Oh God of Fanfiction, it is only by your grace that I managed to keep my sanity through this chapter. I thank thee.
Just to warn you, I struggled with characterization in this one. Please tell me when you see mistakes. (Duh) And Danny's kind of an angsty little girl in this one. I promise the next chapter will be better.
Enjoy!
Danny PoV
"Danny-?"
"I gotta go to school!"
I slammed the front door in my sister's face, furious tears dangerously close to leaking out. I rubbed them away as I stormed down the sidewalk, feeling embarrassment mix with my anger when the hot liquid smeared across my face. Why does she always have to be such a nosy jerk?
Sam and Tucker where nowhere to be found, not that I was surprised. Still though, it was just adding salt to the wound. I stomped my way to school alone, just as I have all week, oblivious to the warm spring air and shining sun as more of Jazz's psychology crap echoed in my ear.
It's amazing how fast time flies when your pissed and how slowly it drags on when your depressed. In no time at all I was at Casper High, its large structure sending sharp knives of ice through my heart despite the anger. I knew what awaited me in there, or rather, what didn't.
The warning bell hadn't rung yet, so students were still milling around the front lawn. They sat in their safe little group of friends, just like they did everyday, talking and laughing loudly with each other. I glared at them, jealously boiling in my stomach. A few kids were giving me curious looks, the rumors still flying around. Doing my best to ignore them, I trudged forward, only to stop when I noticed two people who were hanging out by the front door.
Sam and Tucker were relaxed against the concrete steps. Sam was writing in a notebook, and Tucker was, of course, playing with his PDA. Mikey and Lester, two dweebs who had latched onto them, were on the stairs above playing chess, arguing about something or another. Guess things hadn't changed much over the weekend.
Barely seconds after that thought finished, the warning bell rang, making me jump and my gut fill with automatic dread. Teens groaned and pulled themselves from the grass, still muttering and laughing between themselves. Mikey and Lester packed away their chess board as Sam and Tucker stood up, the former tapping her foot impatiently as Tucker put the PDA in sleep mode.
I stood there, feeling people bump into me without apology and move on. Getting the motivation to walk forward was too difficult, but that might have been because two certain people were still hanging out by the front steps. Pathetic, I know, but I didn't have the strength to walk past them and be ignored anymore. As sad and cliché as this sounds, it really just hurt too much.
But then Tucker stood straight, laughing at something Sam had said. He safely stowed away the PDA in one of his cargo pockets and by happen of chance, by something that had to be pure luck or pure curse, he glanced up and met my eyes for the first time in a week.
Unsurprisingly, I completely froze up. My eyes widened, my heart started racing, and every muscle was suddenly tense. I felt like one of those deer in the headlights of a car, unable to move and not a clue of what to do.
But then Tucker quickly looked away and all but dragged Sam back inside, not once glancing behind him.
The last of the students pushed their way passed me. I think a few of them might have made some cracks about me, but I wasn't listening. A low thud made it to my ears as the doors shut and not long after, the bell signaling the start of class rang across the empty grounds.
I didn't quite feel like moving yet, so I just stood there. Other than a few cars driving by, it was very quiet. It wasn't going to be this quiet and peaceful when I walked through those two front doors. Mr. Beta would yell at me when I walked in, the students would snicker and laugh at me, it'd sit through first period sick to my stomach about facing the next class, and then it would come so slow and yet so fast and I'd be trudging my way through Lancer's door. I'd take my seat in the corner of the class, ignore the stares from everyone else, and Sam and Tucker would pretend I didn't exist for the entire day. Then I'd go home, go to sleep, and do it all over again tomorrow.
Honestly, I just didn't care anymore. What was the point? Sam and Tucker hate me so much they can barely stand to glance at me. Jazz thinks I'm a delusional basket case, Mom and Dad think I'm turning manic depressive, and worse, I can't even talk to Vlad anymore.
With that last thought, I swallowed the lump in my throat and turned away from the school, putting as much distance between me and them as possible. I was tired of dealing with it, but I couldn't stop replaying those two seconds that Tucker looked at me, two seconds of ridiculous hope that he was actually going to acknowledge my existence, and then the two seconds that he turned away and left me outside.
I passed the park, not wanting to be in such a public place. On a whim, I slid into an ally and transformed into my ghost half, taking to the sky and heading to the highest point in town, the same spot where Johnny 13 took Jazz all those months ago. Mom and Dad would kill me for this, and Jazz would probably get suspicious as hell, but whatever.
