Round Three: Sweet Talker

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom

So I wanted to make Sam seem a tad bit more vulnerable in spots and show her craftiness, but also demonstrate that Danny can have some compassion. Tucker and Val aren't really paired up much in this chapter, but more will come later, but it's naturally going to be DannyxSam centric.

Enjoy


Monday

"Feeling refreshed and ready for the week?" Danielle asks as they walk to school that morning.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Sam replies as they arrive on campus. Some of the people from the mall were there and gave her a nasty look until they saw Tyler and Michelle walking hand in hand onto the campus. Tyler gave Sam a knowing smile and a wink before he and Michelle continued into the school. Sam looks over to the remaining players and catches their shocked and annoyed glances.

"I think it may be on hold for a little while girls." Sam says.

"Why do you say that?" Danielle asks.

"Number seven looks a bit hesitant to even get close, and Tucker and Danny are muttering something to them. I think I may need to lay low for a while. I think it would be wise for me to make some new friends." Sam says calmly.

"Good plan, but what if they suspect that?" Valerie asks.

"Watch and learn." Sam says with a smile as she walks towards the group. They all but glare at her.

"Have a nice weekend?" Sam asks generally.

"Why do you care?" Dash half growls.

"Just wondering, no need to get your knickers in a twist." Sam snorts.

"Doubtful." Kwan says moodily.

"Awe, is someone on his man period?" Sam asks in a half sincere tone. All the men rolls their eyes before Danny looks directly at her.

"I just have one question." Danny says.

"Ask away." Sam challenges.

"Why is it you broke up with him in the first place?" Danny asks.

"I don' feel the need to answer that question to someone who probably could figure it out based on all his invisible observations, but if you must know, he was boring me." Sam snaps back. Danny glares at her at the comment about his and Tuckers spying. The group looks at him oddly before he collects himself enough to think of a response.

"Dare I ask how?" Danny challenges.

"He's not nearly as funny as he thinks he is. Not like it's any concern to you. Comedians aren't my type." Sam says.

"So why did you date the guy who was known as the Joker?" Danny snarls.

"To see if my tastes changed. They didn't." Sam replies coolly.

"So, what is your taste?" Danny asks calmly. A smirk plays on Sam's sinful lips.

"I'll let you toy with that question." Sam says in a lilt before she, Danielle and Valerie walk off.

"You spied on her?" Dash asks.

"Only to humor his paranoia." Danny says, his eyes flicking to Tucker who knows better than to challenge the statement. Danny didn't need to be looked at as the guy who obsesses over the new girl because of now two players changing their ways. No, Tucker would take the fall for it, only because he knew Danny was the only one who was listening and believing him.

Thursday

Against the words of his peers, Mark goes up to Sam and starts a casual conversation that quickly turns flirtatious and before he knows what hit him, he asks her out to dinner for the following night. Danny watches as Sam smiles sweetly and accepts the date.

"How can she be so… fuck, what's the word?" Tucker grumps.

"We are the only ones using our brains. And the word you're looking for is successful." Danny says.

"But why is she so good at it, but at the same time, guys are starting to figure her out." Tucker says as they walk to their fourth class.

"Because, honestly, she is attractive. Everything about her brings men in. She doesn't look malicious in any way possible, but she looks fit. Her face shows no sign of malice. By all means, she looks harmless." Danny says.

Sam smiles sweetly as she takes Marks hand. They separate at class and Sam smiles as Tucker and Danny glare at her as they walk into the class. The class seems to drag as Tucker takes in what Danny had said before class and carefully observes Sam. As much as he hated to admit it, she is attractive, and that was becoming the biggest advantage she had over these guys.

The next day, Friday

Sam made sure to dress up a little, adding some lighter tones of makeup to contrast the dark ones. Her dress was black with a bright red band around the waist that tied in the back and flowed to the ground with the rest of the dress.

"It shows off your boobs." Valerie observes.

"I think that's the point." Danielle adds.

"You're both correct." Sam laughs as she grabs her purse and goes outside just as Mark pulls up.

"You look beautiful." Mark says with a smile.

"Thanks. You look great too." Sam replies to the dress shirt and slacks. They talk as they drive to the restaurant.

