Chapter Text
Danny's head pulsed in irritation and stress. He didn't know why Lancer bothered anymore.
"Are you even listening to me, Mr.Fenton?"
"Yes, sir." Danny replied, his voice empty of emotion.
Mr.Lancer sighed in concern. His voice softened in worry. "What happened to that plucky young freshman who proudly declared on his first day here he was going to be an Astronaut?"
He died. Danny bit his tongue to hold the words back. Danny only raised a brow, glancing to the report card.
"It's not too late, Daniel. Yes, your grades put you off on a bad foot. But, you can still get into a good college. Get a good career."
"I'm passing, aren't I?" Danny countered.
"Yes. You are passing enough to graduate, Daniel. But I know you can excel. I've seen it in you."
"I'm just an average, every day guy." Danny shrugged. The words felt like knives in his mouth.
'Yeah, that you're just an average, every day not special human again.' He didn't notice at the time, too much else was going on, but those words had cut a wound into him. One he didn't know to clean, to let heal.
"Is something going on? At home? With your friends?... I know I'm just your vice principal, but I am here for you."
"Everything's fine, Mr.Lancer." Danny assured. "I'm just being realistic."
"Did someone say something? I thought the other kids had-"
Danny's chair screeched as he abruptly stood up. "I'm on track to graduate, correct?"
"Yes, but-"
"Great." Danny left without being dismissed. He was tired of hearing this conversation every quarter. He knew his grades had slipped. He didn't care anymore. They didn't matter.
He couldn't go to college. He'd endanger everyone there, and be expelled for absences and ditching class. He couldn't get a job for similar reasons. He just needed to graduate, so it wouldn't look bad on his parents. He just needed to survive a few more weeks.
"What'd Mr.Lancer want?" Tucker was already by Danny's locker.
"The usual. Passing isn't good enough for him. If it's not straight A's, he's concerned. All because I'm a Fenton." He sighed. "Thanks, Jazz. Set the bar way too high."
Tucker frowned slightly.
Danny shrugged, an empty grin sliding into place. "I'm kidding. But, you can't deny some of the teacher's expectations are from her being superhuman smart."
Tucker shrugged, grabbing his bag off the floor and following Danny out to the parking lot.
"I'm going to graduate on time, with you guys." Danny insisted. "Mr.Lancer just worries too much. Besides, my grades would be higher if I weren't, you know."
"I know. I know... But, what are you doing after that?"
"Why does everyone keep asking me that??"
"Because it's important?" Sam worried, bookmarking her page and sliding off the front of her car. "Have you even applied anywhere?"
Danny snickered. "Good one."
"I'm serious, Danny."
Danny rolled his eyes, climbing into the backseat. "It's been hard enough juggling school and-" He shut the door. "Ghost work. Jobs aren't going to be as forgiving."
"Will your parents be fine with you living at home, just.. forever?" Tucker was amazed at the idea. He certainly wasn't in a hurry to pack up his computer set up.
"They would have to pause their own work long enough to notice." Danny countered.
Sam and Tucker both turned in their seat to stare at him in concern.
"Are we getting Nasty Burger, or what?" Danny shrugged. The smile no longer reached his eyes. He wasn't sure the last time it had. He was so tired.
Dash tried his best to ignore the yawn clawing up his throat. He thought the Valedictorian speech was on a time limit, but it seemed to never end. He couldn't recall who the student even was. Once he began ignoring the losers of the school instead of harassing them, their names had slipped from his mind. Most of them, at least.
He'd been looking forward to leaving high school for years. The freedom and bright future of adulthood had been so alluring when he was younger, stupider. Amity had developed too large of a reputation for cancelled or interrupted games. Injuries and property damage. Any recruiters steered clear. His football ensured future had vanished like a ghost.
He could apply anyway, try to get a scholarship of a different kind. He could take out a loan and go anyway and hope to get on a team once free of Amity. Dash couldn't imagine being anywhere but his hometown. He couldn't imagine a life away from his turf. He was something here, even if he no longer had football. He had reputation and respect. And fear.
He wasn't sure he wanted to go to college, be in debt, for what? To live out his dad's dream of being a star? To become nothing but a jock with no other interests, yet again? Nah. He'd find a job here. Something he enjoyed, all on his own. His future wasn't bright and free, but it was his.
Dash glanced around his classmates. It was melancholic. He wouldn't see most of them again. Even if he didn't know them all, it was going to be weird. His world was about to get quieter, smaller.
Dash's eyes hesitated, spotting the few people outside his friend group he'd never forget the names of. They weren't joking around or goofing off. They were smiling, but it all felt stiff. There was something weird going on with the trio. Dash whipped his head back to the front before blue eyes could lock with his fully. He hadn't said more than a handful of sentences to any of the trio since Sophomore year when he turned over a new leaf. And even those were only ever school related. And yet, he never could go more than a day without seeking them out.
