Neutral (Danny Fenton/Phantom x Reader)

Chapter 7 - Fabrication

Leaving the Ghost Zone for the human world is like leaving your hometown for college. It's temporary and you know it, but it doesn't stop the aching in your heart and the tears rolling down your cheeks.

When I walked out of the Ghost Zone through one of its natural portals, the thought came to me that I'm getting what I've wanted for so long growing up, but at the same time, it hurt more than I expected it to.

Hugging Clockwork as tight as I could, he pressed a piece of paper into my palm as I said goodbye and stepped out of my one true home. For a second, I thought about turning around, taking my luggage, and hauling ass back to the only place I've ever known.

But I didn't.

I waited a second too long and when I turned around, the portal was gone. My one-way ticket back home was gone.

My shoulders slumped and adjusted the weight of my filled duffle bag, turning back to take in my surroundings.

Green grass, blue sky, hard pavement underneath my feet, brick buildings next to me.

I was in the town of Amity Park, I assumed.

I opened the folded piece of paper Clockwork had given me, the one holding the address of my temporary home written inside. Looking up for the street I was on, I tried to assure myself I won't be lost for long. I had figured I'd be wasting daylight just wandering about the town trying to find the street I was looking for, so I grabbed the arm of the closest person that walked past me on the sidewalk.

The fabric I took hold of was the sleeve of a letterman jacket, and a high school aged Asian boy looked over his shoulder to see me and the hope of someone nice enough to help filling my (E/C) eyes.

"Hi, I'm sorry to bother you but do you know where this address is?" I asked, my hand let go of his arm and forced itself into the pocket of my jeans unexpectedly. Touching another person was strange, I didn't know how I felt about it.

The confused boy took the paper out of my hand and looked it over, "Elm Street is a few blocks down from here. If you end up at the pizza parlor, you went too far." He returned the paper to me while I smiled.

"Thanks, I appreciate it..."

"Kwan." He answered with a grin.

"Yes, thank you Kwan. I'm (Y/N)."

"Are you new around here, or just visiting?"

I hesitated to respond and pushed the paper into my other pocket.

"I just moved in, actually."

"Oh cool, are you going to go to Casper High after Summer break?"

"I am. Can you be honest if I ask you something?" He nodded. "How do you like it here?"

Kwan shrugged a bit, looking away at a few other guys down by what looked like a park, playing football. A blonde one was waving him over. "It feels big until you get used to it, then you know everyone by name. That being said, you stick out like a sore thumb."

Joy.

"Hey! Kwan! Get over here!"

Kwan looked back over to me briefly.

"It was nice meeting you (Y/N), if you ever need a friend at Casper High, you know who to look for." He smiled and shook my hand before he ran back over to his group.

I pulled my hand out of my pocket and wrapped it around my suitcase handle, pulling it down the street until I reached my destination.

The house I came to was a small, one story, just big enough for maybe two people, if you didn't mind constantly bumping elbows, that is. As much as I told myself that it could be a 'beauty is on the inside' situation, the outside of it was disappointing enough to make me doubt that. Dead, dried up grass was in the front yard, littered empty Styrofoam slushy cups and chip bags were strewn about and weeds popping out of every place imaginable on the ground. The paint covering the outside of the house was a faded gray with a bluish hue, it was beginning to chip from old age, while the roof looked like it could cave in on itself during a small storm. Even the sad little dented and rusty garbage can looked like it was ready to give up.