(A/N: Here's a very Happy New Year from me to all of you! It's the 1st of January 2011 over here in Singapore, so this is a slightly longer chapter as a New Year gift, I guess ;) I hope it was up to standards (apart from a certain part where I was too tired to crank out). Enjoy! :D
My final thanks for these fantastically awesome reviewers: Fadey, Gracie407, Codiak, darkness bandit, aras the crazy writer, Squeeze, totallyPSYCHED, Hinata28h, Sunshine-Midnight123, Evilest Angel, Biisaiyowaq, Looka'sMagicHell, Kpfan72491, turkehead987
darkness bandit: Yeah, they did, but they didn't hear each other :P And that's an interesting idea for a sequel…but I think this one's fine as a loner ;)
Squeeze: Whoo, don't worry, I died too! XD
Evilest Angel: Haha, how NOT to take your opinions when they're so awesome? ;)
Biisaiyowaq: *gasp* It was rushed? :O *reads Chapter 13 again* Really? Which part? o_o And gah, why is it so bad? D: *sob*
turkehead987: Hmm…. You'll find out here :P)
-Recap-
Sam continued to stand there in stunned silence before her purple-glossed mouth curled to form a tiny smile. "Goodnight, Danny." She murmured, turning to unlock her front door. "I love you." She whispered, before going in.
A certain phantom grinned as he hovered invisibly on the path leading to the Manson Mansion. "I love you too, Sam." He uttered softly, before he turned visible and flew into the twinkling night-time skies.
Chapter 14—Epilogue: All Is Well Again
=A few meters from Casper High, Monday Morning=
~Normal POV~
A certain Goth girl was strolling her way to school with her new purple book-bag slung over her shoulder when two hands came from out of the blue and shielded her amethyst eyes. "Boo." A low voice growled in her ear menacingly.
"Good morning to you too, Danny." She replied, not at all daunted by the scary voice as she continued walking.
The hands let go of her. "Aww, you're no fun at all, Sam!" The said boy whined, catching up with her with ease. "Couldn't you have at least pretended you were scared?"
"Okay." Sam shrugged and stopped walking. Danny did the same. "Let me make my best effort…" She gave a dramatic cough. "... Ah?" She gave him a "Yeap, I am sooooo petrified" look before she resumed moving forward.
The blue-eyed boy stood there with his mouth agape for a few seconds before scrambling after her. "Hey! You weren't even tryin'!" When she provided no response, he shouted, "Saaaaaaam!"
He skidded to a stop beside her and walked with her at a normal pace. She chuckled and slung her arm to link with his. "Just drop the subject, Danny. Don't be a goon."
Danny pouted as he held her hand instead of linking arms. "I am NOT a goon!"
"Similarly to how Vlad is NOT a fruit-loop." Sam shot back.
"Okay, fine, I'm a goon!" He exclaimed. "But I'm your goon." He continued smugly.
She opened her mouth to retort, but instead found herself blushing. "W-whatever. Let's just get to school. We're going to be late." She murmured, avoiding his blue eyes.
The boy grinned in triumph as he accompanied his girlfriend to school.
=At School=
The couple arrived at school early (actually on time for once in Danny's case), where the students of Casper High were loitering, chatting and minding their own business. As a matter-of-fact, the surrounding was pretty peaceful that morning, considering that the weekend had just flown by.
Of course, Danny and Sam were too absorbed in their conversation to notice all of those things. Most of all, they did not even realize that they had waltzed through the school doors hand in hand.
Guess they should have paid attention. After all, "Gossip" was Casper High School's middle name.
Now, who would be the first person to notice and actually say something about the two Lovebirds?
"Oh my God, Pauli, is that the Newbie…holding hands with…the Heartthrob?" screeched a certain blonde-haired cheerleader.
…yup, you guessed it: Star, aka Paulina's Satellite (as well as the school's biggest gossiper).
That one scream led a chain reaction of gasps as the entire school turned to look at Danny and Sam (who were still oblivious). It also made several of Danny's admirers to either faint or look like they would like to rip Sam apart molecule by molecule.
