Danny Phantom Fan Fiction ❯ Stupid ❯ Chapter 4

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

I was discharged from the hospital a few days later. The doctors said that, although my shoulder would never heal, the rest of me was perfectly fine. So I was thrust mercilessly from the confines of my hospital room, back into the harsh reality that was the public school system.

“Mr.Baxter!”, called Mr.Eddi with a grin as I walked into the crowded class. “Its good to see you well! From the way Mr.Fenton talked about you I was beginning to think you;d had your face carved off.”

I couldn't help but laugh.

“No, not quiet.”, but thinking about it made my shoulder hurt. There was a heavy, and very itchy sling around my other shoulder, digging into it, all to keep my the first one from aching, which it did, all the time.

It was starting to get on my nerves. But now wasn't really the time, I scanned around for an empty seat, and as usual, there were none. Except for one beside Fenton- I mean Danny.

“You've missed too much school to get what we're doing, and since its Friday I guess you can use today as a catch up block.”, said Mr.Eddi as I sat down. There was some odd equation scribbled across the length of the blackboard that I wouldn't in my dreams be able to solve.

I felt utterly lost, my gut started to hurt. When Id asked the doctor about it he'd told me he would look into it. He never did. But I suppose that was just typical hospital beurocracy.

I couldn't resist poking Danny on the shoulder and smiling at him. He looked up and smiled back at me, before falling back into whatever question he was trying to solve.

Soon math was over. That made the aching in my everything alittle better. Only three more blocks. Two, since D Block was being devoted to an assembly.

I had English next. I died alittle inside. My English teacher hated me with every fiber of his body, ever since Id had a lesson-long debate with him about the state of the revolution. The worst part about it, he didn't even try to hide it.

I came in late, again, into an over crowded classroom, again, but this time I wasn't subject to a kind greeting.

“So lovely to see you injured- I mean well, Mr.Baxter, but Im afraid I do not tolerate lateness in my classroom, go wait in the hall, Il be out in a moment to speak to you.”

The injustice simmered away inside me. “Yes, sir.”

It was so embarrassing to be out in the hall. Big scary football player was about to get told off by a tiny little scum bag that I could crush to a pulp, even with an injured shoulder.

“Mr.Couch?”, asked a voice from inside the classroom.

“Yes, Fenton?”

“I don't think that's entirely fair.”, he said. That struck something in my chest. He was sticking up for me? To Mr.Couch for that matter? “His shoulder's been destroyed, so how he can carry his books at all is beyond me, and since he saved nine lives I think he's earned alittle slack.”

I could tell the teacher was speechless. “Sir.”, added Danny for formality.

It summoned allot of mumbling from the other people in the class. Words like “hero” and “honor” popped up in the chaos multiple times.

“W-well, students.”, he started. It was obvious the proud tower of Mr.Couch was being toppled. “I do not tolerate being spoken back to. And those are strong words coming from the boy who's ribs he broke.”

There were more whispers, but classwork resumed and I was still stuck outside.

The lesson went by slowly. I spent nearly all of it in the hall, deciding weather or not to report Mr.Couch for disorderly conduct and contempt for a student. When I was finally let back in, Danny was being told off by the teacher. I felt a pang of regret.

And then the bell rang, we all filed out to our next class.

* * *

The auditorium was baking. Every eye was pointed at the clock, counting down the seconds until the assembly ended and we could all go home.

“Which is why you should never graffiti the bathrooms.”, said Principal Ishiyama.

Please, let it be over, came the silent prayers of every person in the room. Even the teachers looked tired.

“We have one more thing to discuss today before dismiss-” the collective groans were enough to silence her. She waited until it ended, “Now, now.”, she said, “Im sure you will find this much more interesting. Would Dash Baxter come down here please?”

I felt the heat rush to my face and my legs turn to jello. The walk down from the bleachers. My shoulder was aching even worse than usual.

Finally I got down to where the principal was talking. She had a broad smile on her face.

“Mr.Baxter, could you tell me if anything happened while you were away from school?”

Now I knew what this was about. She pointed the microphone at me. My mouth got dry, “Yes. I, uhh, I fought a monster.”

“That's right, and you saved about a dozen lives.”, there was a pause as the whole school clapped for me. I felt embarrassed. “So on behalf of the school bored, I would like to present you with a full scholarship!”

The applause was mind-blowing. I could barely hear it. A full scholarship. Full. Entire. Complete. The floor hit me hard on the side of my head, there were gasps from the audience.

Mr.Lancer helped me back up. “Sorry.”, I muttered, “But I think my legs just gave out.”

Principal Ishiyama handed me the mic. What should I say? There are so many things Id like to be able to tell them about. The complete fear that takes over your whole body, the excitement and adrenaline rush of getting a hit in.

I opened my mouth, and closed it. Finally I decided what to do.

“During my stay at the hospital”, I said with my mouth going dry. “I got a visitor, it was the Ghost Kid.”

Someone in the audience coughed.

I pulled the medal out from under my shirt. It shone brightly in the afternoon heat. “He gave me this. Inscribed on it is the word `hero'-”, there was more applause, “I would like to p[resent it to the school as a form of gratitude for their generosity.”

I turned and draped the medal over Principal Ishiyama's neck, and stretched out my hand, which she shook vigorously.

We were dismissed.