hooked ↣ joshler ✓

22. Weight

I don't know if this deserves a trigger warning per say but it does include a conversation about weight and I know that can be a touchy subject with some of you since it is with me. There will be bold text where it begins and ends. If you can't read it (which is totally okay) there will be a summary at the end of the chapter.

On the fateful day of May seventh, Mr. Way's first period English class was taking their poetry final. Josh was quietly filling in the bubbles on the Scantron, completely focused on his test.

It was silent in the classroom until Mr. Way's phone went off. He frowned but answered it in a low voice. "Hello?" pause. "Can it wait? He's in the middle of taking his final," pause. "Okay, I'll send him down," Mr. Way hung up and scanned the classroom for a second. "Josh?"

"Yes, sir?" he replied, setting his pencil down.

"Mr. Iero needs to see you in his office. I don't know how long you'll be down there so bring your test up and take your things with you."

Confused, Josh shakily closed the packet of test questions and put his pencil in his bag. He looked over to see Tyler and Dallon both looking at him with the same expression he was wearing. Shrugging as if to answer, he walked up to the classroom, handed Mr. Way his things, and slowly walked out.

When he entered the office, he was greeted by the kind, warm secretary who always had a bowl of candy on the desk in front of her. "Hello, Josh," she smiled at him.

"Hi, Ms. Nestor," he smiled back warily. "I was called down because Mr. Iero wanted to speak with me?"

"Yes he did," her smile quickly faltered. She pointed to the short hallway on the other side of the desk she sat at before picking her smile back up. "Down the hall, second door on your left."

Josh thanked her and walked towards the room she described, gripping tightly on to his backpack strap. He had only been called into the principal's office once before to discuss his foster home– and of course, he had lied and said it was wonderful and that he loved it.

Josh poked his head in and knocked lightly on the door. "Mr. Iero?" The principal looked up and smiled sadly. It was then that Josh noticed he was holding the phone.

This is where it begins. Please don't feel obligated to read if you can't handle it. It's not much but it's enough to trigger someone.

"Hey, Josh," he greeted. "You can take a seat."

Josh hesitantly sat down and leaned his backpack against the chair. "You called me in here?"

"Yeah," Mr Iero nodded. "You have a phone call, apparently he wouldn't let the school call your parents."

Josh felt like his heart had just dropped into his stomach. He took the phone from Mr. Iero's outstretched hand and put it up to his ear. "Hello?" he said nervously.

"Joshie?" Patrick sobbed. "I'm so sorry. I'm so so so sorry."

"Hey, you're alright," he tried soothing his brother. "What happened?"

"These kids–" he gasped in what Josh thought was pain. "They pushed me and they-they called me fat and obese and chubby and I'm so sorry."