Disclaimer: Danny Phantom is (c) Butch Hartman and the song "Girl Next Door" is (c) Saving Jane.
A/N: Story told from the POV of my OC, Natasha. When I heard this song, and listened to all the lyrics, it seemed to almost perfectly echo what Natasha thinks of Paulina and how she's starting to have mixed feelings for Danny. The story takes place when they are all thirteen and in eighth grade.
Lunchtime. As usual, I sat with my three best friends:
Tucker Foley. I didn't like him at first, and he didn't like me. He thought I had cooties because I'm a girl; he's come a long way from that phase, though we still tease each other for fun. He's like a little brother to me, even though he's technically older.
Sam Manson. I've known her since the second grade, even before she went for the Goth look. She and I are the only girls in our group of friends, but that's never really been a problem. I can relate to the guys more than I can to her, though we're still there for each other when we need a female insight.
Danny Fenton. I've lived next door to him since I was nearly four, and nine years have passed since then. He's a little shy, clumsy, and awkward, and I'll admit, I used to poke a little fun at him for that. But he's also put up with me the longest of all my friends. Not to mention he's sweet, sensitive, cute... wait a minute, what?
"Tasha?" Sam said to me, snapping her fingers in my face to get my attention.
"Why yes, Captain Sparrow, I would love to board your—" I widened my eyes in a sudden manner and snapped them in her direction, saying "Huh?"
"You were daydreaming again," Sam told me.
"She was also watching way too much Pirates of the Caribbean last night," Danny told Sam.
"So was it going to be a date, Mrs. Sparrow?" Tucker asked.
"At least I get dates in my fantasies," I shot back.
A couple minutes later, Sam broke it up and said, "Jeez, you two argue like a married couple..."
"If anyone acts like a married couple in this group..." Tucker said as he shifted his attention to Sam.
"...it's you and Danny," Tucker and I said at the same time. We looked at each other, and then back down at our lunches and resumed eating. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Sam blush a little. Danny, on the other hand, was gazing across the cafeteria where the A-listers sat.
With those A-listers included Paulina Sanchez, who was probably the prettiest girl at Casper Middle School.
Small town homecoming queen
She's the star in this scene
There's no way to deny she's lovely
Perfect skin, perfect hair
Perfumed hearts everywhere
Tell myself that inside she's ugly
Maybe I'm just jealous
I can't help but hate her
Secretly I wonder if my best friend wants to date her
Danny clearly had a crush on Paulina, but I don't get what he saw in her. Then again, last year when my dad won the lottery, she befriended me. But by the time my dad and I had spent the last of the lot, I was back to middle class and not her friend. Despite this, it bugs me when Danny ogles at her, more than it should bug me.
She is the prom queen I'm in the marching band
She is a cheerleader I'm sitting in the stands
She gets the top bunk I'm sleeping on the floor
She's Miss America and I'm just the girl next door
Nine years. That's how long it's been since I moved to Amity Park. I'd say you can't miss my house, but actually, most people do. The Fentons live right next door to me, and you can't miss their house... unless you're oblivious enough to not notice the giant sign reading "FentonWorks" outside of their house.
It seems like only yesterday that Danny, or Tucker, didn't even like girls. There were female family members, and there was Sam and me, but until sixth grade, none of us had love interests. Then Tucker started flirting with girls-he even flirted with Sam and me at some point, and I still can't tell if he was kidding or not-and Danny fell head over heels for Paulina Sanchez. I was busy helping them with their girl problems, and as for Sam...
*FLASHBACK*
"Tasha, can I ask you a question?"
"Didn't give me a choice there, did ya, 'Sammy-kins'?"
"Shut up..." Sam said as she hit me with a pillow. "Anyway, you know Danny Fenton?"
"No, I live next door to the guy and yet I've never seen him in my life," I said as I rolled my eyes. "What about him?"
"I kind of... like him. You know, like him like him."
I gasped and asked, "You mean to say you're in like with him?"
""Huh?"
"You like him like him..."
Sam nodded. I squealed like a rabid fangirl, hugged her, and bounced up and down. Ten seconds later, I noticed she wasn't bouncing with me, so I stopped. "Get off," she said as she shoved me. Then I noticed her cheeks flush pink. "You know I don't like it when you get all perky... just don't tell Danny, okay?"
"Just as long as you tell him."
*END FLASHBACK*
Matchmaker Natasha. That's what it felt like I was when all my friends started crushing. I started to wonder why I didn't have a crush too. But watching Danny swoon over Paulina irked me more and more.
Senior class president
She must be heaven sent
She was never the last one standing
Paulina seemed to have it easy. She's rich, beautiful, and popular.
A backseat debutant
Everything that you want
Never too harsh or too demanding
Maybe I'll admit it
I'm a little bitter
Everybody loves her but I just want to hit her
She's a priss and a snob... she's a prob!
End of lunch. My friends and I were leaving the cafeteria, and Paulina bumped into me. Or I bumped into her. It really depends on who you ask.
"Watch where you're going, Nat!" Paulina screeched at me. "Or should I say, Gnat!" She made sure to pronounce the G.
"You know what you should say?" I then said in a mocking valley girl accent, "I'm Paulina, I'm an illegal immigrant, and I stuff my bra!"
"HEY! I do not stuff my bra... and at least I wear one!"
"I believe you, considering all the guys you showed it to!"
"And how many guys-besides those losers you hang out with-like you?"
"Touché," I said with slight hesitation.
"What did you call me?"
We continued to fire insults at each other like venom, until I finally said, "Your mother left you..."
"So did yours!" she spat back.
I then attacked her and we got into a physical brawl. We tore each other's clothes, pulled each other's hair, and pinned each other down. Then she got up, brushed herself clean, and started to walk away, but before she could do that, I got up and jumped on her from behind. Finally, Danny and Sam intervened; Danny got ahold of me and Sam got ahold of Paulina, and they pulled us away from each other. Both Paulina and I were still flailing our arms trying to get a hit at each other.
"Let go of me, you Goth freak!" Paulina screeched at Sam.
"Aw, man! Why'd you guys have to break up the girl fight?" Tucker asked.
She is the prom queen I'm in the marching band
She is a cheerleader I'm sitting in the stands
She gets the top bunk I'm sleeping on the floor
She's Miss America and I'm just the girl next door
Oh and I'm just the girl next door
I don't know why I'm feeling sorry for myself
I spend all my time wishing that I was someone else
Sometimes deep down-very deep-I wish I could be as rich, beautiful, and popular as Paulina...
She is the prom queen I'm in the marching band
She is a cheerleader I'm sitting in the stands
I get a little bit, she gets a little more
She's Miss America and... she's Miss America
I'm just the girl next door...
...But then I think about how these are her glory years, and in about 20 years I'll be a successful actress while she's a miserable and fat old cat lady.
Fifth period. I had this class with both Danny and Paulina. He gazed at her from across the room, and now, all I could do was giggle.
A/N: I changed the lyric "secretly I wonder if my boyfriend wants to date her" to "secretly I wonder if my best friend wants to date her" because it suits Danny and Natasha better.