Work Text:
“Sen. Calrissian,” the man said as he looked at me.
I suddenly turned around, facing him, knowing what was about to happen next.
“Are you ready, Senator?” the man asked.
“Yes, thank you,” I said as I walked out onto the podium.
The auditorium was completely murky, and I couldn’t see a person in the audience. I was standing on the podium, sweat rolling down my face in the burning light shining down on me. I had given speeches very often, and I was nervous every time. But in the end, I ended up doing okay. This seemed different. I was incredibly nervous. I felt as if I might just shout out to everyone that I couldn’t give the speech and runoff, but I knew I couldn’t. This was a speech I prepared for a long time, with the help of the other Senator in my state who is also my best friend, Sen. Dameron, who suggested I tell some of my past life to the audience to amuse them.
I took a deep breath, and I walked up to the microphone.
“Uh… hey everyone,” I said, awkwardly as random people from the audience said hi back.
I knew I was messing up by saying, “uh…,” I knew I had to keep on going.
“Once upon a time- on the day of August 24, 2004- I met a girl.”
That caused some laughter in the audience and after waiting for the laughter to die down, I continued.
“I would never have known that that was the day, when I would meet the girl that I would want to live with for the rest of my life, to wake up next to each morning, to stay by my side in the darkest times, and to be with me. The girl I wanted to risk everything for, and the girl I wanted to give everything to. The girl who I wanted to protect, forever and ever, and when I walked into the classroom that day, a classroom about Astronomy, one of my minors, I saw her. She seemed different. Her smile instantly caught me. Her smile made me feel happy, like maybe the world could be perfect.”
The audience’s laughter grew louder as I continued, “Her face… it was so beautiful. She was the most prettiest girl I had ever met. No one had drawn as much as that before. But then, she stared back. I was so afraid and embarrassed that I turned and looked somewhere and pretended I wasn’t staring at her in any way. But then, she walked over to me, sat down at the desk next to me, and said, “Hi. I’m Rey Skywalker.” I was so shocked, that I didn’t even know what to do. I remember saying back my name and greeting her, but I stuttered every single word. I was so shocked because no one ever spoke to me like that before, at least no one at school. Only my family really cared about me, and my childhood best friend, Slip. But I never had anyone else- let alone a girl I fancied- talk to me that way before. Then, we grew closer, and it was inevitable, but I fell deeper and deeper in love with her the more days I spent along with her. I never wanted to let go of what we had. We were best friends, and I didn’t want to lose anything. I never told her how I felt about her. Everyone else at campus noticed our unbreakable bond, even our professors. If we had any classes together, they never separated us. People assumed we were dating, but we weren’t. But one day, she went out with a guy, named Ben Solo. I felt so jealous, but I tried my best to act happy for her. By the time, four years had gone by, she had gotten into so much fights with Ben, and I wished I could have done something to make all of her tears and mourning caused by Ben to go away. I would have taken millions of beatings from the neighborhood bullies back when I was a child to not let her feel any of it.”
The audience suddenly started to stop laughing, and they started to realize the next parts were going to be earnest as they watched with curious eyes.
I continued, “But right before it was time for all of us to leave because university was over, Rey and I said our good-byes, but I wasn’t ready. After mourning the farewell, I realized I needed to find her, and I chased after the train she was about to board and asked her if she would be my girlfriend. Then, that’s the day when we bonded for sure, and I knew I found my soulmate. Our first kiss- it was in this auditorium- and today is Rey and my 10th anniversary. We got married after only a few dates, but I knew she was my soulmate. I knew she was who I wanted to devote my life to, who I wanted to understand, who I wanted to be with even at the age of five billion in heaven, I wanted to be with her. The thing is, she granted my wish. She was the first person who opened up to me. Rey, happy birthday and happy tenth anniversary.”
The audience stood up cheering as the auditorium's lights came on. I saw Poe coming toward me, giving me a hug.
“You did it, bud! You did it!” Poe exclaimed as I had tears coming out of my eyes. “You moved me so much.”
People I knew and people I didn’t knew came up to him, applauding him, but Finn was only looking for one person, and she looked at him, and he looked at her.
It was just a stare, the stare I gave her on the first day I met her. She ran up to me, tearing up, and gave me the largest bear hug that I ever experienced.
“Oh, Finn,” she just said. “Oh, Finn.”
“It’s okay,” I comforted. “You’re here, Rey.”
“Thank you too, Finn.”
Surprised, I asked, “Why? I didn’t do anything much for you.”
With a grin, Rey replied, “Since you were the first person I met who loved me for who I was.”
Even though thousands of people were watching, and everything was being broadcasted on CNN live, Rey kissed me, and I knew for sure that for once, the moment was perfect, and everything was perfect in the world.