What do you think? I think you're an idiot. (Dustin Henderson x Reader)

13: The funeral.

Y/n's pov

I was at the funeral with my parents, wearing a black dress.

In all honesty, it was weird. Listening to the pastor talk about Will's death when he wasn't actually dead.

I felt bad for everyone else there. They all thought they lost him for good.

Dustin gently elbowed me in my side and pointed to Jennifer Hayes, who was sniffling, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Just wait 'till we tell Will Jennifer Hayes was crying at his funeral." Dustin said, making us all snicker until we were shushed by Mrs. Wheeler.

Afterwards, everyone went around to offer their condolences and Mrs. Henderson came up to Dustin and I.

"Hello, how's my future daughter in law holding up?" She asked, making both Dustin and I tense up at the 'future daughter-in-law' part.

"I'm doing okay, Mrs. Henderson, thank you." I said as she pulled me into a big hug.

Over her shoulder I looked at Dustin, who seemed to be looking anywhere but at me.

——

We were at the reception, and Dustin and I had spotted the snack table right away, leaving Mike and Lucas to look for Mr. Clarke.

"Hello, kids, how are you holding up?" Mr Clarke asked.

"We're in... Mourning." Lucas said, putting on his best sad face.

"Man, these aren't real Nilla wafers." Dustin said to me.

"I think it's just crackers and icing." I said as we both examined our fake snacks.

I looked up to see Lucas giving us both a dirty look, and I swallowed and joined them at the table, Dustin doing the same.

"We have some questions." Mike said.

"A lot of questions." Lucas added.

"So, you know how in Cosmos, Carl Sagan talks about other dimensions? Like, beyond our world?" Mike asked.

"Yeah, sure. Theoretically." Mr. Clarke answered.

"So, theoretically, how would we travel there?" I asked, setting my hands down on the table in front of me.

"Well, basically, there are parallel universes, just like our world, but just infinite variations of it. Which means that there's a world out there where none of this tragic stuff ever happened." Mr. Clarke said.

"Yeah, uh, that's not what we're talking about." I clarified.

"Oh." Mr Clarke responded.

"We're talking more about, like, an evil dimension. Like the vale of shadows." Dustin explained.

"Well, let me put it this way." Mr. Clarke started, taking a pen out of his pocket and grabbing a paper plate to use as a demonstration.

"Picture an acrobat... Standing on a tightrope. Now, the tightrope is our dimension, and our dimension has rules. You can move forwards or backwards. But, what if... Standing right next to our acrobat, there is a flea. Now, the flea can also travel back and forth, just like the acrobat, right?" Mr. Clarke asked, to which we all nodded.

"But here's where things get really interesting. The flea can also travel this way. Along the side of the rope. He can even go... Underneath the rope." Mr. Clarke said.

"Upside down." Dustin, Lucas, Mike and I said in unison.

Mr Clarke nodded, somewhat confused.

"But we're the acrobat, so we... Can't go under the rope?" I asked.

"No, not in this metaphor." He replied.

"Well, is there a way for the acrobat to get under the rope?" Lucas asked.

"Well... you'd have to create a massive amount of energy. More than humans are currently capable of creating, mind you, to open up a tear in time and space, and then..." Mr. Clarke stabbed his pen through the plate.

"You make a doorway. Kids, this is all-" Mr. Clarke started.

"Theoretical." I finished for him.

"But what if this gate already existed?" Mike asked.

"Well, I think we'd know. It would disrupt gravity, the electromagnetic field, our environment. Heck, it might even swallow us up whole. Science is neat, but I'm afraid it's not very forgiving." Mr. Clarke explained.

Great, just great.

Word count: 658