Negative Feedback (Danny Phantom Fic)

Chapter 33

Definitely listen to the song up above if you're able! It is SO PERFECT for this chapter's theme and Camry and Saoirse's current (not to mention rocky) relationship.

RECAP:

"Hey, so yeah, guess what? You'll never guess who I ran into today," Dude laughed awkwardly in an attempt to be as smooth as possible. 

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Saoirse and Camry's mutual stares were unbroken and silent, heavy with unsaid words and one-sided yearning. Camry's gloved hands habitually moved to grasp her Polaroid, a motion that did not go unnoticed by Saoirse's hardened gaze. 

"Saoirse," Camry began to say only to be cut off abruptly.

"Get out," Saoirse snapped, rising to her feet and leaning forward with her fingers pressing down discordant keys. "How dare you."

"W-Wait, Saoirse, let me explain," Camry objected while pushing off the door and taking a step forward. Her hands went out to her sides, palms faced up in a pleading manner. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you right away, but I couldn't with all the other people around--"

"I said get out!" she shrieked, banging her hands into the piano and filling the room with a horrible, jarring sound. "How dare you look even remotely like her! I didn't endure months and months of heartbreak to finally accept that she was gone just for you to come waltzing in and bring it all back!"

"But I am Camry!" said the blue-haired ghost. "Really! If you'd just let me talk, I can explain everything!"

"I don't want to hear anything you have to say! I would so much rather know my best friend were peacefully at rest than stuck as an undead monster!" Saoirse snapped before whirling on Dude, who had been watching all this shouting and trying to figure out what to do to calm down the situation. "Dude, you can't let this ghost trick you into thinking she's Camry! She almost got you killed just a few minutes ago with that giant horde of snakes! I'll bet she's one of them, too."

"I'm not--!" Camry tearfully tried to insist. Her core seized at the word 'monster' and made her stomach churn with horror. Was this what her best friend really thought of her now? A monster? 

"Alright, ¡basta!" Dude yelled over the top of both of them. Silence settled heavily in the soundproof room, filling their hearts with dread. "You both need to calm down a little, alright? Dios mío...! First of all, Saoirse, I think I can tell for myself whether someone's tricking me or not. I am a great judge of character, muchas gracias." 

He turned to look directly at the visibly troubled Cam. "And Camry, look, we both went through a lot of pain after you disappeared, so this is all a lot to take in for Saoirse. We're gonna explain it all as best we can, though, and it's gonna be fine. So let's just stay calm and talk this through."

A heavy exhale out his nose later, Dude sat down on the edge of the piano bench and beckoned for Camry to come closer. She refused, but out of more than just trepidation for how Saoirse would react. One hand covered her mouth, and she looked back at the closed door fearfully. "Cam, what's the matter?"

"I-I-- I have to go take care of somethi--" she started to say, but was cut off by a dry retch thanks to her volcanic core threatening to make her puke right there on the carpet. Camry dashed to the door and wrenched it open, but a wave of dizziness crashed over her and forced her down to her knees. Somebody was touching her shoulders for all of two seconds before they jumped back; the heat she was emitting must have rivaled an industrial-sized oven.