The Middle Season 1
Prologue
"Moving? I can't move. I don't make friends easily. I only made two in fifteen years." Presley Cole was freaking out in her father's home office.
"The move is necessary for many reasons. Please sit down, and we can talk about this." Tom Cole gestured toward the chair in front of the desk.
"Why? It's not like this is a discussion. You're telling me, we're moving to the middle of nowhere." Her heart felt like it was going to explode.
"Presley, please." He repeated his gesture to the chair. She sighed while dramatically dropping on the chair. "Your grandma wants to move back to her childhood home. The renter's lease recently ended and we just got the family out. They completely trashed the place. So, we are renovating the whole property. There was a car lot for sale and you know I wanted to expand the company. That place was outdated, looks like it from the 1950s, so that's getting renovated too."
"So we aren't moving right away." She was hoping for more time in California.
"No, you'll be able to finish the school year and have the summer with your friends. I know this is hard on you, sweetie. Who knows maybe you'll find that you'll love Orson, Indiana?" He knew this would be a big adjustment for her.
"I doubt that." She snorted.
"Well, when you graduate you can go to a college here and have this place." He pointed up at the ceiling.
"You would let me live here by myself." Her jaw dropped.
"At that point, I'll probably be going back and forth." He rested his chin on his fist. "I can think of something to get you excited about the move."
"What?" She tilts her head.
"You can get a dog." He smiles.
"What? No way." A smile broke out on her face.
"Yeah, your grandma will be home most of the time. It'll give you some company before you make friends. We'll be a wealthy family in a middle-class neighborhood. We'll need the extra security." He saw a lot of benefits to having a dog.
"A dog. I can't wait." She was bouncing in her seat.
"I'm going to miss you guys so much." Lee was holding on tightly to Demetri and Eli in her room, which was bare of any personal touches. While Tom was keeping the house, he was going to do short rentals so they were leaving the furniture. They echo back to her the same sentiment. "I don't know what I'm going to do without you guys. I'm going to be so lonely." She cried into Eli's shoulder.
"What are you talking about? You're going to be popular there. Eli and I are dragging you down to nerd depths here." He scoffs, backing up from her embrace. "Everyone is going to want to be friends with the California girl. Trust me, you'll be queen bee around there." He did not doubt that she would be fine. Lee didn't know how to approach people but she wasn't shy of interacting with them. He knew without any social pariahs attached to her, she would soar.
"Do you seriously think so?" She didn't know if he was trying to make her feel better.
"I would bet my comic collection on it." He nods.
"That says a lot." She pulls him into the hug.
A soft knock made them pull apart to see Tom Cole leaning against the door frame. "Sorry guys, we have to leave to catch our flight. We need to catch this flight because we want to be there when the U-Haul shows up." He had planned everything perfectly.
"I thought grandma's friend's daughter was putting all the new furniture and packages in." She wanted to go next week when school would start but her dad insisted she needed time to adjust.
"I have to be there with the movers, so everything gets put in the right place." He was stressed about time.
"Okay." They walked out of the house. The door seemed to shut loudly, making her heart ache. She hugs them individually with whispers of love and goodbyes.
"We should be back on breaks." Tom and Donna Cole gave the boys a hug before the small family left to start their new life.
They pulled up to a modest house that had a few U-hauls parked in front of it. There was a family standing on the front lawn. "Oh my god." Donna jumped out of the car before it fully stopped. She ran to a woman who looked about her age and pulled her into a tight hug.
"Mom, just because we are moving into your childhood home doesn't mean you can act like one." Tom got out of the car to scold her.
Lee took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself to meet new people. She jumps out of the car and immediately regrets not changing clothes, running a brush through her hair, and putting on makeup like her grandmother did. Because in her front yard stood a handsome curly-haired male with the most breathtaking blue eyes she had ever seen. It wasn't fair that he looked good in flannel pants and a baggy shirt while she looked homeless in her sweats, messy bun, without a stitch of makeup. "Honey, come on. She's a shy person." Donna waves her over.
Axl's head perks up when he hears she. His eyes got wide at seeing the girl in a pair of fitted sweats. Her long bangs were framing her face and the messy bun on top of her head made her look cute. Her curves were something he only saw in music videos. He looked down at the shirt that he was swimming in. He cursed himself for not listening to his mother's threat that she would pull him out of the house in his pajamas if he wasn't ready in time. She did it and now he looked like a little kid in front of a hot girl.
"This is my granddaughter, Presley. You can call her Lee. My rude son, Tom." She squeezed her granddaughter's shoulder and slapped her son's chest.
"Hi, I'm Pat, your grandma's friend." She smiles at Lee. "This is my daughter, Frankie. Her husband, Mike. Their kids Axl, Sue, and Brick."
"Nice to meet you and thank you for receiving our packages." Tom shook their hands.
"It was no problem." Frankie waves off. This man would be her new boss. When he bought the car lot, he gave the employees a check to tide them over while the renovations were made.
"We're ready to get moving, Mr. Cole." A mover came over, wanting to get started so he could go home.
"I'm ready to move in," He didn't want to pay for the overtime.
"We can help." Axl offers, getting a surprised look from his family.
"Nah, I paid these guys." He waves it off.
