Me: …

Danny Muse: You are just awful.

Me: I KNOW I haven't updated in what has to be at LEAST 6 months…

Danny Muse: You don't deserve all these great readers.

Me: *cries* I SUCK!

Danny Muse: Yes, yes you do.

Me: Here is the chapter, I suck.

Danny Muse: Yeah, but I'm still awesome.

Me: Yes you are.

Chapter 8

Sam's POV

"Wait, Wait, WAIT. Say it again… this time SLOWER!" I snap at the distressed Jazz on the other end of the line. I sigh… I got the gist of it last time, but I wanted to believe that I had heard it wrong…I had to have. Danny couldn't be thinking like that… could he?

"Sam," Jazz's voice came out painstakingly slow and I could practically see her rolling her eyes, "for the millionth time, I heard Danny talking to himself in his room a few minutes ago… he was really upset. He said that he hates the world and himself… he thinks that nobody cares."

I shake my head… I couldn't deny that what Jazz said was true. Jazz would never joke about something like this… This is real. I feel warm tears begin to grace my eyes and I choke out a small sob… careful not to let Jazz hear me crying, because as far as SHE knows… I don't cry.

"I just can't believe this Jazz…I just knew something was wrong!" I take a deep shuddering breath before I continue, "We need to do something…. We need to do something NOW! Danny's gonna do something stupid and irrational I just know it, because we both know that he is always like that, and-"

"BREATHE SAM!" I pause and take a deep breath and attempt to calm down when Jazz screams at me through the phone. I hadn't noticed how much I really needed that breath…my face was hot and my fingers clammy. I sigh and continue speaking to Jazz.

"I'm sorry Jazz… I'm just really worried for him…" I wipe some of the wetness from my eyes… smudging my makeup. Great…add that to the list of things annoying the crap out of me right now…makeup, Danny's issue, and the fact that my parents are screaming downstairs about who knows what.

"It's okay Sam… I am too. I think that it would be best if you, me, and Tucker talked to him tomorrow after school. We can try to get him to open up a bit… it's not good for him to be bottling up all these emotions." Jazz said softly into the phone. I nod my head in agreement before I realize that she isn't able to see me, and speak a soft "mhmm…" into the phone.

I really didn't want to do this to Danny… I remember last time we tried to confront him about his behavior he got really worked up and flew off. I know that he might get that upset again… and maybe even worse and I really hate the idea of doing that to him…

But he needs help… and I am not going to just slip this under the carpet.

"Okay Jazz… I'll talk to Tucker about it and we will corner him after school tomorrow…" I sigh and hang up the phone once she voiced her approval.

I go to the contacts on my phone and scroll down to Tucker's number…

This is gonna suck…

Danny's POV

My scar covered arms reach out to the sides of my bed as my eyes slowly open. The dark rings under them, showing proof of the nightmares that I endured throughout the night. Ha, my favorite one was where Sam tied me down and cut me until I bled out.

…I suppose that it wasn't much of a surprise that I got a mere 3 hours of sleep.

I sigh and roll off my bed, landing on my hardwood floors with a dull thunk. I sit up slowly and yawn, rubbing my eyes as I do so. Through my sleepy eyes, I attempt to make out the time on my clock, 6:00 am… a half hour earlier than I need to, but you have got to be insane if you think that I'm going to even TRY falling back to sleep…

I pull off my long sleeved shirt, and examine the bandages upon my arms. Brownish-red covers them… a sign that blood has seeped through. I grunt in the sheer annoyance of it, and rip the bandages off, wincing in the slight pain it provides. I look closer and sigh in relief when I see that the bleeding has stopped… so I won't have to wear bandages underneath my shirt… and that way nobody will become suspicious of the lumps it gives.

I slowly pull a black long sleeved shirt on, and slip a dark red tee- shirt over it. I pull them on- fastening them with a black studded belt. I glance in the mirror above my dresser and take in my appearance.

Oh yeah, I'm so freaking sexy…yeah right.

I shove my worn down converse on without even bothering to put socks on first, and rush down the stairs. I only pause to slip my backpack on over one shoulder before I am out the door… screw breakfast.

