Caught While Sleeping

Part one of two:
Sam's POV

I flipped open my cell phone, making my way down the street of my mansion. After checking the time – 4:28 pm –, I hit the number one button on phone effortlessly with my thumb, pressing the top to my ear. As I became closer and closer to my big ol' house, I could hear the ringing of the phone form a steady pattern.

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing.

I stepped through the grand entrance of my home, graciously making my way through the rooms. As I walked into the foyer of the mansion, I spotted my dad and mom in the kitchen, sitting at the table. With the phone pressed to my ear, I moved on.

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing.

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing.

I walked into the kitchen, barely noticing the two adults accompanying the room with me. But they just talked right on, knowing what I was doing. Hey! I was not ignoring them. I know, I know... You're thinking, 'GASP. That's horrible!' Don't give me that. My parents know I like my space, and I know they like theirs. (Even though sometimes they don't seem like they know that…) Besides, they were in deep conversation.

Don't judge me.

"Hello, 'Sam!!'"

I laughed under my breath as I heard my name in the phone. Tucker, Danny, and I had been at a party, and you could hear the screaming and yelling in the background. Danny had laughed my name while I was recording. It sounded so good to me; I just had to keep it.

"You have two unread messages."

I finally made it through the kitchen and the living room, gradually making my way toward my room. As I came nearer and nearer to the staircase, I pressed the phone to my ear so I could hear it more clearly.

"Message one: Friday, two-ten pm."

The sound soon clicked from an automatic, feminine voice to an anxious, raspy voice of a fifteen year old. I could recognize it immediately, seeing his expressions and his gestures like he was actually there before me.

"Hey, Sam, it's me. Tuck. Yeah, have you seen my PDA? (pause) Crap. Mom's gonna kill me. (Click!)"

I shook my head, wordlessly climbing the grand stairway. I raised my eyes to spot my room, candles obviously burning the way I wanted them to. I could even smell the lily aroma that I so adored. I finally made it up the stairs, silently walking down the hallway. And without noticing, I had a bounce to my step. Maybe I felt like I was going to have a good rest of the day? Oh, I really don't know why. I guess I just felt like skipping.

Sue me.

I bounced – Shut up. I know what you're thinking… Shut up. – into my bedroom, closing the door behind me with a swing of my hips. I tossed my booksack onto the floor of my room, flopping onto my bed with the cell still pressed to my right ear.

"Message two: Friday, three-seventeen pm."

The sound soon clicked from an automatic, feminine voice to smooth, calming voice of another fifteen year old. I could recognize it immediately as well, envisioning him in his room, swiveling around in a chair, tapping a pencil out of boredom.

"Saaaaaaaaaaaammy! Yeah… Hey there, little girl. You know who this is, so don't guess. Oh, all right. Let's play the guessing game. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!! Okay. (pause, cough-cough) I live with ghost hunters, yet they can't comprehend that their own son is a ghost. Can you guess who I am? (another pause) You're right! It's the Easter Bunny!!"

I shook my head, laughing at Danny's immaturity. He can be so retarded sometimes, but it's so hard not to laugh along. He tries too much, most of the time, but whatever. It's still fun to laugh at him.

"So, yeah… I'm here, alone in my room, staring at the ceiling, with nothing in the world to do. I could go kick Box Ghost's butt, but I feel merciful right now. Well, I did when I decided that. Now I'm having second thoughts…"

I kicked off my shoes, relaxing into the pillow under my head. It felt so good to melt into my covers. My nice…warm…covers…

"AAAAAAAaaanyway, I was wondering if you'd like to come over. You don't have to, of course, but I'd like you to. It beats having to listen to Dad rave about some gadget that'll kill him in the next few hours. (pause)
Pleeeeeeeeaaaaaase?? (pause) Thanks!! (Click!)"

I sighed, rolling onto my stomach, burying my face into my pillow. I closed my eyes, racking my brain for options of what to do. Either go to Danny's or read a nice book in isolation. I raised an eyebrow, considering the second choice. But then my high hopes of reading dimished. But he sounded like he was expecting me…

I sat up, jumping off my bed. I slipped my shoes back on, content about what I was wearing. I didn't need to change… There was no special occasion. As I headed toward the door, I reached out to the doorknob, then hesitated because of a revelation.

The message was submitted about an hour ago... Am I still invited?

I looked around my room, gazing at the candles, looking for an answer in the flames. I continued to stare at the fire, a blank expression on my face. Suddenly, I grinned. I opened the door, still smiling, and walked down the stairs.

