Danny let out a harsh sigh as he entered the locker room. Dash had been an even bigger ass than usual that day. First he'd stolen Danny's homework almost as soon as he'd walked in the door. It wasn't finished, of course, but he hadn't known that! Then he'd yanked Danny up by his shirt, just about strangling him in the process, and stretched the fabric way out! Which was why the halfa was in the gym two hours before he needed to be. Thank goodness for free period.
But Danny's blood boiled as he saw the king of Casper High himself -Dash fucking Baxter- standing at the locker that just had to be so close to the teen's own.
"What are you doing, Dash?" Danny spat the name like an insult. His hands clenched into fists at his sides. His eyes flashed but the halfa reigned in his instincts.
"None of your business," Dash replied, more aloof than usual.
"Whatever." Danny brushed past the jock's broad shoulders. A look back showed Dash not even looking at him. That was a bit odd, usually he'd be all indignant and a prick as usual. Instead, he was stand-offish, staring into his locker as though it held all of the answers to life, the universe, and everything. Danny only scoffed and went about his own business. But he still kept his guard up, wary of the sheer number of lockers that he was sure Dash would love shoving him into.
The halfa's fingers curled around the knob of his own locker and he barely thought of the numbers before it was popping open. The inside's contents were quite bare. Two school logo-emblazoned shirts sat on top, along with a pair of red cargo shorts. Otherwise the only contents were a few papers crumpled at the bottom-including a sheet he noticed as an extra for his taken homework, which he snagged- and a crossword that had been due for english yesterday. Danny grinned at the sight, maybe his luck was finally turning around! The papers were shoved into his bag and he snatched a shirt, headed for the stalls to change.
With a slight smile and a whistle Danny slipped his bag onto his back and started for the library. Maybe he'd actually have a chance to study for once. The teen was walking back through the locker room and noticed with slight confusion that Dash was still there, seemingly unmoved from his place at his locker. The tune died from Danny's lips and the room went quiet. There was a tenseness in the air, so thick you could cut it with a knife. The jock side-eyed Danny but paid him no mind. At least, outwardly. But when Danny neared his hand darted out, blocking the halfa's path.
"You gonna steal my homework again, Butt-ster?" Danny wrinkled his nose and stared his narrowed eyes right into Dash's. He'd really had enough of this guy's crap. He beat on people he thought lesser solely for the fact that he could. The behavior was so atrocious that sometimes it made Danny want to puke. Now whether that had been before or after Dash had attacked him that day was not to be said.
Dash didn't reply, instead retracting his arm and grabbing something from his locker. It was closed with a slam and he shoved something into Danny's face. The halfa realised with but a small shock that it was a picture of himself.
"You look pretty good in this picture, huh?" Dash asked, voice oddly accusatory.
"I guess, but why-" He slammed his mouth shut, turned on his heel, and pushed his way past Dash as he realized it was a picture of his Phantom form. His heart was beating loudly in his ears and he knew they would be red, but he had to stay cool. Had to keep his secret a secret. Dash would only use it against him.
"It's not me, that's Danny Phantom. Wrong Danny." He tried to rescue the situation but knew that if Dash was even the smallest bit intelligent it wouldn't work. Danny thought he had gotten off scot-free when he got to the door and started to push it open, only for someone to grab his wrist. The teen's eyes flared green and he saw the shock in Dash's face before they reverted to their normal shade.
"Can we talk?" He sighed.