Class act
By Heidi and Lisa
 
Disclaimers-These are not my characters and I am 
making no money off of them.
 
Ratings Info-Sequel to “Back To School”, 
Sam/Donna, 
 
 
Special Thanks-Lisa for encouraging me to write 
this and for being a co-author and coming up with 
the ideas for this story.
 
 
 
 
 
Donna carried the class books in her bag. She 
had been making A’s in all of her classes so far, 
except for Communications. The professor had 
given the speech she had written back to her with a 
note to see him after class. When Donna went to 
see Dr. Rossen, it had not been good. Dr. Rossen 
had told her that the speech was horrendous and 
that she could rewrite it for a better grade than 
the F that was slashed across the top. Donna was 
upset that she had earned an F. She had never 
gotten an F on anything before and it hurt. The 
speech she had written was not her best work, but 
she didn’t think that it was worthy of an F.
 
Donna knew that Sam would help her out, if she 
asked. Sam had supported her when she started 
school. She was glad for her friends and the support 
that they had given her as she pursued her degree 
in political science and communications. She was 
embarrassed that she had to ask for help. Asking 
wasn’t her strong suit, but she knew that she had 
asked for help because this was an important 
class to pass towards her degree.
 
Sam was in his office working on a speech when he 
saw Donna walking towards his office. He knew 
that she had a class tonight and that she usually 
didn’t come back to work unless there was a crisis 
or something big going on. 
 
 “Sam, can I talk to you?” Donna asked, 
timidly.
 
 “Sure. What are you doing here?” Sam asked.
 
 “I knew that you would still be here and I 
needed to ask you a big favor.” Donna said.
 
 “What do you need?” Sam asked, knowing that 
Donna didn’t ask for favors, except in special 
situations.
 
 “I wrote a speech for my communications class 
and it wasn’t good. The professor gave me an F, 
but said I could get a better grade if I rewrote 
it.” Donna said, pulling the speech out of her 
bag.
 
 “Okay, so you need my help with a class. That 
isn’t a problem.” Sam said.
 
 “I know that this was supposed to be a non 
working weekend for you guys, but would you please 
help me with it this weekend.” Donna asked, 
handing the speech to Sam.
 
 “Okay, I can see several problems with the 
speech and of course, I will help you with it this 
weekend.” Sam said flipping through the pages of 
the speech.
 
 “Thanks a lot.” Donna said.
 
 “What time do you want me to come over?” Sam 
asked.
 
 “How long do you think it will take?” Donna 
asked.
 
 “It has to be 4 pages, so probably a couple of 
hours.” Sam said, still flipping through the 
speech and circling things.
 
 “Thank you so much for helping me.” Donna 
said.
 
 “It isn’t a problem. You are a friend and need 
some help. See you in the morning about 10 am?” 
Sam said.
 
 “10 a.m. is fine. See you then.” Donna said 
and left the office.
 
 
Donna was glad that Sam was going to help her. 
He was a great speechwriter and she had faith that 
the speech would blow her professor away. Dr. 
Rossen didn’t know that she worked in the White 
House. It was something that she kept private 
because she didn’t want people bugging her for tours 
or autographs or other information that she 
couldn’t give to them.
 
Sam was happy that Donna had come to him for 
help. He was going to make sure that she passed the 
class with an A. He would make sure that Donna 
knew that he was here for her whenever she needed 
for whatever she needed.
 
 
Donna was up by 8 a.m. on a Saturday morning. 
Three years of working for Josh had integrated her 
system to being up early, even on weekends. She 
was happy that this was a non-working weekend and 
that Josh had gone to Connecticut to see his 
mother, otherwise he would have called her at 7 to 
see what she was doing. Donna didn’t want any of 
her other co-workers to know that she was having 
Sam help her out of a jam.
 
She got a bagel out and started the coffee. 
After a quick breakfast and shower, Donna stood in 
front of the closet deciding what to wear. She 
finally picked out a pair of worn and comfortable 
jeans and a gray mock turtleneck shirt. She 
quickly dressed, did her hair in a messy ponytail, and 
put on some jewelry-mainly her watch and necklace 
and earrings.
 
