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Chapter 4: Injury

"Man, what happened?" Tucker asked.

Gym had been more than embarrassing when Danny had been teased and taunted about the bruises on his chest. The gym teacher had been forced to pull Danny out of the game when Leo decided to shove a basketball into his stomach and knock the air out of him. Danny sighed and ran a hand through his hair as Leo and the jocks walked by laughing.

"I forgot the living room," Danny muttered.

"Vlad nearly breaks your ribs because of the living room?"

"Duh, I have to clean the whole house, remember?"

"That's so wrong, Danny. You're Vlad's step son, not his slave," Tucker said just as they exited the boy's locker room. Unfortunately, the latest edition to their little group was standing right there.

"What?" Sam practically screamed.

Danny grabbed her and phased through the door of the janitor's closet. Before Tucker could walk away, Danny's arm reached out and grabbed him, pulling him through too.

"Danny, Vlad's been treating you like a slave?" Sam hissed. "He could go to jail for that!"

"Except prison won't hold a half ghost," Tucker pointed out.

"What?" Sam looked at Tucker then back at Danny who hadn't said anything.

He was looking at the ground, his hands clenched at his sides. "Vlad's half ghost too," he whispered. He looked up, and Sam was surprised to see tears in his eyes. "You can't tell anyone. He'll hurt Jazz."

"Your sister? But why?"

"He said he would." Danny grabbed her shoulders, his eyes wide in begging. "Please, Sam. Don't let him hurt Jazz."

"But Danny, what about you?"

"I'll be fine." He pulled away. "Just keep quiet. Please?"

She sighed. "Fine, but just so you know I don't like this at all."

"My life is a living hell," Danny muttered under his breath.

He grunted as Dash ground his face farther into the wall. "What's that, Fentina?"

"It's Dannyrella, Baxter," Leo said.

Danny groaned as Dash shoved his arm farther in a position it wasn't really supposed to go. Tucker and Sam were forced away from the distressed teen by the other jocks.

"How many days has it been this school year that we've beaten you up, Dannyrella?" Leo taunted.

"Well, Leo, three months times an average of thirty days each." Danny grunted as Dash slammed him again. "Ninety," he groaned.

"Hmm, that leaves about ninety-one left." Leo smirked. "Isn't that right, Dannyrella?"

"Stop calling me that!" Danny grunted.

"What is going on here?"

Leo turned as Mr. Lancer walked up. "Why, Mr. Lancer! I was about to come and get you. Dash here won't leave my step brother alone."

Lancer had a look of disbelief on his face as Dash released Danny who slid unceremoniously to the ground. Lancer led Leo and Dash away while Sam and Tucker ran to Danny's side.

"You okay, man?" Tucker asked as Danny rolled around, leaning his back against the stone wall. "I thought he was going to kill you."

Danny rubbed his jaw, swallowing. "You and me both." He reached up and massaged his shoulder. "I thought he was going to have Dash pull my arm off."

Sam sighed. "Danny, you have to tell someone."

"I can't, Sam!" He glared at the ground. "You have no idea what Vlad's capable of, and…Jazz'll have to leave her college."

"Danny—"

"I'm fine," he snapped before standing and walked away.

"You like him, don't you?" Tucker said suddenly, grinning at Sam.

She growled and punched him in the arm before stomping away.

"Danny?" Jazz gently shook her brother who had fallen asleep while eating breakfast.

"Huh?" He blearily sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Sorry, I was up all night doing homework."

"You doing okay, little brother?" She ruffled his hair. "I heard about the incident in the hall…"

He turned to her, his eyes wide. "Y-you did?"

She nodded. "Leo couldn't stop bragging."

"I'm fine." He yawned then dropped his head back on the counter.

"Hey, Dannyrella, you packed my lunch, right?" Leo asked.

"Here you go." Danny never raised his head as he passed his own lunch to the jock.

"See you at school, dork," Leo said.

Danny just sighed. Jazz was worried about him. Her brother was already skinny; she didn't like to hear that he was being starved too. Leo's going to be the death of my little brother...