Paulina had been leaning against her locker (elegantly, of course, she wouldn't have it any other way), boasting (more like lying) to her posse of girls about how wonderful her last date with Danny had been, and how fantastic their relationship was, when Star screamed.
The popular girl barely recovered from her shock when her posse of girls started bombarding her with a ton of questions.
"What's going on, Pauli?"
"Paulina, weren't you just saying you had a date with Fenton?"
"What is your boyfriend doing with that loser?"
"Why do they look so together-ish?"
Paulina's head ached with the sudden onslaught of interrogation, so she quickly made her decision. Instead of coming clean with the little white lie about her date with Danny, she decided to twist it all around, so that she was the unknowing victim.
"DANIEL JAMES FENTON!" Her scream echoed throughout the entire hallway as she stormed over to the ever-loving couple, who were startled to their senses. As if by magic, the huge mob of students loitering there parted right down the centre, just like the Red Sea, to let her charge by.
The mentioned boy raised an eyebrow at the raging popular girl as he pulled Sam closer to him. "Uhh…. Yes, Paulina?"
"Don't you "yes Paulina" me, Mister!" She glared at him and pointed an accusing index finger at Sam. "How dare you cheat on me with that…that stank!"
Sam gasped at the insult. "Excuse me?" She was ready to move over a give Paulina a taste of her combat boots when Danny stopped her. "Lemme handle her." He mouthed, before turning to the Latina beauty.
"Paulina, how on earth is it possible that I'm cheatin' on you when you were the one who broke up with me last year?" He questioned, looking as innocent as he could.
All the students turned to look at Paulina so fast that they almost got whiplash. "You two haven't been dating for a YEAR?" The school chorused.
"N-no!" Paulina tried, still trying to worm her way out of this sticky situation. "Danny darling over here's just joking! Right Danny?" She turned on her charm and smiled sweetly at Danny.
"There was once a time where I would do anythin' for a chance to hear that…" He smirked. "..but too bad I already have a girlfriend. One that doesn't two-time me with two other guys before dumpin' me for Dash." With that, he gazed down at Sam lovingly (who of course, blushed).
If all of you know the definition of 'chaos', then you'd definitely know what happened next.
Paulina let out an indignant shriek before getting plummeted with questions from friends, admirers and everyone else in-between.
"Why didn't you tell us you broke up with him?"
"Like, OMG, Pauli! You broke up with the Hottie?"
"Does this mean I get a chance to date you Paulina?"
"Now that you're single, I'm aliiiiive!"
The Lovebirds on the other hand, got a different response. Danny got slaps on the back (really hard ones at that) and some congratulations (mostly just Tucker shouting, "I knew you two would get together!" over and over). Sam got similar things (minus the slaps), along with death threats from her boyfriend's fans.
Cue the school warning bell to avoid any homicides and suicides from happening.
Everyone went to their respective classes reluctantly, but not without some action of course…
"Yeow! Why the nerve of that little puta!" Paulina screeched angrily as she rubbed her sore shin. As Sam and Danny walked to their class (snickering all the way), she shook her fist at them. "Yeah, you two better run, 'cos when I get you, you two must pay! Literally!"
=In Mr Lancer's English Class=
"Alright class, settle down." The bald teacher intoned flatly as he shuffled through some of the worksheets on the teacher's table. "Today, we're going to talk about the play called 'Hamlet'. Does anyone know what's it about?"
"Argh, what a bore…" Danny muttered tiredly, as he yawned and set his head down on the desk.
(A/N: I think I'd just say the seating arrangement for the four friends. Danny and Charice sit next to each other, while behind them Sam and Tucker sit next to each other. I know it was pretty vague in Chapter 1, so I'm clearing it up here :P)
Sam frowned when she noticed the sleeping boy in front of her. She stretched her right leg forward and kicked the back of his chair. "Danny, wake up!" She hissed out, loud enough for him to hear.
"Hmmph…" Danny grumbled something incoherent under his breath. He reached a hand behind him and swatted the air, as though trying to make her stop bothering him.
