A/N: Twenty! Twenty down, eighty to go... tell me again why I'm doing this?
Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom.
30. Under the Rain
The school had gone out hours ago, even the last of the students having detention had long gone, off to celebrate their belated start of the weekend at the Nasty Burger. Jazz had watched her brother and his friends leave through the window of the chemistry lab on the second floor, sighing to herself and for the first time wondering what she was doing here, preparing for the meeting of the science club next Monday, while she could be out having fun.
Not that she would have gone to the Nasty Burger for that, the place was just so... nasty. Always packed with students who were throwing fries at each other, while consuming huge amounts of junk food of which the fat was clogging their arteries. Girls like Paulina would wander around the restaurant so the boys could stare at her, boosting her ego and giving her the chance of turning them down, just because she could.
Jazz wrinkled her nose. Even her brother was drooling over the girl, and the way he made a fool of himself embarrassed her. Again, she stared at the stack of papers she was holding and suddenly decided that enough was enough, it was Friday night, she would go home, call one of her friends and go to a movie. There must be something at the theater worth watching, other than Dead Teacher XVIII.
Neatly she put everything back where it belonged, looked behind her one more time to check if everything was in order and quickly walked down the stairs to the main entrance, calling a 'Have a nice weekend' at Mr Lancer, who was still in his office. He waved at her without looking up, seemingly engrossed in a book he was reading.
She opened the heavy door and stopped. It was raining. Hard. It was a steady downpour, causing a thin layer of water on the asphalt of the deserted parking lot, deserted but for her own car, standing at the far end. She was going to get soaked.
For a moment, she deliberated going back in and wait for it to stop raining, but the gray sky gave no indication that it would stop any time soon. She could of course go back to the chemistry lab and finish her preparations for Monday, but the thought of that somehow repulsed her. She would just have to brave the rain and accept the fact that she would get really wet.
She was just about to step into the rain, when a sudden chill stopped her. The goose bumps on her arms told her a ghost was nearby and she was just about to scream, when Danny shimmered into view.
"Hi sis," he said.
He was floating a few feet away from her, glowing slightly, having an impish smile on his face. The rain was soaking him, making his white hair hang in loose strands over his face. Jazz tried to look sternly at him, but failed miserably.
"You almost gave me a heart attack," she said, without malice.
Immediately his hand rose up to his neck to start rubbing it, and he tilted his head to look at her through his wet hair.
"Sorry," he said.
Jazz sighed. "It's alright. What are you doing here?"
Danny's face lit up and he gave her a goofy grin. Reaching behind his back he pulled out his thermos and shook it.
"Guess who's in here," he said.
Jazz rolled her eyes. "Doesn't he ever give up?" she asked and she thought she could make out a muffled 'beware' from inside the device.
"Never."
He landed on his feet beside her and she felt the cold radiating from him, making her shiver. Her brother looked at her and then at the car that was standing on the other side of the parking lot.
"Need an umbrella?" he asked.
Before she could answer he had stepped out into the rain again, pointed his finger upwards and created a glowing green half-dome. The rain fell on top of it and slid down the surface in small streams, sparkling in the green glow and dripping from the edge.
Smiling, Jazz stepped under the improvised umbrella and together they crossed the parking lot, walking closely together, in silence. When they reached her car, she quickly got in and turned to face him.
"Want a ride home?"
He shook his head and the green half dome vanished as she closed the door.
"Thanks little bro," she said as she started the car.
He waved at her and took off, and Jazz noticed that the raindrops that slid down his body momentarily picked up some of the soft white glow. She watched him fly away, leaving a short trail of glowing raindrops.
I seriously need to get back to the creepy stuff...
