Chapter 1: There's a Lot You Don't Know About Me
It started as an innocent drinking contest…
Don't all good stories?
Anyway, Sam had just ordered another round of shots for the table. They were finally together after another exhausting round of exams and she'd be damned if she didn't get her two favourite boys drunk while they were home for the summer.
Tucker was telling Danny about a mysterious red-headed librarian at his college, apparently a total babe, when both boys' jaws suddenly dropped away.
There stood Paulina, at their table, in a waitress uniform.
"What're you doing working here?" Sam asked her curiously. "Isn't your family loaded?"
"Oh, hi you guys! Yes, my family is still 'loaded'" she air quotes, "but Daddy wants me to work in customer service before joining the family business. Get experience and all that. So I took this gig as a part-time job." She smiles at the three, "Plus I sometimes get to bring a bottle home so that's always bonus. And all the cute guys' attention." She bats her eyes at Sam, who just rolls her own in response.
"Nice." Danny cuts in, hoping to avoid conflict, "So are you our waitress now? What happened to Lucy?"
"Oh yeah, no. She's done her shift, I'll be your waitress for the night. You guys going to sign up?" She waves her notepad in her hand.
"Uhh? What?" Tucker asks.
"The karaoke! Duh. Didn't you know? This is a restaurant by day and a karaoke bar at night." She smirks and raises an eyebrow teasingly, "So, you losers gonna sing?"
"Here's a tip, don't call your customers 'losers' and um, I'm still working on that?" Sam states innocently.
The boys whip their heads to her, Danny frowns, "You knew about the karaoke?"
"Well yeah, why do you think I keep feeding you guys alcohol?"
Paulina laughs and shakes her head, "Anyway, I gotta go introduce myself to the other tables Lucy had. Can I get you guys anything to drink before I go?"
Danny and Sam are staring each other down in a silent battle. Tucker smiles pleasantly at Paulina and says, "Another round of beers would be great, thanks."
"… why?" Danny finally breaks the silence.
"Because you're hilarious when you're drunk."
"So you want me to make a fool of myself? In front of Paulina?"
"Oh please, that'll never happen anyway. Who cares?"
"I care! She knows everyone! What if she talks to other girls …"
"Or takes pictures." Tucker adds helpfully.
Danny gestures to Tucker, staring at Sam still, "Or pictures Sam. What about that?"
Sam leans forward, "Danny, it's not like you make a fool of yourself. You… ah how do I put this… You're more like him when you drink." She says pointedly.
"I definitely have no idea who you mean."
"Like Phantom." She whispers. "You get all cocky and fearless. It's kinda hot to be honest. Maybe she'll like it."
"Or maybe you will." Tucker snorts, earning himself a kick in the shin.
Danny thinks it over, watching Paulina approach with their drinks. He grins, accepting them from her, "Well Sam, you're our expert here… what the hell!" He shrugs. "But let's make it interesting. We play a game and loser has to sing. Winner chooses the song."
Sam smacks her hand on the table, "You're on!" She points aggressively at Paulina, "Get us shots of Fireball, we're going to war!"
Paulina just rolls her eyes and turns away again.
Tucker blanches, "Guys, I can't take part."
Sam rounds on him, "What? You have to! Tucker we-"
Danny rests a hand on her shoulder, "Sam it's okay. Tuck can't handle being in front of crowds. He'll vomit. Immediately." He gestures to Tucker and his wide-eyed look. "At least let him drink himself into confidence first before you throw him up there."
She sighs and nods, "Fine, I don't want to ruin a good time anyway. Tucker, you wanna ask us trivia questions and keep score?"
Tucker whips out his PDA, typing a few commands and pulling up a site. "Okay, ready with questions! As soon as drinks get here we can start."
Danny leans back in his seat, arms crossed and amused glint in his eye. He's already feeling pretty good, he's not sure how many more drinks he's going to be able to handle before getting utterly trashed. He watches Sam and Tucker hash out the rules, her grown out hair swishing in a pretty black waterfall down her back.
