Author's Note:

Well, here it is. Chapter 19. Wow, I can't believe I wrote that much... And if by any chance a teacher comes by this, writing fanfiction has made me far better at grammer and spelling than any English homework sheet or spelling test.

Chapter 19: The Shallow, the Deep and the Biased

"Here's your copy of The Fellowship of the Ring, Danny." said Mr. Lancer, after everyone else had left the room for recess. "And alwaysremember, if people give you trouble, be it students or teachers alike, you can always come to me."

Danny nodded and began to head out the door, but when he tried to stuff his book into his pack, his hands unwillingly turned intangible again, making him drop the book. It seemed that they just didn't want to touch anything anymore. Mr. Lancer looked at him with curiosity.

"I can understand that you try, but you're going to have to try to keep that under control."

"Tell me about it..." Danny replied as he scooped up the book with his other hand and put it into his bag. With a slight amount of excitement, Danny walked out the door and towards the spot Paullina had told him to meet her. Desperately trying to ignore the glances and stares, and the even more annoying 'look at him, and when he sees you look away before he notices'.

The spot where Paullina had told him to meet her was a fairly sucluded place. It was a small ring of bushes, barely enough room for two people, but still possible. Barely anyone even knew about it. Danny only by chance after he was hiding from Dash's gang. He pushed his way through to find Paullina sitting, waiting for him. The expected heartbeat didn't quicken or thump harder. It was then he realized that his heartbeat simply wasn't there... Ignoring the very disturbing fact that he didn't have a beating heart, Danny remained calm.

"Hi Danny!" she said brightly as he sat down next to her.

"Hi!" Danny replied back. He couldn't believe it - Paullina, Paullina was actually talking to him.With words.

"Listen, I sorta want to appoligize for ignoring you the past half year." she said in her Spanish accent. "Because you are kind of cute, I just never noticed before."

Before you got yourself killed! Danny's mind reminded him harshly. Paullina looked slightly puzzled as he stared into space for a moment, thinking.

"Danny, are you okay?"

"What?" he said, as the voice snapped him out of his temporary daze. "Sorry, I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"Nothing."

"Go on!"

"No!"

"Please, I'm good with secrets!"

"It was just a thought!" Danny protested.

"Alright, sheesh! Oh, hey, it's the guys on the football team!"

"Paullina, no! They hate me!" Danny said quietly and urgently as Paullina stuck her head above the surrounding greenery and yelled out to them. Kwan and the rest (minus Dash) of the jocks walked up to the no-longer-secluded-spot.

"You're with Fenton!?" Kwan said in surprise. "Paullina, he might be cute, but he's a geek AND a ghost! You couldn't do worse!"

"Wow, slow down!" Paullina said in shock. "He's a what?"

"A geek." Kwan answered stupidly.

"No, no, no! The second one!"

"He said that I'm a ghost." Danny confirmed before Kwan could say it. He much rathered that she hear it from him rather than that numb-skull.

"You... you are?" Paullina said fearfully, her face contorted with confusion as well. "Go away! I don't want to know what happened! And I'm not going to lure you to tell me, either!" with that, she backed away from Danny to Kwan and the other Jocks.

"Wait a minute, you were going to use me?!"

Paullina said nothing as she backed away from him, the jocks comforting her and grinning maliciously at Danny. He watched in confusion and sadness as she deserted him.

Sam was right, that girl really was shallow.

--

At period three and four science, Danny was already in a bad mood before it had even begun. Mr. Rihan was, as always, only going to provoke the mood so it became even worse than what it already was.

"Hurry up and sit down, Fenton, or you can have a detention!"

Danny, who had already pulled the chair out to sit on it, scowled. He used to be mean to him, sure, but this was ridiculous. Danny sat at the workbench and waited. All the jocks (again, minus Dash) came in with Paullina and sat as far away from Danny as physically possible. There were others who entered, however, that tried to sit very close to him. A girl called Kiera even offered to be his partner, which he gratefully accepted.

As they waited for the straglers, the pair talked. It seemed to Danny that Kiera had partnered with up with him not for the sake of finding out what happened, but because she thought he must be very hard for him without Sam and Tucker around to offer support when needed.

