I'm BAAAAAAACCCCCK!!!

Starting School Part 3: Classes and Lunch

Dani was not glad to see that the stares had not gone down. Whispers had possibly increased, even though Dani had done next to nothing. And it was only an hour or so into the day! Dani rolled her eyes, thinking that maybe coffee wouldn't be too bad. I mean, so what if it tasted bitter and stunted her growth? Who the heck wanted to be tall?! What other reason had they invented sugar packets for?! If it could get her through school, she'd even grind her own beans if she had too!

Dani walked to her locker, when a girl near her whispered purposefully loud to her friends.

"I wonder why we never heard of her, even though Danny Phantom is her brother." The few people near her gulped, edging away. Her friends however, nodded. Dani simply reached into her locker, pulling out some notebooks.

"I mean, did anyone even know Danny Phantom had a sister? For all we know she could be some stray he picked up off the street!" Dani's hands started shaking. She tucked the notebooks under her arms, and hid her hands in her locker, pretending to be reaching for something else.

"It doesn't take much to look like a Phantom after all. Contacts, hair dye…a costume in girl style. A wanna-be who couldn't pay for school. An unsuspecting hero who got played as the sap..." She dragged out each words, letting them fall down on Dani.

"Little." Her fists clenched. Her friends started to back away.

"Human." Dani's eyes widened and glowed a stronger green.

"Spoiled." Her friends turned and ran. The girl's eyes widened but she still smirked.

"Brat." Dani slammed her locked closed. It echoed in the hallway as everyone turned, wide-eyed. Dani turned to the girl with surprising but deadly calmness. Her hair covered her eyes.

Imagine their surprise and fear when she smiled softly.

"You think I'm some little orphan? Some Phantom-obsessed child who got lucky?" She looked up, still smiling, and her eyes were both smiling and also sad.

"Or maybe, you think it could've been you, and you're upset it wasn't?" The girl flinched at the accusation, eyes angry. Dani was still smiling, but her shoulders shook. Her voice was controlled. Everyone else stepped back, but watched.

"Do you really think so little of me? Not even of me, but of Danny???? He's not an idiot, he wouldn't fall for something so stupid!" She spat, her eyes getting slightly more angry, shoulders shaking harder, voice rising slightly, but still smiling.

"Who are you really insulting, me?! Or Danny?!" She lunged forward, smile vanishing. grabbing the girl's hand, who shrieked. A few others screamed, expecting the girl to get her head blasted off or something else gruesome. Some covered their eyes.

Instead, Dani pulled her forward. Her hand flew against Dani's chest, Dani's hand directing hers…on her heart.

There was silence.

The girl's eyes widened with realization.

"Danny isn't an idiot. And neither am I." Dani said softly, but firmly. She let go of the girl's hand, and it hung limp against her body.

"So don't think so little of my brother." Dani said, her eyes meeting the girls'.

She smiled softly, even though her eyes were still slightly sad.

"But maybe that's asking too much from you." Dani turned and walked away, probably heading towards her next class.

There was a long silence in the halls. Everyone stared at the girl, who in turn stared at her hand, eyes wide. One of the friends returned.

"What-what did you feel?" The girl turned to her, eyes wide, and in a slightly panicked voice, whispered:

"Nothing." She whispered it again, taking the friend by the shoulders and shaking her, her voice slightly more high-pitched.

"Nothing!" She stopped shaking her friend and swallowed hard.

"There was no beat. Her heart...it wasn't beating. It wasn't…wasn't doing anything. There was nothing." Her words echoed down the halls, through mouths, through ears, and into Dani's class.

The kids were reminded of the difference.

This girl was a ghost.

She was different.

She had no heart.

These dark and vile thoughts filled the kids' head. If she had no heart, what else did she not have? No blood ran through her veins. No organs functioned for her body. Did she even need to breathe, or was it just a flashy show, to reassure them that she could still be one of them?

But she wasn't.

She wasn't human.

When Dani walked into class the room quieted. Lily gave her a soft smile, then looked at her with eyes wide, as if trying to get a message across. She shook her head a little, frowning softly. She mouthed the words

"Watch out."

Dani raised an eyebrow and sat down. At that moment the teacher burst through the door. She was a scrawny woman, with tiny legs and frail looking arms, but tall at the same time. Her nose was pinched and tiny on her face, and a few wrinkles lined it as well. Her hair was red with a few gray streaks. She wore a gray diamond pattern sweater, and white pants.

"Everyone in your seats! Now!" She commanded. Everyone was in their seats already, so there was a long silence.

"You! Spit out the gum!" The teacher snapped, pointing to one of them. The kid didn't have any gum. The teacher huffed and walked up to him, ruler in hand.

"You know how my teacher used to discipline children?" She asked pleasantly, cracking the ruler against her hand with a sickening snap.

