Mkay, let me explain the inspiration behind this story, since I failed to do so in the first chapter (:
I've been reading a book called Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. Excellent book. I highly recommend it.
Anyways.
I was inspired to write this (: mostly because the main character of BIF is named Sam. Hah.
If any of y'all have read it, these first two chapters bear a striking resemblence to the first few pages of that book. I admit it. But I promise, I have my own story line coming out of this. Lauren's just helping me set my story up :D
...okay, are any of you guys getting the little ads at the top of the screen that say things like "One click for instant Roman orgy!"? I'm like, EW, GET AWAY FROM ME YOU NASTY. I DON'T WANNA SEE ANY OF THAT.
PERVY AD DESIGNERS.
I just got finished playing a game called fugitive, and I am EXHAUSTED OUT OF MY MIND. If y'all don't know what that game is, tell me in the reviews, and I'll describe it in the next chapter. I'm too tiward now.
I don't own Danny Phantom, Before I Fall, or anything else you might recognize in this chapter.
Enjoy (:
If I Stay
Chapter Two
January 6, 2012
Some people say that on the day you die, you'll know. You'll wake up feeling strange, seeing shadows where there shouldn't be any, seeing things in a whole new perspective. You'll be at peace with yourself and with your surroundings, knowing that you're already apart of a world beyond this, that you're mearly wrapping up the loose ends of your life until the clock runs out and you're gone forever.
On the day of the accident, Sam woke up exactly thirteen minutes and fifty-seven seconds before Tucker was supposed to pick her up. She tore out of bed and threw her clothes on. She prayed at least a little bit of makeup was rolling around on the bottom of her backpack so that she could at least make herself look slightly presentable for school that day. She was thinking about her movie night with Danny that night, the one where Tucker would be busy doing a group project and wouldn't be able to make it. She was psyching her self up for telling Danny exactly how she felt about him, because tonight was as good a night as any and keeping it a secret from him was exhausting. She didn't keep secrets from Danny.
Well...that wasn't entirely true. Danny didn't know about her quiet struggle with cutting herself. She'd be damned if he ever figured it out. She was sure he would go ballistic. He'd probably want to check her into rehab.
She was hoping for the best, but she had prepared herself for what she thought would be the worst.
She had no idea.
"Ding dong," Tucker called from the street. It was his new way of honking, because Sam's neighbors had made it abundantly clear the week before that if he continued to honk at 7:30 AM they would tow his car to a vacant lot three towns over.
"Coming, I'm coming," Sam called as she tripped out the front door. She was yanking a boot on with one hand, trying to manouver her backpack higher up on her arm with her elbow, and untangling her keys from her headphones, which were spilling out of her pockets. All while holding a piece of toast between her teeth. She gasped when the chilly January air made contact with the bare skin of her upper arms, and accidentally inhaled a few crumbs from her toast. She coughed and stamped her foot on the ground, effectively mashing her foot the rest of the way into her boot.
"Morning, sexy," Tucker said teasingly when she finally got in the car. She spared him a look of disdain before yanking down the visor and dabbing on her makeup. "You look well-rested."
"I just woke up," She informed him, sleep still evident in her voice. "My alarm clock didn't go off again."
"Bummer."
"Mhm,"
"You nervous about tonight?"
Sam's hand jerked up in suprise, effectively smearing mascera into her eye. "Ow!" She cried, desperately wanting to rub at her eye but not wanting to smudge the wet mascera all over her face. Tucker quickly dug up a napkin and thrust it into her hands, which she used to forcefully dab at her eye. "Ow," She repeated, examining her now bloodshot eye in the visor mirror.
"Well don't have a spaz attack, it was just a question! Sheesh," Tucker chortled, glancing at her.
"You're such an ass," She said, though she smiled and shoved him playfully. "And yes. I am. Very."
"Don't be. He likes you too, trust me," Tucker rolled his eyes. "He never shuts up about you."
"Really?" Her voice was hushed, as if she hardly dared to believe what Tucker was saying was true.
"Really, really," Tucker chuckled. They were in front of Danny's house by then. Sam could see the boy moving around through his window, most likely gathering up his belongings that he would need for school. "Looks like you're not the only one who slept in late," Tucker said, glancing up at Danny's window as well. He honked twice.
Danny's window was flung open. They could see him from the waist up, leaning out his window toward them. "Five minutes!" He called.
"We don't have five minutes, sleeping beauty!" Tucker retorted, but Danny's window was already closed. "Asshole'll probably be another twenty," he added to Sam.
Danny didn't take twenty minutes. He took about seven. He would have taken eight, but Tucker had begun to creep along down the street with the back door of his car flung open. "Chop chop!" He screamed. Sam laughed when Danny leapt into the car, shouting explitives at Tucker all the way.
"You're such a dick!" Danny huffed when he straightened up and clicked his seatbelt on. He ducked down to check himself in the rearview mirror, combing his fingers through his unruly black hair, before smiling at Sam. "Morning, sunshine!" He said cheerfully, ruffling her hair.
