chapter 2
"Kylo Ren," the shorter one whispered, his voice shaking.
Kylo Ren nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving the two snatchers.
The two snatchers swallowed, fear evident on their faces. They knew Kylo Ren's reputation. They knew that he would not hesitate to punish them.
"We were just... we were just trying to take what was ours," the taller snatcher said, his voice shaking.
"It wasn't yours," Kylo Ren said, his voice cold.
"Now, get out of here. And don't ever come back."
The two snatchers nodded quickly and took off, running as fast as they could into the darkness of the alley. Kylo Ren revved his motorcycle, ready to drive away.
"Wait," Rey said, her voice low.
Kylo Ren stopped his motorcycle and turned to Rey. He stared at her with cold eyes, his face covered by a black helmet.
"Thank you for helping me," Rey said, her voice shaking slightly.
"I'm not helping you," Kylo Ren said, his voice flat.
"I just don't like petty crimes."
"Who are you?" Rey asked, her eyes boring into Kylo Ren.
"Why are you… bothering them?"
"That's none of your business," Kylo Ren said, his voice cold.
"Now, leave. This is no safe place for you."
"I'm not leaving," Rey said, her voice firm.
"I want to know who you are."
Kylo Ren stared at Rey intently. Rey approached him slowly, and as her face was illuminated by the flickering neon lights, Kylo was startled. There was something familiar about her face. A face that had been popping up in his dreams for the past few months.
"Kylo Ren," he said, calmly.
"I'm Rey Kenobi."
Rey felt something strange. Kylo Ren's aura felt familiar, yet foreign. There was a darkness surrounding him, yet a hidden warmth. She didn't know why, but she felt drawn to him.
They both knew that there was more than coincidence in their meeting.
Without a word, Kylo Ren turned his motorcycle around and rode away, disappearing into the darkness of the alley. Rey watched him go, confused and curious. There was something mysterious about the man, something that made her want to know more.
Rey then turned and walked out of the alley, back to the busy streets of Venice Beach. She saw Sal standing in front of his shop, his face full of concern.
"Rey! Oh my God, are you okay?" Sal called, running towards her.
"I heard a commotion. What happened?"
Rey told him what had happened, summarizing her encounter with Kylo Ren. Sal shook his head, worried.
"You're lucky Kylo Ren was there," he said.
"He's a dangerous man, but he has his own code of conduct. Never mess with Snoke's Rider gang, Rey. They're not good people."
Rey nodded, though her curiosity about Kylo Ren was growing. She picked up her bag that had been lying at Sal's feet, and thanked him.
"I have to get home," Rey said.
"It's getting late."
Rey walked down the streets of Venice Beach, heading towards her small apartment in Oakwood, a cheap apartment complex in Marina Del Rey. The apartment was located not far from Venice Beach, but far from its glitz and glamour.
Rey's apartment was on the second floor, a small, cramped but tidy room. The walls were painted a dull beige, and the furnishings consisted of a pull-out bed, a small desk, and a bookshelf filled with art books and sketchbooks. The large window overlooked the bustling street, providing a view of the twinkling city lights.
Rey turned on the desk lamp and let out a tired sigh. She went to the small bathroom in the corner of the room and took a warm shower. The running water washed away the dust and sweat from her body, as well as the tension from the long day.
After her shower, Rey put on some comfortable cotton pajamas and went to her small kitchen. She turned on the stove and boiled water for chamomile tea. The sweet scent of chamomile filled the room, calming her mind.
Rey sat at her desk, sipping her hot chamomile tea. She stared at the sketches scattered on the table, trying to banish the image of Kylo Ren from her mind. But the man's silhouette kept appearing in her mind, with his mysterious aura.
Rey sighed and turned off the table lamp. She lay down on her bed, pulling the covers up to her chin. She closed her eyes, trying to sleep. But her mind kept spinning, wondering about Kylo Ren and the secrets hidden behind him
-
Finally, Rey fell asleep. But her sleep was not restful. She had a strange and frightening dream. She dreamed that she was lost inside a tall, dark skyscraper. She walked down endless hallways, looking for a way out, but found no one.
The building was quiet and empty, only lit by flickering neon lights. She kept walking, hoping to find someone, but there was no one.
