After School

1.18 Josh

September 11, 1946: Before school

Josh missed the bus.

An hour prior, his mother woke him from his deep slumber. Josh groaned, knowing exactly what words would be spouting from Susan's mouth. "Josh, time for our morning drills."

He groggily jumped out of his bed, the mattress creaking as his weight shifted. Judith wasn't awake yet, so there was no breakfast on the table. Josh sighed, his stomach rumbling. Susan passed him a water bottle and together they stepped outside to run laps around the neighbourhood.

He was exhausted by the time he reached the bus. Unfortunately, by then the bus had left. He was late, again. This constant cycle of waking up with sore muscles from yesterday, eating no breakfast, running numerous laps alongside Susan, reaching the bus stop, Susan turning around without a goodbye, realizing he had been waiting for a bus that wasn't going to arrive, and then bolting towards school with hopes he will make it to homeroom on time, truly exhausted Josh.

Josh bent down to his knees and gulped from his water bottle, trying to catch his breath. His lungs felt like they would burst and his rasping throat was as parched as a dead lizard in the desert sun. He gulped down more water, but he soon realized there was not enough water in the world to quench his thirst.

Josh sighed with a grim expression plastered on his face as he grudgingly placed one foot in front of the other, and began running to school. Unfortunately, his house was in the poor neighbourhood of Willesden, near the edge of town. So he had to run to the center of town, where the only high school in the entire area was situated. Josh was already quite exhausted after his tough morning drills, so today he decided to run to school with ease. I don't care if I'm late today. It's not like I have football practice in the mornings.

Soon, after what felt like a thousand years of jogging, Josh arrived at school, his heart throbbing in his chest so much that he could hear the tiny thumps. He pushed open the heavy gray doors and slowly trodded towards homeroom, realizing he was going to get a late slip no matter what time he arrived.

Before Josh turned the corner, he bumped into Coach McGurdy. "Oh. Sorry about that, Coach," he mumbled, giving her a weak smile as he forced himself to slow his heavy pants.

McGurdy rolled her eyes at him. "I was just about to enter your homeroom and get you and the others." Josh gave her a strange look, asking her why. She sighed as if she was disappointed Josh couldn't fit the pieces with the little information she gave him. "I'm calling an urgent morning practice. Homecoming is at the end of this month, and I need my football boys to be in excellent shape," she explained. "From now on, we're having practices before and after school."

Josh nodded his head as he groaned internally. His sore legs felt like they were going to collapse any minute if he didn't sit down soon. Although, to his dismay, he had to play football with no food in his belly. "Would you like me to save you some time and call my teammates for you? Most of them are in my homeroom," Josh offered, desperate for a chance to sit down at his desk for just a split second.

McGurdy shook her head. "No, I'll do it. I don't mind visiting Mr. Stevenson now and then," she muttered, and to Josh's utter horror, a light pink blush dusted her cheeks.

"Oh... okay," Josh managed to croak. As Josh lead her to his homeroom, he took this opportunity to ask her a question that's been bugging his mind. "So, Coach. I was wondering when the announcement for the recipient of the Willesden football scholarship is going to occur?"

McGurdy cackled like a witch. "You're aiming for that award, huh?" she gruffly scoffed. Josh nodded his head, unsure of what McGurdy was going to say next. "Ah, Josh. It will be announced by the end of September, during homecoming," she turned to look at Josh and grinned. "I wouldn't be too worried if I were you."