"Okay, well we should have you over some time." Frankie invites.
"Oh yeah, we'll talk about the details later." Donna waves goodbye to them.
The first two days were unpacking and organizing. The third day was spent lounging around the house. The fourth day was looking the same. She was in her room watching TV. Donna knocks before entering her granddaughter's room. "Honey, Axl and Sue are downstairs wanting to show you around town." Lee stares at her with a dropped jaw. Did this guy have some alarm in his head that went off when she was looking like someone who escaped a mental institution? Yesterday, he saw in her robe and bedhead when her grandma ordered her to get the mail. Now she was in a big shirt with unwashed hair and zit cream on her face. "I think you should go. It'll be good for you to know your way around the neighborhood."
"Can you tell them to come back in half an hour? I have to get ready." She went to the bathroom without getting an answer.
She went back into her bedroom in a robe with her hair wrapped in a towel. She puts on a white bra and pantie set. She blew dry and braided her hair. She slipped on a white tank top with a matching pink frilly skirt and hoodie set.
She went down the stairs and was surprised to see her grandma serving Axl and Sue pancakes, eggs, and bacon. "Morning Lee." Axl smiles at her with a mouth full of food. For him to look adorable even like that made her want to get him arrested.
"Morning Axl." She smiled and sat across from him where Donna instructed her to sit.
"Hi, I'm Sue if you forgot. Don't worry, people do it all the time." Lee tilts her head at that. "When Axl said he was going to give you a tour I insisted on coming. I know the history of this town. I did a lot of searching when I tried out for the historian club." She spoke very quickly.
"Oh, I'll come too. It's been years since I've been in town." Donna would like to see if anything changes.
"Oh yeah, that would be fun." Sue thought the more the merrier. Axl wanted to slam his head on the table. A bigger cock block than your sister would be the girl's grandma.
Donna and Sue were walking and talking fast about the town landmarks, which according to them were every place they passed. Axl and Lee had fallen behind. "You're bored." He looks at the dirty blonde staring out into space.
"Oh no, I'm overstimulated right now. The polyurethane cow was the cutest thing I ever saw." She took off her hoodie and tied it around her waist. She was happy she went with braids.
"I was planning on driving you around, it would have taken at most half an hour. We would have ended up at the frozen yogurt place." He told her of the plan.
She leans her head back and whines out. "I would love yogurt right now." She looks over at him. "Let's ditch them."
"Hell yeah." He grabs her hand and pulls her to the right. Axl filled the silence with the fun things in the small town like the block parties, jet skiing, and sports games.
They sat down with their yogurt and topping. "So, I know about places and events. Tell me about you." She points at him with her spoon.
"Me." He points at himself. "I'm going to be a freshman. I plan to go out for the football, baseball, and basketball teams. I can play the guitar." He couldn't believe he couldn't think of anything else about himself.
"I'm also going to be a freshman. I'm into anime and manga. I'm not musically inclined at all. I'm pretty sure I'm tone-deaf." She described herself so he wouldn't have to keep going.
"What anime? Is it a California thing?" He asks.
"No, it's Japanese cartoons that are geared towards all ages. My two favorites right now is One Piece, which is about pirates, and Naruto, which is about ninjas." She explains it in the simplest terms. She didn't want to go all out and freak him out with her nerdiness.
"I'll have to look that up." He wanted to have something to talk to her about.
"Or you could come over and watch with me." She offers. Axl's cheeks flushed, not believing she was inviting him back to her house.
Tom came home to see his daughter sitting with the neighbor boy. They were watching One Piece. "I would die for Luffy." Axl looks at Lee with such seriousness. Lee looks at him like he gave her the moon and the stars.
Tom hurried into the kitchen, where his mom was making dinner. "A few days here and she got a boyfriend." He watches them giggle together.
"He and his sister came over to give us a tour around town. She invited him back. I've been with them all day and he's been a gentleman." She left out about them ditching and getting yogurt.
"I'm so proud." He smiles proudly.
"You're such a weird dad." She shook her head at her son. Most dads would be upset about his daughter entertaining a stranger but Tom was proud of her charming someone.
Lee was lying on her bed talking on the phone to Demetri and Eli. "So, how has school been?" She wanted updates.
"Same old shit, but everyone's taller," Demetri grumbles. "Kyler and his goonies are still stupid and violent. Yasmine and her friends are still stuck-up bitches."
"I knew that would happen. I hoped they would find better things to focus on than bullying." She knew it was unlikely but a girl could hope.
"One can dream." Eli too shared that thought. "So, tell us about you."
"Oh, my god. I hate saying Demetri was right but…" She didn't want to say it.
"Come on say it." Demetri pushed.
"You were right. Everyone wants to be my friend. I know it's going to fizzle out when I'm no longer shiny and new but I'm enjoying it." She kicked her legs up. "There is this guy, Axl Heck. He's a freshman but expects to be on the football, baseball, and basketball teams. His buddies said he'd make the variety team for the basketball team. He's a bit of a big man on campus. He has followed me since I got here like a lost puppy."
"What does varsity mean?" Eli asks.
"There are two teams. JV is mainly freshmen and sophomore and varsity is mainly juniors and seniors. But if you're good enough you can get promoted to the varsity team." She explained why it was a big deal.
