Author's Note: My Beta's back! Yay Cat! Thanks.(That was Cat)
To answer Oasis Blackmore's question: I am so on a story-posting roll! The wonders a vacation will do.
The next day was a thing of nightmares for the four.
Emma had tried to "go with it". She had worn all green. Her shirt and long skirt were green and she wore green sneakers. She looked like a blade of grass. Her normally blonde hair was bright green and her skin was stained green. Her green eyes completely blended in. Of course, she was mocked without mercy.
Tucker wasn't affected much by the dye. His skin just had a green tinge to it, so he looked sickly. He was mainly mocked because of his association with Emma. He barely left her side all day.
Sam was teased most of all. She wore a yellow dress, which was very pretty. She looked like a flower. But of course she heard jeers wherever she went. Students called out things like, "Hey look at the plant life!" and "It looks like green's the new black." Mr. Lancer exclaimed when she walked into the classroom, "Miss Manson, as much as I like your enthusiasm for your part, dyeing your skin two weeks before production is not necessary." Her only comfort was Henry, who would meet her between classes and walk with her.
Danny's day was ruined by intense guilt. The three would not talk to him or look him in the eye. Tucker and Emma would brush past him without a passing glance. The jeers hurt him personally. He knew this was all his fault. It was worst when he saw Sam at the other end of the hallway. He called out, "Sam!" She looked up, saw him and turned around and started walking in the opposite direction. It was worse when he walked over to sit at their lunch table. He saw Henry had taken up his seat. He sat with Paulina for the first time ever and listened to their incredibly boring conversations about shopping and cheerleading and football and hot girls.
This was a living hell.
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That Friday was the night of the dance. The dye had finally worn off but the nicknames hadn't. Emma was still "leprechaun", Tucker was still "Tree bark" and Sam had so many various names it was hard to keep track.
That day Sam wore a brown shirt and jeans. Danny hoped this meant she was feeling better. Maybe she'll let me talk to her soon.
It got worse when Paulina said to Sam, "Hey green goth!"
Danny saw Sam stiffen and stop. He shook his head at Paulina, trying to get her to stop.
"What?" Sam said icily. She didn't turn around to look at them.
Danny tugged Paulina's arm and said quietly, "Let's go to class." Paulina ignored him again.
"It must be hard not having a date to the dance. I've never felt it, so tell me, how do you feel?"
Sam turned slowly. "I feel anger, sympathy for your stupidity and amusement about your obvious mistake. I have a date." She walked off, head held high.
Paulina whirled to Danny, angry. "She has a date!"
Danny looked confused. "Yeah. Henry asked her right after the fliers were posted."
Paulina growled and walked to class, completely ignoring Danny as she muttered some very rude things about Sam under her breath.