Aim and Fire

Chapter Four: She's Just Not Getting It

"Anything new?"

It was the first question I heard whenever I met Danny and Tucker underneath the bleachers every day, and after the first couple of times, I thought Danny was just being curious. I was kind of flattered, even, because I thought he really trusted in my abilities as an "investigator." As the days passed, however, it became more and more annoying.

I had really thought that maybe, you know, Danny and I could be friends. Tucker and I got along pretty well already. But things with Danny were different. He would make a fabulous business man. He asked questions, got the answers he wanted, and left.

And let's just say it was starting to piss me off.

I scowled at him. "No, Danny. Nothing is new. Considering it's only eight in the morning. And I'm sorry, but you're little paranoid relationship issues are not my first priority."

I watched a series of reactions float across his face; first there was shock, then confusion, then hurt. Tucker's eyes widened and he glanced between us. "Oh, burn. That was a good one, Sam."

Ignoring his friend's comments, Danny replied to me, "I never asked for you to make this your first priority, Sam. If you want to quit, just say so."

I sighed in exasperation. "I don't want to quit. I'm sorry for snapping at you. I'm usually not such a…"

"Bitch?" Tucker chimed in shamelessly, and I shrugged.

"Sure. Usually I'm not such a bitch. But seriously, Danny, let me do this at my own pace, okay?"

He nodded, and I smiled at him slightly.

So maybe he wasn't so bad, sometimes.

"Oh my gosh. I can imagine now. Natalie, can you imagine it? Danny and Sam…the amazing duo. Danny is the business man and you are the investigator!"

I tell my best friends everything.

And sometimes, I regret it.

I mean, I'm grateful that I have friends that I can trust. They know literally everything about me and they don't spill my secrets everywhere, or threaten to blackmail me. I'm lucky, really.

But what they lack in manipulative behaviors, they make up in teasing me. Endlessly.

Natalie giggled a little bit. "You'd be Detective Sam Fenton."

I beat my head on the table once or several hundred times. "Guys, stop it. I don't like Danny. And he doesn't like me. Seriously, would he be asking for my help otherwise?"

Elena looked as if I had sprouted four heads. "OF COURSE HE WOULD. Asking for help is the perfect way to get closer to you!"

Natalie nodded rapidly while taking a drink from her water bottle, her eyes wide. "Yes, Elena has a point."

"No, she doesn't! Because he's seriously worried about Valerie and it's like, all he talks about. He's in love with her, guys. I promise you."

Natalie and Elena sent each other one of those she's just not getting it looks, a look that I wasn't unfamiliar to. I frowned. "What now?"

Natalie took a deep breath. "Sam, you are allowed to like more than one person at a time. Sure, Danny loves Valerie. I believe it. But he can also feel attracted to you."

I considered this while stabbing my salad. Sighing, I replied, "Yeah, he can. But that doesn't mean he does. And if he does, it doesn't matter."

That much, I was sure about. Even though I really doubted that Danny held any attraction for me, I'm sure that if he did then he wouldn't act upon it. Surely, he would never break up with Valerie for me.

What a laughable though.

I spoke my thoughts aloud to Elena and Natalie, and I while I laughed out loud at myself, they just shot each other more oh my she's so helpless looks and did not laugh along with me.

One day later.

I never thought that being an investigator would bring me so many troubles, but as luck would have it, I had many dilemmas on my hands.

For one thing, I was expected to find out if Valerie was cheating for Danny, and I was somehow supposed to find out who the "ghost kid" was in Casper High for Valerie.

How was I supposed to help both without making it totally obvious?

I supposed that it wouldn't be too hard. This way, I wouldn't have to sneak around and follow Valerie around, or anything. Since she already wanted my help, I could talk to her anytime I wanted. And possibly walk in on her and her secret boyfriend in a closet, or something.

That was, if she was really cheating or not.

And that brought me to another problem. Danny was insistent that she was cheating, and what if she wasn't? Or…what if she was just really good at hiding it?

Honestly, I thought Danny was a paranoid, jealous boyfriend. How very typical of a guy our age.

I thought about all these things while sitting right behind Valerie, just before lunch. The teacher announced he was giving us time to do our work, and just as he sat down, Valerie did the same. Her dark eyes were wide and eager.

