Someone to you - Dustin Henderson

005|

Riley sat in her usual seat near the front of the class next to Dustin, except Dustin had yet to show up. Riley sighed to herself leaning her chin on her hand as she stared at the front of the class bored out of her mind. 

She spun round noticing Will looking back at Max. Will and Max held eye contact for a few seconds before turning away from one another. Riley turned back to the folding her arms on the desk and putting her head on them.

Max was cool, she was not. Max was beautiful, she was not. Therefore Riley was not good enough for Dustin and she knew it, she'd always known it. Dustin deserved better than her. 

The door slammed open bringing Riley out of her thought as she looked up to find Dustin panting as he stood at the door. 

"I am so sorry, Mr Clarke." Dustin apologised out of breath as he made his way towards his seat, "Really, i'm so sorry. Please continue with the class. Don't mind me. Really, continue, please."

Riley sighed turning back to the front of the class feeling her eyes start to droop as she battled to not fall asleep.

Dustin lent towards the four boys on his left letting them know they had to meet at the AV club at lunch. He then span round facing Max at the back of the classroom letting her know as well.

"Dustin!"

"Yes my lord." Dustin spoke as he turned to face Mr Clarke.

"Would you care to join the class now?"

"Please yes." He lent down getting his books out of his backpack.

"The case of Phineas Gage."

"Phineas Gage."

"Page 104."

"104. 104."

"Focus."

"Focusing. Focusing."  Dustin placed his book on the table turning back round to repeat what he'd said to Max again. Max sarcastically stuck her thumb up in return. Dustin smiled at her before turning around once more catching a glimpse of Riley who was almost asleep out the corner of his eye.

"Hey... hey, Riley." He whispered tapping her on the shoulder causing her to lift her head suddenly looking around confused before her eyes landed on Dustin. She smiled weakly at the boy.

"Yeah?" She whispered her usually joyful eyes looking tired.

"What's wrong." Dustin asked concerned.

Riley's face fell slightly but she quickly sent him a very bright and very fake smile, "Nothing, i'm fine."

"Okay... um, we're meeting at the AV club at lunch." He sent her a soft smile his hand still on her shoulder before turning back to the front of the class. 

Riley eyes widened as she slowly turning back to the front of the class her head falling into her hands once more, a million thoughts running through her head, most of them telling her that she would never be good enough for Dustin.

Dustin opened the lid to his ghost trap and the group all lent forwards to see what was inside. Riley furrowed her eyebrows at the green slug like creature that was inside, "What is it?"

"His name is d'Artagnan." Dustin smiled looking at her before reaching his hand into the trap and lifting it out holding it on the palm of his hand, "Cute, right."

"Uh, sure." Riley sighed not to sure how to answer.

"D'Artagnan?" Mike asked.

"Dart for short."

"And he was in your trash?" Max spoke up from where she stood next to Riley.

"Foraging for food." Dustin looked up at Max a bright smile on his face, "Do you want to hold him?"

"No, no!" 

"He doesn't bite."

"I don't want to-" Dustin placed the creature on Max's hand, "Oh, God. He's slimy!" Max groaned passing it to Riley.

"I don't want it." Riley groaned passing it to Lucas.

"Ugh, he's like a living booger." Lucas passed it to Will.

"Ugh, oh, god!" Will passed it to Mike who held it up infront of his face.

"What is he?"

"My question exactly." Dustin smiled leaning down to pull a pile of books out his bag and slamming them down on the table infront of him, "At first, I thought it was some type of pollywog."

"Pollywog?" Max asked leaning across the table.

"It's another word for tadpole." Dustin explained, "A tadpole is the larval stage of a toad."

"I know what a tadpole is."

"All right, then you know that most tadpoles are aquatic, right?" Dustin pointed to a picture in the book, "Well, Dart, he isn't. He doesn't need water."

"Yeah, but aren't there nonaquatic pollywogs?" Lucas said as Riley nodded her head in agreement.

"Terrestrial pollywogs? Yep. Two to be exact." He opened the book to a different page, "Indirana semipalmata. And the Adenomera andreae. One's from India, one's from South America. So how did one end up in my trash?"

"Maybe some scientists brought it here, and it escaped?" Max proposed.

Mike and Riley who had both been watching the strange creature both lent forwards when they noticed something moving inside, "Hey, do you guys see that."

"It looks like something is moving inside of it." Mike finished leaning forwards pulling a lamp towards D'Artagnan only for the animal to screech and try to jump of the table, luckily Dustin was there to catch it before it fell to the floor.

"I got you little guy." Dustin stroked it, "I know you don't like that. It's okay. And there's another thing. Reptiles, they're cold-blooded. Ectothermic, right? They love heat, the sun. Dart hates it. It hurts him."

"So if he'd not a pollywog or a reptile.." Lucas started.

"Then I've discovered a new species." Dustin smiled.

The bell rang and they quickly gathered their stuff heading towards their next lesson, "You've got to show him to Mr Clarke." Lucas told Dustin who shook his head.

"What if he steals my discovery?"

"Dustin I don't think Mr Clarke is gonna steal your discovery." Riley replied.

"You know, i'm thinking about calling it Dustonious pollywogus. What do you think?" Dustin looked over Riley's head towards Max. Riley slowed down her arms falling to her side as she stood next to Will who was trailing behind them, watching as they sped up not even realising they'd left the two behind.

"I think you're an idiot." The red head smiled back at Dustin.

"When I become rich and famous for this one day, don't come crawling back, saying, Oh, my god, Dustin, i'm so sorry for being mean to you back in 8th grade. Oh, my god." Dustin mimicked Max's voice as they walked.

"You okay, Will?" Riley smiled at her friend. And due to Will also not being the tallest in the group she didn't always have to look up at him.

"Yeah, i'm okay. Come one." Will said walking forwards, Riley quickly following.