Disclaimer: There are lyrics in this chapter that I, of course, do not own the rights to at all. Just wanted to use them for entertaining purposes. Thank you!

Review(s):

Creaturemaster – That is very true lmao Abbey could definitely kick Dakota's tail! I do hope that you haven't given up on this story despite the seriously long update wait! I'm hoping to be able to put some time into this and possibly even finish it. :D I can always dream, right? XD Cherf Chef – thank you so very much! I hope you're still around to read it… :) Kaout – Hello again! I have absolutely no objection to that, I'm honored you wanted to do something like that for this story! Thank you for showing that kind of interest, I'm super flattered. I'm not exactly sure who's going to pop up and when but possibly? XD

Beautiful Nightmares

Chapter Eleven

Catty giggled, this guy was hilarious! He had her laughing so much her stomach was sore. "Well, thank you for being the most clawsome tour guide! I think I have a pretty good idea of Monster High and where things are but I guess it can get pretty topsy turvy too, huh?"

Heath nodded, "Oh yeah, especially if you're not feeling so great. The hallways can give you a bad case of vertigo – trust me." he shrugged his shoulders, "I'm sorta in-between monster and normie. I have both in me so sometimes I can get normie-like illnesses."

Catty brushed the strands of hair out of her face, tucking them behind her ear. "That makes sense. Thanks for the warning." It wasn't long before they stopped at her next class. "Well, I guess we're here now."

Heath gave her a warm smile, "We are. I hope you have a good class."

She leaned in and kissed his cheek, "Thank you, Heath. I appreciate your help."

He flamed right up, literally and entirely. "You're uh, welcome." He stepped away from her so he wouldn't injure her with the flames. "I'll see you around?"

"I'm sure you will," she gave him a wink and entered the Clawculus room.

Heath remained flamed until he was doused with a bucket of water. "Whoa!" he screamed out, shaking the water off.

There stood Abbey Bominable, the beautiful ice queen, as she was in Heath's eyes. "Heath."

"H-hey ghoul," He began to shiver almost immediately. He didn't do well with sudden temperature drops.

"Don't 'Hey ghoul' Abbey," she began, folding her arms across her chest. "you were walking with that ghoul. Who is she? Is she more pretty than Abbey? What does new ghoul have that Abbey doesn't?"

Heath smiled despite the fact he felt light-headed. "Abbey… are you jealous?"

She hadn't stopped to think about it before, he was right. She was showing signs of being jealous… "That wasn't Abbey's question." She peered at him, "Who is she?"

He reached out to steady himself as he wasn't feeling so sure of his own feet. "She's new Abbey, I was just showing her around to her classes. You know Monster High is..." He swallowed hard. "it's difficult to get around by yourself." He sighed, trying to rid the vertigo he mentioned previously. "Her name's Dakota if you must know and she only kissed my cheek to thank me."

Abbey gave a nod, she was satisfied with that information. "Thank you? Hmm." she turned her attention to a pale Heath. "Hot-head not feeling so hot?"

He chuckled softly. "No… when I go from being hot to… cold, quickly… it makes me not feel so well. I – I get sick."

Her eyes widened in shock, that wasn't her intention at all! "Oh Heath, that was not Abbey's intention! I had no idea..." She grabbed his arm and put it over her shoulder. "Let's get you to nurse's office."

He gave a curt nod. "Sounds…" he tried to keep his nauseousness at bay. "sounds good." Although he failed when he let go of Abbey to heave into a nearby trashcan. She cringed but his sudden illness was her fault. "So sorry about that." He emerged finally. "Shall we?" He held out his arm. She took his arm, even though he was depending on her sturdy frame to hold him up, she still let him take the lead.

"We shall."

The dismissal bell rang and Catty knew to get out quickly if she didn't want to be late, or… Dakota rather. Her last class went well. Dead Languages with Mr. Rotter. It wasn't the most interesting to most but she was taking everything in. "Hey ghoul!" Draculaura caught up with her amongst the hustle and bustle of the halls. "How about those Dead Languages?" She giggled. "Totes boring right?"

