Sorry it's been as long as it has guys, but I've been working hard, and I'm going to be able to finish Brainwashed in the next few days. Then (if people don't come after me with chainsaws too much) I can finish this one up too.
I LOVE reading your responses, especially the critical ones. Thank you, EVERYONE who's been reading this. :hug: More to come soon!
Earlier that Day…
The last place Sam wanted to be when she ran out of school was at home. She could see the concequences of her actions perfectly in her mind. Her mother would ask her what was wrong, while her father looked worried at her side. She'd explain the entire thing to them, and they'd go off on how bad an influence Danny was, and how she shouldn't hang around him. Apparently, they still hadn't gotten over the Circus Gothica incident.
So, maybe, she thought to herself in retrospect as her legs slowly moved her up the stone steps of her porch, coming home for the day wasn't the best idea. Frankly, though, she didn't know where else she could go at the moment. Any of the usual places she hung out when Danny and Tucker weren't around would either be on the lookout for kids skipping school, or they wouldn't be open for several more hours. "Nice going, Sam," she muttered to herself as she sneaked inside. Once safely through the door, in the shadows of the hallway, she quietly sought out the one person that she felt could help her: her Grandmother.
She found the old lady in the library, reading a romance novel in the large, faded red armchair that was the only place the Goth ever remembered her Grandmother being, besides seated atop her scooter. "Grandma..." she called softly. Immediately, the white-haired woman looked up, surprise showing plainly on her wrinkled face.
"Sam?" she asked curiously, glancing at the clock. "What's wrong, honey?"
Sam couldn't help the tears that came to her eyes. Without much thought, words started to pour out of her mouth, and she ended up explaining everything. When she finished, she found herself sitting next to her Grandmother, with her face buried in the old woman's thigh, wondering how the other could understand her through the sobs.
She didn't know how long she cried like that, although she suspected quite a while. Her grandmother said nothing for some time, stroking Sam's black hair calmingly. After what seemed like forever, she finally spoke.
"If this friendship means that much to you, Oobra," she began, causing Sam to look up at her wrinkled face. She didn't know what 'Oobra' meant, or why her grandmother called her that, but it always seemed to calm her enough to listen. "Then you need to talk to him. Save it before it's too late."
She couldn't help but snort. "He's a boy, Grandma," she muttered bitterly. "They never talk about anything."
Her Grandmother smiled at the comment, but shook her head. "I'm sure he'll listen to you," she insisted quietly. Sam simply sighed. The way Danny had looked at her, she doubted it. "And if he doesn't," she heard her Grandmother continue, "then he's probably not the best friend for you." The truth of the old woman's words sent Sam into tears all over again, and again she cried for what seemed like days.
She'd just started to calm down again when her Mother walked in. "Sam?" she looked at her daughter, obviously surprised to see her. "Honey, what's wrong?"
"Um…I…" she muttered, wiping the tears away with her hands, knowing her face undoubtedly looked as red and puffy as it felt.
"She was telling me a story," her grandmother cut in. "A very sad story," she added with a wink only Sam could see. Sam couldn't help but smile gratefully while Mrs. Manson tapped her chin.
"Oh," the Red-haired woman said simply. "I see," she glanced at the Rolex beneath the gloves she always wore. "Why are you home so early?" she asked. Sam glanced at her own black watch, seeing that school had let out only a few minutes before. That surprised her. How long had she been crying?
"I…er…ran home. I had to tell Grandma that story," she said hurriedly. Well, it was true in a sense.
"Oh," her mother repeated, glancing at the pair suspiciously. "Are you sure nothing's wrong?"
"I'm going to go hang out at the Nasty Burger," Sam replied hurriedly. "Don't worry about me, I'll be home before curfew. Love you!" she said as she ran out of the room. At the door, she paused for a moment behind her mother and shot the white-haired woman in the chair a warm smile. "Thanks Grandma," she nodded before she disappeared down the hallway.
- - -
Later that Evening...
Tucker ran down the last block before the park, panting and wondering how this would turn out without Sam. She'd always been there before, at most a phone call away. Somehow, this seemed empty without her. He hadn't dared call her, half hoping that Danny would get over the whole thing and do it himself. Something told him that they'd have to work this out, just the two of them.