Dash wouldn't let himself think on his habits. He didn't want to unpack any of it. None of it mattered, they'd never be his friend. He'd done too much. His own friends would think he'd lost his mind if he tried. He'd dug the hole too deep. He couldn't climb out, only stop digging.
Dash sighed in relief as the full ceremony began. He smoothed his outfit over. He'd be up to grab his diploma soon. He'd get a fresh start. Adults wouldn't have to flinch from him. He wouldn't have to keep an ear out from whispers and rumors about himself he had to snuff before they made it back to his old man. Hell, he wouldn't have to see him at all soon. He'd move in with Kwan, they'd find a place together.
He'd never see anyone here again. Okay, that was a bit dramatic. They'd probably come and go to wherever he landed a job. He'd see them in passing. But, it'd be different. Everything would be different soon. Dash stood and followed the line towards the stage. His eyes drifted back into the sea of students who hadn't stood up yet. He watched Manson slip away back to where she was actually intended to be sitting. He tried to offer a smile when Fenton's eyes locked onto his. He grit his teeth, refusing to let it falter as Fenton scowled. Dash focused on the stage.
Dash hung by the stage as the crowd and the graduates mingled. Families hugging, tears of pride, classmates loudly planning final hangouts during the summer before college took most of them away. Dash hauled himself onto the stage's edge to sit down. He could see Kwan's family shaking him in excitement. Paulina showing off some jewelry her parents gave her as a graduation gift. Star was having everyone sign her graduation cap.
Dash spotted ginger hair hugging at Manson and Foley. Manson's parents keeping their distance from the Fenton girl. Foley's only joining in the hugs and praise. Dash's brow creased, no blue eyes glaring at him. Dash shook his head. Probably in the bathroom, or hiding from the crowd. Dash smiled and signed Star's hat once she found him in the swarm. He nodded eagerly at the mention of a party at Paulina's. One last hoorah.
Dash's eyes tore to the sky as green fireworks exploded above them. He grinned wide, standing up to get a better view as a familiar blur of black and white waved at the crowd from above.
"Congrats you guys!"
Dash waved eagerly to the town menace slash hero. Even the few boo's from the crowd couldn't steal his smile away. He didn't care what the nay-sayers said. Phantom was a hero. Public opinion see-saw'd on the ghost frequently, Dash had learned when he could brag about having teamed up with the guy a few times, and when he had to scowl and pretend like the ghost wasn't the coolest guy Dash had ever known. Right now? He didn't care what the right response was, it was a celebration. And Phantom had came to celebrate them.
Phantom let off a few more bursts of light before zipping off into the night. Dash's grin twitched slightly, glancing back to the families around the stage. He knew at least two people in that crowd should have been shooting something by now. Dash couldn't spot any of the trio or Jazz anymore.
Dash glanced back to the sky, excitement chilling into unease. Something was off tonight. He just knew it.
"That was very risky, you know." Jazz worried. "You're lucky mom and dad are late."
Danny only shrugged, floating on his back as his little quartet walked to Sam's place. "They're not late. I didn't tell them it was today."
"Danny!" Jazz scolded.
"We can celebrate over the weekend, it's fine. They're busy on some new ghost-shredder or soemthing. Let them enjoy their night."
"They would have wanted to spend it here, with you."
"You recorded it."
"That's not the same, Danny!"
Danny glanced to his friends for backup. He rolled his eyes to see their concern and annoyance. They were on Jazz's side. "Look. I knew I wanted to do this, so I made sure it'd be safe to do so. Is that so wrong?"
"They're going to be crushed, Danny." Jazz frowned. "This is a big moment."
"It's really not. I only barely graduated."
Danny watched a thousand thoughts, a hundred dead end arguments from before, flash across her face. He needed an excuse that they'd care about. Something besides just him wanting tonight to be about him, not his last name. "I didn't want them embarrassing me, okay?? This is the last impression I'll leave at Casper High. I wanted one night I won't cringe to remember."
Jazz's frown deepened. The words were harsh, but... She did know where he was coming from. "I did get a pretty great video..."
Danny smiled softly. "Thanks... I know it's selfish.."
"If I could've avoided my parents coming, I would've." Sam relented. "We're locking them outside, right?"
Danny laughed, shaking his head as he twirled in the air. "I can always convince them the place is haunted so they go get a hotel."
"Or they'll call someone to come hunt you." Tucker pointed out.
Danny yawned. "What else is new?"
Sam snorted, shaking her head. "Yeah, okay. Can you turn back now? My parents do have security cameras, you know."
Danny shrugged, slowing until he hovered in place. "About that....."
Danny picked at his nails, he didn't dare look up at his trio.
"Danny?" Tucker worried.
"Would it be so bad for you guys to just hang out with Phantom?... Then if things attack, I can just handle it without you needing to lie or cover for me."
Sam snorted, thinking it a joke. "I think people will start to connect the dots if Danny Fenton and Danny Phantom are always hanging around the exact same friends."
Danny forced himself to look up. He didn't meet anyone's eyes, starring just above or below, anywhere but their eyes. "No one in town's seeing Danny Fenton, ever again."