Paulina interrupts with her tray of drinks, handing the song selection list to him since his friends were busy. He winks at her lazily and takes his drink. She lifts an eyebrow, eyes him up and down then smiles hesitantly, leaving quickly.
Interesting.
He watches her go and muses aloud "It's interesting how people change after only a few years."
Sam tracks his line of sight and tsks, grabbing her own drink and gently taking hold of his chin, pointing him back towards Tucker. He smirks in Sam's hand. "Ready to lose, Danny?"
"Over my dead body!" He swipes his hand through the air, enjoying the groans of distaste from his friends.
"Dude… no." Tucker shakes his head, "Okay, lets start this thing! I will ask you guys 10 questions. Loser finishes their drink while winner picks a song. You have to down your shot right before jumping on stage. Any questions?"
"What if we tie?" Danny asks.
Tucker smiles an evil smile, "Duet. My choice."
Sam gasps. "Wow Tuck…"
"What? I can have fun too!"
"Alright, alright, I'm ready for this party to start." Danny says, bumping shoulders with Sam before nodding at Tucker. "Let's go."
It was close. There was a lot of shouting and Google researching for answers. Both Danny and Sam are sore losers and sore winners. It comes with the territory of being friends for so long.
But in the end, Sam won.
Danny scowls, sulking in his drink as Tucker and Sam giggle over the song list. 'Better this than whatever the hell Tuck would've made us duet.' He notices the two start laughing and calling over Paulina enthusiastically. He slams his drink and watches with interest as Paulina looks up from the list with a huge smirk on her face.
This should be good. 'They're gonna try to embarrass me. Obviously. It's probably some stupid teeny-bop song.'
He gets up and stretches, shaking out and jumping up on stage gracefully, never once worried about tripping. His strange grace transfers to everything he does, he movements fluid and confident. Well, it's only strange to everyone who doesn't know his half-ghost status.
Tucker brings him his shot and Danny puts it away like a champ. He grabs the microphone and waits, eyes on the screen, for his song to start.
The monitor flickers on and he lifts his head suddenly, 'Seriously?' Tucker and Sam break down laughing their asses off, pointing at him.
He loves it. He's not shy about it at all. Years of being a public figure have made him fearless. 'If this is how they think they'll get to me… well they've got another thing coming.'
He knows the words, he doesn't need the monitor to show him the lyrics to Into You by Ariana Grande.
((( I suggest listening to the song at the same time for full appreciation )))
"I'm so into you, I can barely breathe." He lifts his head with the first few words, watching the crowd as he gently starts.
"And all I wanna do is to fall in deep." The crowd in the bar looks to the stage in interest, giggling at seeing a man on stage singing this song, they whoop and holler encouragingly. He smiles back at them.
"But close ain't close enough til we cross the line," He snaps his fingers to the beat, tapping a foot.
"So name a game to play, and I'll roll the dice, hey." Sam and Tucker are staring at him in shock. They've never done this before, they had no idea he would sing in public.
"Oh baby, look what you started" he points to Sam, winking when he hears whistles from the audience.
"The temperature's rising in here,
"Is this gonna happen?" He fans himself, being silly and hearing some laughter in the crowd.
Been waiting and waiting for you to make a move,
Before I make a move."
He dances, getting into it. Grinning wickedly as Sam and Tucker watch him with mouths hanging open. 'You think this would bug me?'
The chorus comes up and he belts it out, hooking a come-hither finger at Tucker. "So baby, come light me up and baby I'll let you on it,
A little bit dangerous, but baby that's how I want it" His friend just laughs at him, pretending to make it rain dollar bills.
"A little less conversation, and a little more touch my body." He rubs a hand down his side, earning some whistles and Sam to put her face in hands, cheeks full on red.
"Cause I'm so into you, into you, into you." Danny bumps his hips to the beat and laughs at himself, having fun.
"Got everyone watchin' us, so baby, let's keep it a secret." He waves to Paulina, amused at her hanging mouth and frozen body.
A little bit scandalous, but baby don't let them see it."He winks at her, rotates his hips at her. She flushes and turns away.
