Chapter 1 Welcome to Brentford Academy

By the time he arrived in high school, Geoff was a different person. He had a new physique, with developed pecks, bulging shoulders, and defined abs. Aiming for a new look he died his hair blond and restyled it to cover more of his face.

His parents knew his musical talent had become very impressive and had him enrolled at a school known for its performing arts, this had the bonus of all the bullies who named him rag doll, would be gone. However Geoff didn't trust how people would react to his scars, so he always wore long sleeve under armour shirts and leggings. It would stretch tightly around him like a second skin, since he was ashamed to show his own. The fabric was the thinnest he could find, as he would be wearing it at all times under his clothes. Schools like Brantford academy required uniforms on all students, it was comprised of red grey and green plaid pants, a light blue dress shirt, plaid tie that matched the pants and during the winter and fall a blazer in dark grey with a matching plaid trim. Having a breathable material would be important so Geoff wouldn't die of dehydration in school.

Performing arts schools still had to follow the same curriculum as a normal school, however with the focus on the arts, the bar to pass English, music, visual arts was higher. Plus they had additional classes for dance, theatre arts, filmography and sound engineering as optional courses to help artists become more rounded. Geoff was taking sound engineering as his optional as he wanted to build his own recording studio, but music was his passion.

Since Geoff was from New Brunswick and Brantford academy was in Brantford Ontario, Geoff would have to stay at the on school dorms. It was his first day and there wasn't much time to get settled, so he found his dorm room that he discovered he would be sharing with someone else. His new roommate had already moved in but wasn't there when he arrived. All he knew was the name on the door, Letour. Geoff quickly stashed his suitcase, grabbed his book bag and fiddle case then ran to his first class.

First music class took place in the auditorium. Freshmen students had to sit in the seats and wait for the teacher to start the class. The class was filled with people all talking to each other about how they were the youngest to play at different events, or how they were the child of some famous musician or friends with some recording artist. Geoff felt like these were conversations he should avoid as he's only ever performed on the streets for change. So he found a seat in the back of the auditorium and sat there.

Another boy followed suit and sat down next to Geoff. He was a slim build kid of Asian decent. He had naturally tanned skin, high cheek bones and pitch black hair that he brushed back with some product and let fall to his sides, giving the impression of someone who just came out of a wind tunnel. He spoke with a heavy accent, English wasn't his first language. "Hello! I am Kop." He said with a smile.

Geoff smiled back, he couldn't resist the opportunity to make a joke. "You like a little young to be on the force." Geoff chuckled.

Kop raised an eyebrow, "Funny." He said sarcastically, he had heard that joke before several times and was not amused. "My name is Kompop, but my friends call me Kop." He looked at Geoff and eyed him up and down. "You can call me Kop too."

Geoff perked up, "Oh cool, so I can be your friend too?"

"No." Kop replied quickly. "You just look like a white guy who can't pronounce Asian names." Kop smiled.

Geoff was left a gasp at the statement, but knew there would was some truth to that. He grew up in a tiny town with no racial diversity. The only Asian name he knew how to say was the Chinese restaurant his family ordered from in the next town over. Geoff faked a stern face and pointed at Kop, "I'll have you know, that you are probably right about that and I'm sorry I made the cop joke." He then smiled and held his hand out to shake Kop's. "I'm Geoff." Kop shook his hand. "That's Geoff with a G, by the way. Just in case you ever need to write it down."

Kop let go of his hand. He was sure if Geoff was trying to be funny or telling the truth. "Why would I need to know that?"

Geoff shrugged, "every time someone spells my name they spell it Jeff, or if they read it they think Gee Off."

Kop tilted his head curiously. "So white people just suck at names in general?"

Geoff chuckled at the joke. "You're right, I need a good nick name."

Kop, nodded his head. "Back in Thailand, you're parents choose your nickname based on the hope that it will bring luck, good fortune, wealth or good health to their kids." Kop waved his hand out dramatically. "A name must have a meaning and purpose." He looked at Geoff. "My nick name was cop, because my dad wanted me to become as strong and brave as a police officer. Instead I became a gay flutist."