Donna picked up the apartment a little before Sam 
was supposed to arrive. She then got her 
original speech assignment sheet, notebook, and textbook 
out and put them on the kitchen table. She 
wanted to be ready to go when Sam got there, so she 
didn’t monopolize his whole day.
 
Sam was having the same dilemma at his own place. 
He didn’t really want to dress for working, but 
didn’t want to be too casual. He finally settled 
on comfortable jeans and a gray polo shirt. He 
found his watch and wallet and got ready to go. 
He had gone over Donna’s speech and found the 
problems and he hoped that he could convince her to 
totally change the premise of the speech.
 
 
Donna saw Sam’s suburban tank pull into the lot 
behind the building and buzzed him in. He was 
carrying her speech and his notebook.
 
 “Hey.” Donna said as she opened up the 
apartment door.
 
 “Hey yourself.” Sam said walking in.
 
 “I have the dining room table set up with my 
stuff from class. I thought that you might want to 
look at it before we jump into writing this 
speech.” Donna said.
 
 “Where’s your roommate and the demon cats that 
I keep hearing about from Josh?” Sam asked.
 
 “The roommate and the cats moved out about 3 
weeks ago because she couldn’t deal with me coming 
and going at all hours and I haven’t been able to 
find a new roommate yet.” Donna said.
 
 “So, we can make as much noise as we want 
then?” Sam asked with a smile and trying to get Donna 
to at least smile or laugh.
 
 “Just as long as it doesn’t disturb the 
neighbors.” Donna said smiling.
 
 
Sam and Donna sat down next to each other at the 
table and got to work.
 
 “Here’s the original assignment sheet and the 
choices we could pick from.” Donna said, handing 
Sam a piece of paper.
 
Sam looked over the guidelines and the options to 
write about.
 
 “You chose to write about persuading the public 
to vote to study about underground agriculture?” 
Sam asked incredulously.
 
 “Yes, I didn’t have a lot of time to write the 
speech because of the whole Haiti mess and this 
seemed like a topic I could easily bs through, but 
I guess I really couldn’t.” Donna said.
 
 “The other topics here were to persuade people 
seeking divorces through one partner having an 
affair to seek counseling before starting the legal 
proceedings or persuading people to get more 
involved with the political process. Fun topics 
here.” Sam said glancing at Donna.
 
 “Yeah, Dr. Rossen wants us to expand our 
horizons.” Donna said.
 
 “Well, I can tell you that the topic I know the 
most about is the one about infidelity. Getting 
involved in the political process one has too 
many angles and you can not address all of them in 
four pages.” Sam said.
 
 “So, we write about infidelity.” Donna said.
 
 “We aren’t writing about anything. You are the 
one who is writing. I am here to offer support 
and help you with wording.” Sam said to Donna.
 
 “Where should we start first?” Donna asked.
 
 “You need to make an outline of all of the 
things you want and have to cover in the speech. 
Then I will help you to weed out the stuff that you 
can’t cover or don’t have the space to cover. 
Next, you write another outline that includes all 
of the subtopics that you want to cover and we go 
through the weeding out process again. We get a 
final outline and then you research the points 
and write.” Sam said.
 
 “I have to do all that for a four page speech?” 
Donna asked, surprised at all of the work she was 
going to have to do.
 
 “Yes.” Sam said firmly.
 
 “Is this what you guys do all day at work?” 
Donna asked.
 
 “I don’t go through the process step by step, 
but I know the limits and work within them. 
Something that you are going to learn by the end of 
this class, I’m sure.” Sam said.
 
 “Then let’s get to work because I have a 
feeling that this is going to take more than a few 
hours.” Donna said, picking up her notebook.
 
 
Donna and Sam worked very intently over the next 
few hours. Donna looked up a few times and saw 
Sam looking at her for no particular reason. She 
bumped hands with him a few times and felt 
something. She wasn’t sure what she felt, but there 
was definitely something there.
 
Donna finally finished her outline at about 3 
p.m. 
 
 “I’m finally done with the outline.” Donna 
said, jumping out of her chair and dancing around 
the kitchen.
 