"I know you're a vegetarian, so I made sure to find a place that catered to both vegetarian and non-vegetarian diets." Mark said.

"That's so sweet." Sam smiles. She knows this is part of his game, but she can't help but be flattered by it, at least a little. They take a seat and wait for the server.

"So, what made you decide to take me out?" Sam asks casually.

"You seem like a very sweet girl, regardless of your colorful vocabulary and impressive combat abilities. I don't care what the other guys say, I have a brain too." Mark chuckles.

"Valid point." Sam smiles.

"Better question, what made you say yes?" Mark asks.

"The way you asked was so charming and suave I couldn't help but say yes. You're a real gentleman." Sam replies.

"Thank you. So, what are your hobbies?" Mark asks.

"I have a lot of hobbies." Sam laughs.

"Name just a few." Mark prompts.

"Martial arts, yoga, swimming, reading, bowling, horseback riding, and poetry." Sam says.

"Breaking players not on the list?" Mark teases.

"No. In fact, I simply have no clue as to why anyone would make that connection. I mean yeah, it's kind of odd that that happens, but it's not intentional. I'm real with them. I guess that just makes them see what they want." Sam half lies.

"But what about the breaking up part?" Mark asks.

"If I lose interest or hear something that turns out to be true, I end it before I get hurt. And trust me, I've been hurt before." Sam says.

"By who?" Mark asks, now curious and genuine.

"Elliott was my first boyfriend. To be honest, he wasn't a great boyfriend. He never paid for dates, he always borrowed money and never returned it, and he lied to me on more than one occasion, even to my face. And then dumped me in the most humiliating way possible when one it thirteen years old. He had his side babe tell me off in front of the whole school and then proceeded to take off with her to a secluded area and well, you can figure what happened next." Sam says in a hurt tone. It was a painful memory, but instead of it really hurting her, it only fired her up and made her grow a backbone and make a statement, and boy did she.

"My god, he was a douche back then, even more so than he is now." Mark says.

"Yeah. My parents aren't the greatest in the world either. They say I can have my fun until the beginning of the New Year and then I need to settle on one of the many suitors that they have chosen for me to marry and marry them. My parents are trying, and failing, to imitate old money, we're not, by any stretch of the imagination." Sam says.

"Wow, really, that is just not cool." Mark scowls. They continue to talk throughout their meal and all the way until they reach Sam's home. Sam leans over and gives Mark a sweet kiss before getting out of the car and walks into her home.

Monday

The two seem inseparable at the hip and Tucker starts to see that look in Mark's eyes that gives it all away.

"Well, in four days' time, she has Mark wrapped around her little finger. Mark usually goes for anywhere from a week to a week and a half." Tucker says.

"I'll give it till Friday. She seems to like ending it either the beginning or end of the week." Danny mutters.

"That is true, and would be sticking to form." Tucker says.

"Mark is all googly eyed over her. That's only happened once." Dash says as he and Kwan walk over.

"Yeah, Talia." Danny says as Sam leans up and whispers something into Marks ear, earning a snicker from Mark as his arms wrap around her. Just as Danny let's out an annoyed sigh blue smoke wisps from his, Tucker's and Danielle's mouths.

"Beware!" an all too familiar voice shouts appearing from nowhere. Box ghost flies directly at Sam and Mark, and whereas Mark tries to pull Sam away from the less than intimidating but annoying ghost Sam calmly stands up and walks off.

"Why do you not flee from me like the others?" Box ghost asks.

"Because to be quite honest you don't scare me." Sam shrugs as Mark ran off and she continues to walk away. Box ghost huffs up and circles to in front of her and makes a face to which Sam grimaces at. The three halfas watch in their ghost form as he tries to scare her. Sam pulls out her necklace, pinches what look like the fangs of the spider as the large rear of the pendant opens to reveal a red gathering of petals in a wire net cage. Red smoke surrounds the Box ghost and he falls to the ground in pain.

"How can flower petals hurt me?" Box ghost wails in pain as Sam closes the pendant.

"It's called blood blossom, a rare form of ghost repellant. I grow it in my own garden. The petals wilt only near the winter, so even after they're picked they live until snowfall." Sam says calmly before she walks passed the group of halfas.

