Author's Note: Why did Paulina do something so selfish, even after all of the changing and development she had gone through? Because she is still Paulina, and she still wants her way, and she'll still do whatever it takes to get what she wants. Nothing has happened to make her think differently about this, so that is why that part of her is still there. People don't change too dramatically that quickly.

Plus, I mean, I suppose I don't expect any of you to really understand this, but just think about it. It wasn't really so much an act of selfishness so much as it was an act of desperation, a spur-of-the-moment decision. In just one moment, she realized she loved him, and then in the next moment, she was losing all chances of being with him? That, along with her natural selfishness(and some minor jealousy), is what truly drove her to do what she did. The above explanation is just an easier way of thinking about it. I'd prefer you to go with this explanation, though.

The Luckiest Girl in the World

She should've wished to change back the night before, she knew that, but as she went through school the next day, she just wasn't sure if she was ready to go back yet. She missed her parents and her own room, but she didn't want to leave Danny yet. If she made the wish for everything to go back to the way it was, would she lose him forever?

He does have a crush on me, she thought, I guess it would be okay. Still, I really want him to like me, not the way I look, which is, I think, the real reason he likes me.

As the final bell rang, she made a decision. Well, I'll just have to get him to like the real me, that's all! Easy enough…

"So, Tucker got detention for looking at that magazine during class," said Danny with a laugh as he stood with Paulina next to his locker, "I told him not to, but did he listen?"

"It's better he learn the hard way," said Paulina, "It'll teach him."

"Hi, Danny!" said Sam, walking up behind him. Danny smiled shyly.

Paulina gritted her teeth. She wanted to talk to Danny alone. "Would you please leave?"

"Oh, shut up," said Sam, "Why would anyone want to talk to you?" She grinned and moved in closer to Danny. "Why would Danny want to talk to you? Does he just feel sorry for you? You should do the world a favor and kill yourself."

Paulina felt a gasp catch in her throat. She promptly dashed away down the hall.

"Paulina!" Danny yelled. He started to run after her, but Sam grabbed his arm and held him back.

"Don't worry about her. What do you see in that geek, anyway?" asked Sam.

Danny shoved her off. "You know what? Stay away from me." His tone was calm and even, but it held the hint of a threat. He ran off to find Paulina, who had already sprinted out of the school doors.

Sam watched him leave, then shrugged. Star and Dash came up to her. She greeted Star, but ignored Dash.

-DP-

Paulina ran. She ran outside and still didn't stop. She ran not from hurt feelings, but from shame of seeing how she really was.

She could hear Danny calling her, but she kept going. That wasn't Sam; that was me! Her chest ached with the weight of the horrible truth.

Danny finally caught up to her and seized her arm. "Paulina, wait!"

Paulina slipped out of his grasp and kept going. Danny took hold of her again and finally got her to stop. She slowly turned to him, her eyes averted.

"Paulina, don't let her get to you! You're usually so much tougher than this," said Danny. He seemed genuinely concerned.

"I'm not letting her get to me," said Paulina quietly, "That's not why I ran away."

Danny took her hands in his. "Paulina, what is going on? This past week…you haven't been yourself."

"I know," said Paulina. She felt a horrible pressure behind her eyes. "I'm not who you think I am."

"What are you talking about?" asked Danny, "I know who exactly who you are. You're the smartest, coolest—" He paused. "—prettiest girl I know."

Paulina stared at him, her jaw dropped slightly. She only wished he was really talking about her, but she knew he was talking about Sam. She realized then that she didn't deserve him. He was so wonderful, so perfect. She had treated him so horribly in the past; why would he ever choose her over someone like…

Like Sam? she thought bitterly.

Danny mistook her reaction. "I know, I know. I know you said you don't feel the same way. I wasn't trying to suggest anything. It's just that I've never seen you like this before."

"Don't worry about it." Paulina turned away. "I'm going to set things right." She'd fix everything. She'd give Danny a valid reason to choose her over that Goth.

