Tʜᴇ Fʟᴀʀᴇ ꕥ Lɪᴢᴢɪᴇ Jᴏʜɴsᴏɴ

sᴇʀɪᴇs ᴏɴᴇ ꕥ 2

As Lizzie rode into Hawkins Middle School on the back of Dustin's bike, she didn't think anything could bring her down. Except-

"What?"

That was the only word Elizabeth Johnson could say when Mike told her that Will didn't go home last night. Apparently, Joyce Byers (Will's mum) had phoned Karen Wheeler (Mike's mum) to tell her that Will didn't make it home. She had quickly spun the story into Will leaving early for school, but Karen had apparently thought she was lying.

As Dustin, Mike and Lucas but their bikes into the bike rack, Lucas said. "No, his mum's right, he probably just left early or something-"

"The problem is, what's the 'or something'?" Lizzie asked worriedly.

Lucas didn't get to answer, for the next second, someone shouted. "Roll up! Roll up! Get your tickets to the freak show!"

Lizzie turned and saw, perhaps, the person that she hated the most. Troy Walsh. Backed with his sidekick, James Dante.

These two had always bullied the Party for god knows why and always humiliated them whenever they got the chance. Just as they were doing now.

"Who d'you think would make more money in a freak show?" Troy asked James menacingly.

"Midnight," he shoved Lucas back harshly and made the other three's blood boil at the racism of this comment.

"Frogface," this was Mike. It was a running joke with Troy and James how unattractive the Party was, but Mike was the one they picked on most for his looks. This also made Lizzie's blood boil.

"Crooknose," he shoved Lizzie back. Now the girl wouldn't strictly say this was true, but she did have a rather crooked nose. It was the thing that she was most insecure about. And to a bully, that was a weakness.

"Or Toothless?" He shoved Dustin back. This properly got to Lizzie. It was true, Dustin didn't have a few teeth, but they were growing in. And he didn't deserve to be bullied for it.

James posed in mock thought before imitating Dustin. "I think Toothless!"

Dustin rolled his eyes. "I told you a million times, my teeth are growing in, it's called cleidocranial dysplasia."

"I told you a million times!" James mocked again. "Do the arm thing."

Lizzie rolled her eyes as Troy exclaimed. "Do it, freak!"

At this point, Lizzie stood in front of Dustin. "Just because he's not got a couple of teeth, that doesn't make him a freak!"

Troy laughed. "Relax, Crooknose. Learn to take a joke."

"Learn to make one."

But before Troy could hit her, or whatever, Dustin stepped forward. "It's alright, Lizzie, I'll do it."

And with that he did the "arm thing", which was when he clasped his hands and twisted his arms, making his bones crack.

"Ew!" Troy and James said stepping back. "Whatever guys, freak show's over!"

And then they were off, shoving past the Party.

"Assholes," Lucas muttered.

"I think it's pretty cool," Mike told Dustin after the bullies had walked off. "Like, you got superpowers or something. Like, Mr Fantastic."

"Yeah, except I can't fight evil with it," Dustin pointed out as they walked to class.

Lizzie bit her lip and let Mike and Lucas get ahead of her and Dustin. Then she nudged him. "You're not a freak by the way."