WoM- I know who you all think this is from the title… and I'll tell you right now you're wrong. 'grins evilly'
"Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far."
-Theodore Roosevelt
Sidekick
I'm always in your shadow
The little unknown tag-a-long
Praise to all you say and do
Singing backup in your song
"So, what do you want to do today after class?" I asked, quickening my pace to keep up with yours.
"Anything but bowling," You responded, making a face, "We've been doing that every night, and it's getting boring!" I didn't say anything.
Personally, I liked bowling. And you seemed to forget that, along with the fact that there was little else to do on a weekend in a nowhere place like Amity for teens. Nothing good was playing in the movie theaters, and we went to the Nasty Burger almost every day. All those Mega Mini Meaty Patties can't be good for my figure…
"Well, I think Tanya's throwing a party at her house," I volunteered. "Her parents are out of town on some business trip,"
"Who's going?" You asked me, frowning thoughtfully.
"Well, pretty much everyone," I told you, encouraged by the response. A little more slyly, I added, "You know, Dash is gonna be there…"
"So?" You scoffed, "What does that have to do with anything?"
"Nothing," I said, shrugging, "It's just… well, everyone's expecting you two to-!"
"I don't care what everyone expects," You snapped, irritated, "And I don't care about Dash Baxter. He can drool after me all he wants, but there's only one boy I want." I couldn't hide my shock at that, before it turned into bitterness.
Of course you didn't care. You where in a position where you had the choice to care or not, unlike me. Me? I'd jump all over the chance to date Dash, but he only sees you. EVERYONE only sees you. I'm just your friend in their eyes.
The only time a guy comes up to me is to ask where you are now a days, and even the guy I'm dating is more interested in you them me! You have the guys fighting up pick up your pencil whenever it falls to the floor, and girls like me clamoring to be friends with you in hopes of getting some of your cast offs.
I'm not stupid, I know I'm replaceable. After all, you don't really like me at all, you just need someone at your side to order around like a little grunt. More pathetic then that, though, is the fact that I know this and I still stay here with you…
No one ever considered
If I wanted center stage
All their love is meant for you
So you have all of my rage
"H-hey, Paulina!"
My lips thinned in annoyance and my eyes narrow into a bitter look as I watched the boy stammer and blush. He was just some loser who's name I couldn't remember, a Chess Club geek, but still…
'What do they see in you?' I thought bitterly, 'Why are you the one everyone likes so much? I'm pretty too, so why does everyone like you so much more then me?' I hated being the only girl in school who didn't have a guy falling all over himself for her.
Even Valerie had that Fenton loser crushing on her, though she broke that off before it really had the chance to get started. It was weird, since she seemed to really like him, but I didn't pay too much attention to it. Valerie was always doing weird stuff, after all…
"Whatever," You said in a bored tone, rolling your eyes as you walked away. I followed, just as was expected of me. After all, as far as others were concerned, the only place I had was by your side.
None of them knew how badly I wanted to be the one everyone adored, how hard I worked to make all the right connections to see to it that I was at least out there were everyone could see me.
But I want so much more then that. I wanted to be the one with the power, with the ability to change everything by my will alone. I hate always coming in second in everybody's eyes…
'When is my chance gonna come?' I thought to myself, 'I've given up a lot more then she has, when am I gonna get MY shot?'
I know well that showing that
Is a risk I cannot take
Not when you're all powerful
Despite being so fake
"What do you think of this dress?"
I glance over at you as you hold a short, sleeveless red dress with a white flower pattern in the corner of the skirt against you, examining your reflection in the mirror.
"It's so cute!" I gushed, as I knew was expected of me, "Totally you!" you smirk slightly at the praise.
"I know," You say arrogantly, putting the dress in the pile of clothes you were buying, "I think that's what I'll wear to the first dance on the big yacht party Dash is throwing over Spring Break."
"That's gonna be an awesome party!" I said, eager to talk about this subject, "all the right people are coming, after all. So, who's gonna be your date?"
"Who do you think?" you said with a pointed smirk. I was a little surprised, despite myself. After all, you'd gotten everything you wanted before, why not the boy of your dreams too?
"You're seriously going with Phantom?" I asked, a little envious. After all, Phantom was cool. He was powerful, gorgeous and really brave. And who else but the ghostly superhero of Amity Park could make a jumpsuit into a fashion statement?
"Of course!" You responded smugly.
"When did you ask him?" I questioned, frowning down at a baby blue halter top that would look great with my Hawaiian floral print wrap skirt at home.
"I haven't yet," You admitted reluctantly. "But I will." I raised an eyebrow at you at that.
"How?" I asked, "No one knows where Phantom goes when he's not fighting ghosts, so how will you ask him out?"
"By going through someone who does know," You responded with a sly smile, your eyes landing on something outside of the store. "Ah, speak of the devil. Here. Take this and my credit card and pay for me, will you? I've got important business to attend to…" You shoved everything you were buying into my arms and skipped out of the store after a trio we usually avoided, "Danny! Can I talk to you for a second?" I scowl to myself as the boy blushes and stammers something out in your presence.
'Of course,' I thought bitterly to myself as I went to do your bidding, 'You ALWAYS get your way, don't you?'
I can't talk though, I am too
It's what I do to survive
And I'll keep doing what it takes
If it will keep me alive
'I hate you.'
I scowl at the ground and kick at the rock at my feet, watching it bound and skip until it rolled to a stop before repeating the action. I was so sick of being your lackey, of playing second fiddle like that. Especially to someone like you.
