The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

Yes, this is a Christmas story.

I do not own Danny Phantom, Butch Hartman and Nickelodeon do.

Chapter One

A lot can happen in just three years time.

Friendships can come and pass, lives can change just as much as the people themselves do.

For me, however, little to nothing has changed. I haven't gotten taller, I haven't eaten meat. Danny and Tucker are still my best friends, even if Tucker now lives out of state. I hold a grudge the size of Texas against any of the 'popular girls' at Casper High, and I'm still dark and spooky. That's the way I like it. The only major difference in my life is that for the past three months, I've been living with the Fenton's in 'foster care' as the court called it; after my house was set on fire by an arsonist. My parents and grandma were stuck inside.

For about a month after the incident, people always told me how 'sorry they were', or 'how awful it must be'. It's not a big loss, though. Maddie Fenton and I have gotten closer in the past six weeks then I ever was with my mother. It's not nearly as awful as it sounds. I'm living with my best friend, we were inseparable anyway.

However, for Danny Fenton…everything has changed. His powers have enhanced so many times that it has become rather ridiculous. He's a little over six feet tall, (While I've remained down at a humble five-foot-four.) and has toned very, very nicely. (Lucky me, I'm the only one who gets to see those muscles.) His hair is long and shaggy, but he still has those baby blue eyes, exactly the same as the way I met him.

In three years, I've watched Danny go through seven girlfriends. (His crush on Paullina not included.) Five of which he broke off, two dumped him. It may sound wrong, but the incredible thrill I got sneaking behind corners when he was doing this was indescribable. Although, when he got dumped, I felt dumped. The first time was terrible, he seemed heartbroken.

He's currently dating a girl named Lauren. She's nice, I guess. The good thing about this girlfriend is that she's private schooled and I don't have to get mad…I mean see the two of them hanging over each other. That was the worst part about Danny's girlfriends. I would casually sit back and eat my lunch, engaging in a thrilling conversation about movies, when here comes Sarah, Lindsey, Julie, Olivia, Alexia, Abby, or Dana flaunting them, kissing Danny and rubbing his shoulders. Well, it's enough to make anyone loose their appetite. Then I would get up, only to be stopped by Paullina; who constantly told me that jealousy wouldn't make things better. She seemed to think she knew what I was feeling, that I just adored Danny so much…

Okay, so I am extremely jealous every time I see him with another girl. I've been his best friend since first grade, and it's really hard when he's with someone that isn't me.

It's even harder at home when the two of them go into his room, teenage boyfriend and girlfriend, for hours at a time, alone and unsupervised.

I am proud to say that I have never spied. It's just too weird.

But this girl, Lauren isn't nearly as bad as the other seven have been. I would almost accept her as a fellow female; if I didn't hate her so much.

She's tall, blonde, and curvy. She's got green eyes and cherry-red lips. She's like a model from Seventeen magazines. Something I'll never be.

But Danny's happy with her…I suppose if he's happy, I'm happy.

But I'm not.

Danny slipped into his English seat, just as the bell rang.

"Sam…" He said quietly poking the dark girls back, "Sam…"

She mumbled something into her desk, "No…go away…"

He closed his mouth as Mr. Lancer entered the room, "Homework in!"

Danny sighed and grabbed a wrinkled sheet out of his backpack, "Sam, wake up!"

Mr. Lancer approached Sam's seat. Danny kicked the back of her ankle, "Owch! Danny, what the heck was that…oh?"

"Miss Manson, I'm going to presume that you failed to do the assignment?"

She sighed and stared into a corner, "You presume correct…"

"This must be a first then! Fenton's actually got his done…amazing. I'll see you after school then, Miss Manson."

Sam crossed her arms on the table in front of her and rested her head on it, "Another perfect start to another perfect day…"

And it only got worse.

"Sam, why don't you make a move? You do live with him don't you?"

Sam closed her eyes, "Paullina, everyday you tell me the same thing. Every single day-"

"You know, Christmas is four days away-"

"I don't believe in Christmas."

"-Why don't you catch him under mistletoe in front of that little girlfriend of his?"

The last remark caught Sam in her tracks, "What?"

"Own him, Sam. You know you want to! Just serve his girlfriend!"

"I don't think so…Unlike you, Paullina, I have morals…I care about my friends, not just use them for attention."

A nearby freshman tripped over her own two feet. Sam turned from the popular girl to help the one on the floor, "You okay?"

The girl nodded, "Yeah, yeah…I'll be fine."

Sam helped her up, "You a freshman?"

"Yes, I'm Sadie Riggs…I just transferred here from Raynham Academy around October, but we're moving out of state in two weeks…"

"Riggs? By any chance do you have a sister?"

"Yeah, her name is Lauren; you know her?"

"She's…my best friend's girlfriend."

"You mean Danny Fenton? She talks about him all the time…you're Sam, aren't you? The spooky chick?"

"Yep, that's me…"

"You like Danny too, don't you?"

Sam's eyes widened, "N-no! He's my best friend…"

"Well then why was Paullina telling you to 'make a move'?" Sadie asked using finger quotes.

"She seems to think I've got this huge obsession over him, but she's been doing that my entire life…Thinks I'm jealous…at least I've got a heart…she tried to take him away in freshman year…" Sam rambled, forgetting about the freshman in front of her.

"Sam? You're crushing the can…"

Sam looked down in her hands, "Oops."

Sadie raised an eyebrow, "You do like him, don't you?"

The bell rang, and the freshman smiled, "Saved by the bell, well, I'll be seeing you!"

