Let's Make A Statement

An Ice Cold Bitch

The weekend had officially passed and now they were all back at school, Danny was not looking forward to this week. Of course he didn't look forward to any of them but he was very quickly reminded that this was the week of prom. He'd already seen two people ask someone to the dance and both of the girls freaked out.

He walked into the school and saw the third prom proposal of the day, at least this one wasn't full of screaming. That may have partially been because of the fact that it was two guys but he'd seen guys freak out over things too. When he walked into the hall his locker was in there were decorations, this was starting to annoy him.

He opened his locker and put his things inside, then Richard spoke next to him, "Okay, you look really mad."

Danny closed his locker, "I can deal with a bunch of people freaking out over a stupid dance, even having to hear people get asked out, but this shit is where I draw the line."

Richard looked confused, "The decorations, it's just to showcase some of the themes that didn't get picked."

"I don't care, I don't want to get reminded about a stupid dance every time I walk into a damn hallway."

Danny walked away and Richard walked next to him, "So I'm guessing you're not excited about the dance?"

"Why would I be excited over something like this, it's an excuse for people to ask someone out and dress up in needlessly expensive dresses and suits."

Richard glanced away and shrugged, "Well some people just like having a reason to do that stuff."

"Sure, either way I wouldn't go to a dance anyway."

Richard stopped, "Why?"

Danny stopped and rolled his eyes, "Because no one in their right mind would want to go with me. The guy who got in two fights his first week here, the guy who people purposely avoid in the hallways and don't talk to. If they're not afraid of me they look down on me because I'm a weird foster kid that hates being around people."

Danny kept walking and Richard caught up, "Not everyone is like that you know."

"Enough of them are, my whole point is that I don't want to go and no one would want me there anyway."

They walked into their class and sat in their seats, a few people were already there so Richard talked quietly. "But that's not true either, and even if other people don't they can't stop you from going."

"Why do you even care, it doesn't matter if I want to go or not."

Richard was going to say something but the minute bell rang and people started coming in so he didn't say anything. Toxin spoke, 'I do not understand why people are so interested in this dance.'

Danny took out his notebook and wrote a reply, 'I don't know either, it's just a dance, you ask someone to go with you, get dressed up, and dance.'

Toxin seemed confused, 'That's it, there's nothing else to it?'

'Aside from food and pictures, and a really stupid competition where you vote for a king and queen of the dance, that's it.'

'You're right this is stupid.'

Danny barely managed to keep a straight face, if there was one thing he could appreciate about Toxin it was that he always called it like he saw it. Sure he usually hated it because he called him out a lot but it wasn't always a bad thing, this time it was very good. Toxin was quiet for a few minutes, 'I want to go out again.'

'Then we can go tonight, anything is better then sitting around.'

Toxin agreed, when Danny's first class was done he and Richard went to their next one and Danny didn't pay attention. When the announcements came on they talked about the dance and Richard glanced at him which he found odd. Toxin spoke, 'Why does he keep looking at you?'

'I have no clue.'

Toxin hummed but didn't say anything else, it felt like forever before it was finally lunch and Danny was getting fed up with the decorations. He found a few on his locker when he dropped his stuff off before lunch and he tore them off and put them in the garbage. Even the damn lunchroom was decorated, apparently this one was based on the theme from the last year, it was under the sea.

That wasn't something he wanted to know nor did he even want to have to deal with this stupid dance but there was little he could do about it. When the others sat around him at the lunch table he looked like he'd actually kill someone. Barbara spoke, "Did something happen?"

Richard answered, "He's annoyed about the dance."

Danny looked at him, "It's stupid."

"It's not stupid."

Artemis spoke, "It is kind of stupid."

Isabella looked at her, "Artemis."

Danny gestured to her, "See, I'm not the only one."

Isabella crossed her arms and Lucas shrugged, "I think it could be fun."

Danny looked irritated, "It's a dance, an excuse for people to make a big show out of asking someone out and buy needlessly expensive clothes."

Isabella sighed, "How can someone find a way to hate everything, how can you hate school dances?"

Artemis spoke, "I kind of agree, I mean they're not that exciting."

Barbara spoke, "They are kind of fun though."

Danny rubbed his eyes and Toxin spoke, 'This is the stupidest conversation I've ever heard.'

Danny refused to laugh at that even though he wanted to and Toxin knew it, he seemed pleased with himself. Lucas glanced at Danny, "So how's your shoulder?"

"Oh now we're changing the subject?" They all looked at him and he wanted to be irritated, he really did, and he tried, "It's fine, it's not the first time I've been shot and it's not going to be the last."

Richard looked confused, "How can you be so sure that this isn't the last time?"

"Because life is an ice cold bitch and she hates me."

They looked at each other, the bell rang not long after and they went to the rest of their classes and went home. Danny kept an eye out for anyone that might be following them but there was no one, Toxin seemed confused, 'Why are you being so cautious?'

Danny whispered, "Because last time I wasn't cautious enough."

'Yes you were, you protected the others, yes they got scared but it is better then them getting hurt or dying, you saved them.'

Danny wanted to believe him, but he was also the reason he showed up in the first place, it was his fault, and he wouldn't let it happen again.