Title: Betting

Pairing: DannyxSam… Wow, het.

Warning(s): None!

Disclaimer: Not mine… Although I can see it happening.

Notes- This story takes place sophomore year. Maria, Zack, and any other unfamiliar character are totally random and have no real significance to the story. Oh, and I've never seen Phantom Planet, so I'm sorry if this is incorrect…

It wsa really kind of pathetic when you thought about it. The students and teachers of Casper High, betting on the relationship of two people who had been branded loser.

There were lots of bets, and a good amount of money in the pot.

Tucker bet that they would admit it to each other over the summer between sophomore and junior year.

Valerie bet that they would have their first kiss before the year was up.

Paulina bet that Sam would be pregnant before she was eighteen.

Maria bet that the two would be caught kissing in two months.

Mr. Lancer bet that they would elope at the end of senior year.

There were hundreds of bets, thousands of dollars in the pot.

But none of the bets came true. The two acted the same as always, just shyly denying their feelings, when it was obvious to everyone that they liked each other.

Eventually, Sam's mother and father stopped hating Danny. They would never truly like him, but they could tolerate him. Pam even admitted that he was good for her daughter in more ways than one. Sam's father even threw a few bucks in the pot- he bet that the two would be engaged by graduation.

Days went by, then weeks, then months. Everybody was watching Sam and Danny. They were starting to get annoyed. When would the two grow up and admit their feelings to each other?

Junior year started. Tucker got himself a girlfriend, Lancer finally did something to fix his baldness, Paulina gave up- slightly- on her obsession with Phantom, and the school listened closely for a hint that something might have happened between the two lovebirds over summer break.

When Danny walked in the door carrying Sam's bookbag, they all leaned forward, excited. When they saw him turn and open the door, they held their breath. But when they saw Sam hobble in the door, a grimace of frustration on her face and crutches under her arms, they turned away and dejectedly made their way to class.

More days and weeks went by. More people lost money. Danny and Sam still refused to admit their feelings. People still teased them, poking and prodding them, trying to make them admit it.

It was driving everyone crazy.

Senior year started. By this time, only six people were left in the pool. Mr. Manson, Mr. Lancer, Paulina, Zack, Michelle, and Principal Ishiyama. Of the six, four of them- Lancer, Manson, and Ishiyama- had bet that something would happen by the end of senior year. The other three had named specific times for their bets.

Danny's eighteenth birthday rolled around. Nothing happened and a disappointed Michelle went home, acknowledging that all that money was lost to her.

Christmas came, and with it went Zack's hope of winning the money.

Sam's eighteenth birthday flew by and Paulina acknowledged that Sam, most likely, wasn't pregnant.

Graduation came. The valedictorian had commented on the two, saying that she hoped everyone's life would be "as sweet and full of love as the relationship between our own lovebirds, Sam Manson and Danny Fenton." Everyone had sighed at that comment, ignoring the synchronized yell of "We're not lovenirds!"

That night, after graduation, Mr. Lancer and Principal Ishiyama admitted that they were wrong. As Lancer wryly stated, "There was a first time for everything."

Mr. Manson poured himself a drink and settled down beside his sleeping wife, mourning those lost thousands. And wondering where Sam had gotten so much patience, stubbornness, and denial. After all, neither of her parents were patient, stubborn, or prone to denial.

The day after graduation, when it was acknowledged that all of the bets had been wrong, Tucker gathered up all of the money that had been put into his safekeeping-everyone had figured that he would be the first to know if anything happened- and headed to Danny's house.

When he arrived, Mrs. Fenton ushered him in. He walked up to Danny's room, lugging the heavy sack of money behind him, and paused right outside of Danny's door. Listening intently, he heard the words, "I've love you too, Sam. I've loved you since way before freshman year."

Growling, the dark-skinned teen burst into the room. Pointing his finger at them, he ordered, "Next time, do it sooner!" Then, throwing the money at them, he stalked off to tell everyone the news.

It really was pathetic. Everyone had been watching for so long, waiting and betting on the moment.

And when it finally came, Danny and Sam, who had known nothing about the betting pool, earned $283,496.

Apiece.

Fini

A.N. Well, it sucks, but here it is. I just read an extremely sad, extremely depressing DannyxSam story and I wanted to write something soft and fluffy to counteract it… I'm still sad though.

Please review!