"Do you like him?" By her dreamy tone, Demetri knew she enjoyed the attention, but that didn't mean she wanted to go further than that.
"We're dating. He hasn't asked me to be his girlfriend but walks me to all my classes. He hangs out with me after school every day and takes me on dates on the weekends. He is so cute and sweet. I never thought a guy like him would look in my direction." She gushes.
"A sweet jock?" He snorted.
"There are quite a few here. I don't mean nice to other popular kids but nice to everyone. They're not buddies with the nerds but don't bother them either." She thought of Sean and Darrin.
"Maybe we should all move out there." Eli would like to be left alone.
"Although I do miss sushi." She missed the California food. The flip was switched as she explained to them how Indiana was different from California. The boys couldn't believe they were jealous of her.
"So, Cliff asked me out." She was walking with Axl home from school.
"What?" He whipped his head around to look at her. He knew him as an older guy in AP classes that every girl was gushing over.
"I told him I was dating you." She watches him from the corner of her eye. "I thought it was so weird that he asked because we're obviously a couple."
"Damn right, we are." He nods eagerly. He had not been escorting her to all her classes, holding her hand in the hallways, and taking her on numerous dates for some other guy to sweep her off her feet.
"He asked if you were my boyfriend. He told me about how you've walked different girls to their classes since the seventh grade and you never made any of them your girlfriends." That stopped Axl in his tracks. He was going to defend himself. Those girls never wanted to be his girlfriend because they liked the attention but had other guys in mind for more serious things. He was the fun guy, not the one you bring home to meet their parents. "So, I lied and said you were. I know it was stupid. I don't know why I felt the need to prove myself or us to him. I wanted to tell you before you heard it from someone else. I don't want you to think I'm a crazy delusion clinger."
Axl grabbed her face to tilt her head back so he could kiss her. "You're none of those things. I should have made it official sooner. I was dumb to think that other guys wouldn't try their luck."
"So you're my boyfriend?" She grabbed his hand.
"And you're my girlfriend." He pulled her into another kiss.
S1 E2: The Cheerleader
"Not with Axl, that's a surprise." Tom was shocked not to see the curly-headed teen who became his daughter's tail.
"He sneaked out when he was grounded to go with me to the mall and grandma told on him." Lee glares at the older woman.
"I didn't know he was grounded, you have to tell me things." Donna wouldn't have told his parents if she knew he lied about being at a church function.
"So, now he has to be within five feet of a parent for two weeks. Even though he doesn't care, I don't want to make out in front of his parents." She rolled her eyes at her desperate boyfriend.
"We'll see how long that lasts." He remembered how hormonal he was when he was a teen. "Make sure you take your birth control pill."
"Be a normal dad." His mother begs.
Tom called Frankie into his office. "Let's be real, you suck at selling cars." Frankie grimaces because she knows it is true. "We are not a used car lot. We are a car dealership with a mechanical shop. We have the full work here. I was thinking you could be a car advisor. They are the middlemen between the mechanics and the customers. They make more an hour because they make no commission, so that's better for you."
"I'll take it." She agreed right away.
"Good, because if I had to fire you. I am sure my mom and daughter would have thrown me out of the house." He smiles, making Frankie's eyes widen.
Lee was at The Frugal Hoosier helping Sue pick out glasses. Axl was hugging her from behind and had his chin on her shoulder. "Dork." He responds to the first one.
She put on a second one that reminds Lee of a quirk grandma. "Dork." It got the same response.
She put on a large pair that took up half her face. "I would never stop punching you." He laughs.
"Knock it off." Mike pulled his son to the side. "She's a young girl with emotions all over her surface or something like that. Our job is to cheer her on."
"Oh my god, those look so great." Axl's words drip with sarcasm at the next pair. They were octagon-shaped and took up half her face. "Seriously. I think you should buy them."
"No," Lee took them off her to pick up another pair. "How about these? They look like the ones Gisele wears in Devil Wears Prada." She took out a compact mirror to show her.
"Oh yeah, these are the ones. There is no stopping me from getting on the swim team now." Sue liked how they looked.
"You're still trying out?" Mike remembers her swimming head-first into the side of the pool.
"Yeah, Mom told me you said I shouldn't try out because you wanted to test how much I want it. Well, I want it Dad, now more than ever." She took off the glasses.
"Well, if that's what your mom said then I'm sure that's what I meant." He shrugs. Axl laughed at how stupid that sounded. Sue believed it and skipped over the register.
"You want to go five feet and make out." Axl nodded to the left, staring at Lee.
"No." Mike dragged him away.
Lee walks into the community pool, looking for Axl. It's been a week and a half since they kissed. She was touch starved. This whole time she thought Axl was the cling one but here she was craving him. She wants to run her tongue along his and play with his curls. She wants him to rub his hand all over her body. She didn't care who was around to see them. "Axl." She yelled his name when she saw him.
"Oh yeah." He cheers at his girlfriend's curves jiggling as she marches over to him in a red bikini. He opened his legs wide to allow her to take a seat between them. She grabs his curl to pull his face close to her. She whimpered about how she wanted him, making him launch forward to capture her lips. He ran his hands along her sides and thighs, being the most he could touch in public. They were so lost in each other, that they didn't notice when Frankie showed up, Sue epically failed her swimming tryout, or Brick lost his book in the water. It wasn't until the siren blared that they disconnected.