Maybe I should start from beginning, or at least, the first day of school after I last saw Vlad. He always told me I had a bad temper, and of course, my temper is half the reason why school is such a pain in the ass now, and why Sam hates me even more...
One week ago
The bell was ringing, but I wasn't moving my legs any faster. Casper High loomed in front of me, casting it's imposing shadow over the empty lawn. I couldn't find the drive to get to class on time for fear of what awaited me inside. Besides, it was a Monday. Even if my friends weren't probably waiting to ambush me I'd still want to avoid class.
I trudged forward, forcing one foot in front of the other and trying not to focus on the lack of Sam and Tucker beside me. The hallways were clear of students when I pushed the doors open, a few pieces of paper falling to the floor from the warning bell rush.
The utter emptiness of the halls only served as a constant reminder. I hadn't seen my friends since they stormed out of Vlad's kitchen Friday evening, and if Jazz's behavior was any indication of what I had to look forward to, it wasn't going to be a good day.
My sister had been waiting for me the night I returned home, sitting on my bed with a determined glare in her eye. I was treated to about ten different reasons as to why I was too young to handle an older relationship, and why it was completely messed up to begin with because it was Vlad. I tried to keep in mind that she was just worried about me, but after the second hour of hearing about Vlad being a creepy pedophile and me a naïve little boy, I kinda snapped. Needless to say, she's now miserable and angry at me.
My science teacher gave me a dirty look when I sauntered into the class room, but for some reason he didn't give me detention. I had been kinda hoping he would. Detention means putting off going home to Jazz for at least an extra hour. The other students ignored me, all too used to my tardiness. I slouched down in my seat, feeling unusually excluded from the other teens. They didn't have a dark, disgusting secret like I did.
Focusing on the lesson was pointless. I was too distracted to pay attention. All I could think about was next period, where I'd finally see Sam and Tucker. What would they say? How would they react?
Jazz's words continued to echo around in my head, and I pulled my jacket tighter over my shoulders. Hopefully they wouldn't say anything like she did.
"Danny."
"...Jazz."
She was too stiff on my bed, like some corporate business worker. I slowly lowered myself in the desk chair, eying her stubborn expression apprehensively. It was like the calm before a storm, and I knew I wasn't going to like anything she had to say. The evening sun was gone behind the buildings, so I reached over and turned on the desk lamp as something to do, waiting for her to end the silence.
"You stayed with Vlad this weekend?"
I was tempted to bite back with a sarcastic quip, but I didn't want to be the one to start any conflicts.
"Yeah." I replied innocently.
She nodded her head slowly, looking like she was debating on saying something. My stomach slowly sank and I suddenly got the feeling that I didn't want to her what she had to say. I was right.
"Danny, I don't want you going over there ever again."
"What!" Instantly, I was on my feet, all thoughts of peaceful negotiation gone.
"You can't do that! It's not any of your business!"
"Yes it is. I'm your sister, I have to look out for you when you won't look out for yourself."
"Jazz, there's nothing for you to look out for! I'm fine!"
"Having that kind of relationship with him is not fine, not to mention illegal. You don't know what you're getting into Danny. This is too much for you to handle."
"Will you stop treating me like I'm five? I can deal with this just fine! And I think I know my own emotions a little better than you do Jazz."
"I don't think you do, in fact, I don't think you realize how serious of a problem this is. He may be twenty-five physically, but psychologically he's in his forties and that's the part that counts. This isn't right, Danny."
My fists clenched, blood pounding furiously in my ears. She couldn't keep me from Vlad, she couldn't. She didn't understand anything.
"I know you're upset, but you'll thank me eventually. It's for your own good, little brother."
"Just shut up Jazz. I don't know why you insist on being a stuck up know-it-all, but I'm sick of it, and I'm not going to let you ruin this for me. You have no clue."
"Danny, do you even hear yourself?" she stood from the bed, looking anguished. "How can you possibly defend this situation? He's beaten you, kidnapped you, hurt your friends and family, and now you're in love with him? You have to see how ridiculous this is."
"It's not a joke Jazz. I know him better than anyone. He's changed."
"It doesn't matter how much he 'changes', Danny. Your still a minor, and that makes him nothing more than a pedophile."