Geoff was shocked once more, it was early 2000's and being out in high school was still almost never heard of. Most kids would be scared of getting bullied or just beaten to death. "Wow. Way to bury the lead, you're gay?"

Kop smiled, "Yes, something tells me being at a school filled with drama kids and music nerds, means I'm probably not the only one." Kop scanned the audience of potential other gay classmates. "I have a refined gaydar too, want to place bets on who is who isn't gay in this class?"

Geoff wasn't interested in labels, he spent so much time avoiding people he never considered labels. "That's not really my thing, no offense." Geoff waved his hands frantically in hopes to not offend Kop. "I just mean… I umm…" Geoff slumped his head down. "I'm sorry, I'm not good with people."

Kop laughed at how awkward Geoff was. "You are a very awkward person. Do your friends tease you a lot?"

Geoff shook his friends, "I don't actually have any friends."

Kop stared blankly at Geoff. He was in great physical shape and looked like a jock. He thought for sure Geoff was a popular kid at his old school. "Really?"

Geoff just nodded in shame. "Yeah, I was basically the bullied kid at my last school. So I was hoping to reinvent myself at this school." Geoff looked around at all the kids in the auditorium and heard them talking again about concerts, contests and venues that he realized he might still be the kid who gets picked on here. "Something tells me I might be a small fish in a very big pond here." Just as he was about to talk more Geoff spotted someone from his old school walk into the auditorium. "Shit!" He squeaked and tried to hide his face behind his blazer.

Kop looked away from Geoff, towards the door and saw a Boy standing right at the end of the isle. He was handsome with short blond hair, a lean face and a broad shoulders and piercing blue eyes. He carried a guitar case in his hand and had drum sticks poking out of his book bag. Kop didn't want to take his eyes off the boy, so he leaned into Geoff and asked. "Who is that dreamy boy?"

Geoff still didn't want to show his face, so he whispered while trying to hide his face. "That's Corey, he use to go to my school. We never had the same classes or talked, but we come from a small town, people talk."

Corey glanced over to Kop and Geoff, sitting in the corner only able to see Geoff blond hair as he hid his face. Corey then walked on to the middle row of the auditorium and grabbed a seat.

Geoff began to panic, he didn't want someone from his old life bring everything back to haunt him. Then it came to him, Kop's nick name was the answer. "I need a nickname I can go by, like yours."

Kop nodded, "We'll what does your name mean?"

Geoff thought about it and remembered his mother had told him that his name means peace. "My name means peace, but how will that help me?"

Kop pulled a device out of his book bag, it looked like a calculator but with a ton of buttons that had English alphabet and Thai akson script. He typed in the word peace and began to list off synonyms that mean peace, none of which sounded all that good until the last one. "Oh how about this? Pax!"

Geoff thought about it, Pax was a weird name, but it could work. It sounded short for Paxton and rolled off the tongue like Pat. "I don't know, I mean it could work, but it's."

Geoff was cut off by Kop, the teacher Ms. Tomlins had walked in and Kop needed to stop her before she did something like role call. "Ms. Tomlins, if I could borrow you for a second. It's kind of important for both you and me."

Ms. Tomlins was a tall slender elderly woman, who wore small circular glasses and kept her hair up in a bun. "Yes, and you are?"

Kop leaned in towards her. "My name is Kompop Chittsawangdee." Ms. Tomlinson winced and that Made Kop smile. "I know some people struggle to pronounce my name, and I'm sure you're not one of them, but just the same I'd like to make it easier for you and my class mates. So if you could make a note in the attendance that I go by Kop, it would make things easier for me."

Mr. Tomlins took looked down and the 14 year old that boy. "I'm not here to make your life easier, how ever I believe you have a strong case. I will make note and refer to you as Kop."