She got off her boyfriend's lap. Axl had a dopey smile on. "A tornado." One of Mike's friends screamed.
"It can't be a tornado. It's a beautiful, sunny day." Frankie screams. As if to sprite her it started dropping down hail making everyone run for cover.
S1 E5: The Block Party
Lee was at Axl's locker putting up the poster she made. It was a collage with pictures of Axl, his jersey number, the school logo, and his favorite things. It was spirit week leading up to the big game. "Oh, that is so smart. It's one paste and go." Mrs. Donahue, a lovely lady who lives in the same neighborhood complimented her.
"Thank you. I wanted to make the most of the space." She was happy it stuck or she didn't know what she would do.
Frankie ran up behind her scaring her. "Oh, Lee. You did it."
"Yeah, Axl asked me too. I didn't know it was a mom tradition thing, sorry." She didn't want to take a bonding moment with her son from her. She knew how rare Axl allowed them to happen.
"Oh, it's fine. I can steal the doughnut from the student lounge and be on my way." Frankie couldn't be mad when the decoration Lee made looked better than hers. It was probably the best one.
"Oh, the boys want to hold a little ceremony for us. To thank us for raising the money to buy their new jersey." Mrs. Donahue grimaced when she realized Lee was at the car wash and bake sale.
"What? Fundraising?" She was confused.
"Axl asked me to do them because he said that had a lot on your plate with work and his siblings. But, you should come. Axl told me he asked you too." Lee wanted the ground to swallow her whole. She didn't want Frankie thinking she was trying to steal her son.
Lee felt a little out of place at the meeting with the moms and cheerleaders. But, Axl insisted on her being there. "So, us guys wanted to do something nice for you Mom, especially since you raised the money to get us these killer new jerseys, right?" Sean Donahue got his fellow teammates to cheer. "I know it's not much but Mom I want you to have my old jersey." He threw the shirt at her.
"Aw," Mrs. D held it close to her chest.
"Yeah, Mom you rock." Another player threw it to his mom, who had tears in her eyes.
Axl steps forward and clears his throat. "Hey, I would like to give my jersey to a special lady, who might not know how special she is." Frankie put her hand up for him to throw it over her head and have Lee catch it. "Thanks, babe, you've been supporting my game on the sideline and rocking my world after." He winks getting the guys to slap his back at the innuendo.
Lee let out an awkward laugh while blushing. She held it close to her chest. The primal part of her found it hot that she would be walking around with his name on her back. She felt bad when she looked at Frankie's face. She looked like she was about to cry.
"Oh, baby. This looks so cool. I'm going to keep it up all year around." He looks at the poster on his locker.
"Axl about the jersey." The one she was currently wearing.
"Oh yeah, the only thing cooler than the locker is you in it." He grabbed her hips and pulled her flush against him.
"I love wearing it, but your mom wants it." She knew he was oblivious to it.
"Lee, the jersey was for people who help us fundraise. That was you, not her. And, her in my jersey doesn't do anything for me." He didn't see why his mom would expect it.
"Well, I'm not going to feel comfortable wearing this jersey until you talk with her." She put her hands on his shoulders and slowly moved it down. "It would be a shame to never wear it again because I was hoping to share an intimate moment with you where I'm just wearing the jersey." Her hands stop at his belt.
"Just the jersey?" He swallows the lump in his throat.
"No pants, bra, or panties…. Just the jersey." She whispers.
"I'll talk to her tonight." He gave her a hard kiss.
"So, mom." Axl threw himself on the couch where his mom was watching The Bachelor. "I realize that I may have hurt your feelings when I gave my jersey to Lee."
Frankie was surprised that he picked up on it. "It was embarrassing to be the only mom not to get a jersey and to find out that you didn't tell me about fundraising for the new jerseys."
"It's just you're busy and suck at baking and decorating. Oh, and I'll take every chance I can to see Lee in a bikini." He explained about the fundraising.
"The moms were wearing bikinis for the car wash." She was happy to be left out of that.
"Oh no, but I told Lee it was a thing…. She was pissed. She's hot when she's pissed." He chuckled.
"The jersey?" Frankie reminds her son before he gets lost in his perverted daydreams.
"I had to give Lee the jersey. I'm serious about her. I want her to know that. She's rich, so no jewelry or gift I get her would measure up to the things she has. That jersey is perfect. It is sentimental and reminds her that I have talent. I want her to have something she can look at and think of me." He would have given it to Lee even if Frankie helped with the fundraiser.
"My sweet boy is still in there." She squeezed tight, making him huff in embarrassment.
Donna had a sip and knit night and Tom was on a date. Lee gave herself loose curls and did her makeup lightly. The doorbell rang, and Lee quickly sprayed herself with Axl's favorite perfume. She went to answer the door. "Holy shit." Axl rushed inside to shut the door. "So… just the jersey." He looks her up and down.
"Why don't you find out?" She curls her finger, signaling for him to come closer.