Of course. I'm always invited over to the Fentons'.

o.O.o.O.o.O.o

I hopped – Don't say anything! – to the door of the Fenton residence, ringing the doorbell with a flick of my finger. I waited there, humming the tune to Paramore's That's What You Get. I just LOVE that song! What's not to like? The beat's amazing, the lyrics are easy to understand, and they sound great singing it. It's fun to sing along to, also.

Anyway, it took a while, but Mrs. Fenton finally answered the door. With a smile, she cracked the entrance a little bit, and then when she saw me, she flung it open. "Hey there, Sam," she greeted, her tone like I was family. Her eyes flickered with something I didn't recognize, but I didn't make a big deal out of it. "What do you need?"

I shrugged. "Just here because Danny invited me." I paused, raising my eyes to hers. "That okay?"

"Oh, sure. Any one of Dan's friends is welcome at anytime." Mrs. Fenton smiled, backing up a few steps so she was out of the way. She gestured in, and not being rude, I walked inside. She sat down at the kitchen table, taking a Fenton Gadget into her hands. With that smile still on her face, she announced, "Danny's in his room, I believe."

I nodded respectfully before fleeing up the staircase.

o.O.o.O.o.O.o

I knocked on Danny's door, obviously not wanting to interrupt him if he's doing anything. I glanced over the surface of it, scanning over the posters and signs on the door. He had all the posters on the door, some funny quotes, some silly threats, but "Don't bug me," glared right at me, causing me to rethink going over.

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea…

I tapped once more on the door, a little more lightly this time. But because curiosity took over my whole sense of right and wrong – Good thing I'm not a cat! –, I cracked the door slightly open, poking my head into his room. It was all lit up and everything, but I couldn't find my best friend in his mess of a room. Clothes on the floor, books on the ground, paper on the couch… It didn't look like he tried to make a good impression. But it didn't matter. My room was always messy when Tuck and Dan came over, anyway.

"Danny," I called out quietly, gazing around his room. Suddenly, I saw him.

He was curled up, his knees to his chest, with his face buried into a pillow. He snored a little, but not enough to wake up anybody. Danny's mouth was slightly open, and there was a little crust by his lips – It's so adorable! He drools… –, as if outlining where his smile began. His eyes were closed together graciously, his arms above his head. Danny's hair all messed up, sticking up in unnatural styles and spread about all over the pillow. I laughed quietly, not once taking my eyes off of him.

Yeah. This wasn't a good idea.

With one more glance, I studied the innocent face of my best friend. It was so cute how he looked so vulnerable in his sleep, like he didn't have a care in the world. Plus, he snored and drooled… Aw, so cute!!

I silently closed the door behind me before making my way down the stairs. I planned to slip out the front door, but forgot that Mrs. Fenton was in the kitchen, a room that I would have to pass through to get out of the Fenton Residence.

"Something wrong?" she asked as I emerged from the living room.

I wasn't going to say anything but, "Danny's sleeping," escaped my lips.

Darn...

Mrs. Fenton raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?" she murmured, pursing her lips together. I could tell she was surprised. And why was that? "I didn't know… I'm so sorry about that!"

I shook my head in disagreement. "Nothing's wrong," I reassured her, inching toward the front door. "He needs his rest. I'll see him tomorrow." Mrs. Fenton didn't look so sure, but I scurried out the house before she could say anything else. With a smile, I walked down the street, a small bounce to my step.

I got to see Danny sleeping, I recited to myself, my grin broadening unintentionally. I couldn't help it. I would have that image in my mind forever. Whenever I would be in a bad mood, I would just think of Danny snoring innocently, and my frown would flip-flop into a dreamy smile. It was pretty easy to predict what would happen, actually.

Jumping over a crack in the ground, I couldn't help but laugh quietly. It would be so funny if that happened to me. Mom says I talk in my sleep, actually, but I don't believe her. I recorded myself, one day. And didn't hear anything. …but the recorder shuts off after twenty minutes of not being used… Oh whatever. Danny would never see me when I am sleeping, anyway.

Or, at least, I hope.

The inspiration for this was finding my fourteen year old neighbor curled up in a ball, laying on the couch, in front of a fan Anyway, I thought it was kinda adorable how he looked so innocent... It made me smile. And then I thought, what if Sam found Danny like that? Man, she'd never stop smiling!

So I wrote this:3