"So what does that make me!?" I shouted, fury boiling over. "I enjoy every damn minute of it! Hell, I start half of it. Am I just a creep too? Just some sick, twisted little freak?"
"Danny, you're confused! He's the only other hybrid, which may explain any attachment you have to him. It's not love Danny, please, you have to see the truth."
"No, you don't want me to see the 'truth', you want me to see things your way."
"Because it is the truth! I can't let you live in these delusions. You're just going to end up getting hurt."
"God, you're more self righteous than Vlad."
"I'm serious Danny! If you go back there again, I'll tell Mom and Dad everything."
I froze, everything froze. The hard glare in her eye's held no room for doubt. I felt my anger extinguished by fear, my breath shallow.
"You wouldn't."
"You know I would."
"It's my secret to tell."
"Not when it's something like this, it isn't."
My voice was caught in my throat, I couldn't force out even the smallest sound. There was no way. She couldn't...
"It's for your own good, Danny."
The bell rang, making me jump in my seat. Reality smacked me in the face, and my heart started to race of its own accord. The low mumble of students surrounded me as I followed their lead on auto pilot, grabbing my books and stumbling out of the classroom.
"Move, Fenton."
"Watch it."
"Look where you're going, would you?"
It was too crowded here, I needed to breathe. Liberation in the abstract form of a janitor's closet miraculously appeared in front of me and I didn't hesitate to fall inside. It was quieter in here, the mumble of high schoolers muffled beyond the door. I let out a shaky sigh of relief, sliding to the floor.
I didn't know what to do. I couldn't go see Vlad, or else Jazz would spill our secret. But I couldn't do this on my own, I needed his help. I haven't even seen Sam or Tucker yet and I was already falling apart.
My moment of peace wasn't meant to last though, and no sooner than after I buried my head in my arms, the bell rang again, and with it came a whole new set of anxieties. I still haven't faced them. What were they going to say? What was Sam going to say?
Butterflies started up in my stomach as I fumbled with the door knob, sneaking out into the blissfully empty halls and forcing myself to Lancer's class. Every step brought me closer, dread leaving me light headed.
Before I was ready, Lancer's door was in front of me and I could hear his voice through the misted glass. My best friends were in there. Would they care if I didn't show up? I felt the sick butterflies twist in my stomach when I grasped the door knob, my knees suddenly too weak. I wanted to go home. No, I wanted to go to Vl-
"The Time Traveler's Wife Mr. Fenton! How long are you going to stand outside my door?"
He was suddenly in front of me, having yanked the door open while I stood there like an idiot. I think people were laughing at me, but it was nothing more than a muffled buzzing in my ear. Lancer glared down at me as I wobbled in, swallowing thickly. I think he walked back to his desk, telling the other students to quiet down while I was frozen before the class, warring with myself and stalling the inevitable. Finally, when I couldn't put it off any longer, I looked up to face Sam and Tucker.
But they wouldn't even look at me.
Sam was scratching things in her notebook, an idle look on her face. Tucker had decided his English lit book was more interesting, and practically had his back turned in my direction. It was like I was invisible.
"Well Mr. Fenton? Care to take your seat?"
I flinched slightly, the laughter not reaching past my hears. My seat was between Sam and Tucker. Mr. Lancer raised an eyebrow when forced my stiff body to stumbled into an empty desk behind Mikey. He glanced at Sam and Tucker and back to me with a curious expression. However, high school conflicts weren't worth his precious teaching time, and he quickly brushed away the problem to ramble on about some book.
It was quite possibly, the worst class of my entire life. An invisible wall set me apart from my friends. I felt unwelcome, like I didn't belong. I couldn't even get vibes of hate or discomfort from Sam or Tucker. I had at least expected them to acknowledge me, but it was like I just flat out didn't exist. I couldn't stop myself from glancing at them every ten seconds, hoping to catch their eye or something. But I was nobody to them, and coming from the two people with whom I'd spent my entire life with, that really hurt.
"Hey Danny, are you and your friends in a fight?" Mikey twisted around in his chair, a hopeful glint in his vulturous eyes.
It was surprising how easy I could turn my hurt into anger so quickly. I glared at him, my black expression clearly telling him I wasn't in the mood. His face dropped and he sheepishly turned back around, muttering a lame apology. I totally bombed the test Lancer handed out, and when the bell rang I didn't rush out with everyone else like usual. My pathetic anger was swept away when I stared at Sam and Tucker. For some reason I couldn't hold on to it when I looked at them, instead being drowned by a black wave of misery all over again.