Catty shook her head. "On the contrary, I found it intriguing! But then again… being home-schooled I guess I'll find everything interesting."

"You've never been to a real school before?" She asked the werekitty beside her.

'Only to perform…' She thought to herself, though she knew that was not the appropriate answer for her to give. "Nope. I've always wanted to and… waited until high school for it I guess." She giggled lightly. What could she say? Anything but the truth, that's what.

Draculaura shrugged her shoulders. "Better late than never, am I right?" She gripped Catty's arm and pulled her to Study Howl. It's where the usual gang met up after school to discuss the things that sometimes happened in their social-circle. "Hello everyone! I figured it totes appropriate to bring the new ghoul to our usual hang out spot."

'Interesting… the place to study is also a place to hang out…' It was now noted within Catty's mind.

"So… does everyone have dates to the dance?" Lagoona asked excitedly. "I know who I'm bringing..." Her beautiful blue cheeks tinged pink ever-so-slightly.

The golden-mummy-ghoul held up a hand in protest. She was the shiniest person Catty had ever laid eyes on. She seemed to rule this high school with an iron fist. Or so her demeanor gave off. "We all know you're taking Gill, tell us something new!" She shifted her gaze over to scan the new ghoul. "Like you! Hello. I'm Cleo de Nile, don't you forget it."

Catty blinked and nodded. "Yes ma'am."

She waved off the new ghoul and continued on her discussion… about herself. "Deuce will be taking me as he always does. Frankie, have you convinced Jackson to come?"

She sighed, she'd been over this before. "He'll be there… in the DJ Booth... as Holt." She shrugged her shoulders. "But he'll be there I suppose."

Catty tilted her head to the side slightly. She could sense that there was something sad about her body language. She wanted to address it but it might not have been appropriate on her first day after all. She looked down at her tragically old flip-phone for the time. William suggested it would be best to go with a cellular of a basic need. It didn't have a GPS locator after all. It would make it harder for anyone to track her.

She had to get going or he'd be worried sick. "It's been lovely to meet you all. I'm Dakota for anyone who didn't get my name and… I must be going. My dad will be worried. I'll see you tomorrow. Thanks for everything." She left the Study Howl to head to her locker.

It wasn't until she heard the sound of singing that made her stop dead in her tracks.

"Gonna make a heartthrob outta me, just a bit of minor surgery. These desperate times call for desperate measures. I'll give you something to cry about, show some skin and would be, cache. How could you let this get to desperate measures now..."

Catty's eyes searched for the soul who had a lovely voice! She knew that song… she was familiar with the band. Scarianas Trench, she believed? She recognized them as a great band. She peeked around the corner and noticed a ghoul with hauntingly beautiful lavender and light blue hair. Her skin tone was slightly lighter than her two-toned hair.

'Her voice is on point! Such a talent… why is she here all by herself?'

It wasn't until the headphones the ghoul had on her head were suddenly yanked off, she screamed with fright until male laughter could be heard. Where was he?

A blue-ish skinned boy soon appeared and seemed to be wiping tears from his eyes as he held out her headphones.

She grabbed them hastily and glared at him. "Invisibilly, you're an ass! You scared the daylights out of me."

He took off his toque and fanned himself with it, using a hand to wisp his hair back before fixing it back upon his head. "Sorry Twyla, I had to. By the way, voice is on… what do ghouls say now? On… freak?"

She face-palmed. "On fleek… Billy. It's fleek, not freak."

He shook his head but noticed someone peeking out from behind the set of lockers.

'Oh no! He saw me. I'm done for…' Was this the end? Catty sure hoped not. Today was great!

"Boo." He suddenly appeared in front of her, causing the werekitty to screech. "Ouch! Shit, sorry! I'm sorry." He tried to calm a startled Catty. The hair on her arms stood on end.

Twyla sighed as she turned the corner. "He's such a dick. I'm sorry."

Catty chuckled and shook her head. "No, no… serves me right. I was spying." Once her heart stopped racing she could focus on what she wanted to say. "I just… I heard your lovely voice and I recognized the song. Scarianas Trench, right?"

