Donna Moss was into the third period of her second day of her first week at her brand new high school as a sophomore. Her first day had gone well enough. She hadn't tripped in the hallway or walked out of the bathroom with toilet paper stuck to her shoe. Her teachers were all nice enough to her and she especially loved the class she was in right now. Her economics class with Mr. Bartlet had been fun and engaging and right now she was watching him animatedly discuss FDR. Though the rest of the class stared back at him with mostly glazed over looks, Donna was enjoying the lecture. Their heads collectively picked up when they heard the door creak open noisily.
Donna watched as a boy with a disheveled mop of brown curls walked into the room, a black Jansport backpack strewn over one shoulder. He was dressed in a white t-shirt and a red and black plaid shirt that remained unbuttoned with only one sleeve pushed up. He wore grey jeans that were rolled up at the bottom and on his feet were a pair of beat up, black old-skool Vans.
"Ah, Mr. Lyman!" Mr. Bartlet said loudly, turning to the boy with an arm outstretched. He removed his glasses.
"So glad you've decided to join us!"
Donna leaned forward slightly and watched as did the rest of the class, waiting for Josh's reply.
"Sorry, Mr. B," Josh said simply, his mouth pulled into a thin line. Donna noticed Mr. Bartlet seemed slightly disappointed by this response, as if he was expecting more banter out of the interaction. His eyebrows rose slightly.
"Take a seat, Joshua," he said after a moment, putting his glasses back on. Josh did as he was told and Donna realized with a jolt that the one empty seat in the class was placed directly to her left. She sat in the middle of the rows of desks, towards the left side. With a sigh, Josh dropped into the seat and let his backpack sink to the ground heavily. Josh reached into the bag and pulled out a textbook. Upon opening it though, he glanced up and looked around at other desks sheepishly. Donna looked over and whispered.
"Page 43."
Josh's eyes focused on her and he gave a thankful smile, Donna noticed the dimples on both his cheeks.
"Thanks."
She nodded in response and turned back to listen to Mr. Bartlet's lecture. A few minutes went by and she noticed Josh's hands tapping on the desk. When she looked up at the sound, she made eye contact with Josh.
"Hey, do you have a pencil?" he asked her, his face crinkling in an apologetic way.
"Sure." Donna reached into her own backpack bag and grabbed a freshly sharpened number 2, Ticonderoga pencil.
"I'll give it back," Josh promised.
"Ms. Moss, Mr. Lyman, something you would like to share with the class?" They both looked up startled. Mr. Bartlet was at the head of the class and staring at them intently, his eyes narrowed slightly.
"No-" Josh began, but Mr. Bartlet cut him off.
"To avoid a reprimand, you must answer one trivia question about FDR correctly," told them. Josh gulped.
"Okay, sir," Donna said, almost eagerly. Josh looked at her strangely.
"Tell me you two, what was one of FDR's life long hobbies that he once credited his whole life to?"
"Oh come, on," Josh said exasperatedly. His head sunk into his hands and he leaned forward on the desk. A few classmates sniggered.
"Ms. Moss? Can you save it for the two of you?" Donna glanced at Josh before looking back to Mr. Bartlet.
"Stamp collecting, sir," she said confidently. A few students turned around to look at her as Mr. Bartlet immediately cracked up laughing.
"I'm impressed! Not many students can answer my trivia questions, Ms. Moss. Today's your lucky day, Mr. Lyman." Donna allowed herself a small smile as Mr. Bartlet returned to his lecture.
"Thank you," Josh breathed quietly.
Not wanting to get in trouble again, Donna pretended not to hear him. Taking the hint, Josh turned around and began taking notes on Mr. Barltet's lecture or at least he started to. A couple minutes later, Donna glanced over and found him staring out the window with his hand propping up his chin. Half an hour later, the bell rang and students all around them began packing up their things.
"Here's your pencil back," Josh said as he put the pencil back on her desk. "Thanks for letting me borrow it." Donna popped it back in her bag and looked up.
