We're sitting in class, listening to what Mr. Clarke is saying. Well, most kids are listening, not me. I'm just looking at the edge of my desk, doing absolutely nothing. My stare breaks a loud crash of the door. I quickly look up, seeing Dustin breathe heavily.
"I'm so sorry, Mr. Clarke," he exclaims and walks to his seat.
"Really, I'm so sorry. Please continue with the class." Dustin sits down at his desk and I furrow my eyebrows.
"Don't mind me, really. Continue, please. Thanks," he says and Mr. Clarke continues to talk. I can see Dustin whispering something to his three friends up at the front. Suddenly, he turns to me and my sister.
"AV club, lunch," he whispers across the classroom. Max leans in and I frown.
"What?" I whisper back, not hearing what he said.
"Dustin!" Mr. Clarke exclaims and he turns to him.
"Yes, my lord," Dustin says.
"Would you care to join the class now?" Mr. Clarke asks him.
"Please, yes," Dustin replies, trying to find his book in his backpack.
"The case of Phineas Gage," Mr. Clarke says.
"Phineas Gage," Dustin repeats and pulls his book out.
"Page 104,"Mr. Clarke adds and I open my book to that page. I don't really pay attention, I guess.
"Good to see you, Maddie to join us too," Mr. Clarke states and I look at him, seeing the looks from everyone in the class.
"I'm sorry, I was stuck in my thoughts," I say and Mr. Clarke nods that it's not that big of a deal.
"Focus," Mr. Clarke says towards Dustin, who finally opens his book.
"Focusing," the Henderson boy mutters and turns back to Max and I.
"AV club," he whispers and we give him a thumbs up. He gives us a big grin and turns back to Mr. Clarke. I sigh and look at the edge of my desk again.
-
The trap opens and we stare at the creature inside.
"His name is d'Artagnan," Dustin says and picks the slimy creature up.
"Cute, right?" he exclaims with a smile.
"D'Artagnan?" Mike asks back in confusion.
"Dart, for short," Dustin adds.
"And he was in your trash," Max says, not believing it.
"Foraging for food," Dustin agrees and I sigh.
"You wanna hold him?" he asks and Max's eyes widen.
"No, no," she says, but Dustin puts Dart in her hands anyway.
"Oh, God. He's slimy!" Max states and passes him into Lucas's hands.
"Ugh, he's like a living booger!" he exclaims, passing him to Will.
"Ugh, oh, God!" he says in disgust and gives Dart to me. I hold him for a second, then bring him up and more towards Mike. He touches the creature, then looks at me.
"What is he?" Mike asks Dustin.
"My question exactly," Dustin replies, grabbing some of the books that he brought with him.
"At first, I thought he was some kind of pollywog," he says.
"Pollywog?" Max asks and I turn to her.
"A tadpole, just another word for it," I explain to her, while the others look at me in confusion.
"What? I read," I say and turn to Dustin.
"A tadpole is the larval stage of a toad," he states to Max.
"I-I know what a tadpole is," she says.
"Alright, then you know that most tadpoles are aquatic, right?" Dustin asks and opens one of the books. "Well, Dart, he isn't. He doesn't need water," he adds.
"Yeah, but aren't there non-aquatic pollywogs?" Lucas asks.
"Yeah, terrestrial pollywogs. Indirana semipalmata and Adenomera andreae," I reply for Dustin, who flips the pages to the two pollywogs.
"Exactly. One's from India, one's from South America, so how did one end up in my trash," Dustin states.
"Maybe some scientists brought it here and it escaped?" Max suggests.
"Do you guys see that? Looks like something's moving inside of it," Mike says, looking down at the creature. He points a lamp at Dart, only for it to screech. We all back away in surprise and it tries to run off of the table, yet thankfully Dustin catches it.
"It's okay, I got you little guy. I know you don't like that, it's okay," Dustin says, smiling at Dart.
"And there's another thing. Reptiles, they're cold-blooded, ectothermic, right? They love heat, the sun. Dart hates it, it hurts him," Dustin states, looking up at us.
"So if he's not a pollywog or a reptile..." Lucas trails off.
"Then I've discovered a new species." Dustin smiles. He starts to stroke Dart and I spot Will, looking scared. I grab his shoulder and he turns to me.
"You okay?" I whisper and he quickly nods.
"Yeah, yeah," he says and looks away again. The bell suddenly rings and we grab our backpacks and head out of the door.
"You gotta show him to Mr. Clarke," Lucas says.
"No, what if he will steal my discovery!" Dustin replies.
"He's not gonna steal your discovery," Mike states to him.
"You know, I'm thinking about calling it Dustonious Pollywogus. What do you think?" he adds, looking at Max and I with a smile.
"I think you're an idiot." Max chuckles at him.
"You know, when I become rich and famous one day, don't come back to me saying 'Oh my God, Dustin. I'm so sorry for being mean to you back in 8th grade. Oh my God'," Dustin says and I laugh at his girl voice.
"Okay, no way we'll sound like that," I state with a smirk.
YOU ARE READING
MADELINE, dustin henderson
Fanfiction-MADELINE where Maddie and her twin sister, Max, move to a new town, only to find about a different dimension, love towards boys, and not such a friendship with a girl. best rankings: #1 in dustinhenderson ! #1 in dustinhendersonxoc ! #1 in gate...