I sigh in relief when I make it to the end of our block… Jazz has been a little bit too observant lately… and I don't need her noticing how 'pale' I look today.

I walk a good few blocks before I mentally face-palm… why he HECK am I not flying… I'm Danny freaking Phantom for the love of pete! I shake my head at my stupidity, before I dunk into a nearby alleyway and transform into my alter ego. I smile as the cool sensation the transformation brings overcomes me… I honestly love this feeling. I feel numb… like all the pain I am forced to endure disappears for a mere moment.

It's almost as good as cutting…

Almost.

I open my neon green eyes as I gaze into the heavens. I couldn't help myself, and as I defy gravity I shout "SCREW YOU NEWTON AND YOUR STUPID LAWS!" before I head towards school. Screw physics, I'm half-dead… the laws of nature don't apply to me

I'm not normal… but what else is new?

I fly for about a minute before I arrive at the school. I fly behind a large oak before I return to my human form. The joy of transforming takes me over again… but only for a moment before it leaves me.

I sigh and pull out my phone and notice that there is still an hour until school starts… well gee, what now?

I sigh and plop down at the base of the oak, and pull a piece of ridiculously wrinkled notebook paper from my backpack. I start to doodle, write, and tear at the poor thing.

It isn't exactly a masterpiece… but I'm bored… get used to it.

I notice that the front of the school has started to flood with students, and I assume that school is going to start soon.

I walk through the front doors of the school with a small smirk… won't Lancer be surprised when I am on time for first hour?

Sam's POV

I run the plan over in my head as the final minutes of the school day drizzle by. I could really give a rat's butt about Physics Mr. Tastan… sorry. Now please to the world a favor and shut your mouth please. I roll my eyes as he continues on in his monotone voice.

Blah, blah blah, blah, blahhh…

I shake my head and sigh before I go through the plan mentally for what must be the 10th time in the last 15 minutes. Okay, so I told Tucker about Danny… check. He wasn't too thrilled about the idea… but hey nobody is! I don't want Danny to be depressed either but it's not like I can DO anything other than talk to him about it. God I hate these types of situations… okay so Jazz is gonna meet up with us right as the bell rings. Check. And Danny is at school today… I look over and see him in his usual seat, eyes sullen and lifeless…check? Well at least he's here PHYSICLY…

Okay… we can do this… we can-

"BRINNNNGGGGG!"

"And that's our cue." I whisper as I look towards Tucker and he nods at me. The two of us follow Danny out of the classroom the minute that he springs out of his seat. Tucker and I have to literately sprint to get ahead of him, but I don't think he even notices that we are there. He is on a mission to get home and anything else can wait apparently. The two of us sprint out the front doors of the school and turn around…

…only to have Danny plow straight into us.

Tucker and I fall backwards, and I hiss in pain as my butt smacks on the pavement, but Danny falls face first. Thankfully, he avoids broken nose by sticking his arms out in front of him…

"AGH!" Danny yelps in pain, as he holds his arms to his chest.

"Danny! Are you okay?!" I ask startled at his reaction. Danny has a pretty high pain tolerance… he must've smacked the ground a lot harder than I originally thought.

"mmmfine." Danny mumbles as he gingerly makes his way to his feet. I look at his expression, and notice that it is still twisted in pain… and maybe, fear?

"Are you sure?" I ask confused… why would Danny be fearful? Did he find out that we were going to confront him today?

"I. said. I'm. FINE." He snaps, and I scowl at him. What, am I not allowed to be concerned about him anymore?

"Ya know, you don't have to snap at my Danny! Maybe I was WORRIED about you! I TRY to be a good friend to you and all you ever do is blow up in my face, and to tell the truth, I'm just downright SICK of it! I mean what's WRONG with yo-" My rant is cut off by Jazz's warning glare as she approaches our group. I bite my tongue and glare at the ground… what, everything I said was true…

God I hate stress.

"Danny?" Jazz asks Danny softly and he turns around to face her, the fear in his face was steadily growing more visible.

"We-we need to talk…"