Kop gave a little bow with his hands together and said, "Thank you. Oh by the way, my friend has a similar situation. His name is often mispronounced and so he too goes by a different name."

"Oh and what's his name?" Ms. Tomlins was starting to feel irate with the suggestions on how to run her class. "His name is Jeff, but it's spelt Geoff."

Ms, tomlins looked at her list. "I have 2 Geoff's with that spelling and 1 without." She then gazed at Geoff. "Which one are you?"

Geoff sat up straight rather nervous. "I'm Geoff Saint-Amour."

Ms. Tomlin looked at her class list, to find his. "And what do you go by?"

"Pax." He responded quickly. Ms. Tomlin looked at him sternly, it sounded stupid and nothing like the name Geoff. So he spoke up once more. "Geoff is Latin for Peace. Pax is just another word for Peace. So it makes sense when you think about it."

Ms. Tomlins sighed, "I don't really care as long as the other Geoff doesn't pick the same stupid nick name, you can be pax." She then walked off mumbling about kids and their ridiculous stage names.

Kop and Geoff sat back and exhaled. Kop turned to Geoff "Looks like from now on, you're no longer Geoff, you're Pax." He then held out his hand. "I'm Kop, pleased to meet you."

Geoff now Pax reached out to shake his hand. "I'm Pax. Nice to meet you Kop." The boys smiled and shook hands. This would be the starting point of his new life with his new name.

Ms. Tomlins walked up to the stage and gestured to some kids in the front row to move away. After the kids spread out and sat down in the seats nearby. "Welcome to Brantford Performing Arts Academy." She began. "Just because you are here does not mean you will be the next big star in music. Some of you may go on to play for orchestra's across Canada or around the world. Some of you may try to start your own band and be successful, some of you may end up with no career in music at all. My job is to make sure you become better performers so you may have the opportunity to have careers in music. Today I will be assessing your abilities as musicians, I then will group you with a partner in a manner that allows everyone to improve." She sat down in the center seat and propped up her clipboard of names. "When I call your name, you will take the stage, pick your instrument and perform Beethoven's 9th until I say stop. You will not use your own instrument, as I do not wish to sit around and wait for you to tune your strings, or blame your performance on a broken reed. While I grade your performance you will clean the instrument you used and answer a few questions."

She flipped through her papers to quickly count names. "Lastly, I only teach 1 class of 26 students, there are 33 of you here today. If you don't make the cut, you will need to find another program to replace the credits you will not earn with this class."

Everyone in the class looked around and started to get nervous. A lot of students are more comfortable using their own instruments, they've created a bond with. Everyone started to eyeball the stage to see what instruments were available, what configuration they'd have to adapt to. Then Corey spoke up. "Ms. Tomlins. There's no guitar on the stage."

Ms. Tomlins smiled, "That is correct, I'm not here to teach you to be the next John Mayer, or Slash. That is why you will play Beethoven's 9th and not classical gas."

Back home Corey was known for his short temper, so it wasn't a surprise to Pax that he stood up so quickly with his fists clinched. "I can play Beethoven's 9th on my guitar better than anyone here can play using a stage instrument."

Ms. Tomlins cocked an eyebrow. "What is your name young man?"

"Corey Letour." Corey replied sternly.

Ms. Tomlins began to count the names on the list. "Fine then, you are 7th in line on the list. You have until I call your name to have your guitar tuned and ready to play. If you're not on the stage within 2 minutes of calling your name then you will not make the list. If your rendition of Beethoven's 9th is not perfect, or moving you will not make the list. How ever I will not have you tune that guitar here while I listen to the other perform. Leave the auditorium at once."

Corey was willing to take the opportunity but still mad about the teachers dismissal of guitars. He grabbed his case and walked out of the auditorium to begin tuning his guitar.

Ms Tomlin wasted no time to start the process. "We will be going in alphabetical order of last names, however 2 students have decided that they will forego having last names as a result they will go first. Kop, to the stage."

