November
By RupertLover09
Dedication: Meli-face, Morgan, and D'mi. I love you all! You keep me aiming for the stars and keep my attitude in check. I owe the three of you so much. xSnowGhostx, thank you for this inspiration!
Fragile leaves hit the ground
The cold air drifts into my lungs
I see your face through the fog
Reminds me of the dreams you lost
I can see it in your eyes
You're broken down; your hands are tied
I can feel it in my side
Over and over and over I've tried.
-Silverstein "November"
She trudges slowly through the park, her eyes averted from the graying sky overhead, choosing to concentrate on the dead, fragile leaves that whisk across the sidewalks and benches that are devoid of human inhabitants. She jumps at every small noise, wondering where he is. He asked her to meet him here in the park where they spent so much of their high school days. Memories of snowball fights and sunny days come flooding back to her, crowding her mind, and she forces herself not to cry.
"Get a grip, Manson," she whispers to herself, biting back the tears that threaten to fall. The last time she had seen him, he was silent, broken. He knew his dreams were going to be shattered the second she opened the letter. College had seemed so far off the entirety of their high school careers. Almost the entirety. She was accepted into Yale, he felt it his duty to stay in Amity Park. She could see it in his eyes when he gave her his congratulations. But he didn't know she wasn't leaving Amity Park. She wouldn't be able to take it. Life wouldn't be the same without him there.
She crumples the acceptance letter that rests in her hands as she sits down on the ledge of the fountain in the middle of the park. It's running despite the cool temperatures and she throws the worthless piece of paper in. It dissolves before her eyes, symbolizing the disintegrating of a dream that was not hers. Her parents had always imagined Yale; Sam had always imagined life with him.
The already cool air surrounding her drops in temperature and a cold hand gloved in silver lands on her shoulder. "I wouldn't have done that if I were you," the voice of Amity Park's hero, Danny Phantom, floats through the air.
"I don't need it," she replies, locking gazes with the halfa in the glassy texture of the fountain. His eyes flicker back to blue, his hair darkens to black. She notices the frown on his face and continues. "I'm staying here for college. I'm not going to Yale."
His frown deepens and she turns to face him. "Sam, you can't do that. You'd be throwing everything out the window."
"No, Danny. If I went there I'd throw everything out the window. Remember Homecoming last year?"
He winces at the mention of the night. "How could I forget? It felt like you ripped my heart to shreds."
She bites her bottom lip and looks away. "I was scared. I didn't even think about what I was saying at the time. But now that I've had time to think… I'm sorry about what I said. The thing is, I didn't mean it. I mean, I may have at the time, but like I said, I wasn't thinking."
"You still said it," he says, sitting down on the edge of the fountain.
"Yeah. I know I did. I tried so many times to take it back, but I could never bring myself to speak up," she replies, sinking down next to him. A lull enters their conversation, but they seem comfortable with it. After a few minutes of silence, Danny speaks again. "It's weird how everybody always knew it but us."
Sam laughs slightly. "We weren't exactly easy to get through to either." She says. "We always denied it. There's no way I could leave this place after this school year. Mom and Dad'll just have to get over it."
"They never liked me," there is a slight bitterness in the halfa's voice as he turns to look at her.
"They don't matter," Sam responds. "They'll learn to like you. If they don't, they'll at least learn to be polite."
"But… why didn't they?"
She bites her lip in thought, searching for the right words. "I guess a lot of it had to do with your parents; you remember they never got along. Mom and Dad never believed in ghosts and when it turned out your parents were right, it just made it worse. Mom and I used to fight all the time about the fact that I hung out with you. And then Dad was mad because he wanted me to be popular and hang out with the kids who were 'as privileged as I was'." She laughs scornfully. "They were set on me having this future where I was rich and didn't have to work because my husband was earning millions a year. They didn't realize or care that I just wanted a future of my choosing where I could be happy." She looks up, a smile painting her face. "I'm happy with you."
He grins back, standing up and holding out his hand for her to take. "Wanna go get a burger at the Nasty Burger?"
She makes a face but takes his hand anyway as they make their way out of the park. "You know I don't eat meat."
"Then we'll get some of that tofu stuff you like."
"Danny, you don't like tofu."
"Then we'll compromise. I'll get a burger, you'll get tofu."
"Who said I even wanted tofu?"
"Then what do you want?"
Their lighthearted argument alighted through the November-touched trees and up through the atmosphere, ricocheting off the stars that were setting in around them. The cool breeze swept through the crisp autumn air and the laughter of the couple bounced around on it, signifying the spread of their happiness. Tucker Foley leaped out from behind a tree and let out a whoop of celebration.