I'm amazed anybody read this. Really.
Hint: This is an AU. They're not saying it, but they are thinking it. The song is from both a Broadway show and a Movie.
Danny loosened his tie slightly. His mom immediately tightened it. The seventeen year old sighed. He hissed, "Mom, why are we even here? We both know Vlad is creepy and has a thing for you."
Maddie sighed. "Yes, dear, but he is still your father's best friend. I'm obligated to go." She tried to smooth down the bangs that hung slightly in her son's eyes.
"Did you have to bring me?" Danny protested, stepping away from his mom.
She glared at him. "I'm not going through this alone."
The Fenton family was staying in Vlad's castle. Three out of the four despised Vlad, but they still had to come. Especially since Vlad was throwing a ball in honor of Jack Fenton. Danny and his mother were both guarding Jack to ward off any attacks from Vlad. Jack remained clueless and merely babbled about how Vlad mentioned there would be unhealthy amounts of fudge at the ball.
Danny was dreading the ball. Not only was it at his nemesis' house, but also his family was really starting to get on his back about his lack of friends. "You only hang out with Tucker!" They would say. "Why don't you have a girlfriend?" He always shrugged. For a little while, he had been attracted to Paulina, a very pretty girl at his school but he grew out of that. The right girl just hadn't come along.
He walked down the stairs leading to the ballroom and gave Jazz, his sister a desperate look. She didn't even notice. She was too thrilled that her parents were doing something that didn't have anything to do with ghost hunting. And that she bought a brand new dress for the ball.
The room was almost empty when they entered. The orchestra was warming up ("Look, Maddie! Violin-playing people!" "Yes, Jack.") and Vlad was welcoming the few guests who had already arrived. Danny located an armchair in the corner and plopped into it. He doubted he would move except for food.
For the most part, he was right. He stayed in the same spot for an hour, watching a multitude of guests enter.
There was one family that arrived a lot later than anybody else. He looked up casually, checking out who it was that decided to come late. A Barbie and Ken-type couple entered and sought out Vlad.
Trailing behind them was a girl about his age. She looked uncomfortable beyond words. The girl fiddled with her hair and let her eyes roam over the room. She was searching for somebody under thirty.
Her eyes fell on Danny.
Something on him jolted. Her purple eyes locked with his blue one. Time seemed to stop around them. The noises around Danny died.
The girl gave him a small smile in the complete silence.
Danny just sat there. This girl was… he couldn't think of a word. His, perhaps. She was it.
The girl smiled at him again and began to walk over to him. Danny felt his heart swell and he sat up straighter in his seat.
She was intercepted by her parents. "Darling, this is Vlad Masters…" He could hear the red-haired woman say.
Damn.
Danny slumped in his seat, but examined the girl. She was short. Much shorter than him, with black hair that framed her pale face. Her lilac eyes stood out against her pale complexion. She was wearing a dark purple dress with a black corset over it. Danny had to tear his eyes away.
"So," Jazz said. Danny whipped his head around. She was standing to his left and was leaning against his chair. She was wearing a mischievous grin. "What do you think of the Manson girl?"
Danny shrugged. "She's okay."
"Oh, really?" Jazz said. "I thought you were checking her out for a second." The blush on Danny's cheeks said it for him. Jazz's grin widened. "I know quite a bit about her." She said in a slightly taunting tone."
"What?" Danny asked. When he realized he had shown interest, he tried to catch himself. He said, in a hopefully non-committal voice, "Why should I care?"
Jazz managed to control her grin. "Well, her name is Samantha Manson."
"Samantha…" Danny said thoughtfully.
"…But she'll kill you if you call her that." Jazz said. She was elated over her brother's romantic escapade. "She likes to be called Sam."
Danny considered it, staring at the girl's, Samantha's, Sam's back. It was a beautiful name either way.
The orchestra began to play. A waltz, almost like a lullaby drifted over the dance floor. The talking groups of people cleared off the dance floor. Sam's parents were talking to her. She had a pained look on her face.
Jazz nudged him. "Go ask her to dance." She said.
Danny slunk down in his seat. "But, I-"
Jazz didn't listen she grabbed him by the back of his collar and propelled him out of his seat. Danny's cheeks burned as he straightened his jacket. Oh, well. Might as well get over with it.
He strolled over to the Mansons. Sam met his eyes and smiled. His courage waxed with the smile and he approached the group.
Mrs. Manson looked him up and down and was immediately all charm. 'Hello. You must be the Fenton boy. We just met your parents." Her smile slipped a bit as she mentioned Mr. and Mrs. Fenton, but she recovered.
Danny smiled back. "I was actually wondering is Samantha- Sam would like to dance." He turned to Sam.
Sam was blushing. She smiled at him and turned to her parents. "Is that all right?" She asked.
Mrs. Manson looked uncomfortable, but Mr. Manson beamed. "Sure, sweetie."
Danny grabbed her hand and walked her onto the dance floor. Once they had managed to arrange themselves into the proper position for the box step, Sam spoke to him. "Thank you. You saved me from a huge lecture."
Danny was curious. "Really? What about?"
Sam rolled her eyes and grinned at him. "They hate the fact I'm Goth. Their model daughter is a Barbie clone."
Danny raised an eyebrow at the couple. They were faced away from Sam and himself, but kept shooting looks over their shoulders. "What's wrong with being Goth?" he asked.
Sam shrugged. There was an awkward silence for a moment. "How…how does your family know Vlad?" Danny asked. They continued to glide over the dance floor. The two were probably messing up all the dance moves, but they really didn't care.
Sam laughed slightly. "My dad was in Vlad's graduating class. They keep in touch." She looked like she was about to add something, but decided against it.
Danny let it go. "Where do you go to school?"
Sam smiled at him, causing him to blush and shift his hand on her side. "Well, I used to go to Sacred Heart, but this year, because my family moved, I'm going to Casper High."
Danny tripped slightly. "Casper High?"
She gave him and odd look. "Yeah."
"I go to Casper High."
A grin blossomed on her face. "Are you serious?"
He could only nod. This was great. They would get to see each other next year in school and would be in classes together and would hang out…
Sam chuckled slightly.
"What?" Danny asked.
"You now know tons about me, but I still know nothing about you. I don't even know your name." She said.
"Oh. My name's Danny." He said, beginning to blush again.
They smiled at each other.
The two didn't leave each other's side for the rest of the evening. Though the two had only met ten minutes ago, they felt a connection that would last the rest of their lives.
Sappy. I know.
Have fun guessing the song. Hint: I forgot the shoes.
