehead. "I can read your mind too."

"You can?" I leave her hand on my forehead. "What am I thinking?"

"You are thinking..." she looks up and taps her chin with a finger. "That you will bring me a piece of chocolate square dessert when you come to my room, so I can eat it."

I take her hand and hold it. "You read my mind."