They gathered their books and left the room quickly, still not finding the time to spare me the smallest glance. I stood next to my desk like an awkward intruder, feeling hollow. Mr. Lancer raised an eye brow again when I slowly dragged myself out the door, dropping the failure of a test into the basket before closing the door behind me.
And to think, all of this is because I was in love with the wrong person.
The health room wasn't far from Lancer's, so I had plenty of time to get to class and sit in my assigned seat. Unfortunately, that assigned seat happened to be next to Tucker. We both thought it'd been a brilliant stroke of luck when the teacher sat us together during the beginning of the semester, but now, it just made me sick with dread.
He was already there when I walked in, and even dragging my feet couldn't stall the confrontation enough. I took as long as possible, slowly lowering my books to the table when I finally reached him. But he was fiddling with his PDA in his lap, determined to ignore me. I tried not to focus on the pain in my chest when I sat down, just as silent as he.
"Okay class, so today were focusing less on the brain and more on the heart. Now who can tell me..."
The teacher's voice faded away, going in one ear and out the other. I glanced at Tucker, but he was still focused on his PDA, making sure to keep it hidden from the teacher. With a quiet sigh I flipped open my notebook, not really aware of what I was doing but just wanting to do something. The teacher didn't notice as I drew pointless doodles in the middle of his lecture; I was barely paying attention to the stupid scribbles myself.
I glanced over at Tucker again, but now he was reading through the text book. I gave him a flat stare, though he didn't see it. He's never even opened his health book before. It was obvious that he still wasn't talking to me, so I turned away from his stoic figure and stared at the little house I'd drawn. It was kinda lopsided and the door was halfway into the ground. I frowned at the little drawing and drew flames along the roof to set it on fire. Stupid house.
I wanted this day to be over, but it had barely begun. If only they would just look at me! I was tempted to try talking to Tucker myself, but every time I opened my mouth all I could see was his betrayed face as he ran out of Vlad's kitchen Friday evening.
"Now I hope you all are writing this down because there's going to be a test in a few weeks."
"Aw, come on, Teach! I barely understand the brain!" Dash wailed.
Normally this would have produced a bout of uncontrollable snickers from me and Tuck, and several jokes on the behalf of Dash's intelligence would have quickly followed. However, Tucker didn't even crack a smirk, languidly flipping a page in the text book.
I took that as a sign of defeat, giving up on the day and deciding to just focus on the far off release bell, assuming it ever came. If Tucker couldn't even make fun of Dash with me anymore then there was absolutely no hope with Sam. I shoved the scribbled notebook away and put my head in my arms, hoping the teacher would at least give me a detention for not paying attention. I didn't care anymore.
Unsurprisingly, time passed agonizingly slow. It seemed that every time I checked the clock, the minute hand had barely moved. The teacher was speaking French, Dash was throwing paper wads at me, and I could feel a dull headache cropping up from all the stress. And to top it all off, I still had lunch to deal with.
At long last, the bell rang, but my limbs felt as though they were stuck in goo, slow moving and heavy. Tucker rose from his chair like a silent specter, floating away without a word and leaving me to deal with the dull ache of abandonment.
There was no racing to the lunch room this time. Usually I'd be in and out of my locker in a flash, literally flying to the lunch room under a cover of invisibility, always beating Sam no matter how hard she tried. This time though, I walked at a normal pace, taking my time with the locker and putting off lunch for as long as I could. It's not like I had much to look forward to anyways.
Following the crowd, I headed to the cafeteria, practically invisible in the mess of students and feeling naked without my friends beside me. Shoulders kept bumping into me, causing me to stumble every few steps. It didn't help that I still looked like a scrawny freshmen, even though I'm supposed to be a junior in less than four months. Damn ghost powers.
It was through my crowded vision of people and elbows that I finally made it to the cafeteria entrance, where I saw Tucker meet up with Sam. They both smiled to each other and without a second thought, headed into the lunch room together. I was left behind with the crowd, forgotten and ignored as I had been all morning. I think that might have been my lowest moment yet.