"Sorry for getting you in trouble," Josh muttered. He then grabbed his backpack and tried to scurry out of the room. Mr. Bartlet held out an arm as he tried to pass him though.
"Hold on, Josh." Josh stopped and bit back a groan.
"Ms. Moss would you please see me at my desk please." With a feeling of dread, Donna made her way to the front of the classroom. Josh was looking jittery, one leg bouncing up and down wildly as he looked up at the ceiling. He had one hand on a backpack strap.
When Donna got to Mr. Bartlet's desk he smiled wide.
"Well Donna, you impressed me today with your FDR knowledge, I was wondering if you would like to join our debate team today for practice after school today," Mr. Bartflet asked her with a wide smile.
"All it takes is knowing a few FDR facts?" Donna asked, unsure. Mr. Bartlet just continued to smile.
"Josh here is our co-captain," he continued. At this declaration, Josh suddenly looked stricken. His hand clung a little tighter to the strap of his backpack and he gulped.
"Uh, actually, sir," Josh interrupted. Mr. Bartlet paused and glanced at him expectantly.
"I um. Quit the debate team. Yesterday," Josh said apologetically. "I told Mr. McGarry about it. I thought he would have told you." Mr. Bartlet looked stricken.
"You quit?!" he demanded. "What do you mean you quit?"
"I'm sorry sir," Josh said sincerely. His eyes were firmly focused on his own shoes.
"Josh, what about the finals this year?"
Josh remained silent, his eyes stayed glued to the ground.
"Is everything alright, Josh?" Mr. Bartlet asked softly. Donna had the good grace to look away.
Josh raised his eyes, but his head remained tucked into his chest.
"Fine, sir."
"You were especially quiet in class today, getting Ms. Moss in trouble aside," Mr. Bartlet said, throwing a wink to Donna.
Josh gave a quick look to Donna before he muttered a quiet, "we're going to be late to our next class, Mr. B."
Jed nodded reluctantly.
"Alright. I hope to see you at practice today, Donna," he said as he picked up a paper from his desk and began reading.
"I'll think about it, sir. Thank you for inviting me," Donna smiled. Josh was already quickly shuffling out of the room. Before Donna had a chance to even say anything to him, he was out the door and into the busy hallway, lost in the crowd.
Donna was walking out of her Algebra II class to her locker with her books clutched tightly to her chest when she heard a loud commotion coming from a nearby hallway. Continuing her route to her locker, she was dismayed to see the commotion was taking place right in front of it. She found an opening in the crowd of students and gasped when she saw the boy she had met in her economics class earlier in the day being tackled into a locker roughly. Donna saw he already had multiple red welts across his face and his left eye was swelling. Before the larger boy Donna didn't recognize could take another swing though, Josh ducked under his arms and aimed a punch right in the side of the other boy's jaw. Donna winced as she saw it connect.
There was a parting in the crowd as Donna saw a man she met briefly on her first day. Mr. McGarry, the school's assistant principal, was rushing forward.
"What the hell is going on here?!" he demanded as he made it to the center circle, just as Josh was receiving a swift punch to the stomach which made him double over. Donna recognized the disappointment in Mr. McGarry's face as he laid eyes on Josh. The other boy started to try and move away inconspicuously as Mr. McGarry's gaze was held solely on Josh who was still doubled over in pain. Another teacher quickly arrive on the scene.
"I've got Gianelli," the other teacher shouted out to Mr. McGarry. Leading the boy away from the scene. The warning bell for next period rang and students quickly started rushing away to their classrooms. Mr. McGarry remained standing in front of Josh, his hands in his pockets. Donna delayed swapping out her books for as long as possible, keeping an eye on Josh and Mr. McGarry.
"Did you at least do a little damage to Bruno?" he asked Josh. Josh said nothing. When he stood up straighter, Mr. McGarry let out a soft hiss upon seeing his face. Donna looked over her shoulder from her locker and winced too. The red welts had grown angrier and more pronounced. His left eye was growing purple and dark.