She rolled her amethyst eyes and tapped Charice's shoulder. The girl jumped and looked at Sam with an expression filled with anxiety, before it cleared. "Oh! Sam, what's up?"
"Wake the loon of my boyfriend." She replied, gesturing to the boy.
Charice blinked at her for a few seconds before stomping on Danny's foot.
"YEEEEEOOW!" He squealed, snapping awake instantly.
"Mr Fenton, is there something that painful in 'Hamlet' that you would like to share with the rest of us?" Mr Lancer drawled, casting a dark look at him, expecting a snippy comeback from the trouble-maker.
To the teacher's surprise, he only flushed. "Heh… No Mr Lancer. Sorry, it won't happen again."
"Well…okay. That's good." Mr Lancer nodded (still albeit stunned), before he continued his lesson.
Danny turned to Charice and glared at her. She shrugged and pointed at Sam, who returned the death glare to the boy. He pouted and faced the front (but at least he was not going to sleep again).
Charice bit her lip in hesitation. I don't think I should ask him in class… It's too personal to ask it here… I'll ask him to meet me somewhere during lunch…
She tapped Danny's shoulder. "Erm… Could you meet me in the rooftop garden during lunch-time? I need to talk to you about some things…"
He raised a thick black eyebrow but nodded. "Uhh… Suuuure..."
The brunette smiled back, letting out a breath she did not know she was holding. Good… Very good indeed…
=Lunch Time, Rooftop Garden=
When Danny reached the garden, he found Charice looking off into the distance with a nervous expression on her face. She had not noticed he had arrived, so he decided to speak.
"Soooo…" He began suddenly, causing the girl to jump slightly. "…what is it that ya wanted to talk 'bout?"
Okay, gather yourself together, Montez. You can do this… Just say it like ripping off a Band-Aid… She took in a shuddering breath, before blurting, "I know your secret, Danny."
The ink-haired boy froze. Oh no, does she know? Wait, she might not know the really big secret, so I don't have to freak out…yet.
He chuckled and folded his arms. "Oh? And what secret might that be, Charice?"
"I know you're Danny Phantom." She stated firmly, watching him closely for any reaction.
Danny gulped. Argh, she does know! What to do? What to do? Alright I have to play it cool… PLAY IT COOL, Fenton!
He burst out into hysterical laughter, clutching his stomach. "Oh…oh man… You… you think I'm… Danny Phantom?" He wheezed between his rather desperate laughing.
Now it was her turn to fold he arms. "Are you done yet?"
The boy wiped a tear that had leaked out from one of his blue eyes. "Yep, I'm good."
"I don't have to think you're Danny Phantom, Danny. I saw with my own eyes when you transformed back from your ghost form." She stated firmly, and as he opened his mouth, she continued, "And don't you dare say it must've been the trick of the lights, because I know what I saw. And now I demand some answers, Daniel Fenton."
He clamped his mouth shut. Dang it, she stole my excuse… Now I have to explain it to Charice too… He grumbled mentally.
(A/N: Okay, I'm really too tired to type out all those explanations (AGAIN), so I'll just skip that part and come to the conclusion… Please don't kill me; I'm exhausted as it is… Plus, if I put it all those explanations again, it'll be uber, UBER long… =_=)
"So you're half-human and half-ghost." Charice muttered skeptically.
Danny sighed. "Yes."
"That…explains some things." She murmured softly, looking down at her feet.
"Liiiike?" He questioned curiously.
"Like your first names being the same… Or like the times when you're around, but Danny Phantom isn't, and vice versa…" She listed off a few examples before he stopped her.
"OKAY! I get it." Danny exclaimed. "But I still don't get how you figured it out…"
Her turquoise eyes widened. "Uhh… I'm a good guesser?"
His blue eyes narrowed instantly. "You're a really bad liar, Charice, so spill."
Charice scooted away from him. "But if I tell you, you and your girlfriend are going to come after me with a chainsaw each!"
"What does this have to do with Sam?" He looked confused.
"Because…because…" She stammered hesitantly.