I ambled into the cafeteria, my crushed heart heavier than ever. Teens laughed and joked around me, happy to be in the loose atmosphere of the lunch room. They had no problem relaxing for the free period, grateful to being out of class. I couldn't muster up the strength to feel their happiness, too hollow and tired. The cafeteria food was bad enough with Sam and Tucker, so there was no way I was going to be able to enjoy lunch without them.
Needless to say, the empty feeling didn't go away when I headed outside with my tray of supposed-to-be food. All it took was one glance to see my friends had chosen a new place to sit. It felt like freshmen year all over again, except this time I didn't have my friends beside me when confronting the lunch room seating charts. I hovered near the doorway, probably looking like a complete and total idiot.
When my own awkwardness reached an unbearable level, I finally trudged over to the table I usually sat with Sam and Tucker at, feeling ungodly pathetic as I sat down by myself. Funnily enough, I pretty sure no one was actually paying the slightest bit of attention to me. Seriously, most of my fellow classmates are way too absorbed in their own problems to notice anyone else, so why did I bother feeling so embarrassingly abandoned?
I picked at the food on my tray; I wasn't hungry. The buzzing noise of eating high schoolers was just as muffled and distant as they'd been all day. I stared at a bug that had crawled up on the table, tempted to drown it in the green mush on my tray. Sam would be mad at me if I did that, though.
Sighing, I looked up, carelessly surveying the other students just as something to do. I still had twenty minutes of lunch, and I was already completely bored. Star and Paulina were comparing nails at the jock table. A few band geeks were cleaning their spit-things at the lunch table. Gross. Dash was picking on Lester again-
I stilled, sitting up straight and feeling a new wave of hurt wash over me as I easily recognized two people sitting nearby. Sam and Tuck would rather sit with Mickey and Lester than me?
I watched as Dash punched Lester in the shoulder, causing the smaller teen to fall into his chess board and throwing the pieces everywhere. Sam, ever the defender of the weak, stood up and started shouting as Dash. Out of no where, I just snapped, furious anger coursing through me. How could she have no problem defending some kid she barely talked to, yet she couldn't even look at her best friend? Was she seriously that bitter?
For one crazy, insane moment, I contemplated getting up and stomping over to them myself, fulling intending on letting all my hurt, anger and frustration out in a very verbal ghostly wail.
"I've always been there for you! I've always watched out for you! And you go for him? All he ever does is hurt people! He steals and cheats and lies and doesn't care about anyone but himself! What do you see in him?"
And Sam's words chose the most appropriate time to blaze through my brain, my fury instantly squelched and that trench of guilt and misery deepening at the memory. Of course they'd rather sit with Mikey and Lester than me. It's all for the same reason Jazz is going to try and stop me from seeing Vlad. The same reason why they can't stand the sight of me.
Why was I even fighting it? I've always known they'd react badly if they found out, so why am I surprised? Did I ever honestly think they'd just accept my feelings for my once arch nemesis, my much older and similarly male arch nemesis?
I scowled, the stubborn part of me roaring in disapproval and the anger starting up again.
Why should it even matter? So what if he's a guy, so what if he's older. In three years I'll be a legal adult anyways, so what's the difference? We care about each other and I'm happy with him. That's what Jazz always tells me a healthy, stable relationship is supposed to be like. So why can't it be enough for me and Vlad?
A small part of me recognized where they were coming from, that maybe the relationship I have with Vlad was wrong. Problem was, I just didn't care. I'm happy with him, it's not like he's some creep just using me to get in my pants. He actually cares about me too. As far as I'm concerned, that completely voids out the age issue. To bad they don't see it that way.
A bell rang in the distance, pulling me from my thoughts. With a final sigh, I grabbed my untouched tray and threw it in the trash, stuffing my hands in my pockets and scowling at the ground as I followed everyone inside. Art was next, my only class with just Sam. I had a bad feeling that it wasn't going to go very well.
Surprisingly enough, she hadn't switched to another table. I should have guessed she'd be too stubborn to move, though. I walked into the class and gave her a tentative glance, but she wasn't looking at me. Shocker. Trying not to act too bitter myself, I set my stuff down in the seat next to her and went to get my painting. We were suppose to finish them today, but I knew for a fact half the class wasn't going to make the deadline.
Sam already had her paints out, cold silence as thick as a brick wall surrounding her. Trying not to focus on that, I smoothed out my hilly landscape. It didn't look anything like the real place, but it was enough to bring back the pleasant memory, allowing me to retreat to happier times for at least a few blissful moments.