Suddenly, she heard someone calling her name. The voice was soft and distant, but Rey recognized it. She looked up and saw Kylo Ren standing on the top floor of the building, on the edge of the roof.
Rey knew, Kylo Ren was looking at Rey with a blank, emotionless expression from behind the helmet. He stepped forward and jumped off the roof, plunging into the darkness. Rey screamed, trying to stop him, but she couldn't. She watched Kylo Ren fall, his body disappearing into the night.
Rey woke up gasping for breath, sweat pouring down her forehead. She sat up in her bed, her heart pounding. The dream felt so real, so scary.
She looked around her room, trying to convince herself that it was just a dream. However, the feeling of fear and anxiety still enveloped her. She remembered that this was not the first time she had had a dream like this. The same dream had haunted her for the past five years, ever since she left the orphanage.
Rey sighed and looked out the window. It was morning, the sun was starting to rise over the city of Los Angeles. She got up from her bed and went to the bathroom, trying to wash herself of the remnants of her nightmare.
—
After getting dressed, Rey walked to The Daily Grind, a small coffee shop located not far from her apartment. This coffee shop was her favorite place to relax and drink coffee, and she often met her best friend, Rose Tico, there.
Rose was already sitting at one of the tables near the window, sipping her morning coffee. She waved at Rey, smiling brightly. Rose was a young woman of Chinese descent with chubby cheeks and cute dimples. She was very expressive, with eyes that always sparkled and agile hand movements.
"Rey! You're finally here," Rose said, her voice cheerful.
"I've been waiting for a long time."
Rey sat across from Rose and ordered a coffee. She told him about the mugging that happened the night before, and her encounter with Kylo Ren. Rose listened intently, her eyes wide with surprise.
"Kylo Ren?" Rose said, her voice a whisper. "You met Kylo Ren? He's a dangerous man, Rey. You're lucky he didn't hurt you."
"I know," Rey said, taking a sip of her coffee.
"But there's something about him... something off. I feel like I know him, even though I've never met him before."
Rose frowned. "Maybe it's just you, Rey. Don't think too much about it. The important thing is that you're safe."
Rey nodded, but she couldn't get Kylo Ren out of her mind. There was something mysterious about him, something that made her want to know more.
"I know this is crazy," Rey said,
"but I feel like there's something connecting us."
Rose looked at Rey with concern.
"Rey, you know this isn't a good idea. Kylo Ren is part of Rider Snoke's gang. They're not good people."
"I know," Rey said, sighing.
"But I can't ignore my feelings."
Rose sighed and shook her head.
"Okay, Rey. But be careful. Don't get hurt."
Rey smiled thinly.
"I'll be careful, Rose. Thank you."
They were both silent for a moment, sipping their coffee. Rey stared out the window, at the busy streets of Los Angeles. She wondered about Kylo Ren, and what would happen next.
–
After finishing their coffee, Rey said goodbye to Rose and walked back to Sal's shop. She needed to pick up payment for the mural she painted. Sal greeted her with a big smile, and handed her a thick envelope filled with money.
"Good job, Rey," Sal said.
"The mural makes my shop look a lot more inviting. I hope you'll paint for me again in the future."
Rey smiled and thanked him. She put the envelope in her bag and walked out of the shop. As she walked down the street, she saw a man standing in front of her mural. He was pale, tall, with sharp eyes and jet black hair. He stared at the mural with an unreadable expression.
Rey stopped and stared at the man. There was something familiar about him, something that made her feel uneasy. The man turned and looked at Rey. Their eyes met, and Rey felt a strange tug inside her. The man was looking at her with an unreadable expression, and Rey felt her heart pound.
"Hi," Rey said, trying to sound casual.
"Do you like the mural?"
The man nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving Rey's.
"What does it mean?"
Rey smiled thinly.
"It's about hope. About finding light in the darkness."
The man stared at the mural again, his expression still unreadable.
"darkness and light," he said quietly. "Two sides of the same coin."
"Are you an artist?" Rey asked, curious.
The man shook his head.
"I have a studio apartment," he replied.
"I want you to paint on the walls."
Rey hesitated. She wasn't sure if she should trust this man. There was something mysterious and dangerous about him.
"I'm Kylo Ren," the man said.
–