Twyla's cheeks blushed heavily. "Uh, yeah. I'm sorry you heard that."

"Oh gosh please, don't be!" She waved it off and got all excited. Except for the fact that she nearly forgot about her cover. "You… could be famous with that voice."

Billy fist pumped. "I keep telling her that!"

She seemed humiliated. It only puzzled Catty. "Your singing voice is spooktacular. Why haven't you gotten recognized already?"

Twyla put up both hands in protest. "No, no I could never handle that. I just… it's just a hobby. I honestly try to do it when no one's around. In the shower at home mostly. That's… going public with this ain't my thing. No offense to anyone who can do it. I just know I can't."

Invisibilly sighed inwardly. "Hey, wait a sec... you're the new ghoul everyone's been going batty about right? Scarrison?"

Catty nodded a bit too eagerly. "Yes. Dakota Scarrison, to be exact."

He nodded. "Pleased to meet your acquaintance. I'm Invisibilly, or Billy for short. This is Twyla."

Catty pulled out her phone and gasped. "I'm terribly sorry, I must go. Please, I'd like to see you both again."

Twyla raised an eyebrow. "This is high school, not a life sentence. You'll see us around, trust me."

"Thank you. Bye!" She waved to them and headed towards where her locker should be located… she hoped at least.

"C-uh, Dakota!" William opened the vehicle door for Catty as she rushed out of the school. "Where have you been?"

She grinned and he knew that it must have been good.

"You... just get in this... this vehicle at once young la-" she had the door shut before he could even finish his statement. "Right then." Once he got in and shut the door, all she could do was gush about her day.

"Oh-my-gosh Will, it was fangtastic! I had such a great day, this cute boy showed me around. Some ghouls became acquaintances and it was wonderful." She looked just as excited as the day she was signed to her record label.

"That's excellent, I'm glad to hear good reports." He maneuvered the vehicle down the road carefully.

"Now that's off my chest, can we talk about why you lied to me about not having a family at the hotel and then you splurge it this morning that you do? You have a wife at least?" She crossed her arms over her chest and he sighed. They hadn't talked much about personal lives at all. She knew what his favorite genre of book to read was, his pet-peeves... but his family? He never spoke of them.

"You caught me off-guard. I was half-asleep still." He glanced at her briefly before bringing his eyes back to the road ahead of him. "Catty… I shouldn't have kept it from you, you're right. I just didn't want you to hesitate because of me. You needed to do this and I agree whole-heartedly with it. I wouldn't be here if I didn't." He could go on, but he wasn't sure she wanted to hear anymore explanations.

"Their names."

He sighed. "Catty please..."

She shifted in her seat, non-negotiable. "What are their names, William?"

He shook his head. Man she was a tough negotiator. "Sophia, my wife. Clara, my daughter..."

She eyed him suspiciously. "William… what aren't you telling me?" As well as he knew her, she knew him just as well. He supposed it came from the time they spent together.

"Sophia's expecting."

"WHAT?!"

Her sudden shout nearly made him swerve into the opposite lane. "Catty! Please!"

She felt a familiar sting behind her eyes before a tear finally fell. "You're gonna be father again, and you're out in the middle of nowhere... gallivanting with me?"

He knew exactly how this conversation would turn out. That's why he tried to avoid it to begin with. "Catty, she just found out. It's early. Besides, again, they have been notified. It's part of my job, and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else than right here with you. Now please, let me get us home safely."

It didn't matter if Sophia was early in her pregnancy. The fact remained that William wasn't home to spend every moment with her. Or his daughter. Oh gosh, what if Clara grew up to resent her? This mean lady kept her daddy away from her? Her stomach churned with the incriminating thoughts as she watched the scenery pass through the passenger window. It was all she could do to keep from arguing further.

Hi everyone! My gosh it's been so long since I updated this story. I apologize for the inconvenience but I want you to know that I'm still around! Just busy with working life and adult responsibilities unfortunately. I hope that this update was worth the wait though!

Thank you for the continuous support

even though my updates seem to take five decades, xD

Much love!

~ CreativeWritingSoul