Danny felt weightless as he glided effortlessly through the air. He couldn't believe it. He just kissed a girl. He actually kissed a girl! He watched the sleepy town pass by below without a care in the world. All he could think about was that moment. He was the happiest ghost kid on the planet! Well, he thought, maybe the only ghost kid on the planet, but nevertheless, it had been a great, fantastic, wonderful day.

He flew past the school where he'd be attending in just days. Ugh, he thought. The only thing that could make this moment worse is the thought of going to school again. Still, he'd never been in the school when there was no one around, and he was curious. He descended into the school and landed on the second floor. Half of the lights were on, which was weird for a Thursday night during summer vacation. But he didn't think much of it past that. He glided with feet inches from the floor through the vacant halls of his high school. The lockers were bare and the walls felt naked without the sermonic posters of upcoming sports events and club activities. Even the classrooms were mostly empty. He wasn't sure what he was going to get out of this visit, but he figured this would be a good time to learn any of its secrets.

Phasing down a level, he found himself in the school gymnasium. Ropes hung from the top of the ceiling and, although not to be filled with them for over two months, it still managed to smell like gym shorts. Wonderful. He would have left sooner had he not heard the sound of the doors opening. Turning invisible, he watched as his parents, escorted by the school's vice principal, walked into the gymnasium.

"I'm getting very strong readings for ghost activity in this room," his mom declared as she translated the data from her Fenton-Ghost-Finder. "Yep, definitely spectral activity in the gym." She recorded her findings on a clipboard attached to her utility belt. Wow, Danny thought. All those weapons on that thing and she still finds room for a clipboard? Good for her.

"Keep a watchful eye, Principal Heinz," Jack Fenton said in a booming voice that echoed across the walls. "Just because you don't see a ghost doesn't mean it's not here… trust me, I'm a professional." He stood straight with his arms crossed tightly around his chest. What a professional, Danny thought. Who else would have guessed that ghosts could be invisible? Danny flew down closer to the three standing in the middle of the room. His mother's machine made intense beeping noises as he floated unseen feet away. Hating the sound, he flew back up towards the top of the room.

"This room is very unstable," his mother said curiously. "The only thing that would explain such readings is—"

"Is if there were ghosts in this room as we speak!" his dad shouted boisterously. Suddenly, he whipped a ghost ray blaster from behind his back. "Alright, you ghastly crone! Come out now and I won't blast you into such tiny pieces!" The principal stood there in shock, not sure how to react. Maddie Fenton grabbed her own ray gun as she stood back to back with her husband. Alright, maybe now is not the best time to be here, figured Danny as he phased out of the room. Figuring he was safe, he regained clarity and sat down on the stage of his school's auditorium after stumbling upon it during his escape. The last time he had been in here was when he made the mistake of trying out for the school play his freshman year. He had gotten such stage fright that he forgot to watch his step and fell right off of the stage. The class called him Butterfeet for months. Definitely not one of his favorite memories, nor his favorite nicknames.

Danny had been so lost in thought that he had not heard the sound of thick rubber against linoleum floors. By the time he realized it, his parents had opened the doors straight across from the stage, and it had been too late. They all glared as Danny sat on the stage, omitting a ghostly glow. He gasped in surprise and went invisible once more.

"Maddie! That was the ghost we saw earlier in the sky!" Jack declared. "Hey! Quit hiding and come out so I can tear you apart molecule by molecule!"

"I've actually heard of that particular ghost," the principal finally piped up, causing the two energetic ghostbusters to look his way. "My nephew told me about it just the other day. He was working in the park when he came across that same apparition standing by some tree. And I think I've heard rumors about him before from other people."

"Come to think of it, I have too," Maddie recollected "A couple of ladies at my book club have mentioned it before. I was expecting a hearty discussion of The Help, but I was much more interested in the topic of ghosts!"

Oh great, now I'm gaining popularity, thought Danny as he watched the adults gather their information. He was usually careful to keep a low profile, but maybe not as often has he should have been. It didn't think it was really necessary, considering the biggest threats to his safety were the two in his room, and they hadn't even known about him until now. But Danny still wasn't worried. He could easily avoid confrontation with them. Well, in his ghost form at least.

"After considering what we've found in this school, and considering this is town with the highest level of spectral activity this side of the Atlantic, I would definitely recommend the inclusion of ghost drills at school," Maddie concluded as she watched the data on her screen fluctuate as Danny slowly flew across the top of the auditorium. "I can type up a plan of action for these drills when I get home and have them ready for you by the beginning of the school year."

"Yes, I'm sure the school board would appreciate that greatly," concluded Mr. Heinz. "Just send it to me at my school email and I'll make sure to spread the word through the faculty. I'll also have my janitors report any ghostly sightings they may find after hours."

"Sounds great. Well, if that's all, I think it's time we got back home. Danny's probably wondering where we are, huh, Jack?"

"Aah, at his age all he's thinking about is food and girls," Jack stated confidently. "And, if he's following the footsteps of his father, he's also thinking about ghosts!" Danny rolled his eyes. Well, he had been thinking about two of those things recently: girls and ghosts. And, come to think of it, he was pretty hungry. Ooh, we've got leftover lasagna just waiting for me to eat it, Danny thought. Now would be a good time to leave. With that, Danny flew up and out of the school, heading towards home.

He had only been there ten minutes when his parents returned from their daily ghost duty. "Hi, Danny!" his mother sang as they entered their apartment. "How was your day?"
"Oh, you know. Same old, same old," Danny said in between gulps of his lasagna. He looked up at his parents, who were unloading some of their equipment in the living room.

"See? What did I tell you, Maddie? The boy's eating, as teenage boys do," Jack declared. "Guess what, Danny boy? Your mother and I discovered high paranormal ratings in your school this evening. Your vice principal hired us to check it out, and he was rewarded whole-heartedly with our expert knowledge on everything ghost!"

"Now, Jack, nothing's official just yet," his mother clarified sweetly, her motherly voice like honey. "But it's true. We even saw a ghost in the school's auditorium. Right with our own eyes!"

"No kidding!" Danny pretended to be surprised but didn't take his eyes off of his cheesy meal.

"Yeah! Have you heard anything about this ghost kid? Apparently, he's quite a rising figure in Amity Park."

"Can't say that I have."

"Well, you better be on the lookout for him, son. You never know just how evil and dangerous these ghosts can be," Jack stressed as he sat down at the table, smelling Danny's dinner. "Heeey, lasagna! Any of that left?"

"Sorry, Dad, I got the last of it," Danny said with his mouth full of the final bite of lasagna. His mother scowled at him as he spoke with his mouth full. "You sure missed a good meal, though."

"Danny, don't talk with your mouth full," his mother reprimanded. Danny smiled with a cheesy grin. They chuckled as Danny cleaned up his dishes and headed to his bedroom. Man, did he have a lot of stuff to tell Beth. He'd have to catch her when she could escape her parents and relay all this information to her. Right now, he was just bent on perfecting this day with a nice, solid, ten or so hours of wakeless sleep.

Sorry this chapter's a bit late! The next few updates will not be coming out as periodically as they have been in the past. I think this will go another five chapters and then I'll take a break while I start writing the sequel. Anyway, hope you enjoyed it! R&R, as always. 8)