The last time we saw Danny, he went off to fight Skulker, and never came back.
I tracked down the ghost that made him disappear, but he had no idea where Danny went.
"I haven't seen your little boyfriend. Last time I saw him, he kicked me back into the zone," Then he flew off with me screaming after him.
"He's not my boyfriend!" I got back in the Spector Speeder. "I wish he was…"
Today, almost a year later, I was cleaning Tucker's cuts up. My own were bleeding, but Tucker's were far worse.
"You're hurt, too…" Tucker tried to grab the blood-stained cloth out of my hand.
"I'm fine," I pushed his hand away and kept dabbing at his face.
"I'm fine, too," He tried to sit up.
"No," I pushed him back down harshly.
He sighed and allowed me to finish cleaning his wounds. "Were you this pushy with Danny..?"
I smiled a small smile. "Yeah…"
We sat in silence as I continued to wipe his blood away, and then put on some medicine. He winced as I sprayed on Neosporin.
"Sam…" He looked at me. "Please? Danny wouldn't want you to be hurt."
"He also wouldn't want us fighting his battles."
"But we can't help that, now can we?" I was silent.
Tucker realized my discomfort and sat silently. He grabbed the cloth and began to wipe the scrape on my leg.
I said nothing.
"Since Danny went missing, we have to do this, or the whole town will be overrun by ghosts."
I nodded.
This was our life after school. Basically eat something quick, fight ghosts, go to bed, only to be woken up again at the sound of yet another ghost attack.
At school, we were still the dweebs who always got picked on by Dash and his sidekicks. He always stuffed us in our own lockers, right before asking his signature question.
"Where's your dorky friend, Fenton?"
Following it always comes some kind of retort to make us feel worse.
"If he were here, you wouldn't be my main target. He left you to be beaten up."
Eventually, Tucker would pick his lock and then open my locker. We'd step out and walk to class, late, as always.
"We really need to stand up to Dash," Tucker whispered to me in detention that afternoon. I saw the box ghost fly by the window, knowing we were in there.
Ever since Danny went missing, he learned that we were acting as his replacement. Fighting the box ghost when he came out.
Now the box ghost looks for us when he gets bored, which sometimes makes it easier for us, knowing that we don't have to look for him.
"You hear me?" Tucker asked quietly. I nodded and pretended to be doing homework.
"I'm serious," Tucker said, only for Mr. Lancer to yell at him.
I almost laughed before actually starting my homework. I made it halfway before the phone rang on Mr. Lancer's desk.
He turned and walked to the desk. He sat down and picked up the phone. "Yes?... New student?... Yes. Yes okay. You can send him down."
I looked over to Tucker when he set the phone down. I raised an eyebrow and mouthed, 'New student.' Tucker nodded.
We sat in silence, wanting to see this new student. He walked all of five seconds later with a fairly old woman.
"Ah, hello. And you must be one of my new students."
"Yes, yes. He's one of my foster children. I have two others going to this school. The other three are going to the elementary school. "
Mr. Lancer nodded and motioned for them to sit down in front of his desk.
The boy was interesting. His black hair looked as if it was fading. Turning to an almost grey color. He was very skinny, as if he hadn't been fed lately. He had muscles as though he had to fight for a living. No overly muscular, but cutely muscular.
He was pretty cute.
"You say he is your foster child?" Mr. Lancer asks.
"Yes, yes. He was found a few months back on the streets. He claims he had no memory, and he hates to talk. Hasn't said a word. We're not even sure he can talk. He won't register us when we ask him something."
Mr. Lancer nodded, trying to look concerned. He studied the boy, as if looking at a familiar face. "And why, did you say, are you moving your kids to Amity?"
"Oh, my husband passed a few weeks ago and I didn't want to stay in the house. Too many bad memories, and the town was too small for my liking. No friends there."
"I'm very sorry." He gave a sad smile.
"Nothing to be sorry for!" She smiled brightly.
"Does this young man have a name?" He looked at the boy, but his head was down. He didn't register even hearing him.
"We don't know his name, but he looks like an Alex, doesn't he?" She exclaimed, trying to get the boy to look up. He didn't.
"Yes. Yes he does. So, he goes by Alex?" At a nod, he continued. "Well, I'm glad that I can add a new name to my roster! I'll be seeing you in class tomorrow, Alex."
Alex didn't answer. He got up and started to walk to the door. He grabbed the door knob when he looked at the few of us sitting in detention. I made eye contact with him for a second before his moved his gaze away, no look of recognition.
As he moved out the door, the old woman thanked the teacher for his time and followed the boy out.
Even though I only saw his face for a second, I knew who that boy was. He was Danny. My Danny.