Author's Note: It has been a long time since I've written anything and I am to get back into it with a story of mine I started long ago but never uploaded. Maybe this story will help a change of pace, I think I want to make it dark but I am not sure yet, we will see as we go along.
Also, I don't mind theories or predictions of the story in the comments. Never know what might inspire me to add in future chapters.
So onto the story we go!
When she felt a light wind of crisp air blowing through on this October night, she tightened her hold on her jacket. Considering the wind rustling the autumn leaves and a clear, moonlight sky, she would have thought that tonight would be rather romantic. She could stay here all night long and enjoy the view. However, she was aware that she wouldn't be spending as much time outside as she would have liked.
Sam was sitting on a wooden bench, quite a distance from the theater's ticket booth where everyone was handing in their tickets to go see the most anticipated movie screening, as the commotion of excited teens and adults shattered the allure of her surroundings. Since she had a complete disdain for anything mainstream and popular, she wouldn't even attend this movie, but Danny genuinely wanted to watch a film where a tale was devoted to him.
Well, his ghostly self, not his human half. Danny Phantom is coming to the big screens.
She would much prefer to go for a relaxing walk with Danny, perhaps along a park pathway, as that would be more conducive for her to attempt to reveal her feelings to him than in a theater. Because by the looks of it, it's going to be a full house in there, it doesn't seem like she would even be able to get a word out to him. Should she, however, even have to speak? Should she use subtle signals that show her interest instead, such as gently resting her head on his shoulder or holding his hand, given that they will be sitting in the dark?
She sighed lightly and buried her face in her hands as her face began to get crimson from the image she had in her mind. It's not that she didn't want to have physical contact with Danny, but she's a goth, and reaching out wasn't her thing.
"If I arrived all by myself and without a date, I would be annoyed too."
Sam hastily tore her hands away from her face to look at the person who had just spoken to her, but she was quite sure who it was already based on the accent and high-pitched voice.
Paulina wasn't the only one standing there; Dash was also there, his hand around Paulina's waist.
Sam had just got up from her seat and was about to leave the area when Paulina grabbed her wrist and held her there.
"I don't want the ghost boy to get the wrong idea with you, so you ought to get back home." Paulina tightened her hold on her wrist. "You should know that I will stop you from now on. I've seen you chasing him around like the creep that you are."
"Let go." Sam slapped Paulina's hand away from her clutches. "You are welcome to base as many dumb assumptions as you like, but I am not interested in hearing them. Besides, you make it sound as if that ghost boy will be here."
"Why wouldn't he be here? It's a movie about him. I know he will be here, and I will be waiting for him when he does." Paulina answered.
"So, you're waiting for him while being on a date with another guy? Yeah, that makes sense. He can see your loyalty right there." Sam answered one last time, having enough of their bantering.
Sam stroked her wrist and scoffed at Paulina's audacity for touching her in such a way. She was going to turn around to leave again when she heard Dash chuckle. Dash was amusedly eyeing her as she turned back to face them.
"What's so funny?" Sam asked bluntly.
"Nothing at all, really," Dash released Paulina's waist so he could approach Sam closer, easily towering above her smaller form. "But I was wondering how many hits Fenton can take from me before his body gives out, maybe that would change your tune towards Paulina."
Sam raised an eyebrow in bewilderment: if Dash and Paulina were in a relationship, why wouldn't Dash seem bothered by the fact that Paulina was growing envious of another man? However, when she realized that Dash had threatened to harm Danny to get back at her, she rapidly lost that train of thought. With her best friend, nobody ever touches him where she is concerned.
"If only you knew that I've fought things bigger and uglier than you, you'd realize I'm not scared of you, look here." Sam stood on her toes to heighten herself by a few inches so that she was nearly face-to-face with Dash. "Danny can take care of himself, so you don't scare him either. You'll be the one that won't be able to take any hits from him."
With a mischievous grin, Dash cocked his head to the side and slipped his hand out from his crimson varsity jacket to rest it on her shoulder. Leaning in closer to her ear, he told her "That was hot."
Before she could react herself, Dash was abruptly yanked away from her face by the collar of his jacket.
"Get away from her!" Dash was further distanced as Danny pushed him further and further away from Sam." You hear me?!"
Dash pushed Danny right back, this time he squared his shoulder and took a taller stance. "I'm ready anytime you are, freak."
Now that Danny had taken a fighting position, several spectators in the crowd were noticing the ruckus. The whole situation amused Paulina, so she pulled out her phone and began to record a video. Sam hurried over to Danny and put a hand on his chest to try to calm him down since she didn't want to give them the joy of luring Danny into all of this.