Sam made a noise of disgust even though her heart leapt into her throat. "More like morning darkness," She grumbled, straightening her hair out again.
Danny laughed.
"Save it for tonight, lovebirds." Tucker muttered under his breath.
"We're not lovebirds," Danny murmured, the phrase lacking its' usual conviction. Sam stared out the window, trying to get the heated blush to retreat from her face and neck before either of them could see.
Tucker whipped into the senior parking lot, searching for a spot right on the back row that juniors were permitted to park in. Sam clutched the door handle with one hand and the armrest with the other as Tucker pealed into the spot, cutting Dash off just before he claimed the spot as his own. "Jesus, Tuck, you're like a moving death machine," Sam breathed, relief evident in her voice.
"Oh, chill. You love my driving." Tucker said, ducking down in his seat until Dash had moved on.
It wasn't like Sam had much of a choice in drivers; Tucker was the oldest of the three of them, therefore the first to get his lisence. Danny would get his in two months, Sam in four. It seemed like an eternity for her, waiting four months to get her hands on her lisence.
Her day at school was normal, though it felt much faster than usual. Perhaps it was because her mind could focus on nothing but the raven-haired boy with whom she would be spending her evening, but it seemed like in every class she entered, she would sit for a moment just to be ushered back out again for her next class. Before she knew it, the final bell was ringing and she was meeting Danny in the parking lot.
Tucker would not be able to give them a ride home like he usually could, so Danny and Sam were left to walk back to Danny's house after school. They were pleasent, normal, themselves on the walk home, but Sam could feel the tension bubbling just beneath the surface. She wondered if he could feel it too.
"So...what movie do you want to watch?" Danny asked. His voice sounded forced, nervous even. Sam blushed.
"I don't care," She murmured, her eyes on her shoes. He was silent for a moment.
"Well, let's go see what we have," He offered. She nodded and followed him into the living room.
The Fentons had a fairly-large-sized movie collection. It had nothing on Sam's, of course, but it was still impressive. Sam let her eyes wander over the movie titles, effectively silencing her nervous thoughts about what she would be doing that night. At least, for a few minutes.
"See anything you like?" Danny asked. He was standing behind her, his mouth inches from her ear. She could feel his breath washing over her skin.
You, she wanted to say. "Uh, yeah. I haven't seen Horrible Bosses yet. Is it any good?"
"It's hilarious!" He said enthusiastically. He pulled the case from the stack and popped it open. "I'll put it in and get popcorn and everything, just go wait on the couch,"
"Yes sir," Sam grinned. She did as she was told, settling on the couch and pulling a blanket over her legs. It was cold outside, afterall. Blankets were allowed. Sharing blankets was allowed, too. She folded her hands in her lap and waited, trying not to feel too impatient with Danny for taking so long with the popcorn. She was too nervous to eat any of it, anyways.
"Ready?" He asked when he had flung himself on the couch beside her.
"Ready," She said. He offered her the popcorn bowl. She declined.
He shrugged. "More for me!" He said through a mouthfull of buttery popcorn. She closed her eyes and shook her head. He really was a goofball.
About twenty minutes into the movie, Danny slid under the blanket with Sam. He set the popcorn bown on the table in front of them and leaned back, trying to get comfortable beside her. He ended up closing the distance between them, sitting so close to her that their thighs touched. It was hard for Sam to focus.
"Wasn't that hilarious?" Danny asked as the credits of Zombieland rolled. It was the third movie they had sat through, moving closer and closer all the while.
"Yeah, hilarous," Sam said faintly. He was wearing cologne. Intoxicating cologne.
"Well, it's...man, it's only ten. What time do you have to be home?" Danny asked, sitting up and stretching.
"Ten thirty," Sam said, her voice still quiet.
"You okay?" He asked, his eyes flashing with concern.
"Um...no, actually," She gulped. Now or never. "I...I need to tell you something,"
"Okay, shoot," He turned his body to face hers, his eyes meeting hers levelly.
"Danny...I...I've had this...secret...for a really long time now...years...and I've kept it from you...but...but I think, tonight...I'm...I'm finally gonna tell you...Danny...I -"
She was cut off by Danny's cell phone ringing in his pocket. He pulled it out quickly, his eyes darting over the screen. "Valerie," He murmured in confusion. "Hang on one second, Sam," He said apologetically.
"Yeah, okay," She said faintly. He had already answered his phone. She leaned back, trying to quiet her thundering heart. It's okay. You're almost there. Breathe. Keep breathing. Don't stop breathing.
"Yeah...okay, I'll be there in just a second." He hung up. "That was Val...apparently Cujo's attacking the powerplant again. She thinks I can tame him or something. I've gotta go. Will you be okay walking home by yourself?"