He slid his hands underneath the jersey. "Oh fuck." He groaned, running his hands along her bare flesh. "You're so wet already." She whimpered when he ran his fingers along her wet lips.
"I've been thinking about this all day." She grips on his arm to keep from falling. "We got the house all to ourselves, so where do you want to have sex besides the bedroom?"
"Let's go to the dining room." He pulls her along. He helped her hop up on the table with her legs dangling off the sides. She tilted her head when he sat down wondering what he was doing. She found out when he pushed her legs apart and dipped his head under the jersey.
Her back hit the table hard. "Oh, Axl." She plays with his curls while he uses his tongue to spell his full name inside her. He got her body to tense up before shaking as she reached her peak. He stood up to push the jersey up to mid-chest so that he could still see his football number. "I need you inside me now." She hooks her legs around to pull him close when he pulls his pants and boxers down enough to pull out his hard penis.
"You're so fucking perfect." He groans when he pushes himself inside her tight heat. He grips onto her love handles while thrusting. When he felt himself getting close, he switched up his angle to hit the spot that he knew she liked while pushing down and rubbing her clit. Her mouth opens in a silent O while he grunts out his orgasm. He collapses onto the chair and watches his cum leak out from her gaping vagina. "Fuck." He felt himself get half hard.
Lee lifted herself on her elbow to look at him. "I got pizza in the oven. I figure we can eat and then go for another round. I can return the favor." She glanced down at his waist. "Then we can do it on the dryer. I've wanted to try that after watching Four Brothers."
"I love you so much." He stares up at her wondering how he got so lucky.
"I will love you so much if you hand-feed me pizza." She giggles.
"On it." He hops up to get the food.
S1 E11: The Jeans
Lee pulled up to Heck's house in a light blue car. Axl was in the front yard raking the leaves in hopes of his parents getting him a car. His jaw dropped when his girlfriend stepped out of the luxury car. "Is that your dad's new car?"
"No, it's mine. My dad gave it to me after I passed my driver's test." She hugged him in her excitement. She didn't notice he was freaking out.
"Did I tell you Brick is dog-sitting Doris?" He pats her back.
"A car and I get to pet a dog… such a good day." She ran into the house.
"DAD! MOM!" He gathered his parents in the front yard. "Look at Lee's new car."
"Oh, a Mercedes-Benz." Mike whistled.
"So, you get my dilemma. I have to get a car asap. My girlfriend can't pick me up for dates. That is my job." He pointed at his chest.
"Why because you're the man?" Frankie rolled her eyes.
"Exactly." Mike and Axl said at the same time.
"Lee isn't going to think less of you." She shook her head.
"Yeah, but other guys will, and then they'll swarm her." He pulls at his curls. "Come on, Mom, you got Sue expensive jeans for her confidence."
"I'm tired of getting the jeans thrown in my face. If you can find a car for the same price as the jeans then fine." She smirks, thinking they wouldn't be able to do it.
Lee was walking to Axl's house when she stopped at the red wagon with a basset hound in it. "Hello, Doris." She scratched the dog behind the ear. Doris tilts her head to get closer to her hand. "Let's get you back to Brick." She grabbed the handle to take her the rest of the way.
She pulled her up the driveway where Mike and Axl were working on a 1974 Ford Gran Torino Brougham. The only functional thing about it seems to be the shell. "Hey babe." Axl kissed her.
"Look who I found." She pats the dog's head.
"Brick." Mike sighs. "Thank you for bringing her back."
"No problem. I was coming over to see her anyway." She pulled her into the house.
"Wait… what?" Axl was going to go after her.
Mike pulled him back by his collar. "Ah, you got to focus on this." He pointed his son's head to the open hood.
Axl had a big smile on as he drove Lee in his car. "So, where are we going?" She was listening to the car. Every weird loud sound was making her anxious.
"The pizza place you like." He grabbed her hand that was gripping the seat. "Oh shit." He cursed when the car gave out. He was embarrassed when Lee had to help him get it on the side of the road. After calling his dad to pick them up, he stares at his shoes.
"Axl, I think it's cool that you're building this car up." She looked at the car that was in desperate need of a new coat of paint.
"You do?" He looks at her.
"Yeah, that's how my dad got his first car. My grandpa was a mechanic and they built it together. He has so many stories about that time. I envy you." She wanted to do that. But, her dad said there was no reason for her to struggle. She didn't push him on it. She knew he was busy.
"Yeah, but I bet, your dad never stranded his girl on the side of the road." He threw his head back.
"There is trial and error. It was one of the reasons my dad said he didn't want me to do it. You can think you got it all figured out until you're out on the road and realize a part isn't working right." She explained when Mike showed up.
They got into the car. "Thank you for picking us up, Mr. Heck." She smiles. He waved his hand to signal it was no problem.
"Hey Dad, tomorrow morning you want to push the car back and we can keep working on it?" He asks.
"Yeah, we can do that." He was surprised that Axl didn't want to give up.
"I think it's so cool that you're doing this. And it's a skill that is super helpful and hot." She leaned into him, grabbing his hand. Mike smiles knowing that Axl is motivated because Lee is interested in it.
"Oh my god, oh my god." The Cole's came over to the Heck's to see the puppies. She sat on the ground to have one crawl over to her. She picked it up and melted when it licked her nose. "Oh puppy breath." She coos.