"You only have five months! Five months to decide what you're future is going to be! When you kids get back form break, we will be giving you a test…"

That was all Sam heard before dozing off in the senior assembly. A dark room and a semi cushy seat was a dangerous combination around a tired teenager. "Sam…Sammy, wake up!" Amethyst eyes opened, "C'mon, it's over…"

Danny helped her to her feet, "Was it anything important?"

"No…we're having a big test of some sort when we get back. They expect us to study over Christmas break! Nuts, huh?"

"Yeah…crazy…"

"Own him, Sam. You know you want to! Just serve his girlfriend!"

"What's the face for? You still tired?"

Her eyes closed, "…To tire to go home…Think I'll stay here for the night…" she said falling back into the seat she had been sitting in previously.

Danny picked her up and threw her over his shoulders.

"Danny, I'm seventeen. I stopped getting piggy-back rides like ten years ago."

"Well prepare to start again…foreword march!"

She scrambled off of him as soon as they were out of the auditorium. "I'm going to get my backpack and coat. Meet you outside."

"Own him, Sam. You know you want to! Just serve his girlfriend!"

"C'mon Sam…if she suggested it, it can only end badly." She muttered incoherently to herself.

Sam tossed her English book into her backpack, and then remembered. English.

"I'll see you after school then, Miss Manson."

"Darn it!"

Feeling to fatigued to walk all the way outside, Sam flipped open her cell phone.

"What, to weak to strut out the door?" Danny asked.

"No, I just remembered I've got detention today with Lancer…I'll see you at home."

She closed it and dragged herself to room 402: English.

"Welcome, Miss Manson," Mr. Lancer greeted her as she threw herself into a desk in the front row, glaring at nothing in particular, "Let's see, what shall we have you do this time? Hmm…You've written countless definitions, copied hundreds of 'I will not's…beat enough erasers to create at least three feet in dust. I'm running out of punishments for you, Miss Manson…"

"Oh well; shame, shame. I suppose I shall just be leaving."

Mr. Lancer pointed his ruler towards her direction, "I have a few more ideas for you. Today you're going to write a list of excuses. Write twenty reasons why you may not have had you're homework done. You may leave as soon as they're complete."

Sam stared at the blank paper in front of her. Strange punishment, yes…but it would be simple. She'd been making excuses since she was five.

Fifty minutes passed, and finally she was done. Making up actual excuses was harder than she had imagined.

"I'll take that, thank you." Mr. Lancer said and began to read through her list.

One, I've had a migraine for the past two months.

Two, I left my English book here.

"I believe that you have a person in the house with the same book-"

"That's another excuse that I'll get to later."

Three, my computers broken.

Four, Tucker called last night, rambling about how life is; that took up two and a half hours of time.

Five, Maddie wanted me to make Christmas cookies with her, you know since Jazz's at collage and everything I said I would.

Six, Jack had to demonstrate his new ever-so-cool invention that didn't work.

Seven, I spent from midnight to three throwing up, hey you asked for reasons.

Eight, I had some shopping to do, although I renounce Christmas; it's best to get you're best friends stuff, especially if they plan to get some for you.

Nine, I had to wrap the Christmas presents I bought last night.

Ten, Cujo got out again and Danny and I had to track him down.

Eleven, Dash and Paullina decided to one again mock and humiliate me a few days ago…this time I got a little mad and decided to hit that shallow witch, and had to go downtown and that was sort of on my mind.

Twelve, Danny's stupid girlfriend just happened to decide to come over.

"How does that concern you?"

Sam blushed, "Um…she's really annoying…ha…um…"

Thirteen, it was my night to wash dishes.

"How long does that take?"

"Well Mr. Lancer, I was raised in a house with maids and butlers, and before I moved in with the Fenton's, I never even cleared my own dinner plate. I'm new at doing chores."

Fourteen, I was attempting to block out all the 'he he, oh Danny's' for hours.

Fifteen, I had a bio final to study for.

Sixteen, I had to resist the urge to destroy something because Lauren was really getting annoying.

Seventeen, I had a nasty phone call from the agent who is supposed to be handling the company situation since my father died.

Eighteen, I had to resist the urge to destroy Lauren herself because her presence was annoying.

Nineteen, I had a rough day here yesterday.

And finally, I forgot about the report all together.

"Can I leave now?" Sam sighed rolling her eyes.

"Some of those excuses were really lame, Miss Manson."

"Yeah…I know."

Yet Mr. Lacer nodded, "I'm impressed with you Miss Manson. I'll excuse the report. It's just one less grade to your total."

Sam picked up her backpack and slipped on her coat.

"Sam, I suggest you do something about the 'problem' with your best friend, as Shakespeare-"

"I plan on it."

Sam scuffed down the hallway, nearly reaching the school's main entrance. To her surprise, Danny was waiting for her sitting up against a locker, playing a game boy.

"Took you long enough. I thought detention was only an hour. What he make you do?" He asked sliding the power button off.

"Writing, as usual. Then he wanted to discuss the problem. Why were you waiting for me? Don't you have Lauren to get home to?"

"…No, I'm meeting her tomorrow night…she has something to tell me…"

"We're moving out of state in two weeks…"

"I wish I could understand that feeling, you know what attraction feels like…so you want to hang out tonight? With me, I mean."

Danny smiled and stood up, "Sounds good…want to train me? Mom and Dad aren't going to be home tonight."

Sam nodded, "Sounds good."

The two exited the school grounds. But not more than mere seconds after they left, something moved from the shadows.

"So you have wished it…so shall it be."