Chapter 11:
Detention, Day 1


So. Here they sat. A smirking goth girl, a confused Huntress, a snotty princess, her equally snotty sidekick, three block-headed jocks, a delusional half-ghost, a goody-two-shoes bookworm, and their still-grumpy English teacher.

Of course, Jazz wasn't, actually, part of the detention group. But, detention was in the library, today, so the redhead figured it would be a good way to keep an eye out for her little brother. She didn't know Sam was going to be there, and, by the looks of it, Sam hadn't know Jazz would. But, with the end of the day approaching, both girls knew something had to happen. It had never not. So, the more hands they had, the better.

The teacher had split their cliques up, to try and cut down on 'troublemaker groups'. So, from left to right, Jason, Sam, Dash, Valerie, Paulina, Kwan, Danny, and Star sat in a straight line, across the back of a table, facing their teacher. Jazz sat behind her desk, nearby, head buried in a book. She pretended to read, while, secretly, keeping an eye on a certain blue-eyed half-ghost.

Mr. Lancer sighed, hands on his hips. "Alright, people. Would anyone like to explain to me exactly what has gotten into all of you, today?"

"Paulina's a shallow little witch," Sam answered, plainly. "Oh, wait, that's every day," She corrected.

"Oh, you did not," The Latina said, rising, perfectly-manicured claws at the ready. Star was already moving to help her.

"Miss Sanchez. Miss Alistair. Miss Manson," The teacher warned. They sat back down. Paulina folded her arms, but she and Star continued to glare at the goth girl. Sam just smirked back, as Lancer cleared his throat. "Let's start with you, Mr. Baxter."

The terrified jock glanced down at Valerie, on his left, then Sam, on his right. He swallowed. "I... Uh... Pass."

The teacher sighed, again. "Alright. How about you, Mr. Fenton." It was more of an order, than a request, but that didn't really matter. The boy was sound asleep.

||Thank goodness. The last thing we need is Danny calling Mr. Lancer 'Goat Man', in here,|| Jazz thought. Her relief soon disappeared, though, as the teacher tried to wake her brother up.

"Mr. Fenton. Mr. Fenton."

"Goat Man. Sleepy. Ghost in the school." Snickers rose around the room, as Jazz sighed in her head.

||Oops. Spoke too soon.||


After another minute of trying to get through to Danny, then a few more of prodding the other detentionaires for information, (all without success,) the overweight teacher gave up. He leaned back in his chair, with a pair of headphones, a cup of coffee, and a copy of Moby Dick. His students guessed he was trying to keep any eye on them and block them out, at the same time.

The A-Listers were careful not to be heard, but they couldn't resist messing with the sleep-talker. Sam, Jazz, and Valerie all did their best to stop them, but Mr. Lancer said that this was what you got for sleeping in class. And, unless Danny said something really crazy, there was no reason for them to get another detention over it. (Sam had all of this week, and some of next, covered, as it was.) The boy was spouting nonsense, anyhow.


"Hey, Fenton," Kwan whispered, temporarily forgetting who this boy was under the protection of. A shiver ran down his spine, when he saw the glare the nerd's sister was sending him, over top of her book. But, he ignored it and continued. What was the redhead gonna do, anyhow? She was basically a walking, talking stick.

"Who's Goat Man," The jock asked. Danny sat up, eyes opening, though they really didn't see anything. Everyone could tell he was still sound asleep.


Sam was worried. It was past time for Danny's medicine, but she couldn't give it to him, here. Not and still avoid the long list of questions she didn't want to answer.

The boy pointed to Mr. Lancer, answering Kwan's question, "Goat Man." Snickers rose around the table. "Turkey Leg," He looked at his sister. "Apples and the king of Canada wanna cook Hair Clip," He pointed at Star.

"'Hair Clip'?" The blonde cheerleader wondered, aloud.

"Tell them I said 'no'," Jazz replied, calmly. Danny nodded, and laid back down on the table.

"'Turkey Leg'?" Dash asked, confused into near-civility. The redhead just shrugged, eyes never leaving her book. Sam started running through possible explanations (lies) in her head, for Danny's behavior, but the populars let it drop. Unfortunately, this freed them up to mess with the boy, some more.