Axl sat next to her and petted the puppy. "Hey, weren't you supposed to get a dog?"
"Dad?" She held the puppy up.
"I was thinking we would get a grown one that's already trained." He didn't want to deal with accidents or ripped-up shoes.
"Please, Dad, please." She pouts.
"Oh, no one can resist that." Axl grabs her cheeks to push them together.
"Okay, but you have to take care of him. I don't want to step in any poop or find my things destroyed." He gave his condition.
"I will, Dad, I promise. Thank you so much." She hands the puppy off to get up and hug her dad.
S1 E15: Valentine's Day
"This was your Valentine's surprise." Lee's face fell.
"What's wrong? We're going to a fancy restaurant. You got flowers and chocolate." He pointed to her filled hands.
"I thought our first Valentine would be just us. Not with Sean and Darrin and two girls I don't know." She glanced at the two couples awkwardly staring at each other.
"It was a first date for them and they asked us to help them along." He was doing his buddies a favor. "We go on dates all the time. Why does Valentine have to be a big deal?"
"I expect big plans for our anniversary." She let him know that he would be making it up to her.
"Of course." He slowly nods.
"You don't know when it is, do you?" She crosses her arms.
"Hey Guy," Axl nods to his friends.
"Where are your dates?" Lee wonders.
"Oh, they meet these college guys who are willing to pay for them. They are going to eat steak and lobster with them then they are going to call us after." Darrin points to the two girls talking to attractive older guys.
Axl smiles and does a bro hug with his friends. "Dude, you guys are so lucky, you're getting the fun without boring parts."
"What?" She screams.
"Oh, I didn't mean boring. I meant awkward, first dates are awkward." He let out a nervous laugh.
"They said we should go back home until they call us," Sean told them.
"What?" She couldn't believe they were buying this. "How about we eat here? If I don't get fed, I don't put out, Axl."
"That's not true." He laughed, shaking his head.
"Axl, don't make me find a college guy." She glares.
Lee was in Heck's kitchen watching The Vampire Diaries on the small TV, eating her takeout. The guys were in the living room, trying to figure out how to get the girls' attention back. She looked over when she heard them barking. She watched them take their shirts off and huddle together while Darrin held up his cell phone.
"Darrin squeezes in. Keep flexing. Squeeze and smile." Axl was instructing them.
"What are you guys doing?" She watches Darrin practically sit on Sean's lap so they can all be in the picture.
"We're showing them what they are missing out on." Darrin took the picture.
She leaned on the back of the couch to look at the picture. "It looks like the start of a porn."
"Ah, god she's right?" Axl cringe.
"You can't see what our hands are doing?" Sean thought it was a failure.
"With Axl's dopey smile, I would guess something jerky." She laughed.
"Babe." He whines out.
"And it's sent." Darrin closes his phone. "Oh yeah, we nailed it! High-five my brothers." He held up his hands.
The guys looked at him in disbelief. Lee laughed and slapped her hands on his. "Darrin, you have made this an unforgettable Valentine's Day. When that picture circles around the school, you will be getting so many admirers."
"You think so?" He leaned his head on the back of the couch to look at her.
"Oh yeah." She patted his shaved head.
"Oh god, everyone at school is going to see it." Axl felt like throwing up.
"At least you have a girlfriend already. I'm done for." Sean put his forehead against the wall.
The teens found themselves crashing Frankie and Mike's date. "Oh, mud pie." Axl pushed his way into the booth. Lee, Sean, and Darrin scooted in after him.
"Ladies, you two look lovely tonight." Sean smiles at Sue and Carly. They were giddy to get complimented by the older jock. "Mr. Heck, nice to see you again." He held out his hand.
"We already did that. What are you guys doing here?" Mike looks at the hand. "What happened to your women?" The question made Lee giggle.
"Aw, we blew them off." Axl lied for them. "They do too many head games. It's whatever. Truth is, I'd rather spend Valentine's Day with the one woman who means more to me than anything." He looks at Frankie.
"Oh my god." She put a hand up to her chest.
"That was hilarious. Did you see how she bought that for a second?" He turned to his friends. They were trying to be polite but giggles were coming out. "Oh sucker! oh, Boom!" He fist-bumped Darrin.
"Axl, make up for ruining Valentine's Day by ordering me a mud pie." She put her head on his shoulder.
"There's one right here." He pulls the plate over to them. "Ah," He held up a fork of chocolate goodness in front of his girlfriend's unimpressed face.
S1 E17: The Break-Up
Lee bit the side of her cheek at the sight of Morgan, a beautiful cheerleader, rubbing her boyfriend's arm. She had been buzzing around him for weeks now, pretending like she wanted to be friends. Lee saw right through her. Morgan had curated her life to be the perfect all-American girl: good grades, cheerleader, and the last piece of the puzzle was the star athlete boyfriend. She marches over there to hear the blonde give a backhanded compliment. "I'm telling you, Axl, you have so much potential. With the right guidance you will go so far." His giggling made Lee more enraged.
"What kind of guidance would that be?" Lee grabs her boyfriend's hand to pull him by her side.
