Don't mind me; I'm just trying something different.

Tucker

"Listen man, I really want to take Sam to the movies as a date, y'know? It's been really busy lately and I want to spend some time alone with her. Do you think we can do a group thing another day?" I was beginning to hate the pleading look in Danny's ice blue eyes.

Ever since Danny Phantom was revealed as nerdy little Danny Fenton, everything changed. I watched on as I became a third wheel for my whole entire life. My best friend was always the big hero, but now everyone knew. The papers screamed his achievements like Danny Phantom was the only news in the world. Everywhere I went, it was Danny Danny Danny, and I was left in the dust.

And before you say I'm jealous, let me tell you something. Danny is my best friend. I'm not going to be hateful because he's the golden boy and I was kicked off sidekick duty.

The painful lump of nostalgia lodged in my throat was just really choking me.

I missed going to the Nasty Burger as a trio and having burger eating contests. I missed calling Danny and Sam lovebirds when no one else was. (Seriously, who was high enough to make Amethyst Ocean a couple name?) Hell, I even missed staying up till 3 am chasing down Skulker and the Box Ghost with the trusty thermos. But that era is gone.

Casper high went from a school to a worshiping ground where Danny and Sam traipsed the halls without a care. The teachers were now sympathetic to every single problem Danny has, even going so far as to not give him homework to make sure he 'fulfills his life-risking duty to the world without logarithms to worry about' (Lancer's words, not mine). It seems that everyone forgot that he had more than one person working with him, namely me. Valerie had decided to help Danny now, and Sam stuck by his side.

But don't even get me started on the golden couple.

As they were crowned the king and queen of school, they kicked me to the sidelines to watch as they got a set of leeches- I mean friends- who thought the ground they walked on was holy. Paulina and Sam could be seen walking the halls together, something that would have made Sam sicker than wearing a pink anything to school. But hey, like I said, change. The only good thing was that school was out for summer and I had a better chance of hanging out with my 2 best friends in the world.

So as I stared into Danny's eyes, I gave the same response I had been giving for a while. "It's fine dude, do what you need to do." Swallowing the bundle of procured emotions, I waved to Danny and Sam and began walking home.

Fumbling with my key, I opened the door to the cacophonous melody of my screaming parents.

"You were supposed to bring the car to the wash today! It's filthy!"

"I already told you I would do it! We don't have enough money to be spending when we could do it ourselves!"

"Do it ourselves? You said you would do it yourself 3 months ago! It's time for someone responsible to do ii!"

"So now you're calling me irresponsible?!"

Sighing, I trudged upstairs. Their constant bickering was so annoying. They were going to get divorced soon. I could just feel it. It was all a matter of time.

Ugh, I thought. I sound like Clockwork.

I dropped my backpack on the ground and glanced at the clock. 5:27 on a Thursday night in the summer, and I was alone as usual. I grabbed my laptop and switched it on. It was the only thing I had left of my mayoral days.

See, after the world was saved and everything calmed down, the town council decided having a 16-year old as mayor of their city was 'ridiculous'. Even though I was improving the place, the bastards kicked me out 2 months after I was elected. Now all I had was a Dell with the Amity insignia.

Surfing the web wasn't going to give me any satisfaction today. After a while I just closed up the device and laid on my bed, listening to my music. I shut my eyes and breathed out slowly.

So this is what it means to be forever alone, I thought sardonically.

I stopped my musings with a knock at the door. A shadow fell in my dim room as my mother walked in.

My mom was really pretty, with mocha skin and teal eyes. She was short, and when I was younger I used to say that she should give her secrets to Peter pan on 'never growing up.' She smiled a bit as I sat up.

"What's up mom?" I asked, yawning a bit.

"It's time for dinner Tuck." She walked over and took a seat on my bed. I nodded and moved to stand, when she said, "Are you okay Tucker?" I halted and looked at her.

"I'm fine mom, why?"

"Well, your friends haven't come over in a while, you usually hang out with them a lot. Did something happen?" I could tell she wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"We're just busy a lot Mom." I answered with partial truth.

"You sure that's it? I mean, you didn't even come down for a snack today!" My stomach rumbled, emphasizing her point. I quirked a smile as she giggled slightly.

"Just a little distracted. Where's Dad?" At that, all traces of mirth disappeared in an instant. I wish I

never brought it up, but the house seemed too quiet.

"He went to a hotel for the night, probably the rest of the summer with the way things are going." She reluctantly murmured, which was unlike her.

"What happened?" I said worriedly, but I already knew. Please don't say It God Please don't make her say it-

"Things aren't working out hun, we're filing for a divorce." And with that, the rest of my world shattered.

"It's the techno geek guys!" Dash's nasally voice spoke as I hurried down the street in the rain. Since Mom and Dad had started the divorce process, I stayed with my mom for the duration of the summer, and Dad had moved to Jump City (with most of my stuff) a few weeks back. Summer was dwindling, and the light and heat were leaving along with my time and patience with the place. I was happy to get a new start, but I hadn't even seen Danny or Sam to tell them.