"A little less conversation and a little more touch my body,
'Cause I'm so into you, into you, into you. Oh yeah!" He puts a hand on his hip and moves his elbow to the beat.
"This could take some time, hey,
I made too many mistakes," Danny nods seriously and points to the microphone, earning a few laughs.
"Better get this right, right, baby."
"Oh baby, look what you've started,
The temperature's rising in here,"He undoes a button on his shirt and flaps it to entice the crowd.
"Is this gonna happen?
Been waiting and waiting for you to make a move," He drags a hand up his chest, into his hair, getting into it.
Before I make a move." He blows a kiss at a random woman seated at the bar, her glass hovering before her lips, long forgotten with the show he was putting on.
The chorus repeats and he twirls, singing to Tucker obnoxiously and grinding his hips to the beat.
"Got everyone watchin' us, so baby let's keep it secret," He holds a finger to his lips.
"A little bit scandalous, but baby don't let them see it." Danny turns around, looking over his shoulder, totally working the crowd.
"A little less conversation and a little more touch my body." He tilts his head, leaning backwards to rolls his shoulders in a sultry dance. That move earns him a few catcalls.
"'Cause I'm so into you, into you, into you." Danny flutters his eyelashes at his best friend, Tucker laughs and motions him over, leaning back in his seat. Sam just looks to the ceiling and shakes her head, completely used to her idiots and knowing no one else is.
"Tell me what you came here for," He slowly struts to stand directly in front of their table, still on stage.
"'Cause I can't, I can't wait no more." Keeping his eyes locked on his friend's, the audience is mesmerized. He loves being silly with his friends, it's definitely exhilarating doing it with so many eyes on them.
"I'm on the edge with no control," He hangs his toes over the edge of the stage, acting afraid.
"And I need, I need you to know"
You to know, Oh!" He leans back, belting out his words before twirling away from the edge, singing the chorus again. The room lets out a breath. He snaps his fingers to the beat, putting on quite a show.
"So, come light me up, so come light me up my baby"He holds his free hand out, beckoning the audience.
A little less dangerous, a little dangerous my baby" He smirks, holding his pointer finger and thumb with only an inch apart.
"A little less conversation and a little more touch my body" He runs his hand down his hips, turning away from the crowd.
"'Cause I'm so into you, into you, into you." He holds his head up, letting the microphone fall away to the end of the song.
A split second of silence before the room erupts into clapping, whistling and crowing. He turns and beams a smile, bowing low.
He jumps off the stage and rejoins his friends at their table. Tucker is laughing his ass off at the display, clapping a hand on Danny's shoulder and shaking him "You crazy mother fucker!"
Sam shakes her head at him, "OK, OK! You win!" She laughs, "I can't believe you. Have you no shame?"
"Duh, have you met my family?"
They talk excitedly, oblivious to the staring from the rest of the bar.
Paulina storms to their table, eyes wide, "Excuse me, what the fuck was that?"
The trio are startled by her language, Danny eyes her cautiously, "Uh, I lost a bet?"
"You just-! You can't-!" She sputters and takes a breath, "A bet?!" She looks to his friends unbelievably then turns back to him. Her shock gives way to a strange look. "I didn't know you could sing! Or dance!" She says as casually as she can.
Danny leans back in his chair, arm over the edge and lifts an eyebrow at her, "There's a lot you don't know about me." He says playfully.
Sam tsks and smacks his arm, Tucker chokes on his beer. Danny just smiles pleasantly and raises his beer to salute his shocked waitress, taking a long swig.
Paulina leaves quickly, the blush on her cheeks plain for all to see.
Sam nudges Tucker, "Told ya," gesturing to Danny, "He totally breaks loose when he drinks."
"I didn't doubt you," Tucker holds his hands up in surrender, "I did doubt that you didn't have ulterior motives for saucing him up though."
Sam sputters and quickly gulps at her drink, ignoring the laughing from both boys.
Danny leans back, arms folded behind his neck and sighs happily. He may have lost the bet, but he definitely won the night. "Let's do this again soon." He suggests happily.
A/N: I'll take song and singer suggestions, but I already have a plan for this fic. See you soon! ; )