"Oh well, you know…. like tutoring." She looked down at her feet and stuck some hair behind her ear. "I'll get going. I'll see you later, Axl." She looks up at him through her lashes making Lee scoff. When she turns around and walks away, Lee throws Axl's hand away from her.
"Are you mad?" Axl follows her as she walks away from him.
"What do you think, Axl? You've been letting her throw herself at you for weeks." She slammed her locker open.
"Just because a girl compliments me doesn't mean she is flirting." He put his hands in his varsity jacket's pockets.
"That wasn't a compliment, Axl. That was a come-on. I am starting to doubt your innocence in this." She believed in the beginning that he was naive but it was clear the long it went on that he liked the attention.
"This jealousy was cute in the beginning but now it's starting to get ugly." He didn't enjoy her implying that he was doing something wrong by having a female friend.
She slammed her locker shut and locked it. She turned to glare at him. "Don't follow me." She walks away from him.
She had found a note in her locker that said to meet on the basketball court at 3 o'clock. Although it was signed with Axl's name she knew it wasn't him. His words were always connected because he never took his pen off the paper. Despite knowing that she decided to go. She hadn't talked to him all day, not that he hadn't made the effect. She walks away anytime he approaches her. She pushed open the doors to see Axl kissing Morgan. Her jaw dropped as tears ran down her face. He pushed her away. "Baby, no, it is not what it looked like." He ran over to her but she put her arm out to not let him get too close.
"I can't believe you called me jealous and lied to my face that she just wanted to be your friend." That's what hurt the most was that he made Lee believe that she was being crazy. "Why would you do this? Why couldn't you have broken up with me if you wanted to be with her?" She understood why it was called heartbreak because of the throbbing pain in her chest.
"I love you, Presley. I do. This is a misunderstanding. Morgan tells her that you left a note in my locker pretending to be her saying you wanted to talk. Tell her I rejected you when you confessed just now. Tell her you threw yourself at me when you heard the door open. Tell her that the kiss lasts as long as she saw." Axl begs Morgans.
"I'm sorry, Lee. I left that note in your locker. I wanted to come clean. I begged him to do this right but he didn't want to hurt you. I didn't know how to tell you. I'm sorry. " The tears in her eyes sold it for Lee.
"Fuck you, Axl. Lose my number, forget where I live, in fact, forget you ever knew me. I know I'm going to try to do the same." She didn't know how she outran him, maybe it was her adrenaline or his shock, but she did.
Lee was able to successfully avoid Axl. In school it wasn't that hard, they had separate classes, and Cassidy, her friend with whom she shared most of her AP classes, never let Ax get within a yard of her. If she saw him approach she would intercept him and tell him to back off. After school, he had basketball practice, and by the time that was done, she would be at home. Tom had taken to spraying him with the hose if he walked by the house. "April, honey, I don't want to go to the basketball game." Lee sighed. She was helping the girl with her math homework in the library for study hall.
"Why?" April was the most kind and sweet girl that Lee ever met but she was oblivious and naive. She thinks the world is rainbows and butterflies. In a way, she was who Morgan pretended to be.
"Because I don't want to see Axl." It had only been a few weeks and she still tears up if she thought about it for too long.
"But, he told me to tell you to come." She tilts her head.
"What?" Lee looked at her.
"Yeah, he also said, to say that he and Morgan are no longer in contact. I knew that already because of Morgan." She adds on.
"What does Morgan say about Axl?" She wonders. The rumor mill was churning with so many different versions of what happened between the three of them. Everyone swears that they got it from one of them.
"She says that he used her to break up with you. He wrote her a note and kissed her. You came in and went crazy." She summarizes the story that Morgan told the cheerleader to save face.
"You tell Axl, I'll be at the game." She wanted to see what was going on. Everyone seems to have a different story.
Lee was sitting in the stand with Cassidy and Cliff. She felt like a bit of a third wheel with the couple, but she didn't want to go alone. "He's playing a great game but I don't know why he wants you here." Cliff was enjoying the close game but didn't know what Axl wanted his friend here for. Other than smiling brightly when he spotted her in the stands, he didn't acknowledge her.
"I don't get it either." Lee crosses her legs.
The game was tied coming to an end with only a minute on the clock and Axl had the ball. He dribbles to stand next to the cheerleaders. "Tell her I was telling the truth. Tell her now." He yelled at Morgan for everyone to hear.
"What?" Lee and Morgan were in shock.
"Say it or we're going to lose the game and everyone will know that it's because you wanted to keep lying." He had been miserable for the past few weeks. Crying his eyes out the second he was at home. He was so pathetic that he sought comfort from his mom and his dad had been avoiding him. "I'm never going to be with you so tell the truth."
Morgan's eyes darted from him and the time clock. "Okay…. Okay…. I lied. You were telling the truth. I kissed you when I heard the door and you didn't even kiss back. Shoot the ball." Most of the school didn't believe her claim since Axl and she weren't together. She couldn't have them hating her for losing the game.
Axl smiled and shot the ball in the nick of time. The crowd stood up and cheered. They were happy with the win after losing so many weeks. Lee got up to push through the crowd to get to the court. Axl had rushed to meet her halfway. "I'm sorry. I should have heard you out." She was stubborn, wanting to be justified in her jealousy.
