Newsies One-Shots

Chapter 7 - Young Race

Race Really Likes Drama Class
Ship - None
Era - Modern
Triggers - Abuse, injuries, death and crying

Miss Medda had been teaching high school drama and theatre for years when the high school she had been working at, World High School, asked her to do weekly classes with some of the elementary school children.

She had accepted with joy and loved working with the little children.

She found them to be adorable and say some of the funniest things.

She had seen many students pass through, even her own two adopted sons, Jack and Charlie.

She remembered most of her students by their faces but couldn't always remember names.

There was one boy though that as soon as she met him she knew he was special.

He was a lot shorter than most of his peers with curly blonde hair that stuck out and the brightest blue eyes she'd ever seen.

Some things about him made her curious, like how he didn't like other people touching him but still appeared to want physical contact.

Jumping to conclusions was the last thing she wanted to do so she kept an extra special eye on him.

"Antonio," she said one day when the class were all walking into the hall.

She noticed that he was dragging his foot and seemed to be zoned out.

"Are you alright sweetie?" she asked him as she crouched down beside him.

He nodded and flashed her what would be a bright smile if it weren't for the grimace behind it.

"Is your foot hurting you?" she asked gently.

He looked down at the floor and nodded, almost like he wasn't meant to tell her.

"Okay, do you want to do a special job for me?" she asked, making sure to add exaggeration to get the boy excited.

Antonio nodded enthusiastically and practically jumped for joy.

"Good because I need someone to be my helper today and if your foot is sore you'll be the best helper," she explained to him.

"Thank you Miss Medda," he whispered.

She nodded and lead him over to her usual chair.

Race plopped himself down on the chair like he was instructed to do and put his thumb in his mouth.

During the class he stayed there happily watching, sucking his thumb and swinging his legs.

Miss Medda would occasionally get him to do little jobs for her but he preferred getting to watch.

It made him feel special.

The next week his foot was healed and he was thrilled to be getting back to it.

He was walking to class when his teacher, Ms. Wyman, held him back.