September is one of those shitty months where it's hanging on the cusp of summer and it's not autumn yet. It's this weird stagnant month of the year where the temperature doesn't know if it should stifle you or not. Tryouts are just around the corner after the first week of school finishes up but that's not enough motivation to drag myself from my bed on the dreary Tuesday morning I wake up to. It's not rainy out but the sky is this perpetual gray looming over the town like it might rain. If it could find the motivation. Kind of like me and leaving my bed.

I can hear my dad downstairs, setting the coffee pot on and the sound only makes me bury myself further under my covers, not wanting to face anyone on this shitty day. It's not even like the first week of school is that important to seniors so why do we even have to go in today? It's mainly introductions to subjects we've already spent the last three years hating.

My phone vibrates against the wood of my desk, a whole three arm's length away from me. I poke my head out from under my covers and grunt at the noise, wondering how long I can stare at the phone until it magically floats over to me. Maybe if I concentrate enough, the stupid thing will just appear in my hand and I can respond to whoever the fuck is actually awake this early.

It's probably Kwan. He was surprised I even showed up yesterday considering I've skipped the first day of school successfully for the past two years. I'm just not into the whole introduction thing, it's stupid and useless. We already know our way around this school, why the fuck do we have to listen to teachers telling us which classes are where and what subjects we absolutely must pay attention to because they're vital to our career? My 'career' is nothing more than the auto-shop garage I'll inherit one day if my pseudo-uncle, Alex, ever gives it up. That place is his life though so I'll probably forever be the assistant. Doing the jobs he doesn't care to.

I don't really mind if the shop is in my name or his. As long as I get to surround myself with cars and the scent of gasoline, I'm good. Every day I come home with oil sticking to my skin and the smell of engines burned into my brain is a good day in my book.

Another text causes my phone to vibrate again, dragging a groan from me in return. I don't want to leave my bed. It's not hot outside so the covers aren't sticking to my skin like they have all summer, but it's not cold enough to warrant me using the excuse of staying in bed to hold onto the warmth. I really have no excuse for not dragging myself from my mattress and getting ready for school.

My backpack is on my floor, most of the heavy ass textbooks strewn about on my floor. A couple of pencils I've chewed and sharpened down to nubs are lying next to them and I know I'll have to gather them up if I want anything to write with today. Which'll probably be notes to Kwan instead of any homework assignments because today's still an introductory day.

The third time my phone vibrates, I've had enough of the noise and throw back my covers, huffing out a sigh as I slap my feet against the hardwood floors. I take a second to scrub my hands down the sides of my face before pushing myself from the mattress, walking the three arm's length to get my phone. The texts light up my screen and I'm going to fucking kill Kwan.

From: Kwan

Hey! :)

From: Kwan

You're not skipping today, are you? This is your final year, you should sit through all the boring stuff with me!

From: Kwan

I'll let you have some of my lunch if you coooome. My mom sent me with leftover lasagna

Goddamn him and his stupid leftovers. We both know how impossible it is for me to resist home cooked meals from his mom. She's the best fucking cook I've ever had a meal from and if anything can convince me to drag my sorry ass to school, it's the promise of her food. If she wasn't my best friend's mom, I'd consider marrying her.

To: Kwan

Fuck you, I was sleeping

Sleep is hard to come by when you're me and insomnia likes to make you its bitch. I know Kwan's gonna feel guilty for waking me so I hurriedly tap out another message.

To: Kwan

Since you promised so nicely, I guess I can show up and help you clear your plate. But if I have to sit through one more teacher telling me that this is the most important year of my life, I'm fucking splitting after lunch

I stare down at my phone until the message is sent and then click the screen off, dropping it onto my desk again with a groan. If it weren't for the promise of food, I wouldn't be going at all. My bed and I wouldn't part and I'd watch Netflix all day. Binge rewatch Supernatural until I got sick of it. Which is around the season 6 mark.

My four-year-old backpack groans as I gather up my supplies and cram them into the bag's splitting material. The smell of coffee is reaching me and I finish cramming my shit away, ready to get a cup of caffeine to take with me on the way. After this week, I'll have to get up earlier to make practices on time. But for today, I can leisurely stroll through a shower and getting dressed. Fuck, I'm gonna miss this free time in the mornings come next week.


The drive to school is punctuated only by the creak and groan of my old brakes, reminding me I really need to look at my car during my next shift at work. Which probably won't be until Friday because Alex doesn't want me to have to "concentrate on anything other than school" during my first week back. Please. I'd kill to fix carburetors and change oil instead of dealing with this useless shit. At least in the shop, I'm working toward my future.

I coast my car to a stop in the first available parking space I spy on the dusty lot of the weathered school, my brakes grinding as I force my car into park. I twist my keys out of the ignition and glance out my windshield, recognizing a few of the voices floating to me through my open windows.

Paulina and her friend Star are standing around with a couple of my teammates, including Kwan, laughing and chatting about the summer's events. I lean back in my seat and aim the rearview mirror toward me to check my hair. Fortunately, I'm not sporting the bedhead I was this morning and I actually don't look that bad.

I leave my half-finished coffee in the drink holder and push my car door open, hauling my backpack onto one shoulder. I'm pretty sure one of these days the strap is just going to give out and I'll have to buy a new one. Or maybe I won't. It's senior year, I'll probably leave it home most days anyway.

