Me: Welcome to chapter 3!
Danny: YAY!
Me: Sorry this one isn't as long as yesterday's – that was a special treat for you all :)
Danny: With chapter 3 comes the disclaimer: Hayden doesn't own me.
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ckittykatty: And here is your le reply! Chapter 3 for you ;)
SailorSea: Is the next day quick enough? Thanks for reviewing!
Inuyuke: AHHH you're back! (I thought I got rid of you after you didn't review chapter 1) JUST KIDDING! Thanks for reviewing, my lovely stalker :)
Oak Leaf Ninja: Trust me, I can't believe I'm writing a Paulina fic. Stupid plot bunnies… thanks for reviewing!
aslan333: Thanks!
Christmas Present, Chapter 3
"Paulina?" Danny looked at me with disbelief in his tired blue eyes. He was wearing his casual blue jeans and white shirt, and his hair was messier than usual, as if I had somehow woken him up. Didn't he wear pyjamas in bed?
"Uh, hi," I said, not looking at him in the eye as I walked up the icy front steps to his home, "I didn't know this was your house, Danny."
I had been walking for God knows how long, and after a while I had lost sight of the Ghost Boy. The only thing I could think of to do was to head in the direction I had seen him last.
"Well, it has the massive 'Fenton' sign." He checked his watch. "3am? I had no idea it was this early! And what are you doing here anyway?"
"Uh…" I felt myself take a few steps back, slipping slightly on the frozen ground, "I…"
"You're not trying to use me as one of your fake dates again are you? I'm over all that Paulina. Go and ask Dash. Or here's a better idea – go home and get warmed up. It's the middle of December, for God's sake." His voice was verging on the edge or sarcasm.
He started to shut the door, but I put my foot in the way subconsciously, not really sure what I was supposed to say next.
"Fenton – I mean, Danny…" I began, then faltered and made an embarrassing squeak.
He stood still directly in front of me, arms crossed and one eyebrow raised. He looked a lot more confident and cocky than when he was at school. So what was it that made everyone pick on him? His personality right now seemed so… self-assured.
"My parents are getting a divorce!" I shouted hurriedly before I could stop myself. I covered my mouth with my freezing hands and quickly turned my head away to avoid looking at his expression.
Silence followed and I felt Danny's gaze on my back. The heat from his house was beginning to seep out of the door, warming me a little and making my breath less visible.
"A divorce?" I heard him step outside, "Paulina that's… that's bad."
"I know," I whispered, wishing the ground would swallow me up. It was hard enough to tell Star, so much so I couldn't. But for Fenton to find out? It was too embarrassing to even think about it.
I could tell that he hesitated before he spoke, "Paulina, do you want to come inside? It's freezing out here."
"That would be… nice," I replied quietly, still looking at my feet as I turned round.
I followed the boy inside and found myself in the front room. Despite it being so early, all the lights were on and I could hear voices coming from the direction of the kitchen.
"My parents are kind of scientists," he said, as if reading my mind, "They get up really early every morning to check their stuff and warm up all the lab equipment. I never manage to get back sleep after I hear everything turn on, so I usually get up anyway."
Was that why he was always so tired in class? I always saw him with his head down on the desk snoring, even sometimes when Mr Lancer didn't. Dash kept trying to find different ways to wake him up, with things like paper aeroplanes and spit balls.
"Scientists, huh?" I repeated, not really sure how to reply to the information, "that's cool."
At least they were happy together.
"Want something to drink?" I heard him ask.
"Anything warm, I guess," I answered, still cold even though I was now inside.
He nodded slightly and headed towards the kitchen.
Deciding there was nothing to do, I followed him.
The kitchen was surprisingly big. The walls were painted a greenish-yellow, and a grey round table sat in the middle of the tiled floor. Another door at the back of the room was where Danny's parents' muffled voices were coming from, but it was closed so I couldn't see inside.
"I hope coffee's OK," Danny interrupted my thoughts, "we haven't done our Christmas shopping yet." He laughed awkwardly.
"It's fine," I replied, walking over to him.
He handed me a bright orange mug with a man's face on. Steaming coffee sat inside. I took a small sip then instantly stopped.
"Oh, sorry if it's hot," he added quickly, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Don't worry… it's… fine," I said.
"Danny!" I heard a man's voice, "who's that with you that I hear? It's not Jazz!" A man in his forties opened the door at the back of the kitchen. He was particularly large with greying hair and blue eyes. They were less intense as Danny's though, dimmed with age. He was wearing an orange haz-mat suit and was holding something which I guessed was some kind of soup thermos. Judging from the dance the school held a while ago, he was Danny's egotistical loud-mouthed father, Jack Fenton.
"This is Paulina," Danny said, signalling for me to stay quiet as he began to talk.
"And she is here because…?" Jack asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Didn't I tell you?" I was surprised Danny was able to lie so convincingly as he spoke, "she's working on a school project with me. About temperature changes at night. For science."
Jack narrowed his eyes for a second, but then he just shrugged and walked back into the room from which he had emerged, closing the door behind him and muttering something about how school gave out too much homework.
"Wow Danny," I said as I heard the talking start again, "you're Dad's so… so…"
"Gullible?" he suggested.
"Yeah."
We stood in silence for a while as I took experimental sips of my coffee, being careful not to burn my tongue.
"Aren't you going to drink anything?" I asked him.
He shrugged and shook his head, "nah, not thirsty. So why are you out here anyway?"
"I guess… I just wanted to be away from Dad for a while," I replied, mentally slapping myself with each word. Why was I telling him all this?
"I think I know what you mean," he said.
I looked up in surprise.
"My parents get along fine… but I don't see them much. They're always down in the lab," he pointed to the door where his dad had appeared earlier.
"I see," I mumbled, taking another sip of coffee. The mug warmed my numb hands and made me feel a whole lot better. Danny obviously also had a knack for making the stuff, because it was one of the nicest I'd ever tasted. Not that I'd tell him that though. I'd already told him too much.
Suddenly I heard Danny gasp.
"What's wrong?" I looked at him.
He stood up hastily, "I… I need to go somewhere. I'll be back in a minute, Paulina."
Giving him a confused look, I watched him hurry out of the kitchen and back into the living room. The front door slammed shortly after and silence fell again, except the voices coming from the lab.
I decided it was OK to sit down at the table, so I pulled out a chair and took a seat, staring blankly at the table. Where would Danny go at 3am in the morning?
The noise level seemed to rise and I could hear shouts coming from the lab. Some other sounds started to become audible too – things like equipment being powered up and guns loaded. My eyes widened and I stood up, getting ready to leave if something dangerous happened.
The door to the lab burst open for a second time. This time when Jack emerged, a woman dressed in all blue followed him, her short brown hair flew back as the couple raced past me, completely ignoring my presence.
Danny: That's if for chapter 3!
Me: Hope you guys all liked it! It was hard to make Paulina and Danny's conversation awkward but not awkward, if you know what I mean XD
Danny: Review and don't forget to check back tomorrow for chapter 4!
Me: Bye guys :3!