"Paulina, don't, please." Danny gently took hold of her shoulders and spun her to face him again. He continued, "You were right. You were always right. Sam's nothing but a shallow, pretty face. I'm totally over her, okay? I hate her."

Paulina felt a wave of grief rush through her. "No!" she cried, her eyes tearing up, "No, don't say that!"

"Why not?" asked Danny, confused.

"Don't hate her," said Paulina, "She didn't mean it. She didn't mean it at all. Please, don't hate her!" Don't hate me…

She wanted to pounce at him. What if this was her only chance to hold him and have him truly return the affection? What if she couldn't get him to stop hating her after she changed back?

No, she couldn't do that. Then she would definitely ruin all hope of being with Danny. If she did something as brash as that, then Danny and Sam would get together, and she would only be able to watch it happen.

"I don't understand. Don't you hate her?" Danny asked with a slight shake of his head.

"I do," said Paulina, "I do. I really do, but I'm going to change all that." She spotted Sam's bus and started towards it.

"Paulina, what do you mean?" asked Danny, but he didn't follow her. He let her walk away, and the sadness he had felt the night before came back.

-DP-

In Sam's room, Paulina locked the door and allowed no company as she reflected on everything.

I hate myself. She stared up at the ceiling, her eyes unfocused. The way I really am…

She shook her head. No, that's the way I was. I'm different now. I am. For sure.

The light outside faded. A few stars twinkled as the sun sunk lower beneath the horizon. Paulina turned her head slightly to look out the window and saw one particularly bright star. She slowly stood and walked over to Sam's wide window, kneeling and putting her head against the glass.

I can't go on like this, she thought, I have to let Sam have her life back, and I've got to fix mine.

She exhaled heavily and closed her eyes. I wish for everything to go back to normal. I wish that I had my life back, and Sam had hers.

Something moved behind her. Paulina whirled around to find a girl floating in the air, her skin a bluish color, her hair auburn and unkempt, her clothes torn and faded. She was smiling slyly.

"Delphine," said Paulina. She stood. "Am I dreaming?"

"No," said Delphine, "It's just that I was in the ghost zone before and could only contact you in a dream. I've managed to get out since then." She spoke as if it was no big deal.

"Oh." Paulina wrung her hands and looked down at the floor. "Well, are you going to change everything back?"

"Yes, but first, tell me…" Delphine smirked. "Did you have fun?"

Paulina blinked. "Well, um, yeah, I guess." She furrowed her brow. "At times, yeah, I really did."

"Did you learn anything?"

"Danny's the ghost boy," said Paulina.

Delphine snickered and shook her head. "Well, I was looking for something a bit more profound than that."

Paulina sighed. She started quietly, "I'm—"

"No need to say it. You know what it is. I can see that," said Delphine. She folded her arms. "It was fun for me, let me tell you."

"What do you mean?" asked Paulina.

Delphine came up closer to her and shrugged. "It was just fun to watch you try and figure everything out. You're so dense. Wasn't it obvious from the beginning that that boy was Danny Phantom?"

Paulina sighed. "Yes, it was. I was just too stupid to see it."

"That's for sure," Delphine said.

"Well, um, why didn't I switch bodies with Sam? Why am I still me, just in Sam's place?" asked Paulina, wanting to change the subject with a question that had been bothering her.

"Well, d'uh," said Delphine, "I knew the desire of your heart, and as I recall, you didn't actually want to be that 'Goth freak.' I did what you wanted, really."

"Oh," said Paulina, "That makes sense." She sat down on Sam's bed.

Delphine stood before her. She placed an index finger on the girl's forehead and pushed her down on the bed. "Just sleep now. Everything will be fine in the morning."

"Will it?" asked Paulina hazily. Her mind felt exhausted all of a sudden.

"Yes." Delphine smiled, a clever gleam in her eyes.

"Do you think I can get Danny to like me?" Paulina questioned with a small yawn.

"Who knows?" asked Delphine. Her laughter faded into silence as Paulina fell asleep.

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I'll be updating again on Friday because we're going on another vacation for a week after that. (Man, even during the school year, it seems like we're always going on vacation...)