"B-But I don't have any gum!" The kid said frantically.

"Open your mouth! Now!" The teacher demanded. The kid opened his mouth, but before he could close it she whammed her ruler in, using it to hold his mouth open as she bent down to look closely.

"Hmph, already swallowed it. Clever but stupid. Body won't be able to digest it." The teacher took the spit-covered ruler out of his mouth and tapped his stomach with a satisfied smirk. The boy looked at her in disbelief.

"And you! Phantom!" The ruler was suddenly pointed at…Lily.

"Me." Lily stated flatly, looking at the teacher with a raised eyebrow. Dani opened her mouth to speak but was cut off.

"Yes you! Don't think I haven't heard of your little shenanigans! All I can say is you better be careful in my class! You won't get off so easily if I catch you with your little, maaagic tricks." The teacher snapped the ruler on the desk so hard it broke in two. Lily opened her mouth, then decided to close it, simply deeming it not worth any comment.

Dani also opened her mouth, then closed it, more like a fish then anything, completely speechless. The teacher walked past her without a word, went straight to her desk, and tossed the ruler into a nearby trash can.

With her same straight-back-and-robotic walk she opened her drawer and pulled out her glasses, and a brand new ruler. Everyone's jaw dropped as she put them on and read over the attendance list. Her eyes passed over Dani, then stopped and stared at her for a long moment.

"Hooligans, just a bunch of hooligans." The teacher muttered, eyes returning to the paper. Dani's head hit the table as she gave a soft groan.

"Hey, I don't think I'd mind that much being a Phantom…does it come with the suit?" Lily asked, jabbing a thumb towards the hazmat. Dani lifted her head one moment to look at Lily, then softly banged her head against the table. Again. And Again.

"Hey, I didn't want it anyway. Geez, I don't do spandex." Lily said. The bangings got a little louder.

"Dani, I'll tell it to ya straight. Your brother's a ghost with the powers of an invicible thief and a nuclear bomb all packed into one. On top of that he's a hormonal teenager. Now what do you think is gonna happen to Poor Lily here if you have a humongous bump on your head, and your brother sees it?!" She hissed, taking Dani by the head and pulling her up.

Dani looked Lily a look with a "yeah, right" look on her face.

"My bro also is the "protector of the world peace" and the only ghost teenager who has ever managed to land himself on the cover of "Amity Tween", "Teen Power!", and "The New York Life". So excuse me if I doubt he's gonna go blow up City Hall cuz he got a pimple, let alone cuz his sister banged her head against her desk!" Dani hissed back.

"A-hem." Both girls looked up to see the teacher, arms crossed, looking down on them.

"Miss Camber, we were just talking about-"

"I don't believe I care. You were talking. I don't care who you think you are Miss Phantom, you will follow this school's rules. No special privileges, no special treatment. You asked for an education, and you will be receiving it, I'll make sure of it." The teacher hissed, getting to eye level with Lily.

Dani nodded behind her, gulping softly. She felt a few holes burning through her back, and amidst the stares, managed to see several glares as well, even though the kids ducked their heads as soon as they met her eyes.

Dani was met with a new concept: They thought she didn't care if she was caught.

Dani sighed, remembering how fragile it was. Danny had gone over it many times. He had told her over and over again, every move she made would be judged. If she made a mistake, it would be viewed as either purposeful in their eyes, or stupid. Even positive actions could be thought of as bad.

"It's a lot like when I was Public Enemy Number 1." Danny said. Dani rolled her eyes, but he ignored her and continued.

"Some people will see you in the good light, some won't. And the people who don't will see your every move in a prejudiced way, vice versa for the good people.

"Yeah, yeah, good times, good times, no need to relive the Glory days." Dani said, using her hand to hold up her chin in a bored manner.

"Dani! I'm serious!"

"Yeah, seriously rambling! I get it already Danny, stop worrying!" Danny crossed his arms and stomped away grumbling about respect.

Now however, Dani was guessing Danny might have been onto something.

"Well then, if you do not mind Miss Phantom, I will now start class."

As before, Dani was so busy taking notes (from Lily), she did not participate, nor did she for the next few classes. But every time she copied the notes she immediately connected it, immediately understood it, immediately remembered it. It freaked her out a little.

Slowly classes past, and Dani was relieved to see lunch period. Then she was terrified.

Dani reached into her bag and pulled out a paper lunch bag. Perfectly plain, so she could throw it out. She didn't want anyone to be selling it on the internet later.

Of course there was only the problem of what was inside it. Besides the sandwich, and the juice…

Dani quickly dashed into the cafeteria. However, when she got there, she had no idea what to do.

The moment everyone saw her chaos broke out.

"Hey Dani, over here!"

"Phantom, sit here!"

"Danielle, it's okay right here!"

"No! Sit here!"