"Yeah?" The halfa asked, walking towards her.
"Because Tucker and I spied on your daaaaaaaate!" The brunette squealed as she bolted down the stairs as fast as she could.
Danny blinked comically for a few seconds before his friend's words sank in. He gasped and sprinted down the stairs. "You did WHAT?"
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" The girl yelled over her shoulder as she continued to run down the hallway.
"Didn't mean to?" He screamed in disbelief, gaining speed as he hunted her down. "Charmaine Clarice Montez, you're a goner, when I get mah hands on ya!"
Charice ran past the cafeteria just as Sam and Tucker opened the double-doors, having eaten their lunches already. "Charice?" Sam asked as her friend rushed past.
"Danny?" Tucker questioned as the Heartthrob zoomed past them.
Sam and Tucker glanced at each other. "Follow 'em?" He asked.
"Do you even have to ask?" Sam replied, snatching his arm and brisk-walking after them.
"Ack!" He yelped as he stumbled after the Goth girl.
=Lockers=
"Got 'cha!" Danny yelped, tackling Charice so that she was caged between the lockers and his body. "You're not goin' anywhere, you lil' snip!"
"Eep!" She squeaked out, squirming under his grasp. "Jeez, Danny, I'm sorry! I know I'm rude! I'm really sorry! Really!"
There was an evil glint in his blue eyes. "Nuh-uh… You're so gonna get—"
"DANNY!" Sam's voice could be heard from down the hallway as her amethyst eyes widened at the sight of her boyfriend nearly crushing her best friend with his body. "What the heck do you think you're doing?"
The said boy froze. Uh oh…
"Sam! Help me out here!" Charice choked out, her face turning a little blue from the crushing.
Danny quickly moving away from her to face his girlfriend with a sheepish and innocent smile plastered on his face.
"Do share with us why were you trying to knock the air out of Charice and possibly kill her, Daniel." Sam asked, her eyes shining with hidden evil, causing her poor boyfriend to gulp.
"She spied on our date!" He accused, pointing at the brunette.
Instantly, Sam turned her evil look over to Charice, who was currently biting onto her coral-pink glossed lips nervously and avoiding all eye contact with her friends.
"Charmaine Clarice Montez," She winced as Sam announced her full name. "You did what?"
"I'm sorry! I was just curious who your date was!" Charice protested, raising both hands in defense.
Then Sam remembered a certain conversation she had with the girl over the phone. "Wait, so what was that snapping noise you made when I called you that night?"
Charice grinned sheepishly. "I snapped my fingers…because I wanted to find out who your date was, since you refused to tell me…"
The black-haired girl sighed. "I guess it was my fault too, since I never told you…"
"Truce?" The brunette offered meekly.
Her Gothic friend shrugged. "Why not?"
Danny looked back and forth between the two girls. "So what, that's it?"
"What else do you expect, Hot-shot?" They snapped together.
He raised his hands (like Charice had done earlier). "Okay, okay! Don't bite mah head off!"
All of them (including Tucker, who had amazingly kept his mouth shut during the whole ordeal) began laughing. All was well again…
…until, of course, the techno-geek just had to say something. "Phew, I'm sure glad that was over. For a second I thought I was gonna die for spyin' on you guys with Charice!"
Danny and Sam exchanged a glance. "You are now!" They yelled together, charging at the poor bespectacled guy.
"Ahhhhh!" He screamed girlishly as he raced away, his two Lovebird friends chasing after him (along with Charice, who decided to follow after them to catch some of the action).
Yup, all was well again…
(A/N: Yeah, that's the last of "The Newbie & The Hottie"! I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed typing it ;) I hope the Paulina bashing was okay… I'm a fairly nice person (besides bullying the guys in school), so that was weird to type out. Yes, Tucker didn't get a chance to find out. Haha, he's left in the dark…as usual XD
I really appreciate all the reviews, story alerts, author alerts and faves, everyone! :3 If you want, you can go check out my one-shot, "Catch Me Now". Thank you all so much! :D
~M00nlite Maiden :) )