"Daaaash!" Paulina's voice reaches me as she sings out my name, smiling when I drag my gaze up to hers. Her hair swings back over her bare shoulders as she ducks her head shyly and I know the only way she gets away with her clothes is cause her dad's friends with the principal. Otherwise, I'm sure a teacher would have called her out for her skin showing. I don't care. More of her to check out.

"Hey," I respond, clapping my teammate Jeff on the back as I reach him. He turns his grin toward me and my eyes slowly stray toward Paulina. She looks fucking amazing in the shorts that stop just below the curve of her ass and the tank top that dips just far enough to get a peek at the cleavage I kissed this past summer.

"What took you so long, man?" another one of my teammates asks, his hand squeezing my shoulder as he leans forward to give me a shove. "We've been making plans all morning without your sorry ass."

I hitch my backpack up higher onto my shoulder and roll my eyes. "Some of us don't find the sight of your ugly faces motivation enough to leave the bed," I respond, glancing around through the group. "So, what's up? What plans are we talking about?"

"A party at Paulina's," Jeff says, crossing his arms as he scuffs the toe of his shoe against the ground, kicking up clouds of dust with the movement.

My eyes meet Paulina's again and she smiles, nodding. "My parents are out of town this weekend, won't be back until Sunday. I want to see the summer off in style so we're partying at my place on Friday."

I snort. "Isn't that what the bonfire was for last week?" I don't really care what the party's for. As long as I can show up and get wasted, it sounds like the place for me. It also comes with the possibility of getting laid, which means I'm definitely there. "What time?"

Paulina shrugs, her shoulders shaking off the hair that's fallen on them again and I want to reach forward and brush them away. Kiss her collarbones again like we did at her parent's summer home. My teammates would probably kick my ass if I said any of that shit out loud so I don't. I just trace the curve of her lips with my eyes and remember the feeling of her nails on my back.

"Probably around seven. The party doesn't stop until we're out of alcohol so everyone's welcome to crash at my place," she says, smiling around the group. "Invite whoever you want but keep it small, okay? I don't want it getting out of hand like it did last time."

I don't think she even remembers the last time it got out of hand because there was too much alcohol coursing through both of our veins and fueling our frantic movements to care about the other party guests but I don't bring that up. I lean back against Kwan's car, turning around when a car pulls into the space next to us. Star turns to look too and wrinkles her nose at who gets out.

"Ew, space boy alert," Star says, nudging Paulina in the ribs with her elbow. Paulina looks up at the comment and wrinkles her nose in disgust, letting out a soft breath.

She waits until Fenton's out of his car before she speaks. "Hey, Danny!" she calls out and he turns toward the sound, his cheeks stained with pink at the mention of his name. His gaze scans the crowd of us but he doesn't say anything. "Looks like you still can't read. The loser spaces are down there," she says, pointing with a manicured hand down toward the other end of the parking lot.

Fenton's face explodes into color and he opens and closes his mouth before huffing out a sigh and turning on his heel. He crosses the parking lot quickly and I watch his black mop of hair disappear into the building before I turn around.

He's been a target of our group for as long as I can remember. I think it really got started in freshmen year when he dropped some chemistry thing on Paulina and ruined her skirt or something. I don't really know how it got started but it's there and he's been targeted by my friends ever since. I barely pay him any attention. If it's not alcohol, a car, or something in a skirt, it's not a blip on my radar.

Star and Paulina are giggling at what I guess was a witty insult. The others are still excitedly chatting about the party which leaves an opening. I slowly move from my position against the side of his car to lean next to Kwan, hoping it comes across as subtle. "You going to this thing?"

Kwan glances toward me, his cheeks pink when my breath hits him. He slowly nods, letting out a small squeak of surprise when he meets my gaze. "Y-Yeah… u-um… are you?"

I shrug and lean against his car again, but we both know that I'll end up there. The alcohol at least will tempt me out of my room and willing to socialize with people just for the free booze. "Yeah, maybe… dunno, we'll see."

Kwan's hip rests against mine when he settles back into place, letting out a soft breath. This past summer's been rough for the both of us but I'm pretty sure Kwan took it harder. Finally decided to come out to his parents and now his dad won't even look at him.

"It's not like we have practice yet. And you wouldn't do your homework even if you had any so what does it matter?" Kwan glances toward me with a smile. "How about… we just go and forget everything else for a little while? Get drunk on the thought that nothing beyond the weekend matters."

With the way the rest of this week is going to go, I'm going to need the promise of Friday to get through all this boring shit. I exhale, turning my gaze skyward as I nod. I forget sometimes that Kwan's good at reading me but he seems to always know what to say. Shit, he'll probably be able to tell when I'm struggling before I'll be able to. Maybe this party is gonna help with the following week, listening to coach drill into all of us for "lazing the summer away". Maybe it's what I need to ignore all the other shit in my life. "Alright, sure. Why not?"


A/N: I haven't been back to Danny Phantom in a while, this chapter was a lot of fun to explore. I've also never written in Dash's POV before so hopefully it's okay and pretty in character. Please let me know what you think!

Edit: The summary only lets me have so many characters so I thought I'd say here that this story is an AU so things that are normal in canon aren't so normal here. While ghost attacks were a daily occurrence in canon Amity Park, this small town version of Amity Park doesn't have to deal with ghosts that way. I hope you still enjoy this story!