DANCIN' ► DUSTIN HENDERSON [1]

1/2

thank you guys SO SO much for all the love this book has been getting recently. as of writing this we surpassed 20K reads and that is CRAZY to me so thank you guys for all the support i love you all and enjoy part 2!! 💜

"SON OF A BITCH!" Dustin cursed angrily as he scrambled through his house. His hands pried at loose couch cushions, tossing them around the room messily. "Son of a bitch!"

The curly-haired boy dashed into his living room, digging in the creases of the sofa. "Another stupid penny," he hissed in frustration, furiously tossing the coin.

His mother flinched as the coin flew past her before she continued to stroke her cat. "Dustin, watch it!" She scolded lightly. "You almost hit Mews!"

Dustin rolled his eyes with an exasperated sigh, ignoring his mother's comment. "Can I please check under your cushions?" He asked, slightly annoyed.

"Dusty," she whined, not wanting to be interrupted from her television viewing.

"Mom, please, it's an emergency," Dustin begged. She let out a groan, to which he mocked, but she got up nonetheless. He charged towards the cushions, almost knocking her down again.

A triumphant look spread on the Henderson boy's face as he held four quarters in the palm of his hand. "Love you, Mom," he exclaimed over his shoulder, running carelessly past her.

Tonight was arcade night again with the boys. Dustin liked arcade nights. They were a distraction, and distractions were good for him. It kept him from sitting at home on his bed, looking through his old stuff he used to share with a certain redhead. Or from passing by Ruby's house while she was away at work, just to ponder on how things would be if she were still here.

Dustin shook his head clear, knowing how much he needed tonight to be a distraction. The boy flung himself at the foot of his bed, gripping his walkie tightly. "Lucas, do you copy?" He breathed, resting against the bed frame. "I've got four quarters, what's your haul?"

"Take your puny haul and multiply it by five," Lucas sneered, practically smirking at the boy through the walkie.

"How?" Dustin questioned, completely stunned.

"While you were scrounging around like a homeless bum, I mowed Old Man Humphrey's lawn," Lucas replied, sounding vaguely proud of himself.

"Old Man Humphrey's got that kinda cash?" Dustin scoffed in disbelief.

"Just call Mike already," Lucas annoyingly groaned.

"You call Mike," Dustin fired back, slightly envious of Lucas's money he miraculously managed to achieve. He also didn't want to be the one stuck with the task of handling Mike, who was somehow more moody than Dustin now.

"I have to go take a shower from doing real work," Lucas chided, then added dutifully, "Like a man. Over and out."

Dustin let out a deep sigh, running a few fingers through his tousled curls. "Why do I have to deal with Debby Downer all the time?" He mumbled, slightly frustrated. "Acting as if he was the only one that lost someone."

Swallowing his anger, he flipped through various channels. His heart swelled as he finally switched to the private channel he once had with her. Static crackled, breaking the deafening silence of his frowning room. He was afraid to speak, as if he would offend her by using it without her here to respond.