Title: Stranger than You Dreamt It pt. 1
Author's Name: Harper Robedeaux
Category: Josh/Donna
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Josh and Donna Discover that they have met before
Disclaimer: I don't own them, I'm just playing with them. The title is derived from the song from The Phantom of the Opera.
Setting: Madison, Wisconsin October 1991
"Josh, I know football isn't your thing, but enjoy it just this once," Diana said as she was standing with Josh in at the front of a line for tickets. Tickets to a high school football game. "Besides, Josh, I want to see my niece, who's with the band."
"Ok. And why am I here," Josh asked with a smirk on his face.
"You're here so you can meet my family and all that good suicide," Diana retorted, showing that she too, had a since of humor. She got her tickets and they both walked past the metal detectors and into the stands and took a seat.
"What time is kickoff," Josh asked.
"8."
He looked at his watch, which read 7:15. "What are we doing here so early?"
"Because my niece is with the band and her director is quite strict, so unless we wait until the 3rd quarter, now's the time to see her." As soon as Diana had spoken these words, on the track they saw a tall slender blonde and a shorter brunette, both in figure skater looking uniform. The blonde caught sight of Diana and quickly ran up to her and gave her a big hug.
"Hi Aunt Diana," she said.
"Hi Donnatella," her aunt said. Diana turned to Josh and said, "This is my niece, Donnatella." The two said 'hellos' and Donnatella took a seat beside her aunt.
"Donna, what's this get-up you have on? I thought you were with the band."
"Oh, I am, but I'm with the colourguard."
"Oh, ok."
This brief conversation was interrupted by a deep female voice screaming "All flag girls, come and warm up."
"Well, I'd better go," Donna said as she got up to leave. "All right Donna, be careful, and see you in the 3rd quarter."
"I will!"
Josh was in a haze all throughout the first half. Thinking of the pretty girl he had seen. Tall, slender, with long, straight blonde hair, and pretty blue eyes. From his vantagepoint, he could see her well from the track as she danced. Yes, he could tell he was much younger than his 29. Yes, he knew that there was a beautiful woman at his side. But how long could they last? Their relationship was like kayaking through the rapids. Just when you think you've tackled the worst thing to come at you, here come some more. He was tired of it. But they had both put to much time into this relationship to at least not try.
Diana got up and left during the second quarter in a rendezvous with some old friends. To relive their high school days and whatnot. So he just sat there in his haze and mindlessly watched the football.
Donna stood in the little yard between the Band/JROTC wing of the building and the weight training outbuilding. She was busily throwing a flag through the air, thinking of her Aunt's boyfriend. It was just her, the flag, and the Lolita-esqe fantasies in her head. 'Stop it Donna, he's gonna be your uncle… ewww.' She lost all concentration on what she was doing and the flag hit her smack in the head.
"Donna, are you ok," her companion that was with her on the track, named Amy.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Donna said, her voice sounding so far away.
"My god," she said, rushing to her friend's side. "What were you thinking?" As if right on cue, Amy got a grin on your face. "I know what you're thinking about!"
"Is that a bet?" Donna said with a sly grin on her face.
"You're thinking about that piece of meat you're aunt dragged in, aren't you," teased Amy. Donna's face fell.
"Yeah, so," she stuttered, "he's an attractive man."
"But you wanna…" Amy trailed off making sounds that left no question as to what she was implying.
"Stop that!"
No sooner had Donna said that, than their fierce band director screamed, "Flag girls, get in line." The pre-game had begun.
Josh got up after half time, after watching Donna's skillful dancing and twirling, and went around looking for his Diana. And he indeed did find his Diana. In the arms of an 'old friend', his lips trying to suck hers face in to his mouth. Josh said nothing as the two made a very public display, just walked aimlessly through the crowds, thinking of his naivete to the whole situation at hand. How could be so stupid to think that someone like Diana had not had other liaisons.
'Screw it', he thought to himself, 'she's not worth it'.
After halftime, Donna had changed back into her normal uniform. She wrapped herself in a blanket thanks to the cool than usual weather and walked around the crowds. She craved the isolation for some reason. And so she found herself at a concession stand and figured she ought to get herself a little something.
"A popcorn and a bottle of water," she said. She exchanged the money for the goods and turned to head off. She bumped into a character not much taller than she. She looked up to realize that the man was he aunt's boyfriend. "Hello," she said with a smile.
"Hi," he said looking down at her.
"Getting some food," Donna asked in some pitiful attempt at conversation.
"Nah, I'm just walking."
"Can I walk with you, or would you rather be alone," Donna asked.
"You can come with me that's fine."
The two took a loop around the stadium. They chatted about various things, from politics, to Josh's current situation. For a while Josh forgot Donna was in high school, until he looked down at her and her flag girl uniform.
"So how old are you, Donna," Josh finally asked.
"18," said Donna instinctively, knowing she was in fact only 16.
Thoughts immediately churned through Josh's mind. Then he stopped on the sidewalk. Donna walked ahead a few feet then turned around and walked back to him. "What is it," she asked.
"It's a bit noisy out here. Do you want to continue this conversation somewhere a bit more private," Josh asked, fully aware that his intentions were not of conversation.
Almost as if she had ESP, Donna picked up on this. She looked up at him with a sly smile on her face and said almost seductively, "Sure."
TBC...