I couldn't stand there and reminisce forever though. My grades were bad enough without failing art (although they had gotten considerably better since Vlad started helping me study). It didn't take long to gather my paints, all I had left was a little shadowing on the clouds.
Sam still wasn't looking at me. I guess I'd gotten used to the hurt though because it was more of a dull pang now than a crushing stab. I wanted to say something to her that would make her forgive me, but I wasn't even sure what I had to be sorry for. It didn't help that apparently she's had a crush on me since middle school, but I tried not to remember that cause it just made everything seem so much worse.
I wish I could talk to Vlad. He may not like Sam, but he'd know what I should do. Although knowing him, he'd say I'm being foolish for even trying to be friends with her. Maybe he's right.
"Almost done, Danny?"
I jumped (thankfully not while my paint brush was on the paper), not expecting Ms. Hue to be directly behind me. I looked back and her and stepped away from the drawing, knowing she'd want to inspect it.
"Uh, yeah, almost. Just gotta finish up the clouds..." I trailed off lamely.
"Hm..." Ms. Hue bent over to look at the painting, nodding with a satisfied smile.
"This is very good Danny. Is it a real place?"
"Um...yeah." I hoped she wouldn't ask too many questions about it, but I wasn't that lucky.
"Oh? Have you been there? It's very detailed, so it must be from memory, right?"
"Uh huh."
"A vacation I suppose?"
"Um, yeah, a vacation." I made a mental note to have Vlad teach me how to lie better.
"Well where ever did you go? It's such a dreamy landscape and I would love to go there myself!" Man, she just wouldn't let up!
"Uh..." I glanced at Sam, really wishing she wasn't here. If I lied, she'd know I was lying and would be even more pissed at me, but then again, if I told the truth, she'd really be pissed at me.
I sighed.
Well either way, she's going to be pissed at me. Might as well have a good conscious about it.
"Sorry Ms. Hue, but it's on private property. Vlad Master's took me to this place at his estate in Wisconsin."
Sam froze. Crap.
"The Vlad Masters? You know him?" Ms. Hue gapped. I was just about to respond when someone else spoke up for me.
"Intimately." Sam's cold, poisonous voice came out of no where, some-what speaking to me for the first time all day. Ms. Hue gave her a confused look and I about died at her words.
"H-He's a friend of my fathers." I stumbled, giving the teacher my most innocent smile and resisting the urge to stomp on Sam's foot.
"Ah, I see. Well you're lucky to know him, Danny. I'm sure people would die to have a chance to speak with someone as successful as him." She laughed.
Sam gaged from behind me.
"I don't suppose you see him a lot, do you?"
"Oh no, he's sees him all the time! They spend lots of alone ti-"
This time I did step on Sam's foot, restrained anger flowing through me at her loose tongue.
"He's really busy. I don't see him to much." I said too sweetly, silently hoping she would stop asking so many questions.
Ms. Hue looked curiously at Sam and then to me, her face shifting to one of suspicion. I felt my mouth go very dry.
"Oh I see. You don't want too many people knowing you're on good terms with a billionaire, do you?" she'd lowered her voice to a whisper.
"Uh..."
"It's okay Danny, your secrets safe with me." she winked, finally walking away and humming a weird tune.
I had to take a moment to shake my head, but almost instantly I rounded on Sam.
"What do you think you're doing!?" I hissed, teeth clenched together.
She glared at me, her amethyst eyes alight with rage.
"It's called telling the truth, Daniel." she hissed back.
For a moment, I was thrown for a loop.
"Wait, what did you just call-"
"What's the matter? He calls you that, doesn't he? Or I suppose you like little badger more, huh?"
I gapped at her, angry disbelief momentarily rendering me speechless. Really? She was making fun of those stupid nicknames he calls me? For some reason that just made me even more furious. Those were Vlad's nicknames, not hers.
"Shut up Sam. Why don't you deal with your own issues without dragging my life into it."
"Your life is my issue, Daniel! Believe me, if I could get you out of it, I would."
"Stop calling me that." I growled, blood pounding in my ears.
"What's wrong, little badger? Don't like me using his pet names? I would have thought you'd enjoy it, seeing as you already enjoy being his little-"
"SHUT-UP!" I roared, eyes burning neon green.