'I HATE you…'
What was worse, though, was the fact that even though I hated you, I knew I was just like you. I used the unpopular kids, too. I did everything it took to get anything I wanted, be it a guy or anything else in life.
Sighing, I abandoned my rock and walked over to the nearby fountain, sitting at the edge of it and looking into my reflection, studying the face I worked so hard to put on every morning, the one that only ever earned me a 'marginally attractive.' What about me was so messed up compared to your 'perfection?' Was it my hair? My eyes? My figure?
Any if I hated you so much, why did I compare myself to you every day before I left my house…?
I glared down at my reflection in the calm water, splashing furiously to get rid of it. Why couldn't I be the perfect one? What was I doing wrong that earned me second place like that? What? What? WHAT?
Sinking to the ground with my back to the fountain, I didn't even bother to stop the tears that were now falling. No one else was here to see, after all, no one ever came this deep into the abandoned part of Amity, with all the falling buildings and litter.
That was why I looked up when I hear a strange noise, gasping to myself at the sight above me.
Flying in the air, graceful, silent and unaware of my presence, was your so-called 'one true love,' Danny Phantom. His eyes were closed as he looped and soared, the trail of ectoplasm tracing designs in the sky as it followed him.
It was incredible to watch, and as I did so, I realized I was probably the first person to see him like this. This peaceful, gentle side of the brave warrior who fought to keep us safe from harm. Even you, I bet, have only ever seen him in the heat of a fight…
This knowledge made me feel special as I watched the ghost boy come to a stop a few inches above the water, the fountain blocking me from his view as he studied his reflection in the water as I had done not two minutes earlier. Gathering my courage, I stepped closer to this paranormal being.
"That was amazing," I told him out loud, earning a startled yelp as the ghost lost his concentration and ended up in the water rather then above it, blinking at me in surprise. I cringed, realizing how stupid it was to sneak up on a ghost like that, "Ah, sorry,"
"It's okay," Phantom said, shaking the water off and getting back into the air He disappeared for a second, and when he re-appeared he was dry again. "I wasn't expecting anyone else to be here… Ah, it's Star, right?"
"Uh-huh," I nodded, sitting down, "You know me?" Phantom cringed and laughed nervously, one hand behind his head.
"Well, yeah," He admitted, "I know a lot of the Casper High students, actually." I nodded. That made sense. Even if he was a ghost, he was a teenager, too. Of course he'd want to be around other people his age…
"Guess that means you know Paulina too, huh?" I asked bitterly. Phantom seemed a little surprised at the question.
"Uh, yeah…" He admitted hesitantly. "I thought you two were friends?"
"We are," I said dryly, "On her terms. I do whatever she says, and I stay an A-list kid. If not…" I sighed heavily, "Can you keep a secret?"
"Better then you'd imagine," Phantom responded wryly.
"Sometimes… I really hate Paulina. But I can't tell her that because I need to stay her friend to stay popular!" I felt dirty admitting this out loud, but at the same time, it was a relief to finally tell someone how I really felt. "I just wish she wasn't so perfect to everyone else…" I sighed, turning to the ghost, "She really likes you, you know," Phantom chuckled after I said that.
"It's kinda hard not to tell," He pointed out, bemused. I was a little surprised at that.
"You mean… you knew?" I asked, "And you don't like her back?"
"Paulina likes who she thinks I am," Phantom said dryly, "If she knew who I really was, I don't think she'd be too keen on me anymore. I don't have a problem with her, though. I just… I like someone else." I felt shock overcome me at that. The boy Paulina liked was in love with a different girl?
"Who?" I asked, eager for details.
"No one," Phantom answered quickly, "It's stupid. Just forget I ever said anything. I mean, she hates me anyways, so…"
"Oh, come on!" I exclaim. "I won't tell anyone, I swear!" Phantom hesitated for a moment.
"well…" He said reluctantly. "She's… kinda… theghosthunterinred," I blinked before gasping loudly when I translated that last part.
"No!" I said with a grin, "The red hunter? Really? Do you know who she is?"
"I'm not going to tell you that," Phantom glared sternly before sighing, "Anyways, it's a doomed relationship no matter what I do, so I might as well give up on it…" I was a little surprised at the look on Phantom's face as he said this. He must've really liked this girl to be so hurt over her rejection… "I'd better go before someone shows up…"
"Alright," I responded, a little disappointed. Still, I'd had a conversation with the ghost boy, which was more then most people could say. Even you, I bet. "And Phantom? Thank you. For listening. And for, you know, fighting all the bad guys and everything…"
"No problem," Phantom said, sounding a little amused for some reason. "See ya!" And with that, Phantom disappeared into thin air, leaving me by myself. Smiling slightly, I made my way back home, in a much better mood now then I had been before my talk with Phantom.
After all, if he liked someone else so much more then you, maybe you weren't as perfect as we all thought…
WoM- Okay, be honest, how many of you were expecting her to show up at all? In all seriousness, I'm among those people. 'sweatdrops' sad, huh? Anywho, I can honestly see Star feeling this way. She doesn't seem to care much for people or feelings, just images, so it's hard to see her being Paulina's satellite out of anything but hopes of personal gain. In all honesty, she's probably one of my least-favorite characters in the show…
Thank to;
IwuvMyKenshyPoo, Ytak, Anne Camp aka Obi-quiet, midnightgoth9, conan98002, SummersSixEcho, Lunaqua, Inumaru12, A reader, KatieKumquat, Happy Orc, WolfDaughter, Lumias, Samantha-Girl Scout, OldNick
Next update; March 6th
Next Poem; Human
See you then!