I'm sorry this took a while and that it's short... I'm busy and tired haha. I'll try to add another chapter before this weekend ends. I'll at least start the next chapter (and it'll definitely be longer... I feel bad about this one...)! So let me know what you think, give me ideas, suggestions, questions are good too! I'm trying to answer the questions I get through the story so I hope I do okay with that. Please R&R and I hope you enjoy this new, albeit short chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom or any of its characters.

Chapter 4 Start!

"Mr. Fenton!" the voice of Danny's new English teacher called for the umpteenth time, his voice now harboring an untamed annoyance that wanted loose. Danny finally looked up, hoping that this Fenton kid would answer sometime soon. This was getting tedious. Danny looked around, hoping to find this kid. Maybe he was sleeping or something. Why was everyone staring at him? Wait, he was Fenton wasn't he? Dang it...

"Could you repeat the question?" Danny asked, really hoping he got used to being called 'Fenton' soon. He was sure he had angered all of his teachers today. Thank goodness it was finally the last class of the day. Too bad it was English, though. Danny was too tired for reading.

"I asked you if you could pay more attention, Mr. Fenton. Stay after class, I'd like to speak with you." Danny hung his head at his English teacher's words, as it was now weighed down with clouds of disappointment and a depression that had been growing throughout the day. And wow he had a headache. Funny how he just noticed.

He could feel Sam and Tucker's concerned gazes roll across him as Mr. Lancer continued his lecture. His monotone really made the subject - Shakespeare - much more boring than it really had to be. He drawled on and on, not really noticing that none of his students were paying any attention. This was another difference. Danny hadn't really noticed until now, but at his old school, most of the students seemed to pay more attention to the subject material. Whether that was because the teachers had a low level of tolerance or just that the students cared more, he couldn't really tell. He just knew they listened to their teachers and took good notes. Good notes were always a good thing. Especially an open note quizzes. That might explain why the majority of them had grades higher than a B.

Here, at Casper High, Danny could tell just from looking at people who had the good grades and who had the bad grades. Most of the boys in letterman jackets probably had D's, C's at the highest. They simply didn't care enough to try. The people Tucker hung out with, they probably had a mixture of A's, B's, and C's, depending on which subgroup they were in. Yes, subgroups. Danny had come to realize that most of the big cliques, like the jocks, goths, band kids, and so on, all had smaller groups within the bigger group. Danny would have never guessed beforehand. His school probably had a similar student class system, but he never really noticed. Or cared. Here, it was just so blunt and in your face it was hard to ignore.

Danny straightened when the final bell rang, releasing a horde of students from their desks and out the door, eager to escape the school's confines. Danny sighed as the room emptied. Now he understood why the gym teachers weren't very pleased with a large amount of the student body. They don't even run half as fast in gym class!

He looked up to see Mr. Lancer at his desk, looking absolutely wiped out. It wasn't a long day for just Danny, he supposed. He approached his teacher's desk, hoping this conversation would be over quickly. He just wanted to go back to his house. It wasn't his home, homes are permanent (until you move, at least). This was a house, a house he was staying in temporarily. Soon he would be out of the red brick house with the large obnoxious sign adorning the front, and back in his father's mansion in his own bed and with family actually related to him by blood. He may only have his father - Danny couldn't remember his mother, and whenever he asked about her, Vlad explains that only one good thing came from that (Danny had a feeling that meant him) - but it was his family. He didn't need a mother and a sister to go with. He was perfectly happy.

He was shaken from his thoughts as Mr. Lancer broke the heavy silence in the room with a deep excusatory cough. Danny looked up to see his new English teacher standing with his arms crossed, and a look of concern drawn on his features.

"Mr. Fenton, you seem different today. Are you okay? You know you can talk to me or any of the other teachers if you are having any problems. In or out of school." he said slowly, trying to make sure he got his point across.

Danny's confidence level dropped a bit. He really was a bad actor. He may have been good enough for his peers, friends - even though they thought he had a reason to be different anyways, and parents who didn't pay enough attention to really notice, but his teachers, they were a completely different story. They had to pay attention, it was their job. Well, scratch that, they didn't have to, they chose to. Most of them. He looked up at Mr. Lancer again, speaking with a slight smile, "Yes, Mr. Lancer, I'm fine. And I know I can go to any of the teachers with questions or for help."

Danny could see suspicion worm its way onto Lancer's face. Oh how he hated suspicion. Suspicion was so rude! Danny mentally face palmed. He had been too polite! That wasn't like the Fenton kid at all! He had to get out of the "Be respectful to adults" and "Mind your manners" mindset. It was really making things hard for him!

"Well Mr. Fenton, I'm glad you know that. All of us would be happy to help you. You may go now." Danny relaxed significantly, having felt his muscles tense when he had realized his earlier mistake. He made for the door, only to stop when Mr. Lancer continued, "And please, pay better attention in class." Danny gave a hesitant nod before bolting.

He never thought he could hate school so much! He was never a huge fan in the first place, but this took things to the next level! He now understood why all of the reality TV shows he'd seen had school-hating children. School was insane!

Danny pushed the front door of the school open, taking in the breath of fresh air. He figured he should probably find Sam and Tucker, but he still wasn't sure he really liked them. And they'd ask him questions about his well-being and his "new" ghost half. He didn't like those questions. He had already gotten plenty of those at lunch. He didn't want more!

He sighed as he slowly descended the stairs that he had climbed with his sister in the morning. He was pretty sure she was already home, leaving no free ride home waiting in the parking lot. His friends were nowhere to be seen - how could everyone in school disappear so quickly?! - so he had no personal GPS system either. Neither one of them. Danny supposed finding the bright red house wouldn't be too difficult. It had a gigantic neon sign flashing above the front door! Not to mention a rather large OP center sitting on top of the roof... Maybe he could find his way back!

Danny began to start pacing, wondering what he should do. Then, he perked up with a grin on his face, not really realizing that it was more of self shame moment for not thinking of this beforehand. He could transform and just fly back! That was a great idea! He looked around, wanting to find an adequate hiding place. There may not have been any people around, but he didn't really want to chance transforming right out in the wide open. He walked with a skip in his step towards the back of the school, excited he would be able to fly for the first time in a few days.

That smile disappeared when he walked right smack into Tucker. Of course. Now he'd have to walk. Fantastic.

"Hey man! We were wondering where you were! What took you so long?" Tucker asked.

Danny's meeting with Lancer wasn't that long. He was probably just impatient. Danny didn't answer, he was already being dragged away from the school. Sam and Tucker were taking turns talking, chatting his ears off. Danny already had a headache, he could tell it was only going to get worse. He just hoped they were walking him to his place. Then he could take a nap. Yes, a nap sounded very nice.

Unless his friends planned on hanging out with him for a while. Oh well. He'd deal with that when it came.

End Chapter 4!