((Author's Note: Had this in my mind for...a zillion weeks and I finally decided to put it on paper and then type it up.

This is an AU. For those of you that are new to FF, AU means Alternate Universe. Basically...well...er...it's an...alternate...universe...-cough-

Summary: Daniel Fenton stands for absolutely everything Sam Manson hates. He's rude, ignorant, oblivious, shallow, judgmental, hypocritical...so...why can't she get him out of her head? And those tutoring sessions aren't making her situation any better...

I'm pretty sure something like this has already been done. Either an EXACT replica of something you've seen or this is something incredibly similar. All it is if fluffy goodness...later on, of course. So if you don't like having to floss your teeth, I suggest you not read this story. x3

Now...if you read and review (basically this story foundation will build off of reviews, most likely)...YOU GET A COOKIE! WITH ICE CREAM ON TOP! -gasp- It's so amazing! Or, as my brother would say, "THE IZ SO EXMAZING!"

Right...so. Here's...the...story.))

Beyond Simplicity

Unwanted Greetings

"Isn't he dreamy?" A high pitched voice cooed in my ear as I angrily slammed my locker door shut.

"Who?" I asked absently, placing my Biology book in the small space between my massive stack of books and arm. I made a mental note to myself to get a backpack that could hold all of these textbooks.

"Daniel!" she exclaimed exasperatedly, as if it were plainly obvious.

I looked up at Valerie Gray, a girl whom I had grown accustomed to hanging around me due to the fact that both of us were lacking in the friends area, her eyes dazzling with delight as she watched Daniel Fenton stroll down the corridor, a smug expression lighting up his face. He had his hands dug deep into his pockets, a nice, sleek and shiny red backpack slung around his left shoulder. His light, crystal blue eyes twinkled as he turned his head toward each girl that he passed.

"No," I said stiffly, watching as he sent Valerie a smile. Her grin turned lopsided.

It was pathetic how each girl in Casper High fawned over Daniel Fenton. He kept to himself, mainly, yet his head was so large that a space shuttle could land on it. I was outraged by how shallow not only the girls, but Daniel was as well. It was almost revolting to look at him; to have to breathe the same air as him.

At the current moment, Daniel was dating with Paulina Sanchez, the most materialistic and self absorbed girl that I had been given the misfortune to meet. Before they began "going out", Paulina had clung to his side, never ceasing to leave until Daniel could no longer refuse her consistent proposals to the nearest school dance, or to Nasty Burger each Friday. I grimaced at the thought, shaking my head in anger.

"What do you mean, no?" Valerie scoffed. I rolled my eyes as Daniel disappeared behind C hall, heading into the main hallway.

"I mean he's..." I held up one arm, beckoning to where his presence had once been just seconds ago. "He's..." My voice drifted off. There were no words to describe Daniel Fenton without convulsing from rage.

Valerie pushed a long strand of her curly black locks behind her ear, biting her lip in anticipation of seeing Daniel after school. Perhaps she was planning on me accompanying her to Nasty Burger to enjoy her envious feelings toward Paulina. I sniffed angrily at the thought.

"He's perfect," Valerie said soothingly, sounding as if she were in some sort of a trance. I raised an eyebrow at her before sighing and shaking my head.

What did these girls see in this boy? He clearly didn't have any intellect. Nor did he have a single bit of ounce of dignity. He was good looking, I had to admit, but that was probably the only good quality of his...and looks were just the outer core of what really mattered.

Valerie's eyelids fluttered, as if she were put in some kind of trance. I nearly gagged at the sight of her vulnerability over some guy!

"Perfect?" I repeated, snorting at the thought of Daniel Fenton being considered perfect. How ridiculous!

Valerie glowered at me, pursing her lips as we began to trudge through the thick hallway, the students' vacuous conversations nearly tangible.

"You can keep your opinions to yourself, Sam." Her instructions made me want to laugh, but I decided against it. I had to keep my argument professional: no laughing allowed.

I could barely keep my jaw from hanging open at her hypocritical statement.

"I can't say how I feel about him, but it's perfectly fine for you to blabber on about how charming and amusing, and how completely perfect he is!" I narrowed my eyes at a sophomore that passed us by, a shock of fear stabbing his acne-engulfed face before he continued through the hallway, his pace growing faster. "How is that fair?"

Valerie sighed, defeated. A triumphant whoop screamed in my stomach, the sensation pulling me out of my previous bad mood towards Daniel and the girls inhabiting Casper High School.

"But you don't find him at all...attractive?"

I quirked an eyebrow. Valerie's views upon 'attractive' were much different than mine. I considered the male gender attractive if they were opinionated, cared for the environment, and was...well, mellow.

Valerie, on the other hand, thought attractive meant perfect facial features, a gorgeous smile, eyes you could literally fall into, and, to top it all off, the perfect hair.

Daniel, apparently fell under her category of attractive. In my book, he was filed under 'shallow and stupid people.'

We arrived at the threshold of Casper High, and could have exited the building for the day, except something barred us from freedom.