"Oh," She said. "Uh, yeah, but Danny -"
"I'm really sorry about this, I don't know why she called me."
"Danny -"
"But hey, at least it gives me a second to play with Cujo again! I always wanted a dog -"
"Danny!" Sam cried. "I was in the middle of telling you something!"
He blinked. "Oh. Right. Sorry. You were saying you liked me?"
Sam froze. He slapped a hand over his mouth, his eyes growing wide.
He knew?
He's known?
When did he find out?
Has he been leading me on this whole time?
"Sam..."
What the hell is going on?
Why the hell wouldn't he say something?
He just wanted me to humiliate myself.
"I'm so sorry. I...I shouldn't have...I mean, I didn't..."
Sam recoiled from his hand, which he lifted to touch her. "Don't," She gasped, her voice ragged. "Don't touch me,"
"Sam, please, I'm sorry,"
"I have to go."
"Sam, no, please!"
She stormed out of his house, not bothering to turn when she heard him calling her name from the front porch of his house. She stomped down the street, half-expecting him to come chasing after her.
But he didn't. Of course he didn't. Valerie needed him. Cujo needed him.
He chose his ex-girlfriend and a dog over me. A ghost-hunting ex-girlfriend and a ghost dog.
What the hell is his problem?
Sam was still seething when she rounded a corner. She was so distracted with her anger that she almost didn't notice a girl standing perfectly still just a little further up the street.
Almost.
The girl was wearing a white tank top and black shorts. Her blonde hair hung in ringlets framing her face. Her eyes were the clearest blue Sam had ever seen. Sam recognized her immediately. Her name was Megan Ryan, but everyone called her Meg. Sam sat next to her in several classes in school.
Meg had the most curious expression on her face. Sam stopped walking and stared, all anger forgotten. She had seen that expression before.
Meg's face was illuminated by headlights of passing cars. Meg was staring down at the street with that familiar expression on her face. "Meg...?" Sam called hesitantly.
Meg looked up at her.
And in that instant, Sam knew what would happen before it even happened.
She had seen the lights growing brighter in Meg's face. She had seen Meg's eyes slide to something over Sam's shoulder, something that was quickly approaching. Her arms were rising, her knees were bending.
Sam was sprinting toward her. The wind was rushing in her ears. She held her hands before her like Frankenstein, barreling directly toward Meg, who was in the street by that time.
Her hands made contact with Meg's chest. She looked down and saw Meg sprawled out on the ground on the other side of the street, glaring up at Sam, her mouth open. Probably to ask what the hell Sam's problem was.
And then there was hot, searing pain, wind in her face, gravity flipping the earth around. Jackie Hargis' face swam out of the darkness. Little Dash's laughter filled the air.
The sky was clear that night. Sam could see the stars. Bits of them were covered by a pair of Meg's curious clear-blue eyes and a pair of familiar forest green eyes, hidden behind familiar wire glasses. But they vanished when the sky knelt to the earth and carried Sam away.
Danny landed outside of his house, feeling rather rotten. The night had not gone anything like what he had planned. He knew Sam was planning on telling him that she had feelings for him, and he was planning on suprising her by interrupting her mid-confession with a kiss. Instead he had to go and open his stupid fat mouth.
Oh well. Nothing that can't be fixed with time, he told himself.
He went inside and flopped down on the couch, trying to drown his misery with mindless television. He flipped past a cooking channel zooming in on what appeared to be a pot of boiling chicken, a gameshow, a news report of some sort of car accident, and a soap opera. Blah, blah, blah, boring.
He heard his parents come in about twenty minutes later. They were moving slowly, something out of the ordinary. They sounded like they were arguing quietly. Also out of the ordinary.
"...has a right to know!" Maddie stopped short, catching sight of her son on the couch. "Danny! We thought you'd be in bed by now!"
"No, I can't sleep," He shrugged, turning his attention back to the television.
"Um...Danny?" Maddie asked timidly. "Where's Sam?"
Danny winced. "She left a while ago...we got in a fight."
Maddie covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh, Danny," She sounded like she was going to cry. "How bad was it?"
"She's not gonna talk to me for at least a week," Danny said. He flipped the TV off when he saw real tears welling in his mother's eyes. "Mom, what's going on?"
"Oh...oh sweetheart...I...there's something you need to know," She perched on the coffee table before Danny and took both of his hands in hers. "Sweetheart...there was an accident earlier,"
"What do you mean?"
"A...a girl got hit by a car trying to cross the street,"
Danny stared, not comprehending what his mother was trying to tell him.
"The girl that got hit...was Sam," Her mother finished in a whisper.
Danny felt all the feeling in his body receed to his mind. He was numb. His thoughts were reeling. He was absolutely shocked.
"But that's not all," Tears were streaming down her face in earnest now. "The driver that hit her...was...Tucker,"
OH NOSE.
Tucker and his crazy driving.
He'll kill someone someday.
;D
- Tori