Overheard
…a day later
Josh's school existence seemed to revert back to how it used to be before his father
married Drake's mother. With the exception of Mindy and some of his club buddies he
rarely talked to anyone. He was alone again.
There was no reason to sit at Drake's lunch table. They weren't his friends. Besides,
sometimes he liked to go out with Mindy and grab a bite to eat off school property at
the local diner. Besides being an academic he really wasn't there to socialize and be
the guy that girls want to have sex with and that other boys were envious of. He took a
red folder out of his backpack.
Josh really had to give Drake credit; he was doing all of his assignments. Not
because he really gave a damn about Belleview High School. For his English
composition paper Drake talked into a tape recorder and Josh transcribed it for him.
And no, it wasn't a meaningful insightful paper, which slightly disappointed Josh. He
just spit back the words and concepts that he knew the teachers wanted to hear.
You know to just get by.
Josh's last class of the day was math and he had to give the teacher Drake's
assignment before heading to the Premiere for his after-school job.
Josh took out Drake's math homework and placed it on the teacher's desk.
"Thank you, Josh." said Miss Alden, the new math teacher, a nubile sort with
strawberry blonde hair and green eyes that Drake would have had fantasies about
had he ever seen her. The kind of teacher that made metal bands write songs
dedicated to their behind the glasses hotness.
"No problem."
"How is your brother doing?"
"Fine." But those words didn't seem right. What did being 'fine' actually mean?
"This next assignment isn't due until next week." She handed him some more papers
for the red folder.
"Thanks, Miss Alden."
Josh couldn't help but think of the possibilities of Drake not making it. He wasn't one
to burden his family or anyone else with those thoughts. But it played in the back of his
head.
What if Drake died and left him alone for real?
"Is there something you'd like to talk about?"
"No, I'm fine."
Fine again. What did it mean to be fine?
"I just finished grading your last test." Miss Alden slid the paper face down towards
him.
Josh swallowed before picking it up.
"A sixty."
He tutored Drake so he wouldn't have take Algebra II for the second time and now he
gets a damn sixty.
"Your performance has always been good. I'm sure you are stressed out regarding
what is going on with your brother."
"I'll do better next time, Miss Alden."
"I tell you what if you can stay after school tomorrow I'll let you take the test over."
Those kinds of things usually just happened to Drake, Josh was certain that he carried
zero charm.
"Thank you," Josh looked at his watch, "I have get going or I'll be late for work."
"If you'd like to talk anytime, I'm available." Boy, could that line be taken out of context
if anyone just came into the conversation.
"I'll see you." Josh couldn't wait to get out of that room it felt like one hundred and fifty
degrees inside. He half wondered if she was coming onto him?
Mindy had to leave after her last class because she had to go the library to work on a
project that wasn't due for two months. Josh normally would have loved her for that, as
he was the same way, but now he wished she was here.
Josh was exhausted, but didn't think it was right to even have the feeling. School,
work, taking care of Drake, helping out around the house, and being a boyfriend it was
too almost too much for him to take. He just wanted a break from it all.
He heard some female voices around the corner and he was transfixed on the last
locker before making the turn when Drake's name was mentioned.
"Do you think that Drake lost his hair?"
"I don't know—how gross if it's true."
"He used to be so hot."
"I used to want to date him, but not anymore."
"I know. Who needs need that headache and embarrassment of going out with
someone who has cancer?"
"Word. It certainly makes Josh the more attractive one doesn't it?"
"But he think he's Mr. Cool with that lame ass earring of his."
The other girl laughed some more. "It's so eighties."
Josh could've swung around the corner and told them idiots off,
But they just weren't worth the time and effort. He decided to go out
of the side doors instead as two reflex action tears slid down his cheeks.
One thing was for certain Drake did not need to know about this, it was just another
burden for the brother from another mother to carry.
Note: I made a Yahoogroup for us D&J fan fic writers. If I wasn't able to send you an
invite because the site here blocks URL's, please email me (see my profile) and I'll
send you the link to join.