Sam stood up and caught Donna when she tripped 
over scrunched up paper balls on the floor.
 
 “Thanks.” Donna said with a shy smile and 
scrambled out of his arms.
 
 “Let me see this final outline and we will see 
if that part is done. Remember, we have to 
research and then you have to actually write the 
thing.” Sam said.
 
 “If we get the outline done and the research 
done today, I can work on it after work this week. 
It isn’t due until Friday.” Donna said.
 
 “It may not be due until Friday, but anything 
could come up between now and then.” Sam said in 
a knowing voice that the best laid plans had a 
tendency to come undone.
 
 “So, I should probably work on it later tonight 
and tomorrow.” Donna said.
 
 “Yeah. This looks great for an outline. Now 
let’s get to the researching part.” Sam said.
 
 “So, it’s off to my neighborhood library?” 
Donna asked.
 
 “Do you actually want to go out in this 
weather?” Sam asked looking out the window.
 
 “Well, according to the weather station, there 
is a tropical storm headed right for us and this 
is only the beginning, so no I don’t want to go 
out in this weather, but I need to get the 
research from the library.” Donna said.
 
 “We aren’t going to the library, provided that 
you have a computer with the internet.” Sam 
said.
 
 “Yeah, my computer is in the bedroom. Follow 
me.” Donna said, walking out of the kitchen.
 
Sam had no choice but to follow. He stood in the 
doorway to her bedroom, but didn’t go in. Donna 
booted up the computer and turned around to face 
Sam.
 
 “You can come in.” Donna said with a smile on 
her face.
 
 “I.......” Sam trailed off.
 
 “It’s okay.” Donna said as she grabbed his 
hand and pulled him over to the computer.
 
 “We will do a general search that will bring 
back huge resources. After that, we will narrow 
things down. When we find what you need, we’ll 
print that out and you will find a way to work it 
into the speech.” Sam said looking at Donna who 
was perched on the edge of the desk.
 
 “Okay, let’s get to work then.” Donna said.
 
 
Sam and Donna searched and researched many times 
to find what she needed for her speech. By the 
time that they found all of the information that 
she needed, it was already past 6 p.m.
 
 “I’m sorry that I monopolized your whole 
Saturday.” Donna said.
 
 “It’s okay. I don’t mind helping a friend who 
needs it. Now all you have to do is write this 
thing.” Sam said with a smile.
 
 “Yeah, I do have to do that, don’t I.” Donna 
said.
 
 “It won’t be that bad. Trust me. I can come 
over tomorrow, if you would like and help you 
write and edit the speech.” Sam said.
 
 “I would love it if you could do that for me.” 
Donna said.
 
 “So same time, same place tomorrow then?” Sam 
asked.
 
 “You betcha.” Donna said.
 
 
 
Sam and Donna walked down to the main doors of 
the building. Donna was first to speak.
 
 “Sam, why don’t you stay here tonight. It is 
much too nasty for you to be out driving in this 
weather.” Donna said.
 
 “I am a man. I think that I can handle a 
little wind and rain.” Sam said as he prepared to 
open the door.
 
 
Donna put her hand on his arm and he turned to 
face her.
 
 “I don’t want to be responsible if you get hurt 
out there.” Donna said.
 
 “I am not going to get hurt. It is just a 
little weather.” Sam said and opened the doors.
 
He got his first taste of the tropical storm that 
was bearing down on them. The rain was cold and 
pelting, almost like hail. He couldn’t even see 
his car from the doors. The wind was whipping 
the rain in every direction. Sam knew in that 
instant that he wouldn’t be able to drive home. He 
turned around and saw a smiling Donna. She knew 
that she had won the argument and he turned around 
to follow her.
 
 “I am going to start dinner and clean up a 
little. Make yourself comfortable on the couch.” 
Donna said as she grabbed a stack of mail off the 
table.
 
 “Thanks for letting me stay.” Sam said as he 
picked up the tv remote.
 