The hurt and rage and frustration suddenly wasn't so restrained anymore, all of it let loose in that single command. My fists were clenched, breath coming out in furious heaves. Coherent thought was beyond me, too furious that Sam would even have the nerve to start saying crap like that again. I even forgot we were in a class room full silent, gaping students, which was very bad.
"I'm sorry you're too self absorbed to see past your own stupid crush, Samantha, but I am not gonna put up with any more crap like that! Yeah, I lied to you guys, and I'm sorry, but why are you even fucking surprised!? Like the truth is any better anyways, right?" A slightly hysterical note wove its way into my voice. I think Ms. Hue tried to scold me on my language, but I was too far gone to care.
"It's bad enough that you and Tucker can't stand to look at me," My throat was painfully tight, "Do you really have to make things worse? You already won Sam! Jazz won't let me go anywhere near him or else she'll tell my parents everything! What more do you want!?"
I grabbed my bag and yanked the stupid painting off the table, not planing on staying here any longer. I could feel the embarrassing tears starting up and I was so not going to cry in front of her. I slammed the painting on the teacher's desk, yanking the door open and pausing in the door way when a sudden thought hit me. I turned to look at her, glaring right into her eyes.
"You're such a hypocrite Sam, you know that? You're turning out to be just as bitter as he was."
With that, I slammed the door shut, right into her shocked, pale face. Then the tears started falling and I couldn't stop them, not when I went ghost in the janitor's closet, not as I flew across Amity Park, and not went I finally settled on top of a rocky out cliff, the highest point in Amity Park.
The wind blew strong, whipping my pure white hair around and burning my eyes. I sniffed, wiping at the wet streaks running down my face and feeling worse than ever. I shouldn't have shouted at her. It's just going to make everything so much worse. Now the whole school's gonna be making up stupid rumors and she's probably just going to tell everyone the truth anyways because she hates me.
I buried my head in my arms, an incomparable amount of misery flowing through me at the those last there words.
Surprisingly enough, everything else seemed unimportant compared to the fact that Sam totally hates me. And not just Sam, but Tucker too. My two best friends, the two people who I've depended on since preschool want absolutely nothing to do with me. I...I didn't know what to do.
And to make things worse, I couldn't even go to Vlad.
I felt completely and utterly alone, suddenly needing his strong arms around me, pulling me into his protective chest and raining soft words on my ears. But all I got was the angry wind, lashing out at my cold body.
If only I still hated Vlad. Then none of this would be happening. I sniffed again, hugging my legs to my chest. For one fleeting moment, my brain conjured up an image where my friends didn't hate me and my life was back to normal, or at least as normal as normal can be for my life. Vlad was still my arch nemesis, and I even returned Sam's feelings, just like everyone wanted me too. Everyone was happy...everyone...was...
I moaned pitifully, shaking my head in despair. I couldn't do it, I couldn't even imagine it. It felt so wrong. I needed Vlad, plain and simple. I couldn't go back to stumbling through ghost battles, desperately struggling with my own feelings and then hating myself for even having them. How could I put myself back in those chains?
I think that's what cut the deepest, though, the fact that my friends and sister were asking me to.
Present Day
As predicted, my outburst caused quite a stir with the other students, sending the gossip circles into a raving frenzy. So far I've heard that I'm addicted to crack, I tried housing a bunch of ghosts under my bed, and (I have no idea where the heck this one came from, but the irony does not escape me) I tried to kill my Uncle. However, none of them compare with the biggest and most widely believed rumor.
Apparently, the whole school thinks I'm gay.
Honestly, the stupid rumors are the last thing I care about, although that last one is causing me quite a bit of grief. For example, while at first, Dash had been afraid to get near me for fear of catching 'queer', he had quickly gotten over that and started up a new game called 'catch the fagot.' Guess who the fagot is? Needless to say, if it weren't for my ghost powers, I'd probably be shooting myself right now.
I don't know if Sam or Tucker started or contributed to any of the rumors, and truthfully, I don't want to know. They don't try to stop people from making jokes about me, but at least they don't laugh with them. In some twisted way, that probably makes me the happiest I've been all week.
The relative silence of the high cliff was calming, and I felt most of my fears and anguish blow away with the wind. It wasn't exactly a solution, but I reveled in the numbness that consumed my brain. It was easier not to think about my friends and family, easier to forget the reality just down the hill. Jazz called it repression, but it's not like I cared. Repression meant no nagging from her, so I decided I liked it.