Kop nodded to Pax and walked down to the stage. When he got up on stage he walked to the rack of flutes and grabbed an alto flute then strolled back to center stage and bowed with his hands clasped to Ms. Tomlins. "My name is Kop and I'll be performing on alto flute." Ms. Tomlin waved her hand to signal him to start playing and he began. It was perfection and the notes flew out of him, he hit every note precise intensity and softness.

It wasn't long passed the first refrain that Ms. Tomlins signalled Kop to stop playing. "Kop, you may clean the instrument while I ask you some questions. First off how long have you been playing the alto flute?"

Kop grabbed the cleaning kit and started to clean the flute. "3 days ago."

Ms. Tomlins and the rest of the class were silent. How could someone perform that well and have only been playing for 3 days. "Why did you choose an instrument you've only been playing for 3 days?" She asked.

Kop was wiping down the mouth piece and said. "I was raised playing the sinobue, a Japanese flute. Since North American bands don't use them I had to learn a different type of flute."

Ms. Tomlins made some notes, "Lastly what are your musical aspirations?"

Kop looked at his teacher. "I want to be a first chair flutist in the Met Orchestra."

"Noble." Ms. Tomlins replied. "Return the flute to the stand and leave the stage."

Kop did as he was directed and left the stage. He walked back towards Pax just as Ms. Tomlins decided to call him down. "Now for the next Cher wanna be, Pax to the stage."

Pax started his walk down leaving his fiddle in his seat. As he walked towards Kop, Kop held his hand up for a high five to say, you got this. Pax in turn gave him the high five and walked on stage. It was a split second but he realized he made a friend for the first time since Patrick. This made him smile and all his worries about performing slipped away. He walked up the the instrument rack and grabbed a violin. The standard violin is smaller than a fiddle. Pax could tell right away so before moving to center stage he closed his eyes and felt the neck and string spacing to get use to the size. "I'm Pax, I'll be performing on violin." Pax began to play, from memory, Beethoven's 9th was the first piece he ever mastered it was routed in his fundamentals, practically muscle memory, how ever his time as a street performer made him more akin to maritime flare in his performances. After the first refrain Ms. Tomlins motioned him to stop.

"That was an interesting rendition. Tell me how long have you been playing in Irish bars?" The auditorium began to laugh at her comment.

Pax began to wipe down the violin. "When I was 10 I was in a near fatal car accident. The hospital I was recovering in was accros the street from an Irish pub with live music. I fell in love with that music while I was recovering in the hospital." Pax walked over and put the violin back on its stand. "That music saved my life."

Ms. Tomlins and the auditorium stopped laughing. "And how long have you been playing the violin?"

Pax sighed he knew he would open himself to more criticism but answered truthfully. "I've been playing the fiddle since after I left the hospital. Today was my first time playing the violin."

Ms Tomlins made some notes. "And what are your musical aspirations?"

Before pax replied he saw Corey walk back in with his classical guitar strapped to his back. "I want to share the music that saved me to the world."

Ms. Tomlin made some notes and just said. "You may go."

Pax left the stage and joined up with Kop in his seat. He glaces towards Corey and saw that he was looking back at him. The next few performs were rather mundane piano, French horn, trumpet and another flutist. Next was Corey's turn, he walked up on stage and in defiance of Ms. Tomlins remark about classical gas. So he played a classical gas inspired rendition of Beethoven's 9th. The added flare of of Spanish classical guitar was inspired and brought a tear to Ms. Tomlins eye. It was the only performance she let play to the end. When it was finished, she merely waved her and and asked no questions. Corey left the stage and went back to his seat.

They all sat and watched the rest of the class do their performances. Some got as far as Pax and Kop, a lot were stopped earlier, but no one played the entire piece like Corey.

At the end Ms. Tomlins stood up and addressed the class. "Tomorrow I will have the results of who stays and who is cut. For now, you will all need to go to your next class. I suggest you all consider different paths and what option classes would be better suited for your abilities." Everyone grabbed their things and left the auditorium.