"Danielle…"Tucker starts.

"I didn't tell her, honest." Danielle says.

"It's true, I knew about blood blossoms since I was ten, and have been growing them since then too. They're rare flowers and difficult to grow. In the eight years I've been growing them, I've only managed to get two bushes to live. Anyway, don't you three have a job to do?" Sam asks as she cocks an eyebrow. Danielle captures the Box ghost in the thermos, making sure not to get too close to him because of the blood blossom. And before they can turn around and question Sam, school continues on as if nothing had happened and Sam slips away with Mark.

The next day, Tuesday

Sam and Mark walk around town, still talking, but Sam's not too connected to the conversation. She plans on dumping him on Friday, and then taking a break with the time she would use on the next guy, Elliott, her ex. She didn't plan on even trying to catch his attention, he seems to be aware of what's going on, and he's scared, and she'll do minimal conversation tactics and ignoring him to change him, the fear alone of her and what he knows she can do will straighten him out alone.

"Sam…?" Mark says, snapping Sam from her plots.

"Hmm…?" Sam chimes.

"Got a lot on your mind?" Mark asks.

"Yeah, homework." Sam says making a face.

"Oh. Well, maybe we could go back to your place and work on some?" Mark asks.

"Not my place. I like working on homework alone because I focus better. I do appreciate the offer though. Well, I best get going. See you tomorrow." Sam says, giving him a quick peck on the lips before she scampers off to home. She stops just feet from her door.

"Quit fucking following me Daniel. Same to you Tucker." Sam snaps reaching for her pendent.

"Don't do that! Ok, we'll become visible." Danny and Tucker panic and become visible and human.

"You know, you're lucky I haven't reported this." Sam says. Danny and Tucker rolls their eyes as the door opens and out come her parents and about half a dozen other people. An annoyed and mortified look come over Sam's face.

"Sammy-kins, your home. Who are these two?" her mother chirps. Tucker and Danny both refrain from laughing.

"Annoyances. Now, I have homework to do, so if you don't mind…" Sam starts but her father interrupts her.

"Just have one of the tutors do it for you and join us. A lot of wealthy families are here with their wealthy sons. They would love to get to meet you." Her father smiles.

"You know I pride myself on doing my own homework with my own brain. I would really rather not join you this evening." Sam says clearly.

"But why would you want to think? It causes undo stress and aging." One of said wealthy sons pipe up.

"Actually, I just remembered, I have a science project and I got stuck with these two, so I need to go to one of their houses and we need to work on said science project. Which one of you two lives closest?" Sam asks Danny and Tucker. They remain silent before Sam smiles to her parents, walks up to the two.

"Bail me out or so help me I will, and can, stop you from ever getting an erection again." Sam growls quietly.

"I live the closest." Danny says as he shuffles them along.

"Sammy-kins, I would rather you come with us." Her mother whines.

"Whereas I would love to, the work has to be done equally or else we all fail. The teacher is a real stickler." Sam says as they walk off. Just as they round the corner Tucker loses his self-control and bursts into laughter.

"Holy shit! What are you, adopted, because the blonde wimp and the red whiner can't be your real parents, Sammy-kins." Tucker laughs. Danny about joins in when Sam drops her head and stops.

"Sam?" Danny asks before she starts running passed them. They run and catch up to her, grabbing her and holding her still.

"What the hell?" Tucker asks before Sam kicks at him, hitting him high on his thigh and just barely missing her goal, but still knocking him for a loop and getting him to fall.

"You don't fucking get it do you? Did you not happen to hear the intonation of my father's tone? You don't understand the shit I deal with on a day to day basis. I never should've asked for your help. I should've known you would just tease me like everyone else who has ever met my parents." Sam nearly yells as she yanks her arm away from Danny.

"What don't we get?" Tucker manages to gasp.

"My parents are trying to get me into an arranged marriage. They try to get me to go to these meets and then conveniently leave me alone with the wealthy heirs." Sam says, her eyes are filled with tears that refuse to fall, that refuse to show weakness. Tucker and Danny look at her in a new kind of light.

"I'm sorry I didn't know." Tucker says.

