A / n: Bonjour guys! The reviews are nice. :3 As long as there's still interest in the story, more will be posted. My co-writer and I are loving this story and it's coming along really well. We enjoy it and hope that you do too! If you read it, please review. It'll be very appreciated! And to answer StarReader86 - we plan to have quite a few characters showing up in this story :3 Anyway, enough of me - enjoy!
Rhinestones
III
The dismissal bell rang and the students started to leave the class room, Cleo had her eyes still on Frankie as she packed her things up. She slowly made her way out of the class, not really paying attention to wear she was going. Just then she ran into Deuce, causing papers to go flying everywhere. After a few seconds of picking papers, Cleo noticed who she had run into. This made her turn very red in the face. "Well, hello there Deuce." Cleo got up off her knees (for once - as it was previously rumored that she spent a lot of time on them...) and gave him his papers.
Draculaura who was still in her seat making sure she had everything, which right that moment was when she had noticed Cleo talking to Deuce and she definitely looked like she had her flirt on. This was a bad thing since she was already in a relationship with one of the cutest guys, which was what Draculaura thought. "She would not dare flirt with another guy, if Clawdeen saw this... well even on no full moon tonight would still do damage." Draculaura mumbled to herself.
Cleo handed her papers off to Ghoulia and continued talking to Deuce, not noticing a very important paper had fallen out of the pile. "Come on Ghoulia," She said waving her to follow. Cleo also had herself wrapped around Deuce's arm.
Shifting her eyes slowly at the paper on the ground in the hallway, she slowly looked up at Cleo, giving her a slight angry moan. Trying to get her attention to the floor where a very important piece of paper remained. But it seemed like Cleo wasn't having any of that today – so hesitantly, Ghoulia followed, narrowing her eyes towards Cleo and Deuce. This could never lead to anything good.
As they were out of sight, Clawdeen growled as she made her way to her locker. "I really don't understand why even the rough draft has to be almost perfect, who cares?" she ranted to her ghoul friends, "It's not like he actually gives out A's or anything."
"Well... he kinda gave one to me..." Frankie began as she shyly hid her face and opened her locker – being thankful that today her bolts didn't do that for her.
"Mr. Rotter gave you an A, Frankie?" Lagoona approached, even more quickly after hearing that from her good gal pal. "He never gives out A's..."
Frankie sighed, "I know! And now everyone's going to hate me – especially Cleo, because I was just given an A in Dead Languages... on this assignment at least, which if I do it well, should bring my over all mark up to at least an A, if not an A+. Finally, I'll be able to get my parents off my back about receiving an A in Dead Languages."
Clawdeen wasn't angry. As long as the grade went to someone who deserved it – like her dear friend Frankie, that was great! She'd rather Frankie for sure than Cleo to get her grubby hands on it. "What's your secret? Surely you have one."
Frankie, "Well, I stayed a few minutes after class to explain... and now both Heath and I receive A's." That was news, Heath – also receiving an A? Why?
Clawdeen raised an eyebrow, "Heath? We're talking about that ball of fire?"
"Yes," Frankie began as she grabbed a brush and hair elastic from inside her locker, brushing out her long hair, to toss it up in a messy bun – just taking precautions to keep it out of the way for the rest of the night. "See, he started it all by writing this obnoxious note to me, about how I should be with his cousin Jackson, how I liked him and apparently he likes me too... and that Heath was going on about how un - cool it is to have his cousin be a virgin, and he ended the note obnoxiously too... so I figured – two could play at that game, so I gave him a funny, obnoxiously written note back. And he wrote back and then I wrote back and finally – Mr. Rotter caught the note before I could even reply."
The ghouls eyes widened, even Draculaura's as she approached the gang. "So, you didn't get in trouble?" Lagoona asked as she shifted her books from her arms to her locker.
"No! We didn't! Instead, Mr. Rotter actually laughed! And he said that I received an A – for making him laugh. And well, I stayed after class to tell him that it wasn't just me – but Heath too, and so he receives an A also." Well, that was a very interesting period to their day. First class and Frankie happens to get an A from the toughest teacher. It seemed as if they really could do anything! And before twelve too.
Draculaura bit the inside of her lip, she could not stop thinking about Cleo. She was not even paying attention to her ghouls. She snapped back to earth when Clawdeen cleared her throat. She noticed the girls wanted to head to the cafeteria. "Sorry ghouls." She said with a smile on her face.
Frankie gave a friendly smile, as did the rest of her friends around her, although wondering why she seemed to be a little distracted – they figured they'd let it slide. This marked the middle of the last week of school before Santa Claws was supposed to visit. The peaceful holiday monsters adored. Some celebrated different holidays, such as Howlukkah for example. But no matter what – the holidays were fast approaching, so that was probably on their dear friends' mind.
"It's okay Draculaura, don't worry about it. Let's head to the creepateria. Maybe we'll get something totally worth screaming about today?" Clawdeen suggested to her friends, to which they all gave a curt nod. After all lockers were shut, the ghouls were headed to their destination.
::~*~::
The creepateria was quite full today. Although usually the ghouls didn't eat in the creepateria daily, so to them – this was really full. Monster bodies everywhere. They recognized some peers in their classes and what not, just in a line up for today's special: Toadworst. Well – that didn't sound too appetizing, now did it?