"Come on," Mr. McGarry said gruffly as he took hold of Josh's collar and started to drag him away. Josh looked back as they were turning a corner and briefly made eye contact with Donna. Then he was gone. She hurried to class before the final bell went off.
"Josh, what the hell?" Mr. McGarry immediately exclaimed as he practically threw Josh into his office. Josh clumsily found his way into one of the visitor chairs across from Mr. McGarry's desk. Leo went to the mini fridge in the corner and sat examining it for a few seconds before he pulled out a can of Diet Coke.
"Best I can do," he said simply as he handed Josh the can. Josh promptly held it up to his swelling eye. Josh gave a fractional nod of acknowledgement.
"What the hell are you doing fighting Bruno Gianelli? He's bigger than you and smarter than you," Mr. McGarry began harshly.
"Thanks," Josh said sarcastically. "This isn't even cold." He placed the Diet Coke back on Mr. McGarry's desk and his gaze went to the window. Leo watched him from behind the desk for a while before moving to the other side. He sat against the edge of the desk, between Josh and the window. He crossed his arms and Josh's eyes moved from the window to the floor.
"What's gotten into you lately?" Mr. McGarry asked, his voice softening. Josh shook his head.
"Nothing."
"I heard you dropped all of your extra curriculars."
"No." Josh replied, a slight edge to his voice.
"No?"
"I didn't quit theatre."
"Well thank god the theatre department didn't lose their piano player," Mr. McGarry said with a roll of the eyes. Josh hardened slightly at his words.
"Doesn't seem like you to quit like that all of a sudden," Mr. McGarry continued.
"You don't know me," Josh muttered bitterly.
"Josh, I've known you since before you could walk. I think I have some idea," Mr. McGarry answered with the slightest of smirks. Josh's gaze never rose from his shoes. Mr. McGarry let out a deep sigh.
"What are we gonna do with you, kid?" He moved back behind his desk and sank into the high backed chair. Josh remained silent.
"So you quit all the teams and clubs where your friends are and then I find you in the middle of a fist fight in the hallways," Mr. McGarry began. "You know what the penalty for fighting is?"
Josh shrugged.
"Suspension."
Josh's face perked up slightly, as much as it could under the swelling.
"Yeah," Mr. McGarry agreed, noticing Josh's anxiety at those words. "You think the people at Harvard like to see suspensions on high school transcripts?"
Josh sighed and leaned back in the chair. He winced slightly at the change of position.
"I have a deal for you."
Josh's raised his head to meet Mr. McGarry's gaze.
"You stay on the debate team and I won't suspend you."
Josh grimaced and let his head fall into his hands for a few moments.
"Fine," he muttered through his fingers.
"Now I'm doing you a favor here, kid. Don't make me regret it."
Josh nodded dolefully.
"I don't like this, Josh. You know you can talk to me right?" Mr. McGarry said sincerely. "I'm worried about you." At this, Josh stood up sharply.
"Are we done here?" he asked, fighting between his respect for Mr. McGarry and storming straight out of the room.
Mr. McGarry waved a dismissive hand. "I'll see you at debate later." Josh gave a nod and refrained from rolling his eyes.
When Josh's hand turned the doorknob and Mr. McGarry spoke up again.
"Stop by the nurses office would you, Josh? You look a mess."
Josh took a deep breath and nodded before shutting the door behind him. Mr. McGarry sat staring at the door for a long time. He was truly worried about his old friend's son. The boy was usually bright and cheerful, eager to participate in his various clubs and teams. To see Josh drop all of them so suddenly had truly troubled him. He knew Josh needed at least one to keep him sane and being that Mr. McGarry coached the debate team with Mr. Bartlet, this was the one club he had the most authority in.
With a heavy sigh and a look at the clock, Mr. McGarry turned away from the door and went back to work.