"Another night where two boys are fighting over little me." Paulina addressed her video.
"Shut up, Paulina! They are not fighting over you!" Sam yelled at her.
"You're here now, Danny, it's all right. Let's go." Sam comforted him by resting her other hand on his arm. She just realized at that point that he was bothered by this since she noted his heavy breathing and stiff muscles.
Danny closed his eyes and took a deep breath, relaxing himself. "You're right, I'm sorry."
With a chuckle, Dash got up from his fighting position. "I knew you were just all talk, Fenton, it's time to get your balls out of your back pocket and be a man. If I admitted to kissing your girl, would that make a difference?"
Sam grasped Danny's arm firmly to stop him from jumping into action a second time, she didn't want to stay out here with them any longer than necessary. She started pulling Danny along as she made her way to the theater's entrance. Sam managed to grin a little as she turned away from Danny and the spectators because she felt touched by his resolve to defend her dignity. However, she detested pointless violence.
"Aw, that's it? No fighting," Sam heard Paulina whine to Dash as she went through the entrance with Danny.
She seated Danny at a table close to the food counter. "I'll go get you a drink; I'll be right back."
Danny nodded as he observed her go. She then spoke to the staff member working behind the till, and soon after, she returned with a tray of two sodas and a novelty bucket filled with popcorn featuring Danny Phantom.
"This will cool you down a bit," she smiled.
He gratefully accepted Sam's drink and happily drank it thoroughly.
"You were late for our meet-up time, I thought I should wait for you outside." Sam said." I wouldn't have if I knew all that would go down, I would have waited inside the theater in my seat instead."
"You know, I was calling you for a long time, but you never picked up. That got me worried, so I ended up doing a rush job, hopefully, that doesn't come to bite me in the butt later." Danny said.
"Really?" Sam pulled out her phone from the back pocket of her black jeans and noticed several missed calls from Danny." I'm so sorry, Danny, I put my phone on silent. I was preparing it, so I wouldn't disturb the movie."
Danny smiled, already forgiving her.
"What was the rush job though?" She asked.
"Okay, I left my house to come here, and not even a block from the house, I spotted a ghost. Though it slipped away from me because of my rush to get it done, hopefully, it got the message to leave this town since I didn't ignore it to freely roam the streets. That's when I started calling you, but you never answered, so I flew straight over here, "Danny said as he took another sip of his cola.
"It worked out in the end, though; there are still 10 minutes until the movie starts, and Danny Phantom will still be on the big screen." Sam gleamed.
Danny turned away from his beverage and fixed his ocean-blue eyes solidly on her amethyst ones. He remained silent and gave her a long, intense glance as though to analyze her whole being. She could feel the heat rising to her cheeks as the intimacy of the moment intensified.
She wanted to turn her head away, but she also didn't want to end the intense connection they were experiencing at that very moment. However, was there a connection between them, or was she just making it up? She could always voice her feelings to him now, but it didn't feel appropriate, especially after that near fight. She didn't want to get caught in the heat of the moment.
"Danny?"
"I wasn't hurrying for the movie; I was hurrying to see you," Danny finally spoke.
"I-I, um, really appreciate that," Sam was the first to break eye contact because it was growing to be too much for her nerves.
To get closer and see those illusive eyes of hers, Danny leans over the table, searching.
"Imagine my surprise when I got here to see you were in trouble, to see Dash all up on you like that." Danny sighed lightly in frustration." He didn't kiss you, right? I swear if touched you liked that, I would have knocked him right out."
"Danny," Sam chuckled, easing up the tension between them" He wouldn't have been standing there if he did because I would have done the favor for you, a nice kick to the groin would have done him in."
"That's what I thought." Danny shared her mirth." I know you can handle yourself, one of the many things I like about you. But-"
Danny got up from his seat to walk over to her, and then he continued," Always know I am there if you ever need me, I will always help you."
Sam also stood up, "I appreciate that too. Next time, I will definitely cry out like a damsel in distress for her white-haired knight to come and rescue her."
"Promise?" Danny chuckled again.
"Come on, stupid, we got a movie to watch." Sam gave him the bucket of popcorn for him to carry inside.
"As you command, my lady!"
Author's Note: So here we are on the other side, If the chapter felt a bit short for you, sorry about that. I wanted to make it longer but I decided to tread on safer waters this time around.
So please, any comments, predictions, theories, or constructive criticism will be very much welcome.
Until the next one.