"Well, you certainly didn't bother to fucking ask. Their probably gone by now, but thanks for nothing." Sam snaps before she turns around and walks back to her home.

"And don't even think about following me." Sam yells as she rounds the corner.

"Nice one Tuck." Danny says sarcastically.

"Well how the hell was I supposed to know she had issues with her parents?" Tucker says.

"By how desperately she was trying to escape." Danny says in a 'duh' sort of tone. The two change into their ghost for and go to their own homes, both feeling ashamed and sick at how they acted.

The next day, Wednesday

It was gym class and just as Tucker walks into the gym a basketball is thrown to his face by none other than Mark.

"Some hero you are Foley. Teasing on someone after they ask for your help. Low." Mark growls. Tucker and Danny should've seen this coming.

"He's beaten himself up enough about it. We tried to apologize in first in case you weren't listening but she was ignoring us." Danny says.

"She's practically shut up inside herself because of that. He picked on her and you did nothing Fenton." Mark yells.

"I was the one who noticed she was hurt and I tried to fucking apologize right then and there but she fucking booked it home. I don't blame her but dammit she could've at least acknowledged that we were trying to say sorry." Danny almost yells back. The testosterone was almost reaching a maximum before Danielle walks over.

"How about you quit talking like she not just twenty feet away and talk like civilized humans." Danielle says. Mark turns on his heel and walks over to Sam who does seem out of herself. Everything in her body language says submission and defeat and whereas Mark would pounce on it, he hasn't, he simply sits down next to her and wraps his arms around her as she sits there numbly.

"First I nearly get kicked in the nuts, now a basketball to the face. Do I want to know what could happen next?" Tucker mumbles to himself.

"Mark is committed to her and she doesn't give a fuck. She used the completely true thing that happened yesterday and turned into something she could use to get him hooked to her." Danny says.

"She looks dead in the eyes." Tucker says.

"If you look closely, you can see she knows she won." Danny says.

Thursday

Sam has come out of her slump, and is now being less close to Mark and therefore less connected just as he usually is at this point. They hold hands and talk and she still lays on the cutesy act, but not nearly as much as she did in the beginning, and he can tell.

"You sure you're ok now?" Mark asks for the umpteenth time today.

"I'm fine." Sam says calmly.

"Ok, just making sure." Mark says as he drapes his arm across her shoulders. Sam knows that as she goes higher up the list the harder it'll get, but she can't crack now. They hang out for a while longer in silence before Sam leans up and kisses his cheek.

"Take me home please. It's getting cold." Sam says. Mark nods and drives her home, giving her an odd glance when she doesn't kiss him before getting out of the car and walking into her home.

Friday

Sam walks to school early that day, mostly because the crisp air helps to keep her calm. She knows that that's essential to doing this all right. Students start to filter in, not enough to make a huge crowd with, but then again, he doesn't break up with girls in huge crowds. Right on cue, Mark walks into the school.

"Why weren't you at your house? Why didn't you answer your phone when I called?" Mark asks.

"I wanted to walk." Sam says.

"You still could've answered my calls." Mark says.

"I had my phone on silent." Sam says.

"Ok…" Mark says confused.

"Wow, you don't take hints very well. We're over. Done. Gone. Poof." Sam says in a snippy tone. Danny and Tucker walk in right then and there.

"But why? I thought we were doing well. I mean, you're a sweet girl Sam, and…" Mark starts.

"Wow, really, you got all of that from a week? I'm not going to explain it to you, just fuck off and get a life. Move on. It's done. Have a nice weekend." Sam says as she whirls around and walks off towards the first class of the day. Mark stands there in awe before he trudges out the door.

"Three down, six to go." Tucker mutters. Danny simply nods, sadly starting to get used to this pattern. Elliott is next, he thinks as he walks into the classroom and takes his seat only two feet away from her only to see a calm look on her face.

"That was cold." Danny says.

"Hi pot, my name it kettle, and I don't give a fuck." Sam replies before taking out her iPod and headphones and turning on her music until just before class starts.


I know it got short near the end, and I'm sorry about that, but otherwise, did I give enough emotion for ya? I have some problems with my wrists currently, but as long as I type a little each day, I should have the next chapter up by either Saturday or Sunday. Until then, please R&R!