Rhiannon // Max Mayfield

3: Say that again Bitch

"The case of Phineas Gage is one of the great medical curiosities of all time, Phineas was a railroad worker in 1848 who had a nightmarish incident ..." Mr. Clarke droned on, Alex toned out, already knowing the case thanks to helping Steve with his homework a few years ago. The girl just sat in her seat, occasionally stealing a glance at Max, sat beside her messing with a finger skateboard. Alex hadn't been able to get the girl out of her head all weekend, not since she walked her home on Halloween and Max kissed her cheek as a joke.

Max had similar feeling, not being able to focus on Mr. Clarkes lecture because Alex was coating all her thoughts. She had barley taken Alex's jumper off all weekend, liking the way it feels and how it smells like the other girl. She wasn't sure why though, why Alex made her feel funny inside, how she felt butterflies when Alex smiled at her but when Lucas did it they went.

Dustin pulled both girls from their thoughts, "I am so sorry Mr. Clarke. Really, I'm so sorry. Please continue with the class. Don't mind me," Dustin said, out of breath as he slid into his chair, "Really, continue please"

Mr. Clarke nodded and continued, "Although it wasn't a crowbar, it was a rod, as I said.." Alex toned his voice back out again, instead focusing on her zipper which suddenly seemed really interesting.

Dustin said something to his group and then turned behind to Alex and Max, "AV club at lunch, you have to be there" he said hushed, Alex wondered what could possibly be so important that the boy was late to class.

"Dustin." Mr. Clarke called, looking at Dustin who was facing in the wrong direction, mouthing that 'the AV club was very important' and they had to be there at recess.

"Yes my lord?" Dustin asks sweetly, turning his seat back around.

"Would you care to join the class now?" Mr. Clarke asks, but Alex was already not focused once again, off in her own little word contemplating life.

~~

It was now recess, the whole group was hunched around the a table in the AV room where Dustin opened his box to show the creature? reptile? inside. Alex had practically dragged Max with her, the ginger not caring that much about what Dustin wanted to show her.

"His name in d'Artagnan. Cute right?" Dustin says, picking the creature up and letting it wriggle in his hands.

"d'Artagnan? Like the musketeer?" Alex asked, clarifying that Dustin hadn't just named the thing gibberish.

He nodded and showed off the creature, Alex had never seen something so disgusting. Dart was roughly the size of Dustin's hand, he was a yellowy-green, the two colours merged together to look like slime. He had a lizard like tail, small claw like hands and a tiny mouth. He certainly didn't look like a killer but then again he didn't look like your average reptile.

"D'Artagnan?" Mike askes, looking at the creature fascinated, like it was a new mystery the gang could solve.

"Dart for short," Dustin explains with a grin on his face. He thought the creature was amazing, he loved it like a pet and really hope his friends and his crush - Max - liked it too. "He likes Nougat as well!" Dustin argued, trying to keep the mood light.

"And he was in your trash?" Max asks from beside Alex, feeling sick at the sight of the creature.

Alex had the same feeling, a mix of the creature and the amount of candy her and her brothers had ingested the day before didn't make her feel any better, in fact she was resisting the urge to throw up.