"Hey, Fenton," Paulina said. When he didn't respond, Star poked him with the end of her glittery, pink-feathered pen. Detention or not, Sam was going to have to kill those two, before this was over. She just knew it.

"No!" He whined. "Frosty ate the camel. Poor camel."

"Whatever," She waved him off. "You, like, know I'm still, totally, going to kill you for destroying my phone, right?" Great. She was still on that.

Danny sat back up, still asleep, but staring at the snobby girl, all the same. "You can't do that." It was the most lucid he'd sounded in hours, and Sam suddenly felt very nervous.

She scoffed. "And, why not. You broke my phone, you have to pay for it."

Danny shook his head, groggily. "You can't kill me. I'm already dead." Several confused noises rose around the room, both from the kids at the detention table and from the few students who sat nearby. Though, Jazz and Sam were stunned silent, and Valerie sounded like she might puke. "I'm a ghost. Boo," The boy finished. At that last word, he waved his arms around, weakly, looking all-too-much like The Box Ghost. Sam felt herself pale, and could see Jazz doing the same. Had the situation not been so serious, it would have been funny.

||Wait. Why does Valerie look nervous?|| Sam wondered, suspiciously. Suddenly, the whole room (minus Lancer and the four ghost-hunters,) burst out laughing. The three girls joined, chuckling nervously, Sam sending suspicious glances at the Huntress, until Mr. Lancer looked up from his book to tell everyone to keep it down.


Ten minutes later, Sam convinced the others that Lancer wasn't even looking, so they could all sit where they wanted to. She sat beside side of the ghost-boy, at one end of the table, Jazz flanking his other side, under the guise of organizing a stack of books. Valerie sat across from the delusional ghost, and the A-Listers crowded around the table's other end. Lancer never had a clue.

"Why did you tell Dash to leave us alone?" Sam said, somewhat-coldly. Jazz cleared her throat. "Not that I'm complaining," The goth girl clarified.

||Because I'm an idiot, and I'm trying to make up for all the stupid, unnecessary, vindictive things I've put the town hero through, over the past nine months,|| Valerie thought. Outside of her mind, though, she shrugged.

"He's my friend. You and Tucker aren't bad, either. You, either, Jazz," She nodded at the redhead, like she'd just realized she was there. Jazz nodded back, stealing a glance at Lancer, to be sure he didn't see. "Dash is a jerk. He needed his ego handed to him, so he could see just how big it really is," She shrugged, again. "Seemed like a win for everyone."

"Can't say I disagree," Sam smirked, then it dropped. "That's it?"

"That's it," Valerie said. She hoped she'd kept a straight face.

||That, and the fact that I know he's a superhero, now. I guess I kinda am, too. We might, as well, work together.||

"Why? Is there some reason I shouldn't?" She said, pulling off the 'curious little kid' look, almost as well as Danny. It must've been enough.

"No, no!" Sam said, nervously, waving her hands in front of her. "No reason. Just... Wanted to be sure. Heh, heh."

The boy next to he whimpered, like a puppy, scraping at the ground with one foot. "Don't touch my marbles. I've already lost too many." The three girls looked at him for a moment, then they were all fighting to breathe, while stifling their giggles. The previous subject was quickly dropped.

"Wha- No. No turtles. Too much bacon, already. Box Lunch stole my teddy bear," The boy opened his eyes, slightly, but closed them again.

"He has a teddy bear?" Valerie quirked an eyebrow.

"Nope," Sam smirked, popping the 'p'.

The three sat in a comfortable semi-silence for the rest of detention, sharing a laugh at the ghost-boy's outbursts, every now and then. Sam and Jazz were still a bit apprehensive, but, to Valerie's eternal relief, no more questions were asked.

When Lancer stood to dismiss them all, he seemed surprised. Not that they'd switched, just that he hadn't noticed them doing it.

And, so, the four teens went their separate ways. Valerie had work, and Jazz and Sam had a frost-giant to talk to. Of course, Valerie didn't know that last part.

And, that's how Tucker got halfa-sitting duty.


AN: Hey, everybody! :)

I know this one's a little short, but I'm making up for that next week! You'll see ;)

Also, for anyone who had trouble, I fixed the artwork link in Chapter 8 :) Anyone who hasn't checked out InsomniacWhoOverslept's work is seriously missing out! :)))

As always,
God bless, and I hope you enjoyed! :)
- Ellie