Wow. I was sick of this already.

"So? Anything new?"

I refrained from slamming my head repeatedly on my desk. No wonder Danny and Valerie were dating. They were so…compatible. So alike.

"No. Believe it or not, it's really not that easy to find out who the freaking ghost kid is. I mean, I thought about just going up to random people and asking them, but that would take forever, wouldn't it?"

Valerie was silent, and her gaze went from eager to angry. I smiled at her.

"Oh, very funny. So you don't know anything yet?"

I sighed. "No, I don't. And you know, Valerie, you're not giving me much to go on. What does this ghost kid look like? Is he…tall? Fat?"

Valerie looked at me as if this was the stupidest question she had ever heard in her entire life. I just kept quiet, keeping my sarcastic comments to myself for once.

"Well, he looks like…a ghost." She looked almost uncomfortable saying this. "He's…pretty tall. Not short. But not too tall. He has…white hair. Short, white hair. And…green eyes. They like, glow, or whatever. It's freaky."

I blinked at her. "Okay…white hair, glowing green eyes, about average height. Should I write this down? Can you tell me any personality traits, too?"

Now, Valerie just looked offended. "This isn't funny, Sam. I asked you to help me in all seriousness, and you're just mocking me."

I couldn't help myself. I laughed shortly. "Valerie, I am being serious. You're the one who said that there are tons of ghosts in this town. How am I supposed to dignify one from the other?"

Valerie relaxed a little, and then smirked. "Oh, trust me, you'll know."

--

Across the room, Tucker looked up from his notebook and glanced around the room, bored. His eyes stopped on Valerie and Sam, who were whispering and seemingly talking about something secretive and important. He just grinned.

Sam leaned back in her seat and looked up, catching his eye. He gave her the thumbs-up sign and she shook her head slightly, a horrified look on her face.

Valerie, looking confused, followed Sam's gaze to Tucker and he quickly looked down at his desk again, pretending to look busy and uninvolved.

Valerie turned back to Sam. "Is something wrong?"

Sam just shook her head quickly. "No, nothing at all."

Tucker was still smiling.

When the bell rang, I just followed the crowd down the hallway, heading towards the cafeteria.

The empty hallway that branched out to the drama and band rooms was, well, completely empty, as it usually was. Or, that's what I thought when I passed it the first time.

I took a few steps backward, looked around, and made my way down the hallway. There was a light at the end (how cliché, and kind of scary) and I could hear soft, echoing voices.

Keeping close to the wall, I stopped before I was basked in the warm light and listened.

"Look, this just isn't working at anymore," A female voice said softly, with a slight guilty tinge to it. "We had a fun time, didn't we? I think we're just drifting apart."

The voice was very familiar, but I couldn't put my finger on it right away…

A male voice responded. "What? But you said…you said we were a good match. What went wrong?" The words sounded clingy and desperate. But the voice was deep and rough, and sounded almost angry. It was a weird combination.

There was someone I knew who liked weird combinations…

"Jeff, be reasonable. Did you think we would last forever?"

Jeff. Why did that name sound so damn familiar?!

"No, you be reasonable, Elena!"

There were chimes and alarms going off in my head then. I was spying on my own best friend. I was finding out something about her that she probably didn't want me to know.

Oh. Shit.

"What is there to be reasonable about?"

"You know why I dragged you down this hallway, away from everybody else? So I could tell you that I really wanted to be with you. And that I was falling for you."

I heard a gasp. I didn't know if it came from me or Elena.

"You…you are?"

"Yes. And I was wondering if you were feeling the same way, but I guess not."

"Jeff…oh my gosh. I'm so sorry. But do you want to know something?"

"What? That you never want to see me again?" I cringed at his harsh words.

There was a laugh. "No."

"…why are you laughing?"

Why was she laughing?

"Because I was lying."

Deciding that I had heard enough – and judging by the male laughter that joined hers soon afterward, I knew that this conversation would end in a good note.

I made my way to lunch, catching up to Natalie soon after.

"Hey. Where were you? And…where's Elena?"

Smiling, I shrugged. "Oh…just around."

I realize this is ending on a lame note. This chapter was also pretty…boring. But the good stuff is coming up soon. I promise you.

Review. I know it's been forever and a day, I'm sorry!