The thought didn't exactly make him happy. Lately he'd been feeling a bit left out with their little crush thing going on, although neither would admit it. It bugged him that they wouldn't just swallow their pride and come out and say it, or do something about it. If they kept up like this, they'd never end up together…not that he really cared either way. He just wanted his friends to be happy…those times that he didn't want to whack them upside the head for being idiots.
He puffed his way through the park, wishing that he exercised more, and that he'd been intelligent enough to leave some of his "geek gear" at home for once. Pausing, he looked around to see three figures floating in the distance. He headed toward them. "I'm comin', man," he huffed, knowing full well that they couldn't hear his weak voice. "Okay," he grumbled. "That's it. I AM going to start working out. I wonder if a buff nerd would attract more girls?" he wondered aloud, slowing to a walk to approach the three figures cautiously. Muttered voices started to reach him, although he couldn't make out the words. He pulled out his thermos, ready to jump out if anything happened to Danny.
Suddenly, Danny doubled over, as if in pain, spurring his best friend to sprint forward, thermos ready. He'd almost reached them when he realized Danny's suit had changed, along with his hair. The African-American suddenly stopped, his face twisting in horror and realization.
"Danny?" he whispered to himself, diving out of sight behind a bush. "Definitely not good!" He grabbed his phone and pushed the speed dial. Fight or not, Sam needed to know about this, and hopefully help him get the real Danny back. "How did that happen?" he asked himself, peering around. As far as he knew, Danny hadn't received anything new that would have…brought out this side of him.
"Come on Sam," he hissed to the phone after the fifth ring, but to no avail. "Pick up," he pleaded, counting the rings. "6…7…8…SAM!" It took all his self control not to yell at the phone and alert Danny to his presence. That was the last thing he wanted.
He saw the newly transformed half-ghost turn to the twin girls, who now regarded him warily. "Let's go have some fun, shall we?" Tucker held his breath as the two looked at each other, and then turned back to him.
"Okay!" the one on the right said happily. The one on the left didn't look nearly as pleased, but kept her mouth closed.
"This way," Danny grinned, and started flying away. Gulping, and hitting the "end" button on his phone, Tucker decided to try one more number as he cautiously rose to his feet and followed, hoping he could keep up.
- - -
Sam had been sitting at the same booth for over an hour and a half, thinking. Any food she'd bought had long since disappeared, despite her slow ingestion. She sighed as the scene from eariler that day played out in her mind again. Why had she been so stupid? Why had she wanted the extra credit so badly? Why couldn't she get this off of her mind! No matter how hard she tried to get her thoughts away from her best friend, she couldn't. She didn't realize that her phone had been set to silent, nor that it had started to grow dark outside.
Actually, she didn't really notice anything until three people walked by her table.
"Well, if it isn't the loser Goth." Paulina's whiny voice managed to break through her thoughts, and she couldn't help but seethe. All of this was that nosy prep's fault. Nothing would have happened if the so-called "beauty" didn't take so much pleasure in making everyone around her miserable.
Beside her, Star and Dash laughed while Qwan came up beside them, carrying a tray loaded with the wannabe food that the Nasty Burger sold. He looked puzzled, but said nothing to the others, looking around for a table instead.
"So, where's your super-hero boyfriend?"
"He's NOT my boyfriend!" Sam practically yelled.
"And he's not a super-hero?" Star sneered from behind Paulina.
Sam opened her mouth for a retort, when a cold voice suddenly interrupted them from somewhere behind her. "Who's not a hero?" The snickering that seemed to perpetually accompany Paulina's insults stopped immediately.
"GHOST!" Qwan yelled, throwing his food in the air and dashing for the door. The food on the tray landed on Dash and Star as they followed suit. Paulina wasn't too far behind them, trying not to stumble and slip what her friends weren't now wearing.
If Sam hadn't recognized the voice and turned, she would have cracked up at the scene. However, she was too busy trying not to have a heart attack from the face she saw. She knew that face all too well, seeing as it still haunted her nightmares.
"D-Danny!"
