WONDERFUL LIFE. (Dustin Henderson.)

002 { •A Moment of Silence }

"Meet the human brain. I know, I know, a little gross, but consider this: there are 100 billion cells inside of this miracle of evolution. All working as one! No, no I did not misspeak. I did not stutter. A hundred billion!" Mr. Clarke explained with utter fascination and excitement.

"Gee, Mr. Clarke. You make me wanna purchase my very own brain from the department store!" Gorty uttered sarcastically.

That earned a few chuckles from around the class and an eyeroll from Mike Wheeler sitting a few seats away from him.

"Ah, yes, there's that Gentry sass we all know and love. Please though, Mr. Gentry, save it for after class." Mr. Clarke pleaded.

Gortimer had been known for making sarcastic comments in Mr. Clarke's class. It was his first period class and he was definitely not a morning person. He really did love Mr. Clarke for making the classes entertaining with his nerdy charisma.

Gorty chuckled softly, "sorry Mr. C, I didn't mean to be rude. Just didn't get much sleep last night. Please, continue with the lesson."

He wasn't lying, he truly didn't get much sleep last night. He barely got any at all, being completely honest. He'd stared at his dark ceiling thinking of the possible ways to confess his love to Dustin Henderson. He contemplated and navigated plans in his mind, but came to the disappointing that he simply couldn't tell his soulmate that he was in love with him. He didn't even know Dustin's sexuality, so there was no way he would risk ruining their friendship.

The worst part of that ordeal, was that Dustin Henderson had spent the whole night pondering the exact same thing, and came to the exact same disappointing conclusion.

As if on queue, the door burst open revealing a ginger headed girl followed by the principal.

Mr. Clarke's attention was pulled from the fake brain over to the pair who had interrupted class.

He smiled, "oh, and this must be our new student!" He said a little too enthusiastically.

"Indeed it is." The principal stated.

The girl looked extremely annoyed that she was there and rushed to the back of the room to take the empty seat in the corner.

"Woah, hold on there, you don't get away that easy," Mr. Clarke said chuckling to himself as the girl rolled her eyes muttering a curse word.

"Come on up, don't be shy," he insisted.

"Dustin, drumroll please," Dustin perked up and closed his book, starting to drum before Mr. Clarke continued, "Class, please welcome, all the way from sunny California, the latest passenger to join us on our curiosity voyage, Maxine!!"

The girl rolled her eyes once more, "it's Max," she muttered.

"Sorry?" Mr. Clarke asked, not hearing what the girl had said.

"Nobody calls me Maxine," she clarified, "it's just Max."

The boys' eyes all widened as Dustin and Gorty turned to face each other.

"No way," Gorty breathed shaking his head.

"Madmax," Dustin said, just as bewildered.

"Well, all aboard Max," Mr. Clarke said, motioning for her to sit down.

The girl rushed back to the corner to take the seat she had originally intended on taking, the boys' eyes all glued to her as she walked.

Dustin and Gorty turned back to each other.

"That's our DigDug champion," Gorty said, smirking.

Dustin just kept his eyes bulged as he turned to face his textbook, still trying to process what had just happened.