"We saved a seat just for you!"

Dani took a step back, overwhelmed. She saw Gabriella waving to her, gesturing to sit with her and a few other kids wearing maroon and white jackets.

Someone took her hand and tugged, making a large portion of the student body (not to mention Dani) to gasp. Dani got a hold of herself before she went intangible and instead tugged back, careful not to send the guy flying, which, while she doubted she could do, did not want to test out.

"Let go of me!"

"Relax! I have orders from Lily!" It was the kid with the dark blue eyes and black, white-streaked hair. Instead of the gym uniform, he was wearing black cargo pants (like Tucker's, except a different color), and a diagonal striped white and blue shirt.

Dani looked at him in shock, her hand going limp and allowing herself to be dragged, much to the surprise of her peers.

She found herself seated at a more reclusive table, where only Lily, the boy, and her were sitting. As soon as she sat down though, more and more kids pressed closer to the table, a few actually sitting down.

The moment one kid's butt first touched the bench, both Lily and the blue-eyed kid's head whipped toward him and their eyes narrowed dangerously. A low growl erupted from the blue-eye's throat. The kid yelped and jumped off the bench as if burned. The entire crowd took a gigantic step back.

Dani looked around and noticed more than a few glares directed at the two kids she was sitting next to. However, both children turned to their lunch as if nothing had happened and started to eat.

Dani noticed the boy eating a salad.

"Ah…an ultro-recyclo vegetarian?" The boy looked up at her, raising an eyebrow, as did Lily. Dani blushed, entertaining the on-watching students.

"Um, a friend of Danny is one…" She offered as an explanation. An awkward silence ensued, most of it created by the student body, who was currently thinking it would not be that bad not to eat meat.

"Well, you're partially right. I'm only a vegetarian." The boy said, shrugging.

"Haven't gone all the way yet." He said nonchalantly.

"Yeah, this guy is like a cat, he loves, loves fish. Unfortunately, he lacks all other cat characteristics, like balance for instance." Lily said, punching him in the arm. He rubbed it, managing a smile but wincing.

"…Hi, my name is Dani." The boy grinned, then jabbed a thumb at himself.

"I'm Alex. Nice to meet you." Both smiled at each other. Dani opened her lunch bag and took out her sandwich. She bit into it, chewed, swallowed, looked up, and met everyone's shocked gaze. All except Alex's that is.

"What?" Dani asked before taking another bite.

"Sorry Dani, it's just…you can eat?" Dani gulped the sandwich down rather loudly, then calmed herself.

"Um, ghosts don't necessarily have to eat, but we can if we want to, and I like to." Dani rubbed her neck like Danny, laughing nervously. She hoped the information would suffice. While it was true she didn't have to eat in ghost form, both she and Danny did not know whether her human form would faint from lack of sustenance after about 7 hours of not eating when they changed back.

Needless to say, they did not want to take any chances, nor test it out.

"Huh? Ghost?" Alex said, looking up curiously. Dani tilted her head at him, and Lily cracked up, pounding her hand against the table as she laughed.

"You are so gullible!" She laughed out.

"What?!" Both Dani and Alex cried out.

Lily regained her composure and stifled another laugh.

"Wow. Sorry Dani, but every now and then I tell ol' Alex here a little white line. Sadly enough, he tends to fall for it."

"Well excuse me if I trust you!" Alex said indignantly.

"What did you tell him?" Dani asked suspiciously, getting a bad feeling of apprehension.

"Uhh, I kinda told him you were… a danny phantom obsessor?" Dani's eyes flashed an angry green, making Lily flinch, but instead Dani's head hit the lunch table with a loud groan.

"Hey! Your eyes flashed!" Alex said, pointing.

"I AM NOT A FANGIRL OF MY BROTHER!" Dani suddenly shouted, head whipping up. Everyone turned to look at her strangely. She stuck her head under the table and out came a muffled scream.

"Dani, I was just messing with him." Lily said, patting her back sympathetically. Dani glared from under the table and Lily laughed nervously.

"Let me tell you a lil' story. I went on a road-trip around the world. I land in Hollywood, "Danny Phantom fangirl?!", I land in New York City "Yo! DP Girl!", I even went to China, and I get a bunch of gibberish, and then they decide to even do a SPIRIT DANCE around me or something!"

"Well, the suit kinda does stand out." Lily suggested meekly. Dani's head hit the table again, almost sliding through it this time. Dani remembered to control her powers just before. The student body around her soaked in the information. Why had Dani traveled everywhere?

"Wait, then wha-who are you?! LILY!!!" Alex shouted, glaring at her.

"Danielle Phantom." Lily said in a teaching-to-a-baby tone, pointing to Dani. Then she pointed to Alex.

"Bozo." She said, using the same tone and nodding as if he didn't understand. Alex pouted, crossing his arms and looking away angrily. Then he did a double-take.