I let loose a long sigh, falling back on the scratchy grass and staring at the floating clouds. They rolled by lethargically, taking me with them. It was so calm, so quiet. I felt like I could actually get a hold of what to do next. I wasn't stupid, I knew I was driving myself insane with every day that I just endured the isolation from my friends and family. But what could I do?
More clouds rolled by, more times passed. I played with a random flower next to my hand, twisting the petals and rolling the stem until it became a tangled mess. Sam and Tucker would probably be in lunch by now, happily playing chess with Mikey and defending Lester from Dash. I wonder if they even know I'm not at school? Probably not...
You know, I actually considered going back to Vlad's castle and to hell with Jazz's threat. Mom and Dad are going to find out about my powers sooner or later anyways, so I figured I might as well take the opportunity to see Vlad at the same time. But then I'd remembered that Jazz had threatened with both our secrets, and not only that but our not-so-legal relationship as well. I couldn't risk Vlad's entire life just for me.
I shivered a bit, just thinking about what would happen if other people found out. It'd be a nightmare. No, I had to find a way to get around my sister without risking Vlad's reputation. I couldn't have him hating me too. That would be...well, I didn't even want to think about it.
"This is so ridiculous." I muttered, irritation getting the best of me for a moment as I ripped up some of the grass. "Why can't they all just stay out of my private life? How does it even affect them anyways?"
Jazz had told me she was only interfering because she cared, which was a load of bull. Why she thinks barring me from Vlad is helpful, I'll never know. And Tucker, we've been friends since preschool, but apparently I personally insulted him by falling in love with Vlad. And don't even get me started on Sam. How was I supposed to know she had a crush on me? She never said anything! Why do girls think guys can read their minds? It's so stupid! It would be so much easier if they were all bluntly obvious like Vlad.
I stilled, the mounting anger slowly trickling away. I stopped pulling up the grass, sighing as my thoughts switched to someone who didn't make me wanna punch the box ghost in the face. And no, the irony doesn't escape me here either.
God, I missed him. Funny, seeing as I once thought I hated him, but I guess that's how fate goes, or some such nonsense. Whatever. I don't care how weird it was, I still miss him. Life is complicated, and Vlad, honestly, isn't that complicated. At least not to me. Maybe that's why I like him so much. He'd be able to make it all my troubles go away with one kiss and even better, he'd be able to solve the problems too. Though usually his methods of fixing things aren't exactly the most morally correct solutions.
I felt my eyes drift shut, a small smile lifting my face for the first time in ages. Is it creepy that I'm only fifteen and yet I still feel so strongly for him? Maybe I'm just letting Jazz get to me. It never felt weird when I was in his arms. That's the problem though, isn't it?
I felt the fleeting smile slide off my face, eyes opening as more thoughts plagued my mind. I wasn't in his arms, I was alone on top of a cold cliff. I haven't seen the smallest sign if him in a week, and though I couldn't honestly bring myself to feel abandoned (Vlad wouldn't do that), I still feel lonely enough to maybe believe just a little bit that Jazz isn't totally nuts. Maybe...maybe I'm a little crazy to love him so much...just...just a little unnatural, you know? But I can't stop, so does that mean somethings wrong with me? That I really am just a naïve little boy?
I frowned, defiance sparking as I argued with myself. No, that couldn't be right. Or maybe it is, but I don't care. I do care about him, more than a fifteen year old probably should, but it's so perfect that I can't not love him. It just...it'd just leave me empty and meaningless. Jazz can't understand that, and all she listens to are those emotionless books of hers. She doesn't know anything.
"Ugh, I'm giving myself a headache..." I grumbled, mashing my palms against my eyes.
Really, it isn't that complicated. It's only complicated now because my friends and sister are making it complicated. I love Vlad, and he loves me. It's that simple. But that doesn't make the situation any less bearable. My best friends still hate me, my family still thinks I'm nuts, and I'm still alone. No amount of-
Something light landed on the grass behind me, stirring the silence. I quickly sat up and twisted around, hoping it wasn't some gawking-and then my thoughts froze, eyes widening as they took in the vampiric ghost before me. He calmly looked down with an amused smirk on his lips, pupiless red eyes glowing warmly.
"Hello, little badger."
A-heh heh...cliffhanger?