"No, I'm sorry. I should have stopped it sooner. You were right I was enjoying the attention, but feeling wanted isn't worth losing you." He knew that now more than ever.
"You didn't lose me." She kissed him making the crowd cheer even louder.
S1 E18: The Fun House
"Where are you going?" Tom asked his daughter.
"Axl's." She put on her coat.
"You're there all the time. You know your friends can come over here. We got a game room. You could be the most popular kid in school." He had turned the basement into a man cave that was every teenage boy's dream.
"Dad, I don't want those people at our house all day. This is perfect because when my social battery runs out I leave." She didn't want to have to host. She liked being the guest.
"I don't want to cook for them." Donna agrees. Lee whistled for her dog to come running to her.
"You're taking Luffy." He looks at the basset hound.
"Oh yeah, everyone loves him." She put his leash on. "I'll see you guys later." She walks out the door.
"I miss her." He pouts.
"Trust me. The fun house isn't all it's cracked out to be. Think about it, you would be responsible for all those teens." She put it in perspective for him.
"I guess." He sighs.
Lee was in Heck's basement playing pool with Axl. "Brad asked out Carly because Dad told him to." Sue looked like she was ready to cry.
"Sue, we got something cool going on, don't bring it down." Axl pushes her away from them.
"Axl." She slapped his arm. "What did Carly say?"
"I said I didn't mind, so she said yes." She didn't want to seem bitter.
"Sue, why do you care who Brad goes out with? I mean you two didn't even kiss. I don't think Brad wants to kiss girls." Axl thought it was funny that anyone thought Brad was straight.
"Axl." Lee hissed at him.
"Relationships don't have to be physical." She defends it.
"Do you want to go out with Brad?" She wonders.
"No, I like being friends. But, why does it have to be Carly? If they go out it will turn awkward. Then I won't have either of my friends." She knew she would get pushed out. No one would want the ex-girlfriend around.
"How about we play doubles? Axl and me vs You and Carly." She waves for the girl to come over while Axl gathers the balls for a new game.
"So, Carly, I heard you got a date with Brad?" She let Axl start the game.
"Nah, I'm going to talk to him about that. I wouldn't do that to Sue. I didn't know how to turn him down at that moment." She shook her head.
"Really?" She smiles.
"Of course." She nods.
"We're stripes, babe." Axl got two balls in.
"Got it." Lee gave the pool stick to Carly when it was her turn.
"Whoa, party foul. What are you guys doing here?" Axl yelled when he saw his parents coming down the stairs.
"Oh, we just thought we'd check out the haps, see what's going on down here." Frankie did a little dance. Mike changed the CD to make Dance Hall Days by Wang Chung play.
"Let's go." Axl drops the pool stick and grabs Lee's hand to drag her up the stairs. Everyone follows along to go to the Donahue's.
S1 E23: Signals
The Hecks were throwing a BBQ in their backyard. "What is going on? It's supposed to be spring. Where is global warming when you need it." Axl was standing in his swimming trunks by the above-ground pool. Lee walks over to him in a pair of sweats. "Woah, where is the bikini?"
"Axl, I'm freezing. There's no way I'm getting in that ice-cold water." She pulls her sleeves down to cover her hands. "I think I might go home to get my gloves." She walked to the beverage table to get a hot drink.
"No, Don't cover up more." He whines out. "Guy, you need to splash around to make it look fun!" Axl yelled at Darrin and Sean who were in the pool. They shivered while they slapped the surface of the water.
Lee was drinking hot chocolate and sitting with the girls listening to the youth pastor singing. "Whoa… who's the weird old loser playing guitar?" Axl laughed while coming to her side. "Could this geezer be any more lame?"
"Axl, lower your voice, you're being rude." She hushes him.
"So, do you have a bikini on under there?" He pulls on the end of her sweatshirt.
"Yeah, I do." She dressed in a bikini and a cover-up until she stepped out of the house and ran back in to put on sweats.
"Cool, so you want to lose the sweats and I'll cover you in sunscreen and you can do me?" He suggested.
"I'll do yours." She offers.
"Oh, cool… Hey look at those guys, don't they look like they're having fun." He pointed at the pool. The girls looked to see Darrin and Sean hugging each other while they hopped around. They turn back to watch the pastor. "Come on, I clean the pool." He whines.
"I appreciate it, babe, the thought is so sweet. But, put on a jacket, you're ice cold." She felt his cold shoulder. "And let Darrin and Sean out of the pool, they're turning blue."
"Fine." He went over to the pool. She got the three boys their jackets and hot chocolates. "Spring sucks." He rubs his arms.
The Pastor was singing a song to Sue as the sun came out. Lee got instantly hot, making her pull off her sweater and tug off her joggers. "It's a miracle, thank you, old guitar dude!" Axl took off his jacket. He pulls Lee over to the pool. He hoisted her up and jumped in after her. "They look even better wet." He stared at her chest.
"Axl." She giggled as he rubbed her butt under the water. "There are a lot of people here, do not go under the clothes." She knows what goes through Axl's mind when he smiles while biting his bottom lip.
Darrin splashes them with water. "Darrin!" Axl let her go to splash him back. The teens laugh as they splash each other.