DANNY'S POV:

"You swallowed WHAT?!" Sam screamed at the top of her lungs.

In the middle of the lunchroom.

During lunch.

In front of all of Casper High.

Right in my ear.

Ow.

Tucker said nothing, simply staring at me. "Are you serious? You actually swallowed some of that truth potion?"

"On accident." I repeated for the upteenth time that day, sighing. Just before my lovely near-deaf experience, I'd finally managed to whisper to Sam and Tucker my suspicion as to why I couldn't stop blurting the truth. I'd told them at the beginning of lunch, but they'd been completely unable to do anything but stare at me. Only five minutes to go 'til the end of lunch, and Sam had finally reacted. Albeit painfully so . . .

"But . . . how?" Tucker blinked. "You didn't stick any of it in your mouth when we first saw the stuff, and you didn't afterwards . . ."

"Tucker, actually listen to the words coming out of my mouth: I. Don't. Know." With each word, I pointed at my mouth. "Understand? Or do I need to go slower? IIIIIIIIIIII . . . dooooooonnnn'ttttttttttt . . . knnnnoooooooowwwww . . ."

"Sorry!" Tucker winced, scowling. Uh-oh.

"I'm sorry too, Tuck. This is just so frustrating . . . I guess I'm taking it out on you, so I'm sorry." I rested my chin on the table, exhausted. It really was frustrating . . . and just after I was finally getting some good luck. Maybe the gods hate me up there . . . it would make sense, wouldn't it?

"We know, Danny. We're sorry too." Sam placed a hand on my shoulder apologetically.

"You should be; you're the one who almost yelled his ear off." Tucker laughed. Sam glared at him . . . the idiot only laughed harder. Next time, when she yells in his ear, I'm gonna laugh so hard . . . maybe I'll videotape it . . . yeah . . .

The bell interrupted bliss-filled thoughts of maimed ears, and I sighed as I picked up my lunch tray. Hmm . . . I've been sighing a lot today. That's new. I tossed the half-full tray in the trashcan, attempting to ignore the reek of garbage (being a halfa gives you a better sense of smell, I guess . . . and sight . . . and hearing . . . and taste . . . and just nevermind, okay?).

"Let's just get to Lancer's class . . ."

Behind me, Sam leaned close to Tucker in a conspiratory-kind-of-way. Thanks to my glorious halfa powers, I heard her whisper quite well.

" . . . betcha ten bucks he doesn't last five minutes without blurting something to Lancer."

"YOU'RE ON!"

Ow . . . my poor ear . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . oh, man.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . why am I not surprised?

Naturally, this had to happen. Of course. It's the way my life works, huh? Goodluck for five seconds, bad luck for five minutes, five seconds of good luck again, etc etc etc . . . so, naturally this would happen.

"All right class, pull out your homework." Lancer droned. My immediate reaction was . . . to not react at all. As per usual.

"Fenton, no homework again?"

"Nosir." Good. A truthful question that doesn't harm me past a failing grade.

"Why not?" . . . I had to open my mouth, didn't I? . . . mind, mouth, whatever.

"Because." Eh, it's truthful . . .

"Because why?"

"Becuase I was out fighting gho--"

SLAP!!!

"Uh . . ." Sam dead-panned as Lancer stared at her. " . . . there was a fly on Danny's cheek?"

Thanks, Sammiekins. Save me from blurting out my most-important-lifelong-secret by slapping me. Now my ear and my cheek hurt. I hope this doesn't become a trend.

"Right. Fenton, why didn't you do your homework again?"

"Because." Maybe he'd catch the hint this time?

Oh, why do I raise my hopes so? "Because why?"

"Because I was out fighting gho--"

SLAP!!!

"Uh . . . another fly?"

"Manson, please refrain from hitting Fenton again. You may be mad, but I assure you you can beat him up after class. Fenton, why didn't you do your homework?"

"Because."

"Because why?"

"Because I was out fighting gho--"

SLAP!!!

Maybe I should just shut up now.

"Another fly, Manson?!"

" . . . nosir."

"Then why did you slap Fenton?! AGAIN?!"

" . . . it was a mosquito this time, honest . . ."

Maybe Sam should shut up too.

"For the lasdt time, Fenton, why didn't you do your homework?!"

"Because."

"Because WHY?!"

"Because I was out fighing gho--"

SLAP!!!

. . . why do I even bother?

Lander was absolutely livid as he growled at Sam. "Sweet Grapes Of Wrath, Manson! Why on earth are you slapping Fen--"

Thank yooooooou, Box Ghost!

. . . wow, never thought I'd say that one . . .

"BEWARE! I am master of all things cardboard and square!" said savior (never thought I'd say that one, either) boomed in what he probably thought was a meanacing manner. "I am here to claim your boxes of DOOOOM!"

"Mr. Lancer?" Tucker interrupted calmly.

"Yes, Foley?"

"Permission to run and scream 'ghost', please?"

"Sure, Foley."

"Thank you . . . GHOOOOOOOST!" Maybe Tuck has a good future in acting after all. He waved his arms, falling backwards into me. Sam caught on and also fell. Betweent the two of them, I managed to go ghost without anyone seeing. For the sake of a good entrance, I phased through the floor, into the next classroom, waited a few moment and phased back up. The point of this? I don't really know.

"Why don't you ever stay where I put you?" I sighed at the Box Ghost. "Honestly, you're so annoying . . ."

"Phantom! BEWARE!" he bellowed, raisin his arms to call boxes to his aid. None came . . . maybe because there weren't any in the room? "Why don't my cardboard minions come?!" Dude, don't you read internal monologues?

Yawning (I was tired, after all), I pressed the capture button on the Fenton Thermos. In a flash of blue-white light, said 'menace' was sucked inside with a feeble "Beeeeeeware . . ."

"Such a nuisance . . ." I capped off the Thermos, turning to phase through the wall and up through the floor again to reappear as Fenton.

"WAIT!" A hand latched onto my ankle. I paused, turning. There stood Paulina Sanchez . . . great. Just what I always wanted, a rabid fangirl! Note use of sarcasm, if you please.

"What?"

"Did you use to like anyone?"

Stupid truth potion. "Yeah, I used to have a crush on Valer-----OH, DAMMIT!" Screw stupid truth potion . . . REALLY REALLY STUPID TRUTH POTION!

"What?"

"Gottagobye!" I phased through the wall at top speed, flying right out of her grasp. Freedom!

Danny Phantom and the Truth Potion Menace, coming soon to a theater near you!

Aw . . . damn.

I forgot to tazer the moronic Box Ghost . . .