Flashback: 2 months ago

The gleaming blue car was pulled up in the driveway, I vaguely remembered Mom saying that he finally got the wash done. I struggled to bring my heavy stuff out of the house.

"Let me give you a hand with that son." Dad's muscular arms picked up the boxes with ease, settling them in the back of the cobalt Camaro. In my peripherals I saw my mom rolling her eyes.

"Just think about it Tuck, soon it'll be me, you, and the California sun. It's going to be a blast!" His heavy hand slapped me in the back, and I nearly fell onto my comic collection. My dad was 6'4 and muscular, something that I could only aspire to be. Puberty sucked sometimes.

"You might even be able to see those Teen Titans that you love so much!" That was true. I had so many comics on the Titans and I even had a poster from the Wisconsin Comic-con years ago. Danny had a matching one in his room.

Danny…I still hadn't seen him since the movies. He hadn't been answering my texts, and I wasn't going to sit on my butt all summer wondering where he was.

"Alright Dad," I answered coolly, gathering the rest of my things I wouldn't need for the rest of break and shoving them in the trunk.

"Okay, so on the lasts day of summer I'm going to come back to get you. This year will be great!" He gave me another slap on the back and got into his car. Waving, he pulled out of the driveway.

As I came back into the house, Mom asked, "Are you sure you want to do this? You can stay here with me." She gave me a hopeful smile. I grinned slightly and shook my head.

"I want to try something new." I had finally told my mom about what happened with Danny and Sam in a watered down form. "Let's see how this year goes. I still have holiday breaks with you and next summer. I can decide permanently by then, right?"

Mom nodded. Tears glistening in her eyes. Feeling like absolute crap, I hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry mom, it's not you I promise, I just want to leave Amity for a while."

She nodded into my shoulder and pushed herself off me, wiping her eyes. "I know." She attempted a smile, but grimaced and dropped it. "Let's go inside." If there was anything I'd miss in Amity, it would be my mother.

"Let's pummel 'em!" Kwan shouted. The thing with having a fellow nerd bumped up to uber popular status was that you had to face enough jocks for both of them. Danny's new "friends" just did it without him watching.

Noticing the slowly gathering bullies, I began to quicken my pace, trying to get to the grocery store. I told my mom that I would get her what she needed, since it was getting a little late and I felt bad for leaving her, but I had to. And this was partially why.

Dash and Kwan started to run, and I held the bag of groceries as tight as I could as I raced down the street. The rain whipped my face and I could hear rumbling clouds in the distance, but I didn't falter as I glanced behind me to see a pack of wolves in letterman jackets sprinting after me with all their might.

In that one glance, I had missed my street corner, and I knew I couldn't turn back. Looking forward, I ran as fast as I could towards the park. Dash and Kwan were the only ones chasing me, since the rest had fallen behind.

I went under a tree and wiped my face. The rain was pouring hard now, unnaturally so. It was impossible to see past my fingers, and my clothes were drenched. I couldn't help but think it was a ghost doing this. Maybe it was Vortex? Thunder shook my thoughts. Great.

"Vortex! Where are you?" I could hear the thunderous voice of Danny from a mile away. I squinted, and could see his silhouette in the downpour. I needed to get out of here, fast.

"Took you long enough Phantom. I was hoping you would arrive sooner." Just as I suspected, Vortex materialized in the rain, looking smug. His red eyes scanned the area, and I felt a chill as the crimson orbs found my gaze.

"Interesting," he intoned. The rain eased up a little, but not much. I could finally see faces. Danny seemed confused.

"What's interesting?" He shouted in the wind and rain.

Vortex shook his head, a malicious grin on his face. "Nothing. Now, shall we?" And with that, He shot a beam at Danny's face, causing him to tumble through the air and crash into a bench. The rain became even worse than before, and I could barely see. The thunder sounded even louder.

I went into a fetal position behind this tree, shivering and knowing my mom was going to kill me when I got home. Dash and Kwan must have gone home by now, if they had any sense. But I was stuck in this stupid rainstorm until it was over. I didn't even have a coat with me, and the frigid cold had seeped through my skin, leaving me almost paralyzed. I knew if I didn't get out of this soon I would die.

I shakily unfurled myself from my position and peered around the tree to see Danny getting his butt handed to him. The rain must've blinded him also, because he was throwing punches at the air, or at least what looked like it. Vortex's laugh came out of nowhere, a loud booming sound that harmonized with the drenching rain.

"Is this the best that you can do? You clearly have not improved halfa."

Danny seemed to find him now, and shot a huge ectoblast at the weather ghost. Vortex, not expecting the flying energy, did not evade and was hit into a nearby tree. The fight was now too close for comfort, but I was too cold to move. I prayed for the rain to let up.

I could really use some ghost powers right now.

Vortex got up, clearly not amused. "Never took you to be a tree-hugger vortex," came Danny's taunt. If I could, I would have rolled my eyes in exasperation. Just get out the thermos idiot!

Vortex chuckled, a menacing sound that made Danny stop his banter.

"You think you will win, ghost child. Perhaps it is my turn to humble you. I am about to make your life… enhancing." With that, the thunder grew louder, and I couldn't mask my screams as the tree and the area around me were struck by endless lightning.