Chapter Three

Picking up the soda cans Danny dropped them in the bin. Sam had just left and Tucker had left much earlier, it was meatloaf night. Danny thought back to his goodbye to Sam, it had been as it always was... the kiss was warm and... He had to admit it, it was boring. He shuddered, this wasn't supposed to happen, it was supposed to be him and Sam all the way. He slumped down on the chair and put his head in his hands.

"Danny!" Came a voice from the living room. "Can you be a dear and set the table?"

"Sure Mom." Danny sighed.

He got up grabbing four of everything. His mind still whirling and his thoughts still on Sam. He put the last plate down as he let out a loud sigh, banishing the thoughts from his head. He exited the kitchen and made for his room thinking only of the quiet salvation that lay inside.

--xXx--

Sam took her time going home. Her parents had been getting more and more obsessive and always trying to get her to change. She grit her teeth, steeling herself for the onslaught of "suggestions" that her mother always made.

She pulled open the front door and as quietly as possible she tiptoed down the hall. She had nearly made it to the staircase when her mother came around the corner from the living room.

"Samantha! There you are!" Her mother trilled. "I have been looking for you. I have booked you that hair appointment that you wanted, you're going to look so much better as your natural blonde. Oh and there is a new selection of debutante dresses on your bed. Please choose one for your coming out ball."

"For the last time Mother, my hair is staying black and I'm not doing the debutante thing." Sam forced out as calmly as she could. "Now I'm going up to my room so LEAVE ME ALONE." Her control slipped and she dashed upstairs.

--xXx—

Danny walked into his room. Shutting the door behind him he slumped against it. He looked around his room, his bed was exactly the same as he had made it this morning but his desk was different. He walked forward trying to ascertain what was wrong with his desk. As he approached his desk a fine blue mist escaped his lips. He froze as he felt a presence brush past him.

It created a swirl of air until It reached the wall and disappeared through it. Rushing to the wall he was about to go ghost...

"Danny, can you come down here a minute please?" His mother called.

"Coming Mom." He yelled back. He turned away from the wall and went to open his bedroom door. Walking down the stairs he turned into the living room.

"What's up Mom?" He asked. Looking up he saw that Josie had come again for another visit. Courtney was not there though, he noticed.

"Please add to more place settings to the table. Josie and Courtney are coming for dinner."

Danny turned and left the living room, silently fuming that he had been interrupted from catching that ... thing in order to add two more place settings to the table. He clunked down the two settings almost breaking the plates. He walked over to the fridge and grabbed another soda. He cracked the top enjoying the cool sensation on his hand. He put the soda to his lips and began downing it. The cool liquid soothing his temper and his issues with Sam. He kept drinking until it was completely empty. He grinned grateful that his ghost powers meant he could go long periods without the need to breathe. He crushed the can in his hand and threw the can away. He walked out the kitchen with the intention of going to the living room when he walked straight into something that fell to the floor.

"You gotta stop doing that. I feel as though everytime I see you it's from the floor." Came a voice from the floor. Courtney looked up at him a slight grin on her face. She held out her hand and he helped her up.

"Sorry. I guess I really should watch where I'm going." Danny said with a smile.

"You really should, but why stop now? You could just knock down anyone, it's a great way to meet women." She finished slyly.

"Hmm I'll have to keep that in mind." He chuckled.

"So what's for dinner?" Courtney asked. Her eyes roaming the kitchen for some form of food.

"Well I believe we are ordering in, hope you like Chinese."

"I don't mind it, just no peanuts!" She grimaced. Her obvious dislike of peanuts etched on her face. Danny laughed at her. She grinned at him and winked before turning and exiting the kitchen. He followed her into the living room. She sat down with her mom and whispered something in her ear. Her mom glanced at her with a worried look in her eyes. She pointed to her handbag while whispering something back. Courtney nodded and went over to the handbag withdrawing something from it. She turned to Maddie asking her for a drink. She smiled at Danny as she passed him as she walked back to the kitchen.

Danny was thoroughly confused. What the hell was that about? That was the weirdest thing I have seen today and I saw a lot today. He turned and silently moved to the kitchen. Peering around the corner he saw her put something in her mouth and down the soda, he leaned further to see what she was taking but at that moment she turned around. She stared at him.

"What are you doing?" She asked. Danny felt a blush grow on his cheeks.

"Uh I just wanted to see if you were okay." He quickly covered.

She looked him. "I just had a headache, so I took some painkillers. I get them a lot." She explained, shrugging her shoulders.

Danny felt almost guilty but one small part of him felt this wasn't the whole story. He looked her up and down, she looked a little dishevelled and strained. She turned to throw her can away and it startled Danny out of his reverie.

There was a knock at the door. "I think the food's here." He said. Courtney bounded to the door, pulling it open. There stood Mr. Kwong's son Allen.

"Hey Al! Thanks for the food, how much do I owe you?" she asked.

Allen blushed. "Twenty two dollars and fifty cents."

"Sure thing. Just hold on while-"

"No ways are you paying young lady!" Maddie interrupted. She took out forty dollars and gave them to Allen and relieved him of the food.

"Thanks Al. See you at school tomorrow." Courtney said with a grin. Allen couldn't say anything back; he just blushed a deeper shade of red. She spun around and grabbed Danny by the arm and pulled him in the direction of the kitchen. "Come on! Dinner's here!" she said gleefully.

It felt to Danny that as soon as she touched his bare skin a huge electrical current surge through him. It felt as though his molecules had been excited. She let go of him on order to go sit down but the sensation continued. He sat down in the last place available, next to her. Everyone started helping themselves to food. Jack had commandeered a whole carton to himself, Maddie and Josie were sharing and Jazz was picking bits off of everything as was Courtney. Danny helped himself to rice and veggies. Conversation was kept to a minimum during the meal. Only once everyone had their fill did any form of exchange begin. It was the basic stuff, school, work and all the other pleasantries. Danny leaned across the corner of the table past Courtney to whisper something to Jazz as he leaned past Courtney a blue mist flowed smoothly out. Danny paused his head turning to stare at Courtney. What the--?