Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom – I never have and I never will, simple as that.
Author's note: Welcome to the beginning of 'Phantom Romance,' which is a collection of short one-shots that can't stand very well on their own, but are part of a collection in which I write for (which is the 30romances community on LiveJournal among others like 10passions, 10hugs, 30cracks, 30smirks, and so forth). You'll be seeing updates in this collection more regularly/frequently since my other story is ending soon. I know... sad, right? Anyways, this is the first story to kick off the 30+ in which you'll be viewing. Thank you for reading and don't forget to review!
001 : Without You
Rating : G
Theme: #27, Love, hate and the like; emotions
December 6, 2005
She drummed her fingers rhythmically along the top of the table, her bored, lifeless eyes gazing, transfixed on a vacant spot in front of her. Sighing for about the millionth time that hour, her eyes stayed focused on that damned spot for a reason.
He had been missing for a week now, and she, as a response, was getting little to no sleep whatsoever. Those sleepless nights added and multiplied as time went on. She didn't even know how she could possibly have the strength to get out of her bed in the morning.
Ever since his impromptu trip to the Ghost Zone for some unknown reason (he refused to tell her), he vanished, leaving a garbled message here and there, but not enough to satisfy the thirst for information she had swelling inside her. He normally left her with some form of communication tool in which she could contact him whenever she felt like it or just to check if he was all right, but this time he had left without a word. Well, that was a lie... he left with, "Don't worry about me, I'll be back soon," and flew, leaving her watching his trail, a hand clutching her shirt, over her heart. He never knew how much it hurt her to see him leave.
The fact that she was powerless in this situation tore at her heart and sanity more than any words ever could. She sat there, in class, barely registering what was happening around her, just staring, transfixed, on that one vacant spot: Danny's chair. After about five minutes of staring off into space, a lonely song she had listened to the night before played in her mind; that lonely song reminding her of Danny, reminding her of what she did not have. Tears burned her eyes and forced her to put her head down on her desk to make sure no tear would actually fall. Excusing herself from the class, she ran the distance to the girls' lavatory and cried.
Tucker had tried talking to her, but refused to tell her any information Danny had divulged to him about his whereabouts. Even Jazz tried to get information from her, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything of substance. She couldn't help and they both knew it. They made it a point not to bring it up, but Sam found herself always asking questions, always trying to find out something new. No luck whatsoever.
She was upset that he had abruptly left her, but she knew she could never be mad at him for long... hell, she would never hate him, she knew that.
Everything she did and every person she saw reminded her of Danny in some way. Even looking at Tucker wasn't the same, for she just thought of the missing member of their troublesome trio. Jazz, come on, was his sister; how close to him could she get? Whenever she walked home, she saw the bright sky, which matched the color of his gorgeous eyes. She saw an airplane flying in the sky, she thought of him soaring fearlessly with that smile plastered on his face of pure serenity. Even when she looked at herself... she still thought of him. It hurt to think about him that much, but it was hard for her not to. She was constantly worried about him and constantly fearing for his safety. With how many fights he'd been in, she'd be insane not to worry for him.
She worried for her own safety sometimes, as well. Sometimes a girl's worst enemy is herself.
Eventually, one week grew into two, and two grew into four... and a month turned into the next, and her heart wore thin with every passing hour with not even a call. She was impatient and anxious three-fourths of the time; she never knew what was going to happen and was constantly on guard with her emotions, yet hoping and dreaming of his return the other remainder of that fraction.
As the time changed seasons, she realized that life went on, with or without him. She didn't want to admit that fact, but it was the solemn truth that she had to accept. Without him, her light, she was left with the shell of an emotional wretch, alone and sobbing in the darkness. She knew that he was her best friend, but she knew she had deeper feelings for him, those feelings closest to the heart, which he was placed. She was in love with him, and with him gone, there went a piece of her heart–with him. She didn't know where he was, but she knew he must be fine. He could handle himself well, and she believed in him wholly. He probably had his own problems and duties to deal with and didn't want, with their emotional... connection, to get in the way of his focus.
Was he really in the Ghost Zone? She made too many excuses in her head and it hurt painfully whenever she crammed a new one in there. There were about a million tightly packed and about another million to go.
Would he ever come back? Of course he would. But... when? How long would she have to selfishly wait his return?
Did he know... did he really know how much it hurt her?
Inspiration: "Without You" from RENT, the Broadway Musical.
(Only the beginning of the song before it turns into a duet.)
Without You
The Ground Thaws
The Rain Falls
The Grass Grows
Without You
The Seeds Root
The Flowers Bloom
The Children Play
The Stars Gleam
The Eagles Fly
Without You
The Earth Turns
The Sun Burns
But I Die
Without You
Without You
The Breeze Warms
The Girls Smile
The Cloud Moves
Without You
The Tides Change
The Oceans Crash
The Crowd Roars
The Days Soar
The Babies Cry
Without You
The Moon Glows
The River Flows
But I Die
Without You
End Note: Pretty much drawing on personal experience, but, yeah... I felt like writing something short and angsty, something which I normally do not do. Don't forget to review and check out my profile in case you want to check out my LiveJournal. In my userinfo the communities in which I've entered myself in their challenges are in there, as well.
Please, don't forget to review! Input and constructive criticism are very well appreciated.
-A