Daniel and his girlfriend were leaning up against the wall, conversing to each other, all of Paulina's followers, and followers of Paulina for that matter, crowding around them, hanging onto every word that was spoken.

I felt my stomach singe with anger.

"Move, please." My command had been loud enough that they could have heard even over the talking if they were actually polite enough to care. But alas, Daniel was too caught up in his own self, twirling his hair on his finger as he grinned at the girls crowding around him.

How could someone love all that attention? All those members of the opposite sex nearly crushing the air out of you?

"I said move!" I screeched, my voice echoing off the walls. Danny abruptly stopped talking to glance my way.

His icy blue eyes hardened at the mere sight of me.

Dozens of accusations, true or not, buzzed through my mind at his stare.

Apparently I wasn't gorgeous enough to be a kilometer of his presence. Did he actually assume that I wanted the girls to move so I could get a clearer view of him? A few feet away was more than enough for me.

His eyes skimmed me, up and down, before allowing a smile to spread across his face.

A disgusting, mocking smile. One that was used for fake-pity, or something Pam, my mother, would do when she thought that what I was saying to her was completely bogus. I felt my internal organs twist with rage at the expression. The way his eyebrows perfectly contorted to make a mirrored image of Pam made me want to murder the boy.

"I'm so sorry."

I had him in one of my classes, English, yet when he was called on for an answer, he hardly ever talked to the teacher. Daniel was seated in the back, I in the front, so I couldn't hear him as he flirted with dozens of girls at a time. I felt grateful, for once, that I was in the front of the classroom. For the whole half of the year, I don't think I ever heard his voice above a whisper.

His voice was as cold as his eyes. As mocking as that stupid smile on his face.

So, I did the only thing I thought I should do in a situation like this. I smiled back, a precise replica of Daniel's grin.

"You should be," I announced in a high pitched, preppy sounding voice. It sounded much too much like Star Shersire, one of the Casper High School cheerleaders, that it made me feel disturbed.

His smile faded, and he crossed his arms.

Suddenly, as if an anvil had hit me upside the head, I was immediately aware of Valerie's presence. She stood beside me, jaw tight and eyes avoiding both mine and Daniel's.

"Sam," she said, her voice soft and shaky, as if intimidated by Daniel's very air he breathed. "Let's just go."

"You should," Daniel remarked coldly. I clenched my fist in anger, trying not to whack him upside the head. That would be the last thing I needed: Valerie getting onto my case about how I shouldn't hurt the guy that is completely perfect for her. It might give him a concussion and damage his useless brain.

"I will if you would move." My monotone voice sent off an ominous sound, causing a few of the girls to back away and give Valerie and me space to exit Casper High.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could have sworn Daniel was smirking a broad grin after Valerie and me, ignoring Paulina as she chattered away in his ear. A shudder went up my spine at the look.


I was given the cold shoulder all the way home.

Valerie had this expression on her face. It was as if she were trying to look angry with me, but the end result turned out to be a scrunched up, weasel looking face. I had to bite down on my lip to prevent myself from laughing. The restraint made my ribcage almost burst out of my body.

"I'm sorry, Val," I said as we neared the road that she lived on. It was extremely small; minuscule, almost, though I felt more comfortable here than I did in my own neighborhood.

Valerie's hard expression did not budge as she turned to look at me.

"What did you do wrong!" she asked me sarcastically. I could feel the steam rising off of her, a scolding about to come and ram right into me. "I mean, besides completely embarrassing me in front of Daniel!"

I rolled my eyes.

"I don't think he noticed--" But I broke off. The last thing Valerie needed was to face the fact that the boy she was head over heels for wasn't paying attention to her. I wasn't that cruel. "Look, Val, I'm sorry that I embarrassed you in front of Casper High's biggest hottie, but he was being a jerk." I bit my tongue, realizing that I was saying too much.

"Whatever," she said tonelessly, walking down her driveway. I lingered in the street for a moment before turning and heading toward my home. Good-byes these days were hard to attain, apparently.

((Author's Note: Shortness for this reason: I didn't want the chapter to be too big. SO...-cough- We'll...dive into the real...erm...I suppose plot line.

You can ALL see where this is gong. But the excitement of irony (hehe...yeah...excitement) put in FS's POV...-cough- I dunno where I'm going with this, so just...I dunno review, maybe?

And if there IS a fanfiction out there like this, please tell me...and I'll...I dunno. Make this one totally unpredictable...more than I intend on doing. -shrug-

So...I hope you enjoyed that minuscule piece of...introductions, I suppose.

And...to clear things up:

Sam and Valerie are best friends (I think that a constant if I'm writing Aus...)

Valerie is in love with "Daniel" Fenton.

Sam hates him.

And...that's all you obviously know by now. -.- Oh joy.

Please read and review...flames are accepted because...because. :D

AND IF YOU REVIEW...YOU GET AN UBER SIZED CRUNCH BAR! -die-


FS))