"Wait! DANIELLE PHANTOM?!" Dani groaned again, head still not up from the table.

"Didn't they tell you about this in homeroom?!" She asked skeptically.

"Dude, they told us you were special, to be treated with respect, and not to be ogled at! You could've easily been from a mental institute based on that description!" Dani shrugged, admitting it was true.

"Not all fangirls are from/in insane asylums you know." She murmured.

"Yeah, but in the Danny Phantom Club, they should be, trust us." Lily said, Alex nodding. With that last word, Dani slipped out of the bench and onto the floor on her back. Nobody could say she went through the bench, because she was now clutching her stomach, laughing at the ceiling.

"They have a Danny Phantom CLUB?! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Oh I have to see that!!! HA!" Alex and Lily started laughing too, though if it was at Dani, or at Danny, no one could be sure. Dani got up shakily and sat down on the bench again, taking another big chunk out of her sandwich.

"Well, since your brother did save the world and all, he is pretty popular Dani."

"Yeah, people tend to admire world-saviors."

"You guys make it sound like such a big deal."

"Jealous?"

Dani scoffed.

"I've been perfectly happy traveling the world." She said, chewing on another bite.

"Why'd you come to school then?" The remaining listeners moved closer.

"Danny came and found me. I had been sick recently. I guess it showed up on his "brother radar" or something, 'cuz he went looking for me after the whole Disasteroid incident." Dani said, shrugging.

"That's disgustingly sentimental." Lily said, smiling.

"You're telling me." Dani said, rolling her eyes. The two girls giggled.

"So…you really are a Phantom?" Alex asked. Dani looked him straight in the eye and said,

"No."

"Okay…wait, hey!"

"That is fun!" Dani said, grinning.

"Isn't it?"

"How about we stop playing the Let's Tease Alex! Game!" Alex said exasperatedly.

"Okay, okay." Lily said, chuckling. Dani looked between the two of them. It eerily reminded her of something…or some people…

"Hey, why did you dye your hair?" Dani asked suddenly.

"Oh, well, I guess, you see, um…" Alex drew out, looking nervous.

"I…also…admire Danny Phantom! Yeah, that's it! His powers are pretty awesome!" Alex laughed nervously, rubbing his arm.

"Really. So that would make you…what, a fanguy?"

"Yep, and they're rare in existence, so take a picture now before it escapes!" Lily said, holding an imaginary camera. Both girls laughed loudly.

Alex blushed, but couldn't think of a comeback, so said nothing.

"Hey Dani!" Gabriella skipped up after tossing a salad into the trash. She completely ignored Lily, who openly glared, and Alex, who in turn ignored her.

"I want you to meet someone." She took Dani's hand (bringing forth yet another gasp from the students) and pulled her towards the A-List table, Dani yelping in surprise.

"Dani, this is Nicol"i"" Gabriella said, a boy standing up and walking over. He wore a maroon and white letterman jacket, had auburn hair, and a defiant smirk alight on his face. Dani did not like the look of things.

"Nikolai? Like N-I-K-O-L-A-I?" Dani asked, trying to make conversation.

"No, Nicol"i", as in the plural of Nicholas. Just like King Lear of Shakespeare, King's used to refer to themselves in plural, feeling that they were too powerful to be labeled as one person, and it's also Greek for Victorious people." Nicol"i" Said in a very intellectual tone of voice.

For a moment, there was silence. Gabriella stared, Dani gaped in wonder, and Nicol"i" blinked.

"I, I mean," He started, making his voice sound a tad deeper and possibly less smart,

"That's what a nerd I was beating up told me, I think. Sounded cool I guess." He shrugged nonchalantly, smirking pompously at the same time.

"So you in the group yet?" He asked. Dani shook her head slowly.

"Oh. Then I'm out. Got a paper due on Julius Caesar" He walked out the cafeteria in a cool fashion (or a maybe he was limping and his right side was heavier than his left, the authoress wasn't sure), and Gabrielle laughed.

"That's Nicol"i", always making those jokes! He loves to make fun of the geeks you see." She said, winking at Dani. Dani nodded, eyes wide and disbelieving. Then the lunch bell decided to ring.

"I…gotta go." Dani said, smiling, and stepping back slowly.

"…See ya!" She zoomed out of there in a way that made the students wonder if she had flown.

Just got back from Vacation! Hope everyone had a great New Year's and Happy Holidays (as I am politically correct, and will not mention any religious occasions), and I am sorry for being so late on this one! Also, I had a few reviewers telling me I should've said "cliques" in the previous chapter, instead of "clicks". I apologize for that. My friends and I like to joke around and say it they are "clicks", so that was my bad. Tee-hee! Hope you liked it (and hope I kept it in character and funny!)

Artgirl4!