Lagoona's stomach churned, she was thankful she brought her bagged lunch today. Those poor little toads didn't deserve to die in her opinion. "So my Ice Queen," Heath greeted Abbey Bominable – once again trying to hit on her. Didn't this guy ever get the hint?
She put up her hand, "Not interested am I nor your anything am I. Many no thanks."
He insisted further, "That top is very becoming on you Abbey," he smirked darkly, "although if I were on you, I'd be coming too."
Abbey's eyes flew open. "Excuse me, words of non – flattery just came out of that big mouth of yours were?" That was the most forward thing anyone had ever said to her, even Heath. "Do not ever repeat such nonsense. Never."
Heath chuckled, "Well you're not moving so quick – probably because you liked it."
"You do not know such thing," Abbey argued. She always talked very formally which may seem jumbled to others but to her it sounded right. The slang they spoke just, didn't catch on. That wasn't proper English and nor would it ever be to her. She flipped her long white hair over her shoulder, colors of pink, blue and purple seeping underneath. "an imbecile, dearest imbecile - you are."
"Aww, muffin!" He mused back, attempting a lean in for a possible kiss – until she backed up in her seat, holding up that familiar hand.
"That was a flattering compliment, most not - you ninnyhammer." Just a few months ago, she probably wouldn't have been able to speak so clearly and in English – but living with the Headless Headmistress Mrs. Bloodgood, she picked up on English at a much more rapid rate than she would if living with anyone else. "And that was incorrect to assume as flattery also. I... am leaving. You will stay. Goodbye." She told him as she stood up from her seat and grabbed her purse and lunch before leaving the creepateria.
Yeah, that didn't go as well as he would've wanted it to. Heath shook his head, he just didn't understand. Most girls he was with or who doted on him previously, always fell for the jerk persona. What would it take to convince Abbey he wasn't out to hurt her?
Cleo smirked as she saw Heath and Abbey talk. She knew Heath always had this habit of hitting on her ever since the first second she walked into the school. 'Does Abbey know that Frankie and Heath are together? That's gotta be why she won't give him the time of day.' Cleo bit down on her lip from where she was seated in the creepateria, towards the back. 'She never lets him get too close, so does that mean she knew since day one?' Cleo's mouth dropped. 'She knew before me?' She was shocked at the thought.
"Way to be smooth," Frankie lightly teased as she and the ghouls made their way over to Heath. "I can see she loved that line - or, lines."
"Yeah... right." Right away – she knew that wasn't a sunny, hot-headed Heath type of response. She reached out, and upward, to give Heath's shoulder a reassuring squeeze.
"Hey, it's alright. Maybe if you took a more soft approach, she'd appreciate it more. She seems to me like the kind of ghoul who would rather a bouquet of something rather than a cheesy pick – up line." Heath let the wise words Frankie spoke, sink into his mind a bit. Picturing Abbey in his mind – unfortunately fully clothed... - she did seem to be a more... elegant flower, one to be treated as such.
"You're right Frankie... I'll try and think of something. But thanks, you're a really cool ghoul." Frankie gave a bright smile at his compliment.
"Aww, you're so cute together! Smile!" Before they knew it, a picture of a confused Frankie and just as equally confused Heath, was taken by some ghoul who was on the Fearbook committee.
"Wait, come back! What the...?" Frankie looked up at Heath, who he himself just shrugged his shoulders in response as the ghoul walked out of sight with that camera.
"I have no idea what's going on, but whatever – it doesn't bother me. I know what's going on in my life so I don't care what any Fearbook or gossip column in the school paper has to say about it." One thing Frankie did admire about Heath, was how he was... himself. And he didn't care what anyone thought about it. It was really admirable and something Frankie wished she could do herself.
As a young ghoul, pressures were applied every day. In magazines, in movies, in television... many fear pressures were shown. Frankie could be insecure at times, but she had her best ghoul friends to show her that she was beautiful in her own skin, bolts to boots.
"Well, I just wanted to tell you that we both got A's from Mr. Rotter, concerning our notes in class... that he read and I thought I'd for sure be getting in trouble for." She smiled when she saw Heath smile.
"Really? Oh good thing, I don't really care about the grade – although it's sweet of you to have stayed around, to tell him it wasn't all you. Thank you for that... but I just hoped you wouldn't get in trouble, and if you would've... well I would be sitting in the same detention room because it wasn't just your fault. So it looks like we pulled through for one another, either way." Frankie smiled warmly as she gave him a quick hug. Of course that sent whispers all about, but she didn't care. She was thanking him within the depths of her gratitude.
"The ghouls and I were just stopping by to see if anything good was in the creepateria, but nope. So we'll be on our way, but I just wanted to talk to you. So, bye!" Before Frankie could turn around, Heath grabbed her hand.
This made the ghouls standing on the side, Clawdeen, Draculaura and Lagoona widen their eyes... but also watch intently at what was going on. "Frankie, before you go... I want to tell you that, I'll be stopping by your house after school. I... want to talk to you more, privately."
Frankie, still subconsciously holding on to Heath's hand, gave a curt nod. "Sure, okay. That's fine." And with that, after Frankie getting her hand back – they parted ways. "C'mon ghouls, let's go enjoy lunch in the hallway."
If that didn't get everyone in the cafeteria going – it was hard to think of anything else that would.
~)*(M)*(~
~)H(~
V
