It was only Tuesday, and Danny was tired. And annoyed and riled and keeping it under rein. Tired. Now that Matt and his buddies had left the table from their lunch time, Danny tossed his uneaten apple back into his bag, not hungry.

"What's the grossest thing you've seen?"

Jolting his head up, Danny stared at brash girl plunking herself into the seat across him, brown eyes boring into his face and reminding Danny of a very difficult to move pair of rocks.

"Uh. That's not really a topic for when people are eatin-"

Her hand waved. "You ain't eating and I don't got no lunch."

The girl, highly likely one of the eighth graders that came in for lunch after the seventh, grinned broadly at him and leaned forward. Bold and daring. Sure to say something Danny was positive he probably didn't want to hear.

He tilted back, shifting to slide and bolt.

"All these girls dressed up like they're Elly May Clampett, and not a single one I've asked yet knowing who she is. And then there are the Daisy Dukes. Disgusting."

Taken aback at her feral grin and closeness, followed up by tame words in comparison, it took Danny a moment to take that in.

"What? You're on a farm, we all live in the middle of bum fuck nowhere. They know what farmers look like. This day is a waste and excuse to dress sexy dolled up as cute while flaunting the dress code."

Oh. Danny glance around at the students who actually dressed up for this day. The entire week was themed days until Friday. Which was just straight up written as the school colors for Homecoming Day.

There were probably about the same number of kids dressed for the day as yesterday. Just. Not as noticeable.

Plaid shirts and jeans paired with a few hats dotting the cafe. More than a few shorts to spite the cooling temperatures outside. With maybe a twine string for a belt. Danny beleives he spotted a few shirts with a green clover earlier today. But yeah. This girl wasn't wrong. Not what he wore as barn clothes. It was just...old clothes meant to be put through the paces.

And then his eyes fell onto the awkward form of Jessica, the freshman doing her usual attempts to squeeze into conversation off to the side of a larger group of freshman. Awkward and proudly oblivious. She was all decked out like she was ready to show off and swing her leg up onto an equally decked out horse. Bright red pants done up tight and high, white shirt underneath a matching red jacket with black and white patterns, frills dangling from the sleeves, and a pristine white hat.

It stood out.

Definitely not Daisy Duke. Or whoever Elly May Clampett was.

"Wha-"

"Crazy horse girl doesn't count."

Feeling for the girl who tried so hard and gave everything her all, Danny turned his head back around to the eighth grader.

"I like it."

"You would." She tutted. "Even those four over there. But at least they did that yesterday too. It's a...twist I can appreciate."

At her face drifting into appreciation, Danny sighed, glancing around him rather than at this strange girl.

Adam Schultz and Jordan West waved at him from across the cafe, the two fellow sophomore cross country members motioning him over with more enthusiasm than Danny wanted to go near.

He didn't want to hear more plans for the Homecoming game and dance. Plans they'd stuck him in. Like he was part of them. The team, maybe, but not-

"Unlike the girls, they know who Elly May is. They did the main cast after all. Look at that Ryan. The hunch and everything. Commitment."

Startled at that, Danny stared at this girl. Ryan and three other seniors has dressed up as a group of girls for 80s day yesterday. Today, two of them had, while the other two did not. The one senior was all out as a girl. But Ryan looked like some elderly woman. Danny had thought it'd been for the humor.

And he'd thought this girl had been admiring the sexier version Beau wore.

"He makes an excellent Granny. First Heathers, then the Clampetts today. At least they got my interest with the group thing. Far more interesting than tying on a plaid shirt, maybe a set of cowboy boots and a hat just to enjoy breaking the no hats policy. Shorts really breaking code. Boring and disgusting."

The girl leaned to her side, pointedly leering at a group of girls who'd just sat down with their trays. Unnerved, they all leaned away and slid further down the table. Hands at their bared chests from how they'd tied up their button downs, eyes going to him in concern.

One of them carefully tilted toward Danny, hand still clutched over her heart. "Hasn't anyone warned you about the-"

"MEEEROOOW! KEH! KEH! MEEEEERRRRRR!"

Everyone jolted, a tiny scream coming out from one at the loud sudden angry pissed off cat noise.

Danny stared at the girl across from him. Who was grinning again. Leaning over the table. Her eyes went to his chest, then back to his face, grin growing. "Crimson red is my favorite shade of red."

"Um, right. Well, my lunch time is nearly over, so..."

Danny paused as he stood, reminded of the visual as he picked his bag up.

And.

He watched as she shot a mad grin and fake jump at the group of girls. Spooking them further away. Then leaned back in her seat, jaw working as she stared up at the ceiling. "Well, ya going or what? Gunna give me an answer to grossest thing you've ever seen?"

Said slightly too loud, everyone nearby heard, pulling faces and quickly looking away from her.

Danny caught the mutter of disbelief from one of the kids.

And tossed his bag back down.

"Want the rest of my lunch? I'm not going to finish it."

The girl ripped her eyes off the ceiling and starred, then grinned. "Oh, I love new people coming in. Got any change I can use at the snack cart? No? Ah well. Thanks anyway. Nice chatting with you while it lasted. See ya, apples!"

Waving the apple from the bag at him, the girl reached into her pocket to tug out a spoon.

Riiight.

Danny slowly inched back, not sure about this really odd and strange eighth grader.

"Oh! Wait! A trade! It's only right! Here!"

Startled, Danny fumbled, catching what she threw at him.

"A...a mini stapler?"

"Go crazy with it." The girl directed him. "I bet you could get things up in real interesting places thanks to that."

"Uh." He stared. "Thanks?"

"I'd save your thanks, but you're awesome. Shame I'll never find out the grossest thing you've seen. I bet it was actual farm gross factor too. Like a bunch of maggots!"

Huge exclamations burst up and a teacher moved in, finger jabbing at the door. The girl gave a salute to the cafe and stomped a ratty sneaker in the direction of the group of girls, laughing as she got reaction and told off. Scooping, she spooned a piece of the apple into her mouth while she went out the door.

"What the..."

Danny trailed off, wandering off, at a loss.

"That's a Hofmann. They're...uh, kind of out there."

Glancing back over a shoulder, he stared to where the girl disappeared.

For not first time this week, (maybe there was something to the week's name) he felt loss, increased throbbing and pain, angry, upset.

Seeing and hearing them everywhere.

And just now, that weird girl made him think of a younger Sam.

I've been awful at updating, keeping up on FF. Apologies. This has been more of an Ao3 thing? Or, I started it up on there, so it's been more up on there? I think I mentioned that when I made to post this up on FF.

Definitely started it's life as a silly plop Danny on a farm/small town and country life. But because of how I did that...really veered into angst territory. In a heads up to people of where this is going.

I'll try to remember and keep posting up on here, but for those who want more... More of this IS posted up on Ao3. About...29 more updates up on there. Feel free to take advantage of that. Same story title, same online handle. If you don't have Ao3, I've got it set up to allow guest to comment. (But, like I said, angst territory)