Loss - Lucas Sinclair

Trick or Treat, Freak (Part 3)

"Oh my god!" A student laughed as the four boys passed them in the hallway.

The boys tried to keep their heads low as they weaved through hallway. Every once in a while, one of them would look up to see if anyone was looking at them and the answer was there was always someone looking at them.

"When do people make these decisions?" Dustin's voice wavered, keeping his eyes on the ground. They tried to huddle closer together, thinking that if they don't take up that much space no one would notice them.

"Everyone dressed up last year," Will said trying to keep his head low.

"It's a conspiracy, I'm telling you."

"Just be cool," Mike tried to calm down his nerves.

"Who you gonna call?" Another student said with humor in his voice. "The nerds!"

Picking up their pace, they walked down the hallway and separated when Dustin and Lucas stopped at their lockers. As they opened their lockers Max came skateboarding down the hallway catching Dustin's eye.

"Dude," he hit Lucas arm as he watched her pass by.

Lucas followed Dustin's gaze to the red head as she stopped at her locker.

"We gonna do this?" Dustin asked not taking his eyes off of Max.

"Right now?" Lucas shook his head and looked at his clothes. He really wasn't wanting to get made fun of more that day. "We look like morons."

"Maybe she likes Ghostbusters?" Dustin shrugged.

"Of course she likes Ghostbusters, but that's not the point. The point is we're dressed up and she isn't."

"I didn't bring regular clothes. You?"

Lucas sighed. "No."

"Then we have no choice," Dustin said getting ready to go over to talk to Max. "We gotta do this. It's now or never."

Lucas wasn't very thrilled with the idea but he wasn't going to leave Dustin alone with her. He knew he would say something wrong and Max wouldn't want to become friends with the party.

"Let's engage," Dustin spoke confidently. Before they could even start walking Max closed her locker and walked away. A huge sensation of relief washed over Lucas but Dustin had a disappointed expression on his face. "We could ask her after class."

"Sure," Lucas shrugged closing his locker and started walking to class next to Dustin.

Even though people were giving them weird looks he just hoped the school day would go by quickly.

***

At the end of class Dustin rushed Lucas to Max's locker where she stood exchanging her books. Dustin, not thinking twice, walked up to Max and cleared his throat getting her attention.

"Hi, Max," Dustin started nervously. "I'm Dustin, and this is-"

Dustin pointed to Lucas, freezing up slightly. "Lucas," Lucas helped his friend finish the sentence.

"Yeah, I know," Max nodded unimpressed. "The stalkers."

"Uh, no, actually..." Lucas and Dustin exchanged worried glances. "We weren't stalking you."

"No, we were just concerned," Dustin tried to save himself, "because, you know, you're new and all."

"Yeah, for your safety," Lucas added trying to play along with Dustin.

"Mm-hmm," Dustin nodded thinking quickly. "There are a lot of bullies here."

"So many bullies," Lucas tried to help. "It's crazy."