Plummeting In Love (Book 1 of Danny Phantom Trilogy)

The Enigma that is Daniel Fenton

Danny's baby blue eyes glanced at the clock that was being hung on the wall for the tenth time in the last five minutes. His fingernails drummed on the top of his desk as he rested his left cheek on the palm of his left hand. Somehow, the sixteen-year-old was able to pull off looking bored and anxious at the same time. His right heel started to tap on the floor as his eyes jumped to the clock again. 'Come on...Come on...'

"Looking at the clock every thirty seconds won't make time move any faster, Mr. Fenton," Mr. Lancer chided Danny from his desk at the front of the room. The overweight teacher had been interrupted from his book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by the sound of Danny's tapping heel. At the teen's loud groan, Mr. Lancer went back to his book. He couldn't understand what would make Danny late almost every morning. The boy would sometimes suddenly burst into his classroom looking worse for wear and out of breath. He'd stutter some excuse before quietly taking his seat and proceeding to whisper to his friends, Samantha (Sam, as she preferred to be called) Manson and Tucker Foley.

Lancer had seen many troubled teens in his time as a teacher, but he had never seen a case like Danny's. Most troubled teens were rude, obnoxious, disrespectful, and poor students. It didn't take much effort to spot them. But Danny was different. Aside from the normal amount of teenage disrespect, Daniel Fenton was a good kid. The only trouble Mr. Lancer could spot was that boy constantly looked tired and sometimes battered. (Mr. Lancer had always been extremely concerned at those times, but Danny always brushed off the concern.) There were other times that left Mr. Lancer stumped. Sometimes, Danny would act far too mature and wise for someone his age. It was as if Danny had been through something... Mr. Lancer couldn't find the word to describe it. And that was an astounding thing, considering he was an English teacher.

Danny slumped forward on his desk. Detention was the worst. If it weren't for Skulker suddenly appearing this morning and attempting to try out his newest upgrade to his armor, Danny wouldn't have been late to first period. What made it even worse? He was up late last night chasing the Box Ghost around the town. As weak and annoying as he was, the Box Ghost sure knew how to run away when the going got rough. Nonetheless, Danny wasn't looking forward to hearing anyone shout "Beware!" any time soon. Stifling a yawn, Danny rubbed his tired eyes.

Mr. Lancer glanced up from his book in time to see Danny's barely hidden yawn. Mentally sighing, Mr. Lancer closed his book and shot Danny a level gaze. "Mr. Fenton, I will be right back. You are not allowed to leave and if I return and you're not here, I will be calling your parents tonight. Do I make myself clear?" Mr. Lancer questioned while rising. He didn't bother to wait for Danny's response as he made his way to the classroom door. Lancer made his way towards the teacher's lounge, intent on spending the rest of the detention period there. He normally had a strict "No Sleeping" policy in his detention periods. But he supposed that if he wasn't there to enforce it, it temporarily didn't apply. Danny looked like he could use a rest anyways. Even if it was only for half an hour.

Danny watched Mr. Lancer leave before he quickly stretched out and took his phone out of his pocket. He saw that had three unread messages, one from Jazz, Tucker, and of course Sam.

Jazz: Where are you!? Is there a ghost?? You're not with Sam and Tucker. Danny???

With a roll of his eyes and a small smile on his face, Danny quickly replied.

Relax. There's no ghost. I got detention. Skulker made me late.

Jazz was always on his back about keeping in contact with her. This was her last summer in Amity Park before she had to leave for college. Jazz was doing everything that she possibly could to help Danny and keep their parents off his back before she left. Danny wasn't sure how he would be able to go back to how his life was before Jazz knew his secret. Danny went through his other messages.