 “You’re quite welcome.” Donna said and went 
into the kitchen
 
 
Donna went into the kitchen and cleaned up all of 
the paper that was laying on the floor. She was 
so happy that Sam had helped her with the speech 
and she couldn’t believe that he was giving up 
his Sunday to help her write a speech that would 
blow the professor away. Donna got back on task 
and looked through the stack of bills on the table. 
She divided the ones that she really had to 
pay-heat, electricity, and phones into one pile and 
then the others-book collection, and credit cards 
into another. She really had to find a roommate 
soon because she was using her savings up.
 
Sam was watching a repeat of “Capitol Beat” but 
not really paying much attention to it. He was 
thinking about his own living arrangements. He 
hated going home these days because of what he 
usually came home to find. 
 
 
Dinner was simple soup and sandwiches because 
Donna hadn’t been expecting company. She and Sam 
were both quiet and in their own worlds during 
dinner. After she cleaned up the kitchen, she joined 
him on the couch.
 
 “Sam, what’s wrong? You were awfully quiet 
during dinner.” Donna gently asked.
 
 “Oh, it’s just my current living arrangements.” 
Sam said glibly.
 
 “What’s wrong with you living arrangements?” 
Donna asked.
 
Sam told her the whole story about his new 
neighbors and how 
he didn’t mind parties, but that these people had 
a tendency to way over do it with noise and 
booze. Sam also told her that his lease was coming up 
for a 6 month renewal and he really didn’t want 
to stay in the building. He had started looking, 
but everything was either too expensive, too far 
from work, or in horrible neighborhoods. 
 
 “I know what a pain looking for apartments can 
be. I hope that I find a roommate soon or I will 
be looking for a new apartment.” Donna said.
 
They both got interested in a program and didn’t 
talk anymore.
 
 
Sam knew that Donna was having a tough time 
managing without a roommate because he saw the stack 
of bills that she had grabbed from the table and 
then separated into piles. He would love to move 
in with her, as one friend helping out another 
friend, but that probably wasn’t the wisest idea. 
It would not look good to the public if they 
found out that the Deputy Communications Director and 
the assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff were 
living together. Sam put that thought out of his 
mind and turned back to the tv program that was 
on.
 
Donna was surprised that his apartment was that 
bad. She knew that she wouldn’t be able to stay 
there another minute with all of that partying and 
wondered how he did it. She loved her apartment 
and didn’t want to move. Donna had already seen 
several apartments in her price range and nothing 
had come close to what she had. The neighbors 
left her alone and didn’t bother her, the 
neighborhood wasn’t too bad, and it was close enough that 
she could walk to work on nice days. Donna 
thought about offering to let Sam move in with her, 
but she immediately put the thought of her head 
because she figured that it wouldn’t work and the 
scandal that might come up if the two of them were 
living together.
 
 
 
After the tv program was over, Donna got a 
blanket and pillow for Sam and headed off into her own 
room.
 
 
Sunday morning dawned bright and early. The 
tropical storm that had deluged them yesterday was 
gone and in its place was a sunny, dry day. Donna 
headed for the kitchen to start the coffee and 
make breakfast. She was mindful to keep quiet 
because Sam was still sleeping. Helping her out with 
the speech on infidelity had to be hard for him 
because she knew that it still stung him with what 
his father had done. 
 
 
Sam woke up to the smell of coffee and scrambled 
eggs. He slowly got acclimated to his 
surroundings and saw Donna sitting at the table reading the 
newspaper.
 
 “Hey, good morning.” Sam said.
 
 “Hey yourself.” Donna said.
 
 “It looks like the tropical storm blew over 
from last night.” Sam said looking out of the 
window.
 
 “Yeah, it did. Sam, if you want to take a 
shower...there are towels in the cabinet.” Donna 
said.
 
 “Thanks. I think that I will take a shower, 
eat, and then we can get down to work on that 
speech of yours.” Sam said.
 
 “I was hoping that you would forget about 
that.” Donna said.
 
 “No chance of that.” Sam said with a smile as 
he headed off for the bathroom.
 
 
Sam and Donna ate breakfast and then got down to 
work.
 
 
Donna was writing the speech and just happened to 
look up and see Sam, who was tense as could be.
 
