It was August, school had just started. Still summer, but the leaves were already starting to brown just a little. The weather was getting cool again but just cool enough were a light jacket would do the trick. I wasn't much for school. I never really got too excited about back to school, especially here, in Stars Hollow. I've lived here my whole life, it's always been the same. Nothing new, nothing exciting. Everybody knew each other from birth. Just another small town in America.
I didn't mind living in Stars Hollow, in fact I kind of liked it. Yeah it could get boring and predictable but that's also the good part about Stars Hollow. Nothing too stressful ever happened, everybody seems pretty content with their simple lives and for the most part I was pretty content with mine too. I lived in a quaint little two story house with my parents and siblings. I went to school, and when I wasn't at school I worked at Luke's as a server.
Luke was an interesting man, I used to be a regular before I started working there. He knew me pretty well, especially after seeing me everyday for basically my whole life. Like clockwork, I'd get off school and me and a couple of my friends would go to Luke's and sit in the far corner next to the window so we could people watch and order rounds after rounds of coffee and nothing else.
I got a job after pestering him everyday for months to hire me. I was saving up to buy myself a car since i got my license. I promised him as soon as i got that car I would never ever bother him again. He eventually gave in, but he always just tells people he hired me so he could "teach a young kid some adult responsibilities". Which wasn't true I think he just got tired of fighting with me and also i think he kind of needed the extra help around the diner, but he most definitely will never admit that.
I didn't have that many friends either, I had people I was friendly with, like Rory Gilmore. I definitely wouldn't consider her a friend but she was nice and she helped me pass Algebra 1 when we were freshman's so i didn't mind her. I was never as driven in school, i've always been more work oriented. But that might just be because of money, and i know to make money you have to go to school. But i never really planned on doing that. I wasn't awful in school, except for math. I just simply didn't care that much for school. I've always been more focused on going to work and doing my own thing. I spent a lot of my time sitting on a park bench and doodling people that walk passed me.
"Ana?" I felt a tap on my shoulder.
I look up to see my dad standing next to me.
"I need you to go to Doose's after your shift tonight is that okay?" He asks handing me his grocery list.
"Yeah no problem." I shrug.
I look at the time and see i had about half an hour before i had to be at Luke's. I threw my hair up in a ponytail quickly, and grabbed my apron and servers book. Thankfully i was already ready so I wasn't in much of a rush.
Luke's was only a five minute walk from my house. We lived on Peach ST, which was pretty close to the town center. It was nice being able to walk everywhere, so I wasn't in that big of a rush to get a car but I still wanted one because i can't leave Stars Hollow without one. I dont want to get stuck here no matter how much I like this town.
When I got to Luke's it was pretty dead, except for one table which was filled by Rory and her mom.
"Hey Rory." I smile
"Oh Hey Ana, what's up!" she smiles at me looking up from her book.
"Not much. Do you still go to school here? I haven't seen you the last couple days." I ask.
"oh! I actually got into Chilton. So i'm not going to school here this year." She grins proudly at me.
"that's cool." i smile at her.
I walked quickly into the back to clock in. It was dead and it looked like Rory and her mom were already served so I decided to make myself some coffee.
"Did I say you could make coffee?" Luke said.
"uh, no. But i'm taking some anyways." I pour myself a mug.
"Okay well can you atleast sweep the floor or even pretend to look productive?" he mutters.
"No problem." I giggle.
I spent the rest of the night cleaning up and pretending to look busy. It was slow, which makes sense. Everybody was probably in Hartford shopping for back to school. I did my back to school shopping like a month ago so I could avoid the rush of people in all the stores. I wasn't much for shopping and I didn't really like being around that many people.
"Luke." I stand over him as he was closing the register.
"What's up kid?" he asks without even looking at me.
"Can I go home? I have to go pick up some groceries before I go home and it's getting late." I ask.
"Yeah that's fine." He shrugs.
I clock out and rush over to Doose's Market. The only grocery store in town and it looked more like a gas station than a grocery store. They close in ten minutes so I was rushing around grabbing everything on the list. I didn't even notice the new guy until I got to the register.
"Is that everything for today?" A friendly voice says.
I look up to meet an unfamiliar pair of eyes of a boy. He was definitely handsome and very tall. I feel like I would've known who he was.
"uh yeah. Sorry, are you new? I haven't seen you here before?" I ask the boy.
"Oh yeah! I just moved here from Chicago with my family." He smiles.
"Chicago? what are you doing here?" I ask.
"My dad had a job opportunity." He says finishing up bagging my groceries.
"That's cool." I nod, "Well, I'm Ana. I guess i'll see you in school?" I ask.
"Im Dean, yeah you definitely will." He smiles.
"Bye Dean." I laugh.
I scramble out the door as quickly as possible. Grabbing my cell phone to call one of my only friends here. Her name was Sasha, she was similar to me. We both just kind of observed everyone here but didn't partake in any of the town events.
"Ana?" she grumbles clearly just waking up from a nap.
"Bro. Have you seen the new guy?" I say.
"Oh yeah! I think I know who you're talking about. Tall guy? Kinda looks like an airhead but in a cute way?" She laughs.
"Yeah! I guess he already got a job at Doose's. Bro he is so fine." I gawk.
"He definitely is cute. I have English with him if you want me to find out more about him?" She asks.
"Yes please." I say, hanging up the phone as i reached my house.
My mom and dad were in the living room watching some random reality tv show. I went into the kitchen and started unpacking the groceries. It didn't take long, I just got a couple things for dinner tomorrow.
"I'm going to bed." I announce as I walk up the stairs to my room.
"Night." My parents say.
