Star Wars: A High-School Story

New Year, New Teacher

Anakin

Love is a mysterious thing. It makes you think that you love someone in one way, when you actually love them in another. That's my exact situation with Padmé. When I saw her on our first day in sixth grade, I thought that she was the prettiest girl that I had seen, so I asked her out.

That was my mistake, as I realise now. I did, and still do, think that she is the prettiest girl that I have seen, but I'm not attracted to her in any way. I'm unsure as to why I wasn't, she was all a guy could want. She was beautiful, kind, and she was the smartest person that I have met so far. She was all of the things that I thought I wanted, but I didn't love her like a boyfriend should love a girlfriend.

I thought about all of this on my walk to school. It was a lonely, but short walk. This year was mine and Padmé's final year of high-school. I don't have the heart to tell her how I feel. She is kind and understanding, and if I told her, she would say that she's fine, but she won't be. Her heart would be broken.

I see her at the entrance of the school. She notices me. Her face brightens up when she sees me. She smiles brightly. I smile back. When I get to her, she puts her hand on my neck and pulls me into a kiss. When she pulls away, she gives me a look of concern, but says nothing. Could she know? Possibly, but not likely. But also likely. I brush it off, choosing not to think about it.

"The seniors are getting a new history teacher." Padmé said absent-mindedly.

"What?" I ask.

"Yeah. Mr. Ackbar retired at the end of last year, and they've hired a replacement." She answered, now looking up at me as we walked down the hallway to our first block which the both of us just so happens to share.

"Do you hear the name of this replacement?" I inquire.

"Yeah. Kenobi. People say that he is 'young' and 'hot'." She answers, using finger quotations as if she didn't believe the rumors.

"I'll find out then. I have history at the end of the day." I tell her.

"I have him tomorrow," she says. "And doesn't your schedule list the name of the teacher next to the class subject?"

I look at my schedule on my phone, seeing the name "Kenobi" next to the word "history".

"So it does."

___________later that day___________

I walk into my last class of the day, wanting the long day to be over. The class is semi-full, students still slowly filing in. I take a seat in the front that's the closest to the teachers desk. There is currently no one sitting at the desk. By now, students had stopped flowing into the class, and no one was at the desk.

"I apologize class." A man apologizes as he walks through the classroom door. "I had to make a phone call."

I looked at the man. He looked to be in his early 20's. He had light brown hair and a soft looking brown beard. The rumors were right. This man was young and attractive.

Then I wondered: is this why I don't love Padmé the way I should? Am I just not interested in women in that way?

And that thought was what scared me the most.