 “Sam, what’s wrong?” Donna asked.
 
 “This research that we did. This article from 
Values For America states that infidelity is the 
woman’s fault because she couldn’t keep her man 
around. This is complete crap.” Sam said 
angrily.
 
 
Donna knew that he was hurting and moved over to 
the couch to sit next to him.
 
 “Hey, ignore the article. There is no way that 
I would use something that ignorant in my speech 
because it is just wrong.” Donna said.
 
 “It’s just that I know my mom blames herself 
for what happened. She thinks that she should have 
caught it sooner and not 28 years after the 
fact.” Sam said.
 
 “Sam, I’m sorry that this speech is bringing up 
bad feelings for you. You know I never meant to 
do that.” Donna said as she put her arm around 
his shoulders.
 
 “Donna, I know that you didn’t mean to do this 
and I would never blame you.” Sam said giving 
her a hug.
 
 
 “I am glad that you feel comfortable talking to 
me, but I got get back to writing this speech.” 
Donna said, trying to lighten the mood.
 
 “Okay, start writing.” Sam said with a smile.
 
 
Donna wrote and rewrote all afternoon until they 
were both satisfied with what she had. 
 
 “See, I told you that you could write this. 
All you needed was a little direction and then you 
took off.” Sam said with a smile, looking up 
from the final written copy of her speech.
 
 “I don’t know how to thank you, Sam. You have 
been such a great help and given me support 
through everything.” Donna said.
 
 “You don’t have to thank me. I like knowing 
that I can use my skills to help and guide you 
while you get your education. At least the 80,000 I 
spent on an education can help someone else out 
too.” Sam said with a smile.
 
 
 
After helping her clean up the paper strewn about 
the room, Sam headed for his own place.
 
After parking the car, he made his way up the 
stairs through the garbage and broken beer bottles 
that littered the hallway to his door. This was 
how it always looked after the weekend party that 
started on Friday and lasted through Sunday 
evening.
 
 
 
 
 
Next 
Friday..........................................................late evening
 
 
 
 
 
Sam was sitting at his desk, writing a memo on 
the latest Environment Bill. He just wanted to get 
it finished and go home. Then he remembered that 
it was Friday and the neighbors party would just 
be getting underway by the time he got to the 
apartment. He sighed softy to himself and tried to 
concentrate on the memo. Sam thought about 
sleeping on Toby’s couch, but Leo would probably catch 
him again and get the whole story out of him. He 
thought about asking Donna if he could crash at 
her place, but that would be kinda rude. He 
turned back to working on the speech, he could worry 
about sleeping arrangements once the speech was 
done.
 
 
Donna was on cloud nine and practically floating. 
She hurried out of class and drove over to the 
White House, knowing full well that Sam was still 
there working. She walked through the lobby and 
into the Communications Bullpen. Donna saw the 
light on in his office, but the door was closed. 
She decided to take a chance and knocked on the 
door.
 
 “Come in.” a tired voice said from the other 
side.
 


She slowly opened the door and popped her head 
in.
 
 “Hi there.” Donna said.
 
 “Hi Donna, what are you doing here so late?” 
Sam asked, motioning for her to come into the 
office.
 
 “I wanted to come by and tell you about the 
grade I got on my speech.” Donna said smiling 
brightly.
 
 “It was a good grade, right?” Sam asked, 
knowing full well that it was, but wanting to give her 
a chance to share the good nice.
 
 “I got an A! I don’t know how I would have 
done this without you” Donna practically shouted.
 
 “Hey, no problem. I’m glad that I could help 
you.” Sam said getting up and giving her a hug.
 
Donna hugged Sam back because he had helped her 
so much.
 
 “Well, you need to get back to work.” Donna 
said.
 
 “Yeah, I gotta finish this memo before I can go 
home.” Sam said.
 
 “Well, then I should go to. It has been a 
really long week.” Donna said.
 
 “Okay. See ya later.” Sam said as he watched 
her walk out.
 
Sam sat back down and was glad that he could help 
her out. Donna was a close friend that he loved 
dearly and wanted to see her succeed with her 
education.
 
 
 

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