Starting Over

"Look, Axle. I know this isn't ideal, but Stars Hollow is a great town. It's a place for us to grow new roots and connections, away from all the junk we had in the city. You're not even going to be here that long, you'll be off to university in no time,” Thomas said, leaning across the car to look his son in the eyes.   “That is, if you get your head in the game and focus on the finish line. I think this new start will help you."

“Whatever Thomas,” Axle said, lounging back against the seat.  He had been calling his dad Thomas ever since the incident.  Maybe it was rebellion, and maybe it was Axle asserting himself as a man.  Either way, his father respected him enough to let it slide.  ‘Thomas isn’t a bad guy,’ he thought, ‘for an old man’.

"Selfishly, this is exactly what I need. Fresh start somewhere to refocus my energies and take a new direction with my business. I know this last year hasn't been easy on you, but son, you know it hasn't been easy on me either," he said, his eyes not pleading, but still tinged with a little sorrow.

“I know, honestly, I understand.  It doesn’t mean I’m happy about it though.  You’re dropping me off at a high school that has fewer students than just my senior class.  What is the point of being a big fish in a puddle?” Axle asked.  He meant it too, he was a star at his last school, and that counted for something.  Who would care about the ‘star’ of Stars Hollow High?

“Hey, don’t be so negative. You already have the grades to get in anywhere you want. Just do the extra the best schools expect.  Think of this as a retreat, to level up your non-academics.  Besides, maybe you’ll meet someone interesting,” Thomas said, while making his eyebrows move in a way that was both grotesque and hilarious.

“Don’t ever do that in front of anyone you want to take you seriously Thomas,” but Axle was smiling all the same.  ‘He’s right.  Sure this is in the middle of nowhere, but people are always fascinating.  Someone will catch my interest,’ he thought as he jumped out of the sleek luxury car.

“Are you really wearing a suit to school? God, you’re so bourgeois,” his dad said with a laugh, and drove away.  Apparently to finish moving in the last of their boxes of stuff, and likely to meet with some business magnate or politician… if a town this size had either, Axle wasn’t sure.

Despite its small size, Stars Hollow High looked like it belonged on a postcard.  ‘So this is small town life.  I wonder if there is a malt shoppe and roller rink around the corner,’ Axle thought, but still smiled as he walked in to learn where he was supposed to go first.

He saw some kids walk past in the hall, everyone was wearing some combination of t-shirt and jeans, or pullover and jeans.  ‘Are they all way younger than me?  Maybe I walked into their middle school?’  He went to the office though, and he was in the right place.

“Here is your class list, itinerary, locker location and a few handouts to help you settle in,” Vice Principal Kendrick said.  “Are you sure you want to just head to class? I can have someone from the student council give you a tour after the home room period.”

“Thank you sir, but I’d rather learn by doing,” Axle said, smiling respectfully. “I’ll find my home room, and am sure someone will help me from there if I need it.  This seems like a nice place.”

“You’re right son, it is a nice place.  Come back here if you get lost, or need anything else.  Hurry now, or you’ll be late,” Vice Principal Kendrick said.

It was all good in practice, they did give him a map, but Axle wasn’t the best at following maps, apparently.  After hearing the bell, and still not sure where he was going, he stopped the first person who looked like a teacher. 

“Excuse me, sir. I’m new here, and am just not completely sure where my home room is.  Which direction is class 4B?” Axle asked the man.  He was wearing khakis and a polo, and looked more like a middle aged dad than a teacher, but this was a small town, Axle reminded himself.

The man paused and looked around, as if unsure Axle was talking to him. For a moment, he looked annoyed, but then plastered a cheap grin on his face.  “Hey champ, I wish I could help you, but I’m also late and new as well.  I’d probably get you even more lost,” he said, then started walking again.  “Nice suit,” he called back, not turning.

“Thanks, for nothing,” Axle said quietly.  ‘This suit is nicer than anything in your closet I bet.’

Resigned to figuring it out himself, Axle pulled out the map and reoriented himself. ‘It must be this way,’ he thought, turning the corner.  

When someone ran into him at a full run.  ‘What the hell?’ He was knocked back two steps, but whoever hit him was tiny.  She fell on her butt, and her armload of stuff went everywhere, including a coffee.

He peered down at this small girl, as she looked up through her blonde hair at him. ‘Those grey eyes are… arresting.  And maybe sad.  I wonder if they always look like that, or if it’s because she just fell down?’ he thought.  ‘Did I just meet the school klutz? Awkward and beautiful is a winning combination in my books.’

“Damn I am so sorry I was just trying to get to class and the vice principal delayed me, and anyways, I'm sorry,” the klutzy girl said.

“No worries, it could happen to anyone,'' Axle said. “I probably should have anticipated someone coming around the corner quickly, after all I think everyone could hear you coming.”  Axle couldn’t help himself, teasing the awkward kid came naturally, but he meant it in the nicest way. She was so awkward, it made her cute rather than beautiful.  He liked that.

“Well, again, I'm sorry,” she said.

‘Is she blushing? Oh, I like this girl,’ Axle thought, while helping to gather her things.

“Oh thank you, that is so kind,” she said. 

“Oh where are my manners? I'm Lily Doran, an art teacher here at Stars Hollow high.  You must be the new teacher, Mr Lamar,”  Lily said, reaching for a handshake.  “Welcome to the school”.  

‘Holy shit, this a teacher,’ he reeled a bit, noticing her bag was a leather satchel, the coffee, and a hint of maturity about her.  ‘She looks younger than me if I had to guess.  How is she a teacher?’ Rather than be disappointed, the idea that he had an awkward, young, beautiful teacher excited him.  He looked at her and couldn’t help but smile in anticipation.

“You are actually the reason I am late this morning. The vice principal asked me to show you around after the first period,” she said. 

“Lily, I’d love you to show me around the school after the first period,” Axle said, maybe trying a little too hard to sound older.  

Great, I’ll see you here?” she said, walking into the class.

“Sure, it's just that --” Axle said, not wanting her to start class before learning he was a student.  She just walked right in without turning though and he followed her.

“Ms. Doran, you managed to arrive before the new student, Axle.  Does this count as being on time?  Hi Axle!” a girl he didn’t know said.  

Lily turned from her desk towards Axle.

“Hi Ms. Doran, I’m your new student, Axle Thomas,” Axle said, a little tickled by the situation now. ‘It isn’t fair to have a teacher this adorable,’ he thought.

“Of course you are,” she said, the blush around her neck going crimson.