"SILENCE!" Mr. Rihan's voice boomed. Everyone flinched and faced him immediately. "Today we are burning Sulfur. Can anyone tell me what it is?"

Danny knew this, and put up his hand. Compared to must other subjects except art, he was surprisingly good at science. Rihan looked around the room carefully before picking Danny, to be absolutely sure that no one else could answer.

"Yes, Mr. Fenton?" he said through gritted teeth.

"Sulfur is an element that comes out of a volcano when it erupts."

"Considering you're so smart, Mr. Fenton, could you tell me what happens when you inhale it?"

Danny thought for a moment. "It forms a cement when mixed with saliva that hardens more every time you breathe. You'd end up choking to death."

"Correct, and because I'm sure no one wants to end up in Fenton's position, don't go sticking your nose in it!"

Danny growled very quietly at this. Kiera was slightly confused, as with most of the rest of the class. What Mr. Rihan had said basically screamed that Danny Fenton was dead. But Danny Fenton was sitting right there in front of them, his face contorted in rage. Did this mean he was some kind of ghost or spirit? His voice did echo, and he was glowing. People began to whisper to their friends. Danny went a rather unhealthy shade of white before accidentally becoming invisible, gasping, and returning to normal again.

"I'll have none of your tricks, Fenton!" Rihan said harshly. "Detention. Lunchtime. Today."

"But it was an accident! I can't control it at all!" he retorted angrily. "Besides, it's not hurting anyone, is it?"

"No tricks!" Mr. Rihan roared back.

"Stop dumping on him!" Kiera suddenly yelled. "Just because he's different doesn't mean he doesn't have feelings! I don't know what you're thinking, but I don't think that he would actually choose to be this way!"

"Detention. Lunchtime. Today, Miss. Winter. I won't have your cheek."

Kiera gritted her teeth at the injustice.

"Now that that's over, each pair set up a Bunson burner, then come to me to collect a pair of glasses for each of you, then collect one crucible of powdered Sulfur. Don't do anything else for the moment."

Danny pulled out the Bunson burner and began setting it up as Kiera headed over to and grabbed the other items they needed. When he had finished setting up the Bunsen burner, Danny reached for the plastic science glasses and put them on, only to have them phase off his now intangible nose. Kiera made a dive-grab and caught them just before they hit the floor.

"Sorry, I didn't mean that."

"Don't appoligize for something that wasn't your fault.' Kiera said as she handed him back the glasses.

"Now, put the crucible on the stand and light the burner. Keep it on the red flame and record what you observe. If the Sulfur turns red, cut the gas off immediately."

Everyone got started. The burning Sulfur smelt horrible; many resorted to pulling their jumpers and shirts over their faces. Danny began to hold his breath as his Sulfur began to liquify. He found quickly that he didn't actually need to draw a breath again at all, which made him pleased, confused and somewhat uneasy all at the same time.

The Sulfur in his crucible hardened and started to glow a vivid red in places. Quickly, he made a movement to turn the gas off only to have both of his hands become intangible.

"No, anytime but now!" he pleaded. Kiera noticed what was happening and turned the gas off just a moment too late. The crucible smashed from overheating, scattering hot pieces of whatever the crucible was made of and bits of hot Sulfur everywhere.

"STOP!" Rihan bellowed. Everyone in the room flinched and jerked around to face the fuming teacher. "Winter, Fenton, detention lunchtime Monday! Pack up and sit down! Everyone else, ten minutes to go before the next experiment!"

The pair groaned and packed up their things, not talking to each other with the knowledge that Rihan was watching them like a hawk.

--

"Class dismissed!"

Not being allowed to do any experiments for the entire double session had rendered Danny and Kiera exceedingly board, so they let out a collective sigh of relief at these words.

"Fenton, Winter, off to detention!"

The pair groaned.

-End Chapter 20-

Author's Note:

Wow, that one's a long chapter! Consider it make-